Taking a Little Break

The blog is taking a break and will return with full vigor in the new year. Don't worry, things haven't been quiet around here lately and we'll tell you all about it when we catch our breath.

Thanks for checking in with the blog. Here's a few interesting stats about the blog since November 21.

*2424 visits
*295 different visitors
*107 visits on Dec. 16 was the highest
*visits from 5 countries and 41 cities
*3:41 is the average time per visit
*4129 pages viewed
*80 people have visited the blog more than 50 times
*46.24% of visitors use Internet Explorer / Windows (yes, we have that data too)
*3 people have visited on their iPhone (we know that too)
* we also have data about screen resolution but that is rather mundane so it won't be included

We hope these stats don't creep you out, but they do show just how far reaching our journey is. Again, thanks for walking along side us and we appreciate your kind comments.

What Else?

I am home with Shaelyn, she has bronchial pneumonia. On antibiotics, coughing a lot and congested.

Since Kourtney has started on the antibiotics, the honey dressings don't work as well because her skin has is drying out. So now we have itchy alligator skin....which means....more blisters as the story goes. We just need patience and insight into how to best care for her again. What works one day doesn't always work the next, as we have discovered with EB. I talked to Dr Courtemanche today, he kindly ordered some flamazine cream for her.....since we had to go to the pharmacy already today. I am hoping the goopy cream will help make her less itchy now and help heal her sores.

We have 4 days left of the antibiotics...I am hoping that things settle down once she is done with them.

We went to the movie "Bedtime Stories". Good little movie.

It's Shaelyn's Turn

Shaelyn has not been feeling well the last few days. She even went to bed and slept through Christmas dinner yesterday. She had been sleeping peacefully until 0545 this morning when she woke up, started coughing, and said she couldn't breathe. Janelle suspects she has pneumonia and has rushed Shaelyn off to the hospital in Abbotsford.

Keep you posted later.

Christmas

This morning on this very snowy day, Murray (my brother), Shaelyn, Todd and I sat in our hot tub as the snow was lightly falling on the ground. Todd and I came to the conclusion that the hot tub was the best investment ever.

We are so excited to have Murray here. He is the youngest out of my 6 brothers and sisters. He has become my coffee drinking buddy and wow does he ever make a good cup of coffee! He decided to spend Christmas with the Kujawa's this year instead of in Saskatchewan with the rest of my family. I don't think Murray will ever comprehend how much his visit means to us. Our family has had a very difficult time "connecting" with our Saskatchewan family over the years, so it is wonderful for my girls to have one of my siblings around.

As I look around at my sparsely decorated house, our simple tree, and our lack of gifts this year, I am the most joyous I ever have been. I feel honoured to have my brother here, and am relieved that Kourtney is comfortable for Christmas. Shaelyn is a natural in the snow, and loves sitting in bed watching movies with Zazu curled up beside her. That to me is Christmas . . .

I have let go . . . .of what our society thinks Christmas is, and have entered a new era of teaching my children about the simplicity of Christmas. We don't know if we will be snowbound tomorrow for the day, but even if we are that is OK . . . because I know I have it all. If mom is happy . . . so is everyone else.

Wishing you all a joyous Christmas!!

A Day in Vancouver

Today, Kourtney and I were supposed to go into Vancouver for a dressing change at Children's. I was going to leave at 0630, but thanks to The Weathernetwork's traffic cam, Todd cancelled it for me. The weather in Abbotsford wasn't too bad, but in Vancouver it was miserable.

Unfortunately, we still had to go into Children's to pick up some meds for Kourtney. We even walked away with some jic (just in case) antibiotics valued at $1500, just in case Kourtney runs into any difficulties and we are snow bound in Abbotsford. Today we talked to one of the receptionists at Children's. She has been following our comings and goings for more than 10 years and congratulated us on staying sane. She jokingly asked if they were going to name a wing of the hospital after Kourtney. I don't really think I will ever comprehend how Kourtney's story has been so far reaching just at Children's Hospital.

After 1 1/2 hours of waiting for meds, phone calls and prescriptions we went to beautiful Stanley Park which was covered with more than 12" of fresh snow. We took the miniature train ride through the forest and took in an amazing display of Christmas lights.