Spring Brings New Babies!

Spring has certainly sprung here at the Grieshop "farm"...and a farm we are becoming! We've been dreaming of raising chickens now for a number of years and finally, this Tuesday evening, our dream came true.

Last weekend we worked together as a family to build a proper brooding box made entirely from recycled wood and objects found around our homestead. From an old dog house, a fallen off wire door and some lumber odd and ends (and Matt's constructive creativity) we put together a great place for our babies! Originally we were going to use a cardboard box, but after scrounging around and finding some great reusable wood, we decided a nice sturdy box we can reuse every year (as we add to our brood) would be ideal.
We went in on an order of chicks with some friends who already have an established flock, but wanted to add to it and replace some victims of a hawk invasion....so goes farm life. They also know a fair amount about the different breeds, how they lay and what kinds of eggs they lay.
We ended up getting 12 chicks in all, 3 each of 4 different breeds:

Rhode Island Red:
These girls will lay brown eggs and are known to be good layers that can produce for an upwards of 3 years. They are also known to be more skiddish and can be more aggressive...we'll see. We are already noticing they are molting the most of the three breeds we have now. Very cute!





Aurucana:
Often thought of as chicks on the fanciers (yuppy-ish city folk who move to the country for the "real-life") have, Aurucanas are so pretty. Even as babies you can see they will have a gorgeous plumage. These ladies will lay a blue-green egg of medium to small size. I don't think they are particularly excellent layers, but they are fun to have and are known to be more mellow!


Barred Rock:
Good layers of brown eggs, these chicks are also known to be more mellow. Eventually they will have a black and white spotted plumage. These seem to be the most active so far and are the hardest to catch when we want to hold the chicks (which we try to do every day so they are used to us...the kids love it!)

Our final breed, Leghorns, are white and will lay white eggs that can be quite large. We'll pick up those babies on Tuesday! So far we really enjoy having them here....so do the cat and dog!








We've also been having a few other friends of the poultry nature come around...especially on the rainy and foggy days.

Arlo's Last Nursing

A Date is Set!

Surgery Update:

We met with Dr. Chang in Ann Arbor today and set a date for surgery: April 30th!

He feels that I have a 50% chance of having the surgery completed thoroscopically! This is very good news. However, he'll make the decision when he is inside, so we won't know which surgery will be done until after it is done!

At any rate, it is better than having a full Thoracotomy here in Lansing.

Arlo nursed for the last time this morning. I feel pretty good about the decision still, but sad that our nursing relationship is over.

Recent Images...For Fun

What I Should be Doing and What I am....

What I should be doing right now is unpacking boxes that are filling our bedroom....what I am doing is watching The Moment of Truth on Fox and writing this post! I am really waiting for American Idol which is my guilty pleasure and I almost never get to see it.

I am just wasted after today. I spent all morning with Matt meeting with one of my surgeons, Dr. Ghandi and all afternoon meeting with my pulmonologist, Dr. Morlock, then picking up CT Scan films and Bronchoscopy slides for my second opinion meeting with a new surgeon, Dr. Chang in Ann Arbor next week, then meeting with Dr. Ghandi again to review the CT Scan slides.

What you see below is one slice of a series of many of CT scan films. It is all digital and when you look at the CD on a computer it is interactive...very cool! If you look at the lower portion of my right lung (pictured on the left side) you'll see an irregularly shaped black object....this is the bugger!

Today Dr. Ghandi told me that he'll remove the entire lower lobe of my right lung. Whew! I am actually feeling really good about all of this. I am past the scary freak-out stage and am feeling glad that this is all getting figured out. 

The details:

1. The surgery is called a Thoracotomy or Lobectomy.

2. I will have one rib removed, then the muscles spread and the lower lobe removed.

3. A few of my lymph nodes will be removed for testing.

4. The surgery lasts 3-4 hours.

5. I will spend 1-2 days in the ICU following the surgery and an additional 3-4 days in the hospital.

6. There is an 8-10% chance of a secondary lung infection after the surgery.

7. I will have drain tubes and be on Morphine via IV drip. The pain medication will gradually decrease to Vicodin and then to Tylenol over the 6 week recovery.

8. Once at home I will be in serious recovery in bed for 3 weeks and for 3 weeks beyond that I will not be allowed to pick up anything weighing more than 8 pounds!

9. Most of the pain should be gone by the end of the 6 weeks though some still feel a bit of pain for months to follow.

10. We can try to conceive again within 10 weeks of the surgery...or as soon as I am feeling up to the prerequisite activity! ;)

Thoughts

Just a few thoughts on a few random things happening and reoccurring here in my mind:

Perhaps it is just pure, raw female hormone pulsing within me, but I have been very emotional lately. I have cried every day since Sunday, either in an expression of happiness or sadness or fear.

My dear friend Michelle gave birth Sunday night to Adelina, her second daughter, in a labor much like mine with Arlo. I was at the birth center as child care for her older daughter and was able to witness Meera's first meeting with her younger sister. I cried with joy at this moment and sadness in remembering the same meeting of Sam and Arlo. It feels like yesterday I was in that moment and yet so long ago.

Arlo is taking to the weaning quite well and I cry for this reason. I am not ready to wean to him though I know that it is the right thing to do and it will be best for all of us when the surgery comes around. Reactions from others about my weaning of Arlo have varied. Some sort of shrug like it is no big deal and others try to sympathize and justify with the same ideas and thoughts I tell myself.

For the record; it is a very big deal to me and I feel my relationship changing with him in a way that I am not ready for. Arlo seems to be dealing in the way that he always has by gently expressing his concern, but fairly easily being comforted and/or distracted. 

In remembering my birth of Arlo I am also remembering the loss of my mother or rather thinking of her a lot and wishing I could talk to her about everything that is happening. My dad has been great to talk to as well as my sister. I have been exchanging some very meaningful emails with Pat....but there is no replacement. I don't expect there to be. The feelings of loss and the ache of missing her is a reality and a fact, but those feelings have been very strong in the past few days.

Being in our new house has brought me so much joy, though I feel displaced and in a new environment. I know in time I will feel very comfortable here. It is just time that needs to pass.

My uncle said something to me in a phone conversation recently about blogging. He didn't understand why people feel the need to put personal information out into the internet world, open for all to see. I guess I understand why some folks wouldn't want to do that and I have sometimes wondered why I am compelled to blog. I am certain that I really enjoy it and in the past 3 years I have kept a consistent "journal" of sorts. Before that I had tried and tried and hadn't succeeded since my high school years. I also enjoy knowing that my close friends and family can keep in touch with the everyday things happening with us. Mostly I don't mind if strangers read what I write. Perhaps they will find some console in my experiences.

Thoracotomy

Well, I have a lot to write to about and I am not sure how to begin all that has come about since we moved into our new house...I'll give the short version now, with links, and the longer version later...

• We did move in! YEAH! I love the house! It looks amazing and slowly we are unpacking room by room. So far the boys have a play room, the living room, kitchen and bedroom are mostly done. They are at an enjoyable state....pictures later...
• My Dad is still here and will leave on Friday, but he's been an invaluable help! Thanks Dad!
• In a recent visit to my pulmonologist a growth was discovered in my lower right lung, which since has been diagnosed as a Bronchopulmonary Sequestration.
• I will be having a Thoracotomy sometime in the next month or so.
• I am handling all the news ok.
• I will be weaning Arlo before the surgery.
• Sam had lots of questions as he heard snippets of conversations and after I talked to him about my "owie", he seems to be doing quite well.

If you are reading this and are shocked or surprised and didn't already know, I am sorry I haven't had time to call everyone with the move and all. It has all happened so fast.

Please feel free to call and talk and ask questions if you have any and forgive me for posting this as news en mass and not being more personal about it.