Diamond Butt

We had an interesting weekend/week so far.  Friday night Joel started throwing up. He said he had a lot of spit and needed to spit it out and walked around outside spitting after Norah's dance class.  We told him it was gross and to try to swallow it.  He said he couldn't but stopped spitting.  We got home and ate dinner in front of the tv while we watched a movie.  Joel got up from the couch and threw up his entire dinner.  He threw up a few more times so we thought he had a stomach virus.

 We didn't let him go to a birthday party Saturday morning.  He was looking forward to it. The ENTIRE class was invited.  But around lunch time he started feeling better and acting normal so we went to Jeffs house to swim all afternoon in the pool and stayed for dinner.

 Jeff swam laps.... the rest of us lounged in the pool during break.

 The kids had so much fun! Norah's asked several times already when we were going to go back and do it all again.

 Joel swam around like normal.  We even made them all swim 500 meters to get smores that night.

We thought Joel was fine and over whatever was bothering his stomach.  But then he threw up several more times Saturday night after we got home and a few more times Sunday morning.  

Then Joel became really agitated and not listening and yelling at us. He wanted to eat but we told him he could only eat pretzels because his stomach was upset. He was mad and yelled and didn't listen and threw things around. We sent him to his room and I left to go to Walmart.  I was  getting into my car at the end when Brent calls and said "I know why Joel's been throwing up.  Meet me at urgent care!!!"  Joel had finally told Brent what had happened.

ON FRIDAY!!!!!! He had been coloring with a diamond pen and I guess something had gotten stuck on the end of it. He tried to use his teeth to get it off and the diamond popped off and he quickly swallowed it before he knew what was happening.  He was afraid the doctors would have to cut it out so he didn't want to tell us.  His chest really hurt and he was in a lot of pain. But he was so afraid the doctors would cut him open. He had been in so much pain all weekend which explains his really foul mood sunday afternon.  He had a good reason! Poor boy! 

 We spent several hours at urgent care and then 7 hours at the children's hospital. Our pretty ears were rubbed a lot that night.  The xrays didn't show up the plastic diamond and he was having chest pains so they ordered a swallow test. He had to drink some special drink and the radiologist watched him swallow it.  His esophagus is bruised and scratched but nothing was leaking from it. Also we saw that the diamond had passed through his stomach. All good reports but then it was just a waiting game.

 Monday he couldn't keep any food down. He would just throw up and then cry in pain.  He said his pain level was at a 4 in the hospital and Monday night he was crying and said it was at a 10.  Then just as I was getting ready to head to the hospital again he would fall asleep and seem to be comfortable.  To be honest I thought it was stuck. We've been really worried.  But I waited a little longer to take him back in because he seemed better and also knew if we went back in they would take him back to the operating room. They had said that on Sunday. Then on Tuesday he said his pain level was at a 5 and it was in a different place on his stomach so I knew the diamond was moving.  He still couldn't keep food down though.

 And thankfully this morning he finally passed it!!!! And it has such a sharp point on the end. I'm sure he's all scratched up inside.  He also kept down his lunch so I think hes good to go back to school tomorrow - for his final day! Poor thing has missed all the fun days of school this week.

I told him he has a new found talent - that he poops out diamonds and maybe he could actually make us some money from this.  He didn't think it was that amusing.  I hope this had taught him a lesson to never stick anything that's not food anywhere near his mouth again.  

camping

The week before Memorial Day Heather texted me and asked if we wanted to join them for a weekend of camping. We had no plans and quickly said yes and had such a great weekend.  

This was the view outside our tent.  David had to go and get the camp ready for the following weekend when 300 boys would be arriving for the yearly PowWow.  David is the Royal Ranger District Superintendent.  Colin got to be the very first person to try out the zip line they had just put up. The kids spent the time exploring, fishing, tomahawk throwing, ziplining, canoeing... such a boring weekend we dragged them to! ha! They haven't stopped talking about it.

 Norah would flip herself upside down over the lake until we quickly put a stop to that. She's so tiny we were afraid she would just slip right out of the harness.  Little Dare Devil.  She had no fear and went on the zip line over and over again.

Nope - no fun at all!

And a funny story. David is a big Cowboys fan.  So Colin has taken it upon himself to teach Jordan to say Go Redskins each time we get together.  Jordan adores Colin and will always find Colin to play with. Colin thinks Jordan is a cool little kid so the feeling is mutual.  Colin told me that he was going to wear all Redskins stuff all weekend. He is lucky David let him ZipLine at all!

Joel and Becca wanted to go.... then quickly talked themselves out of it the first day. Joel said he would only go if Becca went and when Becca decided not to you could see Joel sigh with relief.

The next day they talked themselves into it and we were so proud of them. It as cute hearing them encourage each other and try to talk themselves into it.

 Becca went first and I was sure Joel would back down but he had said if Becca went he would too. She held him to it! Becca is good for Joel.  They are also JUST ALIKE! Its so fun to watch.  But they both conquered their fears and had fun.

The kids really enjoyed fishing.  And ALL of then caught at least one fish.  They stock the lake with fish and the kids were catching them pretty easily.  At one point Heather and I were washing dishes at the water pump to get ready for dinner and I hear Brent and David yelling GET THE CAMERA.  Colin had hooked a HUGE fish but it snapped the line and took the bobber with it.  They kept talking about this fish and their fish tale would get bigger and bigger as we ate dinner.  Then we looked out over the lake and saw the bobber they had lost.  So Brent and Colin quickly got into the canoe and went slowly after it.  Following the fish around until they reached down and pulled it up into the boat. It was 19 inches and they named him Chester.

One little snag to the weekend was a torrential downpour all night and realizing our tent was no longer waterproof.  So we didn't get much sleep and considered running to the car but we would've gotten just as soaked doing that.  SO we all piled on top of the air mattress - except Joel - he slept right through the puddles in the tent floor.

But it was such a great weekend and we cant wait to go camping again... in a new tent of course.  Thanks Heather and David for inviting us!