As you all know by past posts, I no longer say "what else can happen" because it still happens...Tonight about 45 minutes before leaving for a family party Chase tripped and hit his knee on the frame of my bed. Splitting his knee wide open. So off to the Phx Children's urgent care for xray and stitches. He was a little traumatized by the whole thing but we were able to leave with "6" stitches. Well believe it or not he is my 1st to get stitches. Just when you thought we had done it all...

We were able to have my parents down from Thatcher for 1 night. I really like when I have a day to just run around town with them. We went to the mall, deseret book, lunch at Cracker Barrel and pictures with Santa at Bass Pro Shop....This is only 5 of 20 grand kids...

Time to post about something other than ER visits and blood clots. My sister has found a couple of blogs that have been started with the theme: use it up, wear it out, make do or do with out. I thought it was a great idea and a way to help us all make things happen for our families without it costing so much....christmasexchange08.blogspot.com & www.christmascents.blogspot.com

Well here is a strange update...The stress was over NOTHING...They are saying that the 1st ultrasound was a misdiagnosis. Who this is just getting funnier all the time. Better this than what it could be..

Smith Family Christmas miracle

Well an update on the last post. When we were having problems filling the needed meds, I called a few Dr's and ended up headed to the ER again... We were going to do another ultra sound to see if there were any changes and get another shot... So our little miracle was about midnight when they told me that the blood clot was gone, YES gone....So today I am very tired and I have a house full of kids but it doesn't matter...My washer is working and all my kids are at school....

Well it gets even better when you try to go pick up the medicine to start the shots and insurance will only cover it if it is ordered through the mail service. So Walgreen's wants $3200.00 to fill the prescription....ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! If you have a blood clot you need to wait 48-72 hours to get the medicine in the mail??? Do you see something wrong with this picture? YA me too

What else can go wrong???

Be REALLY careful when you say that because there is usually more to come. After having an ultrasound yesterday morning, we found that yes there was a blood clot. The good news is that there is still some blood flow through it. So we spend much of the day on the phone with Doctors trying to find the best way to treat this. So after a really long few hours we received a call that said go to Banner Desert Hospital and the DR will be waiting for you... I think your heart just sinks no matter what. So has I rushed to get Karly and a babysitting kid delivered to someone else. We were off and running....After hours sitting in the emergency room waiting to see the Dr that we NEVER saw. She was given a shot in the stomach (which has to be done twice a day day @ home too) and she gave 5 tubes of blood. We will go see the pediatric hematologist today and we will go from there. So for an update on the rest of lives stresses I still have no washer but I am so grateful for my great neighbor Sam and my mother in law for use of there washers...

Well to add to the crazy week, since it is still the same week... I was really looking forward to Shelby going to school all day tomorrow. Well she has been having cramps in her calf all day. So we get to go and get an ultrasound on it tomorrow. Cross your fingers that there are no issues of blood clots.

Have you ever had one of those weeks when you think, what else can happen.... Well with in the last week and a half we have had to put in a new toilet (last minute) dead battery in car, car dead on side of the road, Shelby's knee surgery and now my washer has gone out.....SERIOUSLY what else? So I am out a washer until Wednesday and that really does not go well with a family of 7.... Do you ever have those moments that you know that you are being tested? Well it is all falling at Christmas time and its hard enough.... Well lets hope it will get better soon...(the silver lining to the washer is at least it is still under warranty) YAAA

Day 2 & 3

Well day 2 & 3 were a little painful and very sore. She wanted to still go to young women's last night. Today she was able to shower and take off all the bandages. It is still a little swollen and we are grateful that Dr. Porter marked the right knee.

Surgery Day

Well Monday was the BIG day, she was just so ready to find a problem that could be fixed. So we were off to the Arizona orthopedic hospital in Chandler at 5:45.... We were surprised to see a couple from our old ward, but she was there to get a whole new knee (3 day stay) They found that the ligament was to tight and not letting her knee move..So Dr Porter was able to cut through the tissue and let it stretch out more.

Day 1 she was feeling really too good. But how to you bust there bubble and tell them it has not started yet... She is using an ice machine that has a timer and we just set her up and let it go. Day 2 however.... Her first words of the day were "It's sore" Ya just the begining. She is so worried about getting to far behind in math the she wanted to try to at least go into math today, well let her go for a little while and within 1 1/2 I was picking her up and she has been on the ice machine for about an hour...