Tuesday, May 24, 2011

I LOOOVE the summer time!

Why do I love it so much? No it's not because of the weather, for anyone who's been to Southern Nevada during the summer knows just how miserable 115 degrees is. It might be a little because there is no school, but mostly because of the all the traveling and family vacations we get to go on! We just got back from 3 days in Mesa, AZ (which is part of the phoenix valley) for my cousin Mitchell's mission farewell! That was the funnest weekend I have had in a VERY long time. I had missed my cousins Tori and Colten mission farewells, which were my family last to trips to AZ, because I was up at school in Reno. I know college is for getting out on your own and growing up, but I don't think that means you have to go so far away you miss EVERY family get together and celebration. I hated not being able to be there for cousins. So being able to be there for Mitchell was so great. Growing up I would spend every summer break with him and Colten, but I stayed at Mitch's house, so I was always a little but closer to him, but man those were amazing summers with both of them. I am so proud of Mitchell for getting to this spot in this life. He gave a great talk at church on Sunday, and he's going to make an amazing missionary. He's at the MTC right now for 3 weeks then is off to Tulsa, OK for 2 years. Not gonna lie I'm really nervous about him being out there with all these crazy tornadoes, but I know the Lord will keep him safe.


This trip to AZ was like every other! Way too much food, TONS of talking (if you've never spent time with a large group of Houston's you'd probably be very surprised at the things that end up in our conversations), lots of laughing, Bahama Bucks, great pictures, meeting new baby cousins, not nearly enough sleep, which all adds up to one heck of a vacation! My cousins from Logendale and family from Texas were even able to make it! I will never go 2 years without seeing them all again. We even had some excitement on the trip up there. After leaving Kingman, where we stopped for dinner, we saw a van flip off the side of the road. SOOO scary! We called 911 and the boys ran over to help. In the van was only 1 guy and he wasn't hurt, but he was completly wasted! It set us an hour back since the boys had to fill out police reports and what not. While the boys were over the highway helping this rancher who owns 80 acres right were we stopped came up to the window to ask my Mom if we needed help. Scared the crap out of me cause I was pretty sure he was going to kill us! I know, I know I always jump to the worst conclusion, but we all made it to my aunts house in Mesa in one piece and had a fabulous time! The only sad thing was missing out on the lake trip on Monday afternoon since we had to head home a day before the others, next time though! Being on a boat in the middle of the lake with my cousins is the happiest place on earth without a doubt!


Here are some pictures from out trip!

Anthony was using Collin's leg as a guitar while he sang for us!

Sunday lunch after church with the family

Hangin out with baby claire.

Boys and their video games in this family.

Just a (very) small portion of us cousins!
Houston is such a stud.
He must get it from his parents (:

I love me some Bahama Bucks!! Just before we left.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

I am one happy camper!

So after I called the CF Coordinator and told her the office said they were booked and to what until clinic she called them and had them talk to the doctor and of course he agreed to squeeze me in at 4 before they close. Well lucky for me they had a cancellation and could see me at 10:30, wooho!!

So Mr. Doctor Man said for my age (which he called me old!) and for what my PFT's have been he was very happily surprised with how good my lungs looked in my CT scan. I mean they were definitely a CF'ers lungs but nothing to significant. While that is great it still leaves us without answers. We talked a bit about how I have been feeling and then what I thought we should do. Then he listened to me and told me he agreed with my game plan! My PFT's dropped 3 more % since I was seen two weeks ago. We put me on 2 weeks of orals then 6 days of prednisone. We are also setting up a bronch to give me a good cleaning out and to get some cultures of deep down in there to see if there is stuff growing that isn't showing up just from regular cultures. He is worried that I am growing Pseudomonas again. But after we figure out what is being so mean to the my lungs we are going to do an aggressive round of IV's and get me in tip top shape!! I left very happy with our plan, and ready to kick some CF butt!!

Life is too beautiful to just sit back and watch it pass you by. So I am taking some serious initiative and getting myself back to my base line then I can work on getting higher. I got alot of life to live still, so here is to a long road ahead but a very bright future after that! I would like to thank all my family who has helped me and been so encouraging during these last few months of being sick so often. I would also like to give a shout out to all my wonderful cysters that have been so uplifting and encouraging. We might of never met and maybe never will but man it's crazy how fast we have built a relationship. They are all so amazing and strong, love you guys!


Wednesday, May 18, 2011

It's time for a little built of frustration to be released. Ready... Set... GO!

So I am just a little frustrated right now. I am probably over reacting, because I tend to let my temper slip when I am not feeling well, but that's okay I mean not everything is perfect all the time. Here is my little rant of the month. We have two CF doctors here in Las Vegas that work together in the same office, but they are also 2 out of the 3 pediatric pumonologists here in town. That makes it pretty much impossible to get in to see them outside of clinic because you are sick. I'm sorry but I have Cystic Fibrosis and I have been on almost 2 months of antibiotics with only a week break in the middle which is when I coughed up blood for the first time. No I don't want to see the nurse practitioner. He's great but I have seen him the last 2 times and I feel even worse today then I did when I coughed up the blood. I need to see my actual doctor as soon as possible. Thanks.

Oh and to top it all off the adult clinic doctor is only there for CF clinic. She volunteered forever ago to do it because we only had one doctor working. I don't see her when I am sick outside of clinic, she isn't the one that sees me in the hospital. I know the doctors write everything down in charts but I would like to see the same doctors for my clinic, hospital stay and when I get sick in between . My lungs hurt, my back hurts, and my wheeze is back with a vingence. I feel like I can't catch my breath and when I try to take a deep breath in it hurts. Lets see if we can get in before my trip to AZ on Friday. If not it's going to be one long trip. Heck I hope they will let me in before my clinic on June 8th... something just isn't right in there. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. Feeling that way has never been my norm.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Happy Mothers Day to my dear Mother!

I never understood Mother's Day. I love my Mom every day of the year. I help her out, and give her lots and lots of hugs. I don't need a special day to tell her I love her... Growing up I did love sneaking down to the kitchen with Sam, Cortney and my Dad and making her breakfast and caring it down the hall for her. I would also spend all week making her something special. This year Mom asked for lunch not breakfast in bed since church is so early, and I will be at my church when she gets home for lunch so this year I am in charge of dinner! I know I've already told you a little bit about my mom in previous post but as it's Mother's Day I would like to show how much I love and appreciate my Mother.

She is the worlds best Momma. She is strong, and determined, her faith is immovable and she attends church and serves callings regularly and faithfully. She is selfless, and does anything for other people before she ever thinks of herself. I have never had so spend a day in the hospital by myself, and when I was admitted to the hospital in Reno family chipped in and flew her out to me and she lived in the hospital with me for a week. The day I was discharged she came home, unpacked my stuff and cleaned my room for me. Growing up she was my advocate at doctors office's and made sure I got the best care possible. She is an amazing cook, and does a great job keeping out home beautiful and clean. When I am sick my favorite thing to do is lay on the couch with her while she rubs my aching back. My mom is amazing. I never realized just how much I learned from her example until I moved away. I was able to clean, and cook and advocate for myself in the doctors office. We talked on the phone almost every day while I was living in Reno, and when anything exciting happened it was her I called, or when I was stressed out or things weren't going my way it was her I called. I can cry and she won't judge me, she'll just be there to hug me and tell me everything is going to be okay. Guess what... she's always right about that, everything ends up okay! I hope one day I get the privilege to raise my own children just as my Mother has raised me.

I would also like to acknowledge all other amazing Mom's I have around me: My grandmother's, my aunts and those cousins who have been blessed with children. I would also like to say that it's not just the aunts with children. My aunt spring has been a mom to every niece or nephew at one point or another. She has helped out everyone in the family and looks out for us like we were her own kids. I have been so blessed to be surrounded by so many amazing women and role models in my life. I would be nobody without their love and compassion in my life. I owe alot of that to my amazing Grandmother. She raised such outstanding children. It was her who made this family the wonderful thing it is. She raised respectable, moral, trustworthy, loving, caring, and hardworking children who then raised their own children to be the same.

So Happy Mothers Day to all you hardworking, loving Mothers out there that want nothing but the best for their children. We love you and thank you.

Salt Lake Zoo with my Momma and Dad.

Family Reunion picture with my Mom and Sister!

My Aunt Landa, Mom, Spring and Grandma
Christmas Morning making breakfast.

Sitting on Grandma's porch listening to the rain
a few days after surgery.

This last Easter after church, the whole family.