We Might Be Home This Evening!

Things are looking up! Ayla is off the i.v's for now if we can keep her hydrated and those nasty ketones away. She is actually able to cough up some of that junk, as gross as it sounds its a good thing! Her attitude is better, she is getting feisty and called me a monkey butt. Typical Ayla.
Ida May still sounds pretty wheezy, her lungs aren't as clear but she isn't on oxygen anymore and is just receiving breathing treatments periodically. I can tell she is feeling better too because she is starting to get into EVERYTHING!
How could this have happened? We generally have pretty healthy kids and I just cannot believe any of this was happening. Last night was SOOOOOOOOO hard. I didn't sleep at all the last 2 nights at the hospital and last night was even worse than the first because I had 2 kids in 2 seperate beds who both needed me, and lots of monitoring and checks and alarms going off. All day yesterday was insane because Ayla was in ICU and Ida May was in the ER and we just ran ourselves ragged trying to go back and forth between them.
We were still trying to keep in contact with our other 3 kids and make arrangements for the cows and milking, and our wood furnace was out and the house was cold and did I mention we were gettting TORRENTIAL rain and wind. My first worry was of course our sick kids but I was also concerned for the cows especially our 3 day old heifer Margo.
I just came home, milked the cows, filled the water troughs and cleaned the barn and took my first shower in 3 days. God knows what kind of germs I picked up at the hospital, it felt nice to have a hot shower! I'm heading back now, keep your fingers and hooves crossed that we'll be home tonight sometime!

QUICK UPDTAE MONDAY 8PM

hello people,
This Morning we took IDA to the hospital, she took a turn for the worst last nite, and we brought her in this am. Same diagnosis as Ayla, pneumonia and SVR, and her oxygen levels would not come up so she as well was admitted and is on oxygen, they both share a room in the ICU, and Jessika and her mother are both there. Im home with Zoie Jude, and Veda(8pm, e.s.t.) If Any of you want to call to wish the best to Jessika, the phone number is 1-207-255-0456(direct line to her room). So far so good. Keep our children in you prayers and thank you so much for the support. Dante(the father).

Ayla Update: Pneumonia and KetoAcidosis

Ayla is admitted to the hospital. She's in intensive care. She has probably got pneumonia and is on I.V.'s, and we are really battling acidosis trying to keep it back. When you have type 1 diabetes EVERYTHING not only looks worse but it IS worse. This morning her ketones tested at 3.2 and the little scale we have says if you get a reading of 1.5 they are at risk of ketoacidosis, so this sent us into full panic mode. Adrenaline was not my friend this time, I was shaking so bad I just couldn't function couldn't hardly breathe.
Getting an I.V. in took over an hour of jabbing and Ayla and I were both crying, Dante had to leave. I hate needing to rely on the hospital to save her and yet needing to advocate on her behalf as well, when they kinda forget she isn't just a patient but a little sick 3 year old girl.
It is a very delicate balance, with so many variables and if anyone of these things starts to decline then we are transferred to a bigger hospital. Dante and I are working just as hard as they are checking her blood and ketones hourly while they draw blood for potassium and acid levels. All this amounts to Ayla being sick and tired of being messed with and now just getting really terrified whene anyone walks in the room.
I only ran home to milk the cows and now I'm going back to spend the night with her. It looks like she is in there for at least 48 hours on I.Vs anyway. Please continue the prayers, we need them. I'll update when I can.

We need Your Prayers!!!!!!!!!!

Heading to the hospital with Ayla now, I am terrified! Please pray for her!

MORE New Babies !

It has been a busy week with all the joy, but also work that new babies bring. Our cat, "Gooseberry" had 4 kittens. She is a sweet but rather bizarre cat. I had no idea how this motherhood thing was going to go with her. I reluctantly had to break the news of the impending births to Dante by saying, "I have bad news and good news. Gooseberry is pregnant but I'm NOT!" He still wasn't happy, but what are you going to do? The cats are barncats because of Dante and Jude's allergies. We couldn't get Gooseberry spayed in the winter because she lives outside. The cat daddy is feral. We've tried to live trap him to get him neutered but he was too smart. So we have 4 tiny, adorable kittens that are longhaired, and living snugly in a box in our cellar if anyone local is interested. Three are dilute calico females and one grey tiger male. They'll be looking for good homes in about 8 weeks.

Gooseberry is actually doing pretty good and LOVES her kitties. She does keep trying to move them though, and if you run up the cellar stairs after visiting, she immediately assumes you are running because you've stolen a kitten and will give chase and cling to your leg. I told you, she's strange but harmless.

We also have ANOTHER new calf as of this morning! I was completely shocked that Maddy had her calf. She has a tiny little udder and I should have known, but have been a bit exhausted after the crap that Jules put me through, so may have not quite realized the signs.

Don't hate me but, IT'S A HEIFER! I cannot believe it... I now have 4 gorgeous heifers. 3 born since February! I'm am so NOT excited to milk Maddy after having had an absolutely rotten experience with Jules which is actually still unresolved and all my bruises and cuts haven't even healed yet.

Maddy is much smaller, and much more tame. I'm hopeful.....but I may need a glass of wine to boost my morale. Pics of more kitties and the baby calf, "Margot" coming soon.

Another Satisfied Customer

I sincerely hope all of you that buy cheese from me regularly are just as enthusiatic as Miss Ida May. Of course, as Zoie says, " Mom--Ida May eats cat food. She's hardly an expert on good cheese." I still love the thought of you at home just eating it with your hands, cheese smeared on your faces. Who needs a cracker?

Life IS Good

You're probably sick of all my doom and gloom, so I thought I'd report that I'm feeling good!Things are peaceful and all is well right now. I am trying very hard to have compassion, even though Jules has reverted back to trying to kill me and I'm not set up to handle her properly. I realize that animals have individual personalities just as much as people do. I may try to make a few phone calls tommorrow and see about getting some help with her, or I might just try to see if maybe she is better suited, this time around, to be a nurse cow. ALL of my other cows are an absolute joy to milk. They actually line up at the gate and try to all squeeze through at once to be the first milked! If she would raise 2-3 of our calves, she would pay her way and there's a chance I can still bring her around in a couple months when it is less hectic. One thing is for sure--I just can't face milking her again right now. I'm peaceful about it.
I've recieved so many compliments and can't thank you all enough. It is so wonderful to hear good things. Many thanks to all my faithful customers! It helps me keep going even after a week like Jules just put me through!
The kids were just wonderful today. I always love them, and am very proud of this family of ours but I won't lie--sometimes when you have 5 kids and a farm, and a business and deadlines, and basketball games, speech therapy, medical issues---screaming and fighting kids ( and don't kid yourself ALL siblings fight ) just quickly escalates the situation. Today, it was like time slowed down a bit and I felt like I was watching our lives from a distance.
Ida May ( 1) was toddling around in my pink heels and I thought, "Man, she really looks like a little me. I wonder if she'll grow up to feel as connected to growing food as her Momma does."
Ayla (3) and Veda (5) were in the backseat of the van. We stopped and bought some grain for the cows and every time the man brought out another bag, one of them would say, " Hi ! " and he'd say Hi back to them and they'd just burst into peels of laughter. It was so infectious, we were all laughing even the poor man carrying the grain bags! There is nothing so sweet as joyful children.
Jude (8) is such a gentleman, and likes to surprise me by making my bed. I can't tell you how much it means, when I'm exhausted--finishing up whatever cheese I'm currently making-- to go in and see my bed made and ready for me to just crawl in. Heavenly, it is.
Zoie (11) is growing like a weed. I see bits and pieces of Dante and I, but mostly she is herself. It is endlessly fascinating. Watching and being a part of her life. Of all their lives.
The greatest story unfolding, and I switch between just muddling through the day to day, surviving the really heavy stuff we've been going through, and then seeing it all almost outside of my body, good and bad. It's real, and I LOVE it all. I wouldn't change anything. Not even the bad.
I milked at 8:30p.m. A couple hours late, but sometimes this is the sweetest time. I know that the little kids will be sleeping when I come in, and the cows are very restful at this time. Their bellies are full, they exude contentment and it helps me unwind. The night is dark and misty. Gentle rain was falling and felt good on my face. I went about my routine, and the cows watched me fill their mangers and then ambled over to their own spots. Gale watched me, and nodded as I left. I said, " Night, Girl."
Now I'm gonna go collapse into bed and dream sweet dreams.