Chelsea, Alyssa and Emily
Our Girls
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Our Story
Our story began in Primary when we were seven years old, in the Sacramento 7th Ward. Although we didn't really get to know one another until we were teenagers and began hanging out with the same crowd. Then in High School we carpooled together and soon became very good friends. Although we never dated we spent a lot of time together. I actually dated several of his friends and ended up dating one for two years before they left on their missions. I wrote both of them and thought I would actually marry his friend. After they both returned home, my boyfriend and I decided we needed a break and he moved down south to be with his family. A week later, on New Years Eve, Paul and I went to dance with another couple. During the night something magical happened and we found ourselves in eachothers arms which ended in a kiss. A few days later we knew without a doubt we were getting married and announced to our families the big surprise. Never in my life had I been so sure about something I needed to do. We became officially engaged a few weeks later and married in the
Oakland Temple five months later on May 20, 1988. We lived in the same ward that we grew up in until we bought our first home in the Sacramento Area near the Elk Grove border. About six months later we welcomed our first born, Chelsea, into the world on February 16, 1991. She was a little peanut and such a good baby. We enjoyed being buddies together. Two and Half years later, Alyssa was born on May 21, 1993. She just missed our 5th Anniversary! Her and Chelsea were great buddies. Just about the time we decided to move out of the area, we discovered that I was pregant. Alyssa was not quite a year old. We were stunned. We soon moved in with my parents for two reasons. Our house was too small for three kids and the area was not where we wanted to raise our daughters. We ended up being there almost a year. Emily was born on January 22, 1995. We lived there for five more months until we finally decided to move to Orangevale near my sister Kathy. We lived in three different homes until we finally purchased one in the same area and same ward. We have now been here for six years. Orangevale has been a great place to raise our daughters. We are surrounded by great friends and family is close by. They have attended great schools and have wonderful friends in and out of the church. We feel fortunate to live in such a great area to raise our daughters.
Oakland Temple five months later on May 20, 1988. We lived in the same ward that we grew up in until we bought our first home in the Sacramento Area near the Elk Grove border. About six months later we welcomed our first born, Chelsea, into the world on February 16, 1991. She was a little peanut and such a good baby. We enjoyed being buddies together. Two and Half years later, Alyssa was born on May 21, 1993. She just missed our 5th Anniversary! Her and Chelsea were great buddies. Just about the time we decided to move out of the area, we discovered that I was pregant. Alyssa was not quite a year old. We were stunned. We soon moved in with my parents for two reasons. Our house was too small for three kids and the area was not where we wanted to raise our daughters. We ended up being there almost a year. Emily was born on January 22, 1995. We lived there for five more months until we finally decided to move to Orangevale near my sister Kathy. We lived in three different homes until we finally purchased one in the same area and same ward. We have now been here for six years. Orangevale has been a great place to raise our daughters. We are surrounded by great friends and family is close by. They have attended great schools and have wonderful friends in and out of the church. We feel fortunate to live in such a great area to raise our daughters.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Alyssa's Surgery Story August 2007
I changed my font at pYzam.com
On the night of July 4th 2007, Alyssa (14 yrs old at the time) was complaining of pain in her "stomach" after being sick since the previous Saturday night (4 days). She actually had been having stomach pain for about 5 months. We had tried everything we could think of. Took her to the Doctor. Took her off of milk, had her try to eat more, eat better. I honestly thought she was complaining too much at one point. After everyone else went to bed I questioned Alyssa about her symptoms and looked on line for various things it could be. It just confused me more. So I sent her to bed and told her to wake me if she it became more painful. She came back a few minutes after we had both gone to bed and said she had prayed about it and felt we should go to the emergency room. How could I argue with that? I thought, wow I was too tired to even think to pray, but things happen for a reason. We arrived at 1:18 in the morning at Folsom Mercy Hospital. Luckily no one else was there so there was no wait. They ended up doing an ultra sound and blood work and decided she had a large cyst on her ovary. We were sent home at 4:30am and told to call the OBGYN in the morning for a same day appointment. The next day, July 5th, Alyssa and I slept in and Paul called and made an appointment with Dr. Finta at 1pm. As soon as Alyssa and I left for the appointment she began to be in a lot of pain. When we arrived at the Doctor's office which was only 10 minutes away she was in a lot of pain. The office told us the Dr. Finta was in an emergency cesarean. So we waited 45 minutes while Alyssa suffered in pain. It was so difficult to watch her in so much pain and knew I couldn't do anything for her. When the Doctor finally returned she knew immediately that Alyssa was in severe pain and announced that she would be having surgery the next day. Alyssa and I both began to cry. She cried for the next few hours and I was quite concerned and emotional. They thought she had a large ovarian cyst, the size of a grapefruit. So they would be doing laproscopic surgery going through her belly button and a small incision at her pubic bone. Her surgery was scheduled for noon the next day. I went alone with her because Paul had an appointment. He would meet us there. Annie and Tammy were coming also. As time went by I all of a sudden had this feeling that I shouldn't be alone. I called Paul and told him to not stop at home but to come here as soon as he could so he wouldn't miss her going into surgery. And he did. Then I texted Tammy and Annie and asked them to come as soon as they could. Tammy showed up right before they took her in also. I was the only one allowed to go with her. She was soooo brave. When they gave her laughing gas she was so hilarious, she just started laughing. I then went to the waiting room and Annie and Lori arrived by then with some lunch. Paul had gone to Target. About a half hour later the Doctor poked her head in and asked me to come out. She began to tell me that Alyssa didn't have cyst but a rare uterine anomaly and would need to see a specialist most likely out of the area and have more surgery. I felt as though I was going to faint about half way through her explanation and Annie came out and joined me and then Tammy and Lori were there and soon Paul came too. It was kind of a fog for me I felt very faint, overwhelmed and emotional. What did this all mean? All I heard was major surgery and that we would have to take her out of town to have it done. They then called me in to the recovery room to see her so I dried my tears and walked down there. She was in and out of it and when she would fall back to sleep I would begin to cry some more. The nurse told me that I didn't look well and that I wasn't doing Alyssa any good standing there crying and told me I should go sit down. So she walked me back to the waiting room and we sent Paul to be with her. I sat with my friends and cried as they comforted me. I found out later that Paul went into the recovery and began to cry also they sent him out too. Shortly after they took her to her own room and we both joined her. She was anxious to go home. I drove her home and had to tell her that this wasn't the end but just the beginning. She was so angry. I felt so alone having no idea what was in store for her. The Doctor didn't even stay afterwards to explain to her what was going on and then didn't call us for a week and a half. I cried for a week straight, so confused and distraught not knowing what was going to happen. I went to the temple with my sister and was able to sit quietly in the celestial room and pray. I had an overwhelming feeling that I should trust in the Lord and that I would be guided to do what was right for Alyssa. So I began to spend a lot of time on the Internet researching every where I could think. Trying to find the right doctor and as much information about her condition (which I really didn't understand in the first place). I stumbled upon Standford University Hospital and felt drawn to their OBGYN department. After being on it several times a came across a doctor specializing in adolescents and in abnormalities. "Wow, there was no way we would be able to get in to see her" I thought. But I called anyways and they got us right in. In fact the original Dr. finally called and was shocked that we got in. We had been waiting for Dr. Finta to prescribe something for Alyssa but it hadn't been approved by the insurance yet. I was getting quite concerned and apparently the drug they were going to put her on was heavy duty and very expensive. I felt very impressed to email Dr. Lacy at Standford University Hospital the Thursday prior to Alyssa's first appointment with to update her before we arrived that next week. An email message came back immediately stating that she was on vacation. The very next morning Dr. Finta called and said that Dr. Lacy had contacted her and prescribed a different prescription and also got the MRI scheduled at Stanford on the same day as our appointment. Things were really starting to fall in place. We went to Stanford the next week and spent the night with Paul. I was really nervous that morning, but when Dr. Lacy walked in, I knew we were in the right place. She pretty much knew already what was wrong with Alyssa and did an exam and had an MRI scheduled for that afternoon. She then called that Friday to confirm what she already had suspected was Alyssa's condition. She also informed us that because of the anomaly Alyssa only had one kidney. And Alyssa would only need a simple surgery. Dr. Lacy had already scheduled the surgery and had asked the head OBGYN of Stanford to assist her. How lucky were we. The surgery was a breeze and Alyssa did great. Dr. Lacy was amazing and we were so blessed to be in her care. We now are finding out that more and more girls have rare things like this and so many are unaware of them involving the female anatomy. I am grateful for the guidance of the spirit leading me to those who knew how to take care of my sweet girl and make sure her body worked correctly so that someday she could bare children. This was a growing experience for us all. I saw Alyssa's strength and pure childlike faith that everything would be ok. Many times she was stronger than I was. She was such a great example to us all. I saw her confidence and testimony grown and for that I will be forever grateful. From the day I went to the temple I felt guided by the spirit throughout the rest of the process. I am so grateful for that guidance, I felt so helpless at times when no one could answer my questions, and then once again the peace would come and I would find the right answers for my Alyssa. There is no doubt in my mind that a loving Heavenly Father guided me to the right doctor. For this knowledge, I am grateful and we have been blessed.
On the night of July 4th 2007, Alyssa (14 yrs old at the time) was complaining of pain in her "stomach" after being sick since the previous Saturday night (4 days). She actually had been having stomach pain for about 5 months. We had tried everything we could think of. Took her to the Doctor. Took her off of milk, had her try to eat more, eat better. I honestly thought she was complaining too much at one point. After everyone else went to bed I questioned Alyssa about her symptoms and looked on line for various things it could be. It just confused me more. So I sent her to bed and told her to wake me if she it became more painful. She came back a few minutes after we had both gone to bed and said she had prayed about it and felt we should go to the emergency room. How could I argue with that? I thought, wow I was too tired to even think to pray, but things happen for a reason. We arrived at 1:18 in the morning at Folsom Mercy Hospital. Luckily no one else was there so there was no wait. They ended up doing an ultra sound and blood work and decided she had a large cyst on her ovary. We were sent home at 4:30am and told to call the OBGYN in the morning for a same day appointment. The next day, July 5th, Alyssa and I slept in and Paul called and made an appointment with Dr. Finta at 1pm. As soon as Alyssa and I left for the appointment she began to be in a lot of pain. When we arrived at the Doctor's office which was only 10 minutes away she was in a lot of pain. The office told us the Dr. Finta was in an emergency cesarean. So we waited 45 minutes while Alyssa suffered in pain. It was so difficult to watch her in so much pain and knew I couldn't do anything for her. When the Doctor finally returned she knew immediately that Alyssa was in severe pain and announced that she would be having surgery the next day. Alyssa and I both began to cry. She cried for the next few hours and I was quite concerned and emotional. They thought she had a large ovarian cyst, the size of a grapefruit. So they would be doing laproscopic surgery going through her belly button and a small incision at her pubic bone. Her surgery was scheduled for noon the next day. I went alone with her because Paul had an appointment. He would meet us there. Annie and Tammy were coming also. As time went by I all of a sudden had this feeling that I shouldn't be alone. I called Paul and told him to not stop at home but to come here as soon as he could so he wouldn't miss her going into surgery. And he did. Then I texted Tammy and Annie and asked them to come as soon as they could. Tammy showed up right before they took her in also. I was the only one allowed to go with her. She was soooo brave. When they gave her laughing gas she was so hilarious, she just started laughing. I then went to the waiting room and Annie and Lori arrived by then with some lunch. Paul had gone to Target. About a half hour later the Doctor poked her head in and asked me to come out. She began to tell me that Alyssa didn't have cyst but a rare uterine anomaly and would need to see a specialist most likely out of the area and have more surgery. I felt as though I was going to faint about half way through her explanation and Annie came out and joined me and then Tammy and Lori were there and soon Paul came too. It was kind of a fog for me I felt very faint, overwhelmed and emotional. What did this all mean? All I heard was major surgery and that we would have to take her out of town to have it done. They then called me in to the recovery room to see her so I dried my tears and walked down there. She was in and out of it and when she would fall back to sleep I would begin to cry some more. The nurse told me that I didn't look well and that I wasn't doing Alyssa any good standing there crying and told me I should go sit down. So she walked me back to the waiting room and we sent Paul to be with her. I sat with my friends and cried as they comforted me. I found out later that Paul went into the recovery and began to cry also they sent him out too. Shortly after they took her to her own room and we both joined her. She was anxious to go home. I drove her home and had to tell her that this wasn't the end but just the beginning. She was so angry. I felt so alone having no idea what was in store for her. The Doctor didn't even stay afterwards to explain to her what was going on and then didn't call us for a week and a half. I cried for a week straight, so confused and distraught not knowing what was going to happen. I went to the temple with my sister and was able to sit quietly in the celestial room and pray. I had an overwhelming feeling that I should trust in the Lord and that I would be guided to do what was right for Alyssa. So I began to spend a lot of time on the Internet researching every where I could think. Trying to find the right doctor and as much information about her condition (which I really didn't understand in the first place). I stumbled upon Standford University Hospital and felt drawn to their OBGYN department. After being on it several times a came across a doctor specializing in adolescents and in abnormalities. "Wow, there was no way we would be able to get in to see her" I thought. But I called anyways and they got us right in. In fact the original Dr. finally called and was shocked that we got in. We had been waiting for Dr. Finta to prescribe something for Alyssa but it hadn't been approved by the insurance yet. I was getting quite concerned and apparently the drug they were going to put her on was heavy duty and very expensive. I felt very impressed to email Dr. Lacy at Standford University Hospital the Thursday prior to Alyssa's first appointment with to update her before we arrived that next week. An email message came back immediately stating that she was on vacation. The very next morning Dr. Finta called and said that Dr. Lacy had contacted her and prescribed a different prescription and also got the MRI scheduled at Stanford on the same day as our appointment. Things were really starting to fall in place. We went to Stanford the next week and spent the night with Paul. I was really nervous that morning, but when Dr. Lacy walked in, I knew we were in the right place. She pretty much knew already what was wrong with Alyssa and did an exam and had an MRI scheduled for that afternoon. She then called that Friday to confirm what she already had suspected was Alyssa's condition. She also informed us that because of the anomaly Alyssa only had one kidney. And Alyssa would only need a simple surgery. Dr. Lacy had already scheduled the surgery and had asked the head OBGYN of Stanford to assist her. How lucky were we. The surgery was a breeze and Alyssa did great. Dr. Lacy was amazing and we were so blessed to be in her care. We now are finding out that more and more girls have rare things like this and so many are unaware of them involving the female anatomy. I am grateful for the guidance of the spirit leading me to those who knew how to take care of my sweet girl and make sure her body worked correctly so that someday she could bare children. This was a growing experience for us all. I saw Alyssa's strength and pure childlike faith that everything would be ok. Many times she was stronger than I was. She was such a great example to us all. I saw her confidence and testimony grown and for that I will be forever grateful. From the day I went to the temple I felt guided by the spirit throughout the rest of the process. I am so grateful for that guidance, I felt so helpless at times when no one could answer my questions, and then once again the peace would come and I would find the right answers for my Alyssa. There is no doubt in my mind that a loving Heavenly Father guided me to the right doctor. For this knowledge, I am grateful and we have been blessed.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
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