Comments on: feb. 2 – feb. 8.

By: tabby

tabby — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 05:59:32 +0000

If Liz’s story saves 1 person or even 1000 ppl it is not worth it that she is gone~~~!!!! nothing makes her gone worth it!

By: Cass from the CT

Cass from the CT — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 01:23:58 +0000

Oh Matt! I can completely relate and try not to feel so bad about Madeline, we’ve all been there. Last May my daughter fell off a counter stool in my kitchen & got a concussion and exactly one week later we pulled her elbow out while swinging her between us, one week two trips to the ER. It was awful and I felt like I surely lost mother of the year. You continue to amaze me with your parenting! Thanks for sharing your life with us, truly inspirational.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 03:56:54 +0000

my little sister would get her arm popped out of the socket a lot. Finally the doctor taught my Mom how to fix it so we did not have to come back to the ER anymore. Do not be surprised if it occurs again and she should grow out of it by 3.

By: Jamie - Not so far from Nashville

Jamie - Not so far from Nashville — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 02:11:10 +0000

Oh yeah… The NM elbow thing… I’ve done that SEVERAL times to my little girl! Only she was like 2.5 when it first happened. I simply held her wrist in place while sliding a floaty on to her arm! I thought I was keeping her safe from the water but turns out, mommy was more of a threat than the water on that day! After the trip to the ER and the cutest little sling on her arm, I still felt like THE WORST parent ever! Then to top it off, less than a month later while holding her hand for a stroll in the park, she started to run and I didn’t let go in time, and BAM! Again! Pop went her elbow and the screams were so shrill! Four other times this happens…. Finally the Dr. in the ER explained to me how to fix her arm on my own… I couldn’t believe it! I actually had to pop her arm back in to place a few times… They explained to me that once it happens one time, the joint becomes more and more fragile… SO.. here we are at 5 years old, and THANK YOU GOD, we’ve not had to worry about her elbow for about a year now.
It’s scary! I was soooo afraid that DCS would surely question me because of the repeat ER visits, but seemingly enough, the doc seemed to understand! Thank heavens for understanding people! HAHA!
You have no idea how much encouragement it was for me just reading that you and other parents as well have been through the same ordeal! SUCH a HUGE relief of weight from my shoulders! HAHA! No one is the perfect parent… I think…. IF YOU ARE… I dare you to tell me your secret!

By: Ashley

Ashley — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:33:48 +0000

Hi Matt!

Long time reader, first time commenter. My son is 2 1/2 years old and just got his first nursemaid elbow in January. I had the same fears as you did when I took my son. Luckly the Children’s hospital said they see hundreds of cases every month.

Happy Birthday to Madeline!!

I hope to be able to make a nice donation soon with some saved money for this specific cause!

Ashley, Ohio

By: C. Ramirez

C. Ramirez — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:21:18 +0000

My nephew was playing with my daughter when she was about 2 yoa and she suffered the same injury. she is 7 yoa now and has no lasting deficits – the only ones are in my memory…

By: Annie

Annie — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:30:43 +0000

Two comments in one day…oy! Anyhow, this was emailed to me by a family of a good friend of mine who lost their son, Brett, in a small airplane crash. His wife, Kathy, died 10 years ago at age 26 of cystic fibrosis. This poem is just a poignant reminder to ALL of us but reminded me of Liz and my husband, Dean, who I lost to cancer a year ago.

TO HONOR YOU

To honor you, I get up everyday and take a breath.

And start another day without you in it.

To honor you, I laugh and love with those who knew your smile

And the way your eyes twinkled with mischief and secret knowledge.

To honor you, I take the time to appreciate everyone I love,

I know now there is no guarantee of days or hours spent in their presence.

To honor you, I listen to music you would have liked,

And sing at the top of my lungs, with the windows rolled down.

To honor you, I take chances, say what I feel, hold nothing back,

Risk making a fool of myself, dance every dance.

You were my light, my heart, my gift of love, from the very highest source.

So everyday, I vow to make a difference, share a smile, live, laugh, and love.

Now I live for us both, so all I do, I do to honor you.

By: anne

anne — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 01:39:41 +0000

Something I’ve learned in my (short) 22 mos. as a parent is that once your kid moves out of a certain developmental stage, you really seem to forget what those past stages were like because you are so wrapped up in their CURRENT stages. Thanks to you and your tales of Maddy learning to stand and then immediately falling over, I was able to get a great chuckle today remembering when my son would do the exact same thing! I remember how difficult it was to have to stand behind him every single moment so he wouldn’t clunk his head on the hardwood floor!

So glad Maddy was okay after her little accident and trip to the ER. I think every parent experiences these little guilt-ridden incidents. As hard as it is to admit to something like that happening, (my little guy fell down 15 stairs at our house, and I couldn’t talk about it for months, I felt so guilty!) I think it helps other parents to hear that they aren’t the only ones. We can chalk them up to constructive cautionary tales.

Oh, and one question for you. I’ve always wondered this (being a MN dweller)…when traveling around a city like NYC with an infant, do you have to strap the baby into a carseat and install the thing in back seat every time you take a cab??? I’m imagining a large hassle…

By: Christine D.

Christine D. — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 20:58:56 +0000

So glad you had a nice time in the NYC and you were able to get Madeline to a hospital where they were able to help her! Hope you didn’t have to wait too long?

Everytime one of my daughter’s gets hurt, it’s always because of something I accidentally did! It happens to all of us so you can’t beat yourself up over it!! But in the moment, it’s a horrible feeling.

I thought of you about 2 weeks ago when we went to a restaurant with the girls and it didn’t have a changing table. Had to change my 1 yr old on the floor in the bathroom stall. Oh well, you do what you have to do!

And I love that picture that AJ took of you and Madeline in the lobby…it looks so peaceful…

As always, you’re doing a great job! Thinking of you often this March..

Christine D.

By: Kaeley in Dallas, TX

Kaeley in Dallas, TX — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:43:10 +0000

Too funny!! Sounds like you had a great time in NYC!! You did really well with the ER visit, I am glad you took her, that is one thing I seem to always struggle with, do you take them or do you just wait and see. When my son (now 2) was about 19 months old I had to rush him to the ER, b/c it was a Sunday and a little table had fallen right on his toenail and the blood was just filling up in there and causing a lot of pain, so we sat in the waiting room for 3 hours and then it took the doctor 3 minutes to poke a hole in his toenail and let the blood out and he was like a new person!! I think I could have done this myself, but what if I poked it too far, eww the pain!!

Have a great week and can’t wait to read more from the adventures of Matt and Maddy!!