Sunday, February 5, 2012

"Walking on Sunshine..."

"Reunited and it feels so good..." 
So, I know what everyone has been thinking... Are they making up all of this medical drama? Has Whitney been watching too much Grey's Anatomy? Is she desperate for some attention? The truth is that I don't think anyone could make up the wackiness that we have experienced over the last 9 weeks and particularly this last and scariest medical event.

The wound-vac and hyperbaric oxygen treatments were moving along and my (still-open) wound was healing and getting smaller, but the four hour long appointments were not that fun. I went in on a Monday and things were still fine and looking "good". I woke up Tuesday morning not feeling well at all. It was like the flu but worse. I was still a good girl and I made myself get up and go to my hyperbaric "dive". I made it through, went home, and continued to feel worse as the day went on. Later that afternoon, I noticed that I had what appeared to be blood blisters on my hands and then this rash like bruising started showing up all over my legs. I went to my appointment Wednesday morning at the wound clinic and they were very concerned about the "rash" and how my wound looked. They made an appointment with a dermatologist that afternoon up at University Hospital.

The adventure took a real turn at that appointment. Shortly after being taken back to the room and examined  there were then 8 doctors and at least 4 nurses taking vitals, talking to me, taking skin biopsies, looking at my wound and letting me know that I was really sick. I tried to convince them that I was fine and that I just needed some vitamins, and maybe some antibiotics and that they could send me home. Who gets admitted to the hospital from a dermatology appointment? I mean, right?!  So that began my 11 day ICU fun hospital adventure. This included (no exaggeration) 6 different teams of doctors and specialties. (Can't wait for this bill). Obviously for me the worst part was being away from Bailey. Trevor was nice enough to have three pictures of her enlarged and put them up in my room - which helped. Turned out that I didn't have the flu, but Sepsis which was causing renal failure and breathing complications. What someone shouldn't do is then google "sepsis," which is what Trevor did. I think it was probably for the best that I never knew how sick I was. That was actually the funny part (if there can be a funny part). No one thought I matched my lab results or chart. I was much too lucid, engaging and in relatively high spirits to be as sick as I was. I only really know how to be upbeat and I think that is also what helps me get through all this "fun".

So I have now been home just over a week and home is so much better. I had great nurses at the hospital, but I do prefer Trevor, my mom, and my sister-in-law Janette (who came this week to give my mom a few days off). I am still on oxygen at home and have the drainage tubes from the fourth and hopefully final surgery, but things are great. I am getting stronger everyday and so happy to be home with my family. Thank you to everyone's prayers and well wishes... They worked! Hopefully we will just have normal, but funny, posts from here on out even though I can rock a hospital gown better then most.

Bright Eyes

"How much longer is this photo-shoot going to last?"

"Yay! Mommy's home!" (also, notice the array of medications in the nightstand)

Bailey won't take her eyes off of Mommy...I guess she wants to make sure she stays this time!

Adorable!

Our new family portrait. (finally Trevor and Storm get some camera time)

Sunday, January 8, 2012

"Don't stop 'till you get enough..."

Snow White
 So many of you know how much I love Michael Jackson and Fairy Tales, and I was able to combine both with my fun hyperbaric oxygen treatments this week. It may look fun (and it is) but I am not going to lie - I am not looking forward to a possible 18 more 2+ hour long treatments. I also received a fun wound vac this week that is attached to my person all the time. So the disgusting factor continues to climb. Luckily, it is relatively small, has a black case, and can be hidden in a large purse. The worst and weirdest part of the oxygen treatments is the fact that you cannot wear any makeup or lotions or anything that is potentially flammable. So I don't look at cute as I would like, but I do want to heal so I suppose I can make the sacrifice. Hopefully between the treatments and the vac I can heal quickly or become a platinum recording artist, or have a prince find me. The best news is that Trevor no longer has to look or deal with my wound and that makes him pretty happy.

Lucky for us, my mom has come down to help take care of Bailey so that I can go to my daily treatments. Bailey gets cuter and cuter everyday and is DEFINITELY worth it!

Is she calling me a loser?!?

What an adorable family!

Sunday, January 1, 2012

And the Beat Goes On...

Well adventurers, the saga continues. As some of you may know, my c-section was not healing great and it reached an all time level of lameness this week when I was instructed that it was going to need to be re-opened entirely and I was going to need surgery. So off to the hospital we all went. This just teaches me not to tempt fate by uttering the phrase, "it can't get much worse..." So apparently this whole situation was brought upon myself :)

So now we are home and Trevor has the privilege of dressing my open 7-inch incision. I am disgusting, but what can you do?! It must be love - or guilt - or maybe a combination of both that helps Trevor get through the dressing changes. Or more likely the possibility that regardless of how great our insurance is that the two daily home nurse visits might not be covered.

Everything's fine, I'm recovering and Bailey is, of course, fantastic. (The only thing I need now is a pedicure!) 

Happy New Year everyone and I hope you are as excited as we are for this bound-to-be-a-fun-filled year to come!


                                                                        Hospital Fun!!


                                                                         Help Me!!


                                                                    Daddy's Little Girl


                  The Utes won their bowl game, Bailey was so excited! TOUCHDOWN!!!


Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Finally....

Well party people it has finally happened. We are starting a blog. Since we have now joined the parent patrol we apparently have lots to blog about. Also since our recent addition turned out to be pretty attractive we feel the need to share her cuteness with the world. Thanks to large amounts of cash, medication, and prayer (not necessarily in that order) coupled with some serious divine intervention we are happy to announce the arrival of Bailey O'Quinn Smith on November 29, 2011 at 10:26 pm after roughly 22 hours of labor and a subsequent cesarean. Weighing in at 5lbs 14 oz and 18 1/2 inches long with of course a full head of hair she has been a happy addition to our home. 

Needless to say this Christmas was the best ever. It was a pretty quiet affair of just us at our house, but it was great. I am sure that we will be the obnoxious parents who think that Bailey is the most attractive, funniest, smartest and most well behaved child ever to live. Although she probably will be as long as she takes after me (Whitney) ha! So welcome to our wonderful Adventures in Smithtown. More stories and fun to come soon. 

                                                                       Santa Baby

                                                              Bailey the Snowbaby

                                                              Great Stocking Stuffer

                                                      All I Want For Christmas Is You...

                                                            I make this look good...

                                                              Our Little Ladies