Well it has been very crazy in our house for the past two weeks and I just haven't found the time or strength to post. Where to begin, Kenna and I had a blast at the Disney Princess show, it was great to see our friends, I also enjoyed the one on one time with her, we needed it. That night Kenna came down with a fever of 104, and complained that it hurt to breath. I got the fever down and she felt a bit better, the cough seemed to linger. The next morning I was the one who was sick, and it took a week to get over it, I still have a bit of a cough but over all I am feeling good, Kenna too. I was most surprised that Arianna did not get sick with us, she waited until last Thursday. She had a fever in her right ear but not her left, I knew that could mean only one thing, ear infection. I took her in to the doc and confirmed what I already knew. She started her on some antibiotics and told me to keep an eye on the fever. Well on Friday she hit 103 and I took her back in, they did a chest x-ray and it looked bad, pneumonia again. We got a Rocefen shot and a dose of Tylenol while there and she just went to sleep, so tuckered out. She did a lot of sleeping on Saturday and seemed more like her self by that evening. We went out for Gavin's blessing on Sunday and she was happy. This morning she had a strange wheeze but her o2 sat levels were good. I still took her in cause we don't take chances with her. Another chest x-ray and it's even worse than Friday, but she still had good air movement in her lungs. We are trying a new breathing treatment and she is getting oral steroids to keep her upper airway open, let's pray it works and she can stay out of the hospital.
I also had a doctors appt today, I found a lump on my ankle and it hurts. The doc says the only treatment is to remove it, so I will be going in for surgery next week(?) it should be a simple out patient, and I will be back and running around the next day. Let's hope.

The Snell's MIA, But Now Were Back

Many of you may have been wondering why there haven't been any new posts lately. Well I just have been to busy to even look at the computer, and then when I do my connection is so slow I get frustrated that I turn off the darn thing. So here comes a huge update on all of us.
This pic shows Arianna trying her best to escape her rocking chair.

Matt celebrated his 32nd birthday on Feb 25, happy b-day! We celebrated our 11th anniversary on Feb 26, we went out to dinner without the kids on March 1st to Log Haven, great food and nice atmosphere, thanks to my mom for watching the girls. We went camping over the weekend of the 9th to Crystal Hot Springs. We had a great time even though the weather was threatening. Kenna had a blast driving her Jeep all over the place. She didn't want to leave the nice hot pool, but we had to because my parents were watching Arianna, she couldn't get in the pool cause of her heart and meds, my parents had to leave to help my sis out. Arianna couldn't get enough of being outside and would get cranky when it was time to go inside cause it was getting cold out. She just loves the sun and the cool breeze.

So far we have all stayed healthy and can't wait for the weather to get even warmer, I love the out doors, and we all love to go camping.

We went to our Cardio appt yesterday. Arianna's heart is doing great, they did an ECHO and were able to see so much detail, even though she was wiggly. Her PH does not seem to be getting worse, her lung blood pressure is at about 50, which is pretty good for her. Her PDA, ASD, and VSD have not changed, but they are not affecting her adversely at this time. She has a great heart squeeze. We have got her back to baseline O2, 1/4 daytime 1/2 night.

She is happier then ever and loves to roll as far as her O2 line will allow. She has succeeded in knocking her chair over while she is still strapped in. I left her alone for just a few mins and the next thing I hear is a crash, I run in to find her and the chair upside down, and she is just smiling. She about gave me a heart attack.

Kenna is doing really well in school, she is her teachers biggest helper. She has learned to read all her letters and is starting on words now. They have begun to learn their songs for the pre-school program in May. She is starting to enjoy ballet more and is learning the dance for the spring recital. She has also been learning to ride her big girl bike, but we need a bigger helmet and so she doesn't want to go to far from home without one. Kenna and I will be going on a date, we have tickets to see Princess's on Ice, thanks IHH and Christina. We really needed to get sometime alone and this is a great way.

I got myself a new haircut thanks to Brynn, I am still figuring out how to style it but I love that it is way easier to manage. I have also lost 10lbs, not by working at it, I think I lost it while Arianna was in the hospital just now noticed that my clothes were not fitting any more, so I stepped on the scale and got a big surprise. I am going to keep up the momentum and work at losing the rest of my baby weight.

So that's what has been going on in our little world. I will try harded to keep up with posting.

A 'Rhino' in the House

So I haven't posted anything because we have all been sick with the Rhino virus. Arianna got it the worst and an ear infection to go with it. But with lots of Tylenol and some antibiotics she is feeling much better. The rest of the family has had a bad cough that we just can't kick. So with all that said I haven't taken any new pics cause we all look a little too cruddy, and Matt has my camera at his work.

We got to spend Sunday evening with Matt's Family, we haven't seen them in weeks. We celebrated the birthdays of My honey Matt and his older brother Ben. Matt's mom made her famous lasagna and german chocolate cake. We all had a great time.

A New Baby!!!

I know I have been a bit of a slacker, but that is ok I have been busy.

I first have to welcome the newest member of the Snell Family. Gavin Michael Snell was born Febuary 16, 2008 at 10:26 p.m. to the proud parents Robert and Natalie Snell, and big brother Nathan. He weighed in at 7lbs 9oz and 21 inches long. He is a cutie and has already shown how much of a Snell he is(very gassie).

Now for Arianna, she is doing very good and has been given a clean bill of health from her doctor, she does have some fluid in her right ear but it is not infected. We have been out a few times in our new car and she really likes it, if she is cranky I can put her in the car and drive and then she is happy. It was never like that in our other car. We went for Synagis on Friday, she hated that, and then went to the Homer's for a visit. Alex was taken with Arianna and all her rolling around. Kenna has found a new best friend in Ry and has asked to go back everyday since. I had a great time with Brynn, it feels so good to talk with an adult, and know that my kid(Kenna) is not the only one that melts down like the world has come to an end. Thanks for my reality check, I needed it. And thanks for lunch, quesadillas have never tasted so great.

Arianna is still working on those teeth, it takes forever for teeth to push through when you don't use your mouth to eat. I try teethers and such but she would rather chew on my hand, and her teeth are sharp. She still wont leave her oxygen in her nose so I have to put socks on her hands so she can't grab it.


Tomorrow she will be 20 months old, how cool is that!!! I will post a pic tomorrow so you can see how she has grown.

Arianna Is Home!!!!!

Arianna was discharged this afternoon. We arrived home about 3:00. You could tell right away that she was happy to be home. It did however take her until 6:30 to take a nap. She is still weening off her meds and she was a bit hyper. It will be nice to be under one roof again. Thanks to you all for your support and love, this hospital stay was much more difficult than the past ones. We have been told that if she were to get RSV she would not survive it, she has again proved them wrong.

I will try to keep you all updated on her home recovery, tonight I just don't have the energy.

Side note, I have a new car, well not new, but it is to me. My great husband found a great deal on a Tahoe, we now have four doors, no more bumping Arianna's head. Now the task of selling my two door Grand Prix.

Here's to a quiet and safe weekend!!

Hugs, Julianna

Move'n on Up

We have moved to the floor, ie infant unit. Arianna had a really good night and this morning they put her on a high-flow canula, acts alot like c-pap just a bit more comfortable. So they moved us out of the PICU, I felt really good about it and she seems really happy. They are talking about us going home on Thursday. It will be nice to be home with the whole family, Kenna really misses her sissy, and I miss my bed!

Thanks for all the prayers, I know they have helped us in this time of great need. Our love goes to all that have helped us this past week, I wouldn't be able to survive without the support.

Hugs!!
Julianna

Monday Update

So the Docs were'discussing' sending her back to the floor and even changed her meds so that they can be given by g-tube but Arianna has had other ideas. She has been awake and fighting her c-pap all day. She does this thing that her nurses have dubbed 'the crocidile death roll', and blows her tubing apart. They have had to give her so much adivan to get her to calm down that now that she is asleep she is d-sating, so they up her o2. I am now confident that she will remain here in the PICU. I told the docs that she would come right back here if they sent her to the floor, so she proved me right even before she left. I really feel like they try to push her to hard too fast, they know her, know her history and they still treat her like a kid without her syndrom. But with that said, they also treat her like she isn't going to survive because of her syndrom. 'Please stop' is all I ask , give her a chance to fight, she may be slower to recover but I truly believe and know in my heart that she is meant to be with us for a good long time.

I know that she is going to make it through this, I really expected that she would be intubated long ago, but she has done well on the C-pap and has not need to be on the vent. I am greatful for that fact, she is very hard to extubate. With all that said I have to go home now to give the computer to Matt. More updates tomorrow!