A Superhero Halloween!

After last year's awesomeness at Halloween, I was feeling some pressure to do something great again this year.  I felt like as long as the kids were cooperative with having a theme, I should just go with it.  We decided and had everybody agree upon being a superhero.  Without further ado, I give you the Burdorf Halloween costumes for 2014!

 The Hulk....a.k.a. Bowen

Batman...a.k.a. Blake

 Spiderman...a.k.a. Brody

 Superwoman...a.k.a. Jenna (she thought she should fly!)

 And...I thought Aaron and I should be festive as well.  Aaron was super excited about it. ;)  We told him he couldn't be a fun-hater, so he agreed!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Lab results

Just wanted to let you all know that Blake's creatinine was back to normal yesterday!  It was Mary Greeley normal at 0.6!!

It was funny because I called over to get the result and the nurse told me she was sorry but the label had fallen off that vial of blood and they weren't able to run it.  I was like, what?!  Well, our homeward nurse is super awesome and apparently she got it all straightened out so they were able to run it. 

 

Our next appointment is Monday, November 3rd.  I'm not sure if I mentioned that Blake's heart has a couple of bright spots on it?  I can't keep track.  Anyway, they aren't overly concerned because his heart function is great, but cardiology feels like they should do an MRI anyway just to get a closer look at things.  So, we have a check-up with Dr. Jetton and an MRI with sedation on Monday.  Woo.  I hate sedation, but I guess we have to.

Focusing on the good news:  That one kidney is working like a champ and Blake is feeling so much better than he has in days!  

 

Low iron and more labs

Last time I blogged, I told you at the end that Blake's labs were ok except for his creatinine.  Well...I didn't realize that some of his labs didn't come back until the next day, which was Thursday.  On Thursday, Blake had a hematology check-up to make sure the blood clot in his leg is still ok from when he was septic.  We have an ultrasound done every three months.

I picked-up the twins from preschool and headed to Iowa City.  I got south of Cedar Rapids when I heard from Aaron that Blake's iron was extremely low.  I asked how low and he said 15.  That is one number I don't know off the top of my head what normal is.  Aaron said normal is 200!!!  Yikes.  I immediately got in touch with our nurse and asked if she could check if there was an opening for Blake to get an iron infusion since we were heading down to UIHC.  Thankfully it worked out! 

 The low iron was a total lightbulb moment.  We thought Blake had been so tired because of his cold, but it was due to his low iron.  He had been sleeping so much!  He wasn't overly thrilled about the infusion (above), but did great and is getting better about having his port accessed.

Today I thought Blake seemed to have more energy and the preschool teachers commented on that to me too.  They could see that he hasn't been himself lately.  Poor kid.  I miss his orneriness!

So, the plan is to recheck his creatinine tomorrow (Wednesday), along with his prograf level (another kidney number).  Praying that his creatinine goes back down to normal!  We will most likely do another iron infusion on Nov. 3rd when we go back down for an appointment.  Oh!  And, his blood clot was unchanged, so that's a good thing.

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I also thought I would share a couple photos from our weekend.  We had a busy weekend!  Jenna had a basketball game, Brody had a basketball game,  Aaron had to go to Des Moines to ref and Jenna had a couple volleyball matches on Saturday.  Aaron coaches Jenna and Brody's basketball team and I helped coach the volleyball team.  Needless to say, we had to divide and conquer.  I had a glimpse into what our life will be like when we are running in 26 different directions! 

We also were invited to a fellow ISU dance marathon kiddo's 4th birthday/mini-miracle, which involved Cy.  I know, I never thought we Hawkeye fans would be chillin' with Cy, but we did.  Blake wanted nothing to do with him, but Bowen, the one kid of mine that I think could end up a Cyclone fan loved him. 

 Brody's dribbling the ball in his very first basketball game ever.  That his mom missed! (sob)

 Jenna did really well in her volleyball matches.  It was third and fourth grade, so the fact that our team was good at serving made all the difference.  I didn't get a picture of her in her basketball uniform, but she did well in that too and I was proud of her!

This picture is from today.  After preschool the twins and I walked to the library and played on the playground.  Blake was smiling and giggling, something that has been few and far between the last 7-10 days and I have missed that!  Here's to good labs tomorrow.  I will let you know how they go!

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday

I had to just say a couple of things...A few weeks ago we went to Omaha to visit the other Burdorf family.  On a beautiful (pretty warm) September day we went to Vala's, a ginormous pumpkin patch in a nearby town.  It was lots of fun!  Here are some pics from our time with our family.

 

BLAKE'S LABS TODAY:  For the most part Blake's labs were good.  His creatinine was 0.7 and it is usually 0.6 in Ames, so it was up a smidge.  His hemoglobin was also kind of low.  Blake has been battling quite the cold and despite my best efforts to keep him hydrated, I really think he is a little dry as we say in the kidney world and that can elevate it.  Dr. Jetton said we can recheck his creatinine next week.  The good news is that for the first time in a week, Blake is finally starting to act like himself.  Thanks to all of you that said a prayer for us!!

Iowa City and Instagrammers

Since I'm still camera card-less, I thought I could share some Instagram photos from semi-recently.  

First up though, Blake and Bowen both had doctor appointments in Iowa City last Friday.  Luckily, there was no school, so Aaron came with to the appointments, while Jenna and Brody got spoiled at our friend, Sara's.  It worked out so well!

Nephrology was the first appointment of the day.  We weren't due for labs and Dr. Jetton was like, I just don't have anything to say.  I feel bad.  I assured her it was fine.  We love being boring and uneventful!  We are due for boring and uneventful.  She just told Blake to keep on keepin' on!  

After that it was the eye doctor times two.  Both of the twins kind of have one eye that is a little lazy, so we wanted to make sure it wasn't too bad and they didn't need glasses.  Have you ever been to the eye doctor at UIHC?  I love that hospital, but for the love of all things, it is the LONGEST process in the history of everything.  I hate that we had to see three different people, plus dilation and it lasted about two hours.

Bowen was a rock star.  He sat up in the chair like it was no big deal.  Blake was not as enthused about things and understandably so.  At the end of the appointment we got the verdict...no glasses for either of them and back in six months!!  Woo-hoo!!

We are supposed to have Blake's big urology check on Friday, but I'm still not sure that is going to happen.  He's got a little bit of a cold and with the sedation, I just get nervous because of all the junk in his lungs.  We will see.  Anyway, happy thoughts and prayers please that if we do indeed have the procedure that his urological stuff looks awesome and he can continue to pee like a regular boy and we don't have to go back to the OR to fix his appendico (catheter) site.  

Here are just some random photos from my Instagram account, in absolutely no particular order, just some stuff we've been up to...

I took the kiddos to the apple orchard by myself on a night Aaron had to ref.  We had so much fun and of course I couldn't get non-ornery photo. 

 This was actually a photo of Brody jumping into the corn pool, from that same orchard, but on a different day.  I went with him on his field trip and it rained the entire time.  It was miserable.  We got home and Brody said, "Wasn't that the best field trip ever mom?!"  Gotta love kids!

 Aaron is a member of the track committee at West Marshall and to raise money for the new track they did a color run to kick-off homecoming week.  So FUN!!  The four of us did it.  Aaron and Blake greeted runners/walkers at the finish line. 

 A photo from the eye doctor day.

 We always have to get decked out in our Hawk gear for "Hawkeye Saturday" as we call it at the Burdorfs.

 Aaron and I were lucky enough to be asked again this year to do our school's homecoming dance photos.  It was such a good time!  Those kids are a blast!  It is tradition at every dance we shoot to take the first couple shot.  This was this year's. 

 I bribed the boys with a horse ride at this mechanical horse outside of Hy-Vee.  Worked like a charm.  And no, I'm not ashamed of bribery. 

 One early out day Jenna wanted to do something crafty because she was bored.  She wanted to make this for her awesome third grade teacher!

 The first Character Counts award winner at our house this year goes to Brody!

Aaron and I did the Kick-off to Kinnick 5K that finished inside Kinnick Stadium.  It was the first 5K we've ever actually run together, like side-by-side. :)  It was also awesome that Steph and Isaac were nice enough to watch all the kids for us!

If you are on Instagram, feel free to follow me: jburdorf  :)

The best laid plans...

I know I said I would post pictures from the pumpkin patch, but alas, I can't find my SD card for my camera.  Because I'm awesome like that!  I swear sometimes I'd lose my head if it wasn't attached.

So, this is officially postponed until I find the card that is MIA...

So, hey...

I hate when I get that feeling of being nervous to look at the date of the last time I blogged.  Almost a month ago!  Argh.  I hate when that happens!

Needless to say, September was a pretty busy month for us in the way of our photography part-time business.  Aaron has been reffing volleyball a couple of nights a week.  I'm helping coach Jenna's volleyball team.  Aaron started his master's classes again so he can become a principal.  Traveling here and there.  Just, you know, regular Burdorf life stuff.  Nothing major.

We went a couple of weekends ago to Omaha to see the other Burdorfs and I got some good pictures from the pumpkin patch we visited and I can't wait to share.  Please check back, by the end of the weekend (probably Sunday night knowing me!) and I will get a post up.

Because of parent-teacher conferences this week, there's no school tomorrow.  Blake has three appointments, including an eye doctor check-up and Bowen is also getting his eyes checked.  So, off to Iowa City we go on the day off.  Jenna and Brody are staying with our friend, Sara, and are very excited because they haven't gotten to see her for a long time!

So, until my next post...which will be soon.  *pinky swear* :)