This morning (EARLY!!!!) Amber once again entered a hospital.
This time it was for day surgery on both of her knees.
She looked as beautiful as if she were going out on a glamorous date!
The surgery went well and was a success! The doctors discovered both knees had torn meniscus as well as advanced arthritis. Bear in mind Amber is only 29 years old! She was home by mid afternoon and is recovering as well as can be expected.
While yesterday she was extremely nauseated all day and most of the evening (most probably due to the anxiety of having yet another surgery!) she still managed to leave the house in organized fashion and even had learning activities for the quads as well as meal plans and support schedules!
The color this week is YELLOW and we did the Discovery Boxes she left and read the library books on YELLOW out loud.
Our family friend, Jo Ann, arrived before 9:00 and was a great help with the morning and lunch time routine.
This was wonderful since Louis Dean claims he did not sleep ONE WINK last night.
I believe it because he was pretty out of it today!
He still managed to sing to the quads and certainly played with them for several hours!
Notice the dress up shoes on the girls!
The quadruplets have officially hit the 'Terrible Twos!'
I have been calling them the 'Terrific Twos' - but have now changed my mind.
Amber has been telling me this but until today I really hadn't noticed how demanding the quads are now.
We see them more than once a week but still had not felt the full brunt of this phenomenon!
Until today.
You can read about what Amber's been dealing with HERE!
Naps are no longer breaks for the caregivers.
They are exercises in endurance.
Mostly the quads endurance.
It seems they are feeling their power and challenging just about everything.
I put them down for naps and then stayed in Harrison's and Kailey's nursery for an hour.
I just sat in the rocker and played my Scrabble games and rested.
Neither of the kids went to sleep.
Finally I came downstairs because I had laundry to do and the lunch to clean up.
That's when Kailey started kicking the door.
Louis Dean RACED upstairs saying in a firm voice that he was going to SWAT!!
He says now he meant swat the AIR because you, I, Amber, Mike and everyone else knows he could never bring himself to swat one of those babies!
So what did he do? He told Kailey if she would go to sleep he would stay with her.
So she did and he did!
You can see how that might work for a granddad but is not practical for a mama - or for a MeeMaw who has other chores that need doing.
Kailey and Harrison eventually slept for an hour or more as did Logan and Trystan.
This makes for a more pleasant afternoon if they are not SO tired!!!
The cat was a big attraction and does so well with them
I admit - as soon as she can she escapes!
A tea party is expected when I am here!
Logan told me when I got her up from her nap, "We'll have a tea party in a minute!"
So we did.
They are now learning to POUR their own tea.
We need a lot of practice.
Logan has got it down pretty pat, though!
Amber had a library book she checked out with Louis Dean in mind.
It was 'How to Babysit a Grandpa!'
He read it to them this afternoon.
When I say it takes a village I'm not kidding!
Just a fresh face can sometimes keep things going a little smoother.
At least for a little while.
The babies were excited to have their Dada home.
Louis Dean took this opportunity to go in the living room and spend some time with Amber.
She was propped up on the sofa and that's where she stayed until bed tonight.
Dinner was a special treat.
The church we all plan on joining brought it.
A loaf of warm homemade bread, pasta and meat sauce, Caesar salad and homemade cookies!
They will be bringing dinner the next two nights as well.
This is a ministry of the church that I plan to join and be active in!!
So today it took Louis Dean and me plus Jo Ann - all three - PLUS Mike to do what Amber has been doing single handed for several days in each of the last 3 weeks.
No WONDER she has been exhausted!!!
At least we get to go home and rest!!!
Which is exactly what I am planning to do in the morning!!!
Go HOME and REST!!!
AND I am taking my daughter WITH me!!!
She will recover much quicker in a peaceful quiet house than she could with all the hub dub going on around here. Louis Dean went home this evening. Amber is so very cautious that he not get overly tired. She had already anticipated that he wouldn't sleep last night. The older we get the harder it is to sleep anywhere but our own bed!
It has been a long day.
Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement - both here and on Facebook as well as private messages and phone calls. They are so greatly appreciated!!
16 comments:
My earnest respect and admiration, Linda! And LD!!! It awesome what love can do. I mean there is so much love in you two that nothing is impossible or too tough. I am happy Amber's surgery went well and she has a mom that will give her some pampering. In no time she will be her own self again and be in action again! Until then she will enjoy a well needed break at her mom's home. :)
Bless her heart..I'm glad Amber is doing ok..just need lots of rest, I'm sure.
Ya'll have all done so well, raising these 4 darlings. Once they get thru the 2's, things will look up.
xo bj
Eventually I will have to have the same surgery Amber just had. But I am much older than she is! I hope she recovers quickly. What a time those terrible twos are. Only 9 more months to the threes?
We have that same ministry at our church where we give meals to shut-ins or people who have just had babies, surgeries, etc. I'm a part of it. It's headed by the Elders' wives (yes, we have our own ministry). I've both given and recieved meals. I think you would enjoy being a part of it.
Awww, bless your poor tired hearts. I hope that you, Louis Dean, and Amber get some quality rest.
Those little darlings are going through that phase. I know that they'll come out on the other side as the lovable little three-year-olds that we hear so much about. Let's see, that's only ten months or so, right? (I am not chuckling. That little noise you heard was a hiccup. ☺)
if I were amber, i might need more surgery than just the knees. so glad you have a village to help all of you and the church ministry to... i love the shot of LD on the floor with the babies... terrible two's times 4 is unbelievable to me.
God grant you all strength and energy and some little happy moments here and there to sustain you!
Wow, busy, busy and more busy, but totally worth every second spent with your precious grandbabies. LD is such an awesome granddaddy, as you are a fantastic grandma. Wishing you a speedy recovery Amber (bet your husband is hoping the same! ;-) )
Have a great weekend everyone!
Sending big get well hugs to Amber and also big well done hugs to you and your lovely LD, from sunny Scotland X
I am glad she had her surgery and is now on the mend, hopefully this is the last of her knee issues. I have four stepkids and when I first met them they were 6,8,10 and 13 = a handful but not so much that you had to watch them every second. Amber is a great Mom and obviously you were too.
Linda, So glad Amber's surgery went well. You are right take her home with you and let her get some real rest....we know what being a mommy is like. So nice of the church members, to bring food and help out here and there. Grandpa is aw wonder. Those children are going to love music...
Take care of yourself too Linda. Amber is so sweet to worry about LD . Blessings to all of you, xoxo,Susie
Bless your,and LD's, heart, Linda! You are the best grandparents those four little darling could have ever hoped for! I hope Amber recovers quickly!
Linda, Amber is beautiful - i and out. But definitely out. Awesome.
IN too of course - but just have a look...well!!
Both knees and four two year olds. I've said it before, but you guys are truly amazing in the way you handle your circumstances. I may have to check into that book about babysitting.
She is too young for arthritis, how did she get it? Maybe lots of sports as a teenager? She is so beautiful!! I have had meniscus surgery, they remover one third of mine. Now I have two more tears. She really had things well organized and that saved you all a LOT! They are just starting to be a bit more independent, and this is normal for their age. How is Louis Dean doing and why did he not sleep? VERY good idea to bring her home with you. When I had my surgery, I used a walker for four days. It also really hurt to get out of a chair. Tell her to sit on extra cushions...put one couch cushion on top of the other and she will be much more pain free getting up.
I think you're all amazing! Honestly though, I have no clue how Amber does it all. I so hope she gets some rest and doesn't overdo when she goes home.
Do you mind sharing about the Church you mentioned? I'd love it if you would email me. :)
xo
Pat
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