WOW! Has it really been 7 months since my last blog entry...oh yea, and two injections ago for an update for Neela. I don't know really why I lost touch with her blogging...but I feel in my heart that I need to get back into this. First, for my sanity...and secondly, to let all of you know how she is doing physically with her LM, and her eye issues. Well, since my last entry (still ridiculous when I actually think I didn't even post her last two Ok-432s. She had injections in the months of July and late September. She did extraordinary with both, and had no complications or side affects from the drug. In November...God led us to a new job for Bart, working for Frito Lay as a route salesman, out of Blue Earth, Minnesota. The increase in yearly pay and better hours, and the fact that we would actually be able to 'buy' our own house, since we've been renting for seven years. The only bad part was moving....f o u r hours from Neela's physicians.
Neela had her last eye appointment in December. She is taking steps back as far as her vision is concerned. She is to be full time patched (meaning her 'good' eye is covered for most of her waking hours. This is such a battle, since she is older now...and has developed an attitude and personality about who is in control of what 'she' does. She knows what her 'contact bag' looks like, so I have to switch bags from month to month....She knows the sound of her patches are when they are opening....so instantly, she runs away from Bart or I...and says, "No!" "No!" "No!"...and hides behind whatever furniture is closest. She is resorting to buttering us up....when we are putting her lens in.. by hugging us so tightly that we can't lay her down to insert her contact....She pretends she just wants a 'hug'....a hug that lasts up to two whole minutes..anything, to pause off putting that lens in..The doctors weren't kidding us when they said the day she was diagnosed with her cataract that it was gonna be a long and hard process in redeveloping her vision~ post cataract removal. I think we are spending an average of $65 $75 a month in patches for her, since she is tearing them off just as soon as we put one on her....The stretchy gloves on her taped to her sleeve has been working though. She really looks like a boxer. I don't know what the heck I'm gonna do this summer, I'm sure I'm gonna get the 'looks' from people wondering why my lil girl has mittens on in the summertime. Oh well, right now we've gotta do what is best for her to see the world better someday. Neela's LM progress has been great ~ overall. Since her last injection she has shrunk down to just a little bit of puffiness behind her right ear. She is supposed to be having a follow up MRI in a few weeks to see how far she has come since starting the injections.
In December we ended up finding a house that is 9 miles south of Blue Earth sitting in a little town called Elmore. It is about 735 people...well, now officially with us, we can say 744. We live on the far north edge of town..... so we have neighbors, but they really can't see what we are doing since we are up on a hill and we aren't situated right next to any other houses close. I'm sure by summer everyone around us will get an eye full! I just hope the boys realize they aren't on the farm anymore....so we already had the talk about leaving clothes on while jumping on the trampoline....and going 'pee' inside, and not by the nearest tree. We got a great deal on a 'huge' house...that is big enough for the kids, myself and Bart (since he got his double garage....a loft for storage....and a woodworking shop....Oh, and a heated office off of the garage, but the four boys have already claimed that. The great thing about the garage is you don't have to go outside to get to it...there is an underground tunnel leading from our house. What I love about this house is the natural woodwork, the window benchseats, tons of stained glass. Two + 1/2 baths...one of the bathrooms is as big as a small bedroom....The other is just off our Master bedroom....I wouldn't have ever imagined having my own bathroom.....which the kids hardly use. I also love that every where you look in this house is a potential for storage, which we have a ton of..... We finally feel pretty settled in this little town after being her a whole month. We have painted a few rooms and have TONS more to do....new carpet, and refinishing an attic for the girls future bedroom/hideaway...Both Bart and I, had a rough month with having unsettling emotions about a new area....new house....new job....etc. We have found a great church, and sad to say that my new best friends are in their 80s, which is okay...'cause they enjoy our company and our kids. I love asking these ladies about life ~ & about the area where we now live and call 'home'. I've been keeping busy refinishing/painting furniture, making signs and decorating....which is so fun, since we have our 'own' house again! Oh yea, I forgot to mention the reason we got this beautiful house....Bart~he loves his new job at Frito Lay. He goes in pretty early, but on most to almost all days he is home before noon, which we all love! It is really nice when I need a break and NEED to get out, he's there to relieve me of kid duties......Well, enough for now....More Elmore, MN stories and Neela's journey will be updated more frequently, I promise!!.......Thanks be to God for what HE has done in our entire families' lives.... esp a place to actually call "HOME".....
