Monday, April 25, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
He is risen!
Happy Easter! Isn't it wonderful knowing that our Savior has conquered death and that He reigns victoriously forevermore? And that same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us today!
Nathan's Health Update:
Thankfully, Nathan is no longer experiencing pain in his leg. He also has become a very experienced wheel chair maneuverer. This week we picked up a disabled placard for our car, allowing us to park legally in the disabled parking bays. Liesel got to use it for the first time on Saturday morning when she took Nathan out for a pancake breakfast, and then a quick visit to the library. Being able to park right outside the door, with extra space allowing her to fully open the car door to get Nathan out and into his wheelchair, makes all the difference!
So while they were consuming calories, Josh and I headed to the gym to burn some calories! I had a great workout in the swimming pool, my first gym workout in about six weeks!!
Liesel's Health Update:
Liesel discovered a whole new level and definition of pain on Sunday and Monday. She had a sleepless night on Sunday, so I started calling the dentist's emergency phone number from about 8:30am. When they returned my calls, they told me to bring Liesel in as soon as they opened at 10am. I drove her there as her pain was so excruciating, she couldn't concentrate. The dentist examined her and told her she needed a root canal immediately. Unfortunately, since it was one of her rear molars, she would have to see a specialist to perform the procedure. The only specialist available to take her immediately was on the East side of Cleveland, but at this point, distance was not an issue - so we got back in the car and drove 35 minutes to the doctor. To make a long story short, the East-side doctor managed to take her pain away and perform the root canal that she needed. He prescribed her some strong pain-killers and a course of antibiotics to fight the pain and infection. I am happy to report that her tooth is no longer bothering her and her life has mostly returned to normal (considering we still have a child with a broken leg...) In fact we had some friends over for dinner and games on Saturday night. It was the perfect Spring evening with temperatures in the 70s (lower 20's C). I grilled some swordfish for us, while Liesel prepared the rest of the food! It felt so good to entertain again and enjoy the company of our friends!
On Sunday, we were woke up to the gentle patter of rain. This was a problem, since the Easter bunny had hidden a bunch of Easter eggs in the front and back yards of our house. Normally, rain wouldn't hold the children back from going outdoors to find their next chocolate fix, but Nathan's leg cast is not allowed to get wet at all. Finally we saw a break in the rain, and we all headed outdoors in our pajamas. I put Nathan in his red wagon, and he directed me toward any eggs that he spotted. So even with his disability, Nathan gathered a decent bunch of eggs. Josh enjoyed the hunt too, but instead of placing eggs in the basket, he stopped to enjoy them on the spot!
One last update: In less than two month's, my mother will be spending just under 3 weeks with us! Her flights are confirmed, and we are looking forward to the Summer vacation with her!
Nathan's Health Update:
Thankfully, Nathan is no longer experiencing pain in his leg. He also has become a very experienced wheel chair maneuverer. This week we picked up a disabled placard for our car, allowing us to park legally in the disabled parking bays. Liesel got to use it for the first time on Saturday morning when she took Nathan out for a pancake breakfast, and then a quick visit to the library. Being able to park right outside the door, with extra space allowing her to fully open the car door to get Nathan out and into his wheelchair, makes all the difference!
So while they were consuming calories, Josh and I headed to the gym to burn some calories! I had a great workout in the swimming pool, my first gym workout in about six weeks!!
Liesel's Health Update:
Liesel discovered a whole new level and definition of pain on Sunday and Monday. She had a sleepless night on Sunday, so I started calling the dentist's emergency phone number from about 8:30am. When they returned my calls, they told me to bring Liesel in as soon as they opened at 10am. I drove her there as her pain was so excruciating, she couldn't concentrate. The dentist examined her and told her she needed a root canal immediately. Unfortunately, since it was one of her rear molars, she would have to see a specialist to perform the procedure. The only specialist available to take her immediately was on the East side of Cleveland, but at this point, distance was not an issue - so we got back in the car and drove 35 minutes to the doctor. To make a long story short, the East-side doctor managed to take her pain away and perform the root canal that she needed. He prescribed her some strong pain-killers and a course of antibiotics to fight the pain and infection. I am happy to report that her tooth is no longer bothering her and her life has mostly returned to normal (considering we still have a child with a broken leg...) In fact we had some friends over for dinner and games on Saturday night. It was the perfect Spring evening with temperatures in the 70s (lower 20's C). I grilled some swordfish for us, while Liesel prepared the rest of the food! It felt so good to entertain again and enjoy the company of our friends!
On Sunday, we were woke up to the gentle patter of rain. This was a problem, since the Easter bunny had hidden a bunch of Easter eggs in the front and back yards of our house. Normally, rain wouldn't hold the children back from going outdoors to find their next chocolate fix, but Nathan's leg cast is not allowed to get wet at all. Finally we saw a break in the rain, and we all headed outdoors in our pajamas. I put Nathan in his red wagon, and he directed me toward any eggs that he spotted. So even with his disability, Nathan gathered a decent bunch of eggs. Josh enjoyed the hunt too, but instead of placing eggs in the basket, he stopped to enjoy them on the spot!
One last update: In less than two month's, my mother will be spending just under 3 weeks with us! Her flights are confirmed, and we are looking forward to the Summer vacation with her!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
When it rains, it pours.....
For once, I am not actually referring to the Cleveland weather. As I describe the events from Thursday onwards, you will understand exactly what I mean. In fact, let me change that slightly, and rephrase it as "when it rains, it is a deluge in the McCarthy household!
Let's start by giving an update on Nathan.
After having his cast on his hand for 10 days, Liesel thought she would take the boys to a playground on one of the lovely Spring mornings. On the way to the playground, Nathan casually mentioned that he was going to try slide down the pole. Upon hearing that, Liesel promptly said, "No!" as his right hand was still in the cast and he wouldn't be able to hold his entire weight with just his left hand. However, boys will be boys, and he thought he knew better than his mother, and that the law of gravity didn't apply to him. So while Liesel was following Josh around the playground she heard a thud, followed by a bloodcurdling scream from Nathan. When she found him at the bottom of the pole he told her he had a sharp pain in his lower leg. So we rushed him to the ER for a more thorough examination and the X-rays confirmed, that he had in fact broken his tibia. So has been to the ER twice in 10 days and has had two casts made for two different appendages in the same period! On the bright side, the Orthopedic Doctor removed his hand cast, and saved us another visit to their offices.
Having a broken leg is not all that it is cracked up to be. Nathan has his leg in a full leg cast, and is not allowed to put any pressure on the broken leg at all. This means that he is confined to a wheel chair for at least the next 3 weeks! This restriction is going to affect a number of areas of our lives. For example, he won't be able to attend school (his class is on an upper level). He needs either Liesel or myself to carry him to the bathroom every time nature calls. Liesel cannot do her grocery shopping with the two boys. Nathan cannot go to any child-care facility, be it at the Church or the gym. So in a nutshell, all of our lives are significantly impacted for the next few weeks. All I can say is, "Kids - don't try this at home, or in the playground!"
On Friday night, we did go out to our friends' house for dinner, where we all had a great time. Nathan's friends were taking turns riding in his wheelchair. While the children were paying attention to Nathan and his new blue cast, the adults had a great time together, and it was a perfect de-stresser for Liesel and myself! The remainder of the weekend was spent at home.
Just as we were getting into a groove with Nathan's temporary disability, Liesel started experiencing an excruciating tooth ache. Her dentist had been concerned about this particular tooth for a while, but it had never bothered Liesel until Saturday night! The pain was so severe, it made her feel nauseous, and on Sunday, she spent the majority of the day in bed with a heated beanbag placed on her jaw. The pain is so intense that it even prevents her from falling asleep. We pray that the dentist can see her tomorrow, and do something that will take the pain away!
The McCarthy family would really appreciate your prayers at this time, especially for Nathan and Liesel!
Let's start by giving an update on Nathan.
After having his cast on his hand for 10 days, Liesel thought she would take the boys to a playground on one of the lovely Spring mornings. On the way to the playground, Nathan casually mentioned that he was going to try slide down the pole. Upon hearing that, Liesel promptly said, "No!" as his right hand was still in the cast and he wouldn't be able to hold his entire weight with just his left hand. However, boys will be boys, and he thought he knew better than his mother, and that the law of gravity didn't apply to him. So while Liesel was following Josh around the playground she heard a thud, followed by a bloodcurdling scream from Nathan. When she found him at the bottom of the pole he told her he had a sharp pain in his lower leg. So we rushed him to the ER for a more thorough examination and the X-rays confirmed, that he had in fact broken his tibia. So has been to the ER twice in 10 days and has had two casts made for two different appendages in the same period! On the bright side, the Orthopedic Doctor removed his hand cast, and saved us another visit to their offices.
On Friday night, we did go out to our friends' house for dinner, where we all had a great time. Nathan's friends were taking turns riding in his wheelchair. While the children were paying attention to Nathan and his new blue cast, the adults had a great time together, and it was a perfect de-stresser for Liesel and myself! The remainder of the weekend was spent at home.
Just as we were getting into a groove with Nathan's temporary disability, Liesel started experiencing an excruciating tooth ache. Her dentist had been concerned about this particular tooth for a while, but it had never bothered Liesel until Saturday night! The pain was so severe, it made her feel nauseous, and on Sunday, she spent the majority of the day in bed with a heated beanbag placed on her jaw. The pain is so intense that it even prevents her from falling asleep. We pray that the dentist can see her tomorrow, and do something that will take the pain away!
The McCarthy family would really appreciate your prayers at this time, especially for Nathan and Liesel!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
WAITING....
Quick update on Nathan:
We waited until Monday before taking him to the ER for x-rays. The doctor confirmed what we feared, that he broken his pinkie finger. That afternoon he saw an orthopedic doctor, who made a cast that covered most of his right hand! This cast has impacted his daily life. Besides giving up piano lessons and soccer, he has taught himself to write with his left hand. Fortunately, being in Kindergarten means that neat handwriting is not required :)
This weekend, a new Lego store, the first in Cleveland, opened on the eastern side of Cleveland. Liesel and I thought that this would be the perfect treat for Nathan, to reward him for being so brave throughout his entire broken finger ordeal. So we left the house on Saturday morning with enough time to get us there before opening time. Apparently, thousands of other North East Ohioans had the same idea, and when we walked inside the mall, we were ushered to the back of one of 3 separate lines! The way it was set up, once you reach the front of line #3, you are ushered to the back of line #2. Then when you reach the front of line #2, you can then join the back of the final line, which eventually let you into the Lego store! Long story short: Nath and I stood in line for about 2.5 hours to get the privilege of entering the store. Josh, understandably, didn't have the patience to stand in queues - so Liesel and him went to another store in the area that we have been wanting to go to. Once they returned, they saw that Nath and I were still stuck in a line, so Liesel graciously entertained Josh (no small feat in itself) while they waited for us.
150 minutes later, we were finally invited into the store. It was a fantastic store with an amazing selection of Lego sets. Our favorite part of the store was the Lego Digital Box. This piece of technology is a display with a camera pointing outwards. As you walk up to the screen, you can see yourself in the display. Now if you are carrying a Lego box and you hold it in front of the camera, that's when the magic happens! The Digital Box automatically renders a 3D image of whatever set was inside the box. But then it also animated the mini figures and had everything playing out a mini-storyline, in 3D, in front of our eyes! Very impressive!
That evening, after a morning focused around Nathan, it was time for Liesel and myself to go on a date! We headed out to a new favorite Italian restaurant. Ironically, even though we were there before 6pm, it was crazy busy, and we were told we would need to wait 30 - 40 minutes!! From my morning's experience, I learned patience, and we were prepared to wait yet again! Fortunately for us, we waited less than 10 minutes and we were soon enjoying some great Italian food!
On Sunday, we all experienced something that last happened on October 10, 2010. That event was temperatures above 80 degrees (27C)! It was an unusually warm day for us, considering that just 10 days ago we had a snow storm that left 1.5 inches of snow on the ground! So we took advantage of the day and spent a good deal of time outdoors! Now if only this weather could stick around a bit longer......
We waited until Monday before taking him to the ER for x-rays. The doctor confirmed what we feared, that he broken his pinkie finger. That afternoon he saw an orthopedic doctor, who made a cast that covered most of his right hand! This cast has impacted his daily life. Besides giving up piano lessons and soccer, he has taught himself to write with his left hand. Fortunately, being in Kindergarten means that neat handwriting is not required :)
150 minutes later, we were finally invited into the store. It was a fantastic store with an amazing selection of Lego sets. Our favorite part of the store was the Lego Digital Box. This piece of technology is a display with a camera pointing outwards. As you walk up to the screen, you can see yourself in the display. Now if you are carrying a Lego box and you hold it in front of the camera, that's when the magic happens! The Digital Box automatically renders a 3D image of whatever set was inside the box. But then it also animated the mini figures and had everything playing out a mini-storyline, in 3D, in front of our eyes! Very impressive!
That evening, after a morning focused around Nathan, it was time for Liesel and myself to go on a date! We headed out to a new favorite Italian restaurant. Ironically, even though we were there before 6pm, it was crazy busy, and we were told we would need to wait 30 - 40 minutes!! From my morning's experience, I learned patience, and we were prepared to wait yet again! Fortunately for us, we waited less than 10 minutes and we were soon enjoying some great Italian food!
On Sunday, we all experienced something that last happened on October 10, 2010. That event was temperatures above 80 degrees (27C)! It was an unusually warm day for us, considering that just 10 days ago we had a snow storm that left 1.5 inches of snow on the ground! So we took advantage of the day and spent a good deal of time outdoors! Now if only this weather could stick around a bit longer......
Sunday, April 03, 2011
Pinkies and Purchases
Just when we thought that Winter had released her vice-like grip over us, we received another wake up call on Wednesday afternoon! Snow started falling thick, fast and continuously. When we woke up on Thursday morning, we had a fresh 1.5 inch layer of snow covering EVERYTHING! Although it was beautiful to behold, it seemed to have delayed the arrival of Spring. Fortunately for us, the temperature never dropped below freezing and by Thursday afternoon, with temperatures around 50F(10C), the bulk of the snow had melted! Phew... come on Spring!!!
On Saturday, it was Nathan's first soccer match of the year. He was very excited to get out onto the field again, despite the 40 degree (5C) temperatures! During the third quarter, he was the designated goalkeeper. He was doing great until the opposing team made a rush at the goals and as Nath reached down to get the ball, someone's foot missed the ball and kicked Nathan's pinky finger. I watched from the side lines, and he was extremely brave. He carried on playing the remainder of the quarter, not showing any sign of trauma. After the quarter, I went over to the team's bench and checked on Nath. It was obvious that he was in a lot of pain, so I took him home. The pain seemed to get worse, and we strapped the finger up as soon as we could. This seemed to offer some temporary relief. However, when we unwrapped the finger today to check, the pain was substantial again :( So it looks like Nath will be paying another visit to the Doctor on Monday morning.
On Sunday, Liesel had planned a visit to her favorite store, IKEA, with another girl friend. SO she left the house before 8am to make the 2.5 hour drive to the heavenly home store. That meant the it was a BOYS ONLY day in the McCarthy household! At 9am we headed to church, and afterward returned home for some play time outside, and some wrestling inside! We also got to speak to all of my family today, which is always an added bonus! After some Sunday naps, and some Sunday snacks, my beautiful wife returned home later that afternoon after a good day out! And we were once again, one happy family!
On Saturday, it was Nathan's first soccer match of the year. He was very excited to get out onto the field again, despite the 40 degree (5C) temperatures! During the third quarter, he was the designated goalkeeper. He was doing great until the opposing team made a rush at the goals and as Nath reached down to get the ball, someone's foot missed the ball and kicked Nathan's pinky finger. I watched from the side lines, and he was extremely brave. He carried on playing the remainder of the quarter, not showing any sign of trauma. After the quarter, I went over to the team's bench and checked on Nath. It was obvious that he was in a lot of pain, so I took him home. The pain seemed to get worse, and we strapped the finger up as soon as we could. This seemed to offer some temporary relief. However, when we unwrapped the finger today to check, the pain was substantial again :( So it looks like Nath will be paying another visit to the Doctor on Monday morning.
On Sunday, Liesel had planned a visit to her favorite store, IKEA, with another girl friend. SO she left the house before 8am to make the 2.5 hour drive to the heavenly home store. That meant the it was a BOYS ONLY day in the McCarthy household! At 9am we headed to church, and afterward returned home for some play time outside, and some wrestling inside! We also got to speak to all of my family today, which is always an added bonus! After some Sunday naps, and some Sunday snacks, my beautiful wife returned home later that afternoon after a good day out! And we were once again, one happy family!
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