Fall 2009

Well, it has been a crazy few months for the Gunter family. First of all, about #3, we went in for the 12 week appointment about 3 weeks ago, and everything looks great so far. He/she is measuring right on schedule for May 20th, and plugging away at getting bigger. We have been contemplating names, and want another "Br" name for the boy, but can't seem to find a "Br" name that we both really like for the girl, so that is still a work in progress, but hey, we have until May right?

On Another note, the boys went trick-or-treating this year for the first time, and walked all the way around the block, even Brennon, who actually ran, he has more energy then the entire family, and the fire to fuel it. After we went to about 15 or so houses, Braxton asked if "he could go back to Braxton's house" and Brennon just finally decided that he was done, so he just laid down on his back on the sidewalk, needless to say, we went home after that. But all in all they had a great time and still have Candy to prove it.

Braxton is doing great in Preschool, even though he is one of the youngest kids, he can count to 20, knows and recognizes all his letters, and numbers, and colors and shapes. But most importantly, he is learning the functionality of a classroom. He even has a little girl in class that has a crush on him, her name is Kenzie, and she is so cute. She has to sit at Braxton's table for snacks, and hang up her coat by his. The funny part is Braxton has no idea. Her Mom had to tell me, that her daughter talks about him all the time as her boyfriend. And see, Daddy is worried about having a girl, what about cute boys?

Brennon, was enrolled in a play group this fall with other kids his age, and was actually a little bored, since physically, he tries to run and jump and climb like big brother, where a lot of these kids could not keep up with him. But he is very interested in Basketball, especially when big kids come into the gym and play, he will watch for hours. He is starting to talk a lot, which is nice to hear. Now we just have to get rid of that paci. He carries 2 around at all times.

Both of them, are really aware of Santa and Christmas trees this year, especially Braxton, so maybe we won't have the Traumatic experience we had last yea, when we go visit the jolly old man.

I have pics, lots of pics and will post them soon, I promise. Hope everyone has a Wonderful Thanksgiving.

H1N1

Well, our biggest fear has come true, our family got H1N1. It was scary, and since I am pregnant, it was even more scary. It all started with Daddy, and Baby Brennon, my sweet little boy. They both came down with what we thought were colds starting out, within 24hrs, they had very high fevers, especially Brennon, with 104. And then immediately moved into the chest with Respiratory problems, withing 36 hours, Brett had walking pneumonia, and Brennon had Croup, and a dropping oxygen rate. he slept with me in our bed the first night, when we thought it was just croup, as his fever kept going up and up and not being able to break it, no matter what I did, and no matter how much medicine we gave him, I got very worried. Brett already had pneumonia at this point and was sleeping on the couch to maybe try not to get me sick, but since I will never not take care of my baby, no matter what, I was bound to get something. As 4 am slowly came upon us, and as he was in nothing but a diaper, with a cold wash cloth on his head, Motrin every 4 hours, and trying to force him to drink water, we gave up trying to sleep, and decided to watch Elmo to calm him down. The fever went down a little, still at 102. I kept thinking to myself, I never remember Croup being this bad when Braxton had it, and after a steroid treatment. So we went into the doctor the second day in a row, at this point, the fever went back up, even with the Motrin, and his Oxygen level was down to 81, (anything over 95 is normal), fear ran through my body, and tears filled my eyes before the doctors could even say anything. Sometimes being in the medical field is not always a good thing. Our nurse ran out and got an oxygen mask, our Doctor ran in, and put on a surgical mask, and checked him out, and immediately said she was sending us to Lutheran. He was being admitted. Before we left, they gave him a double dose of Tylenol, only 2 hours after I had given him some, in need of breaking the fever immediately. As soon as we got to Lutheran, Auntie met me there, while Brett called the grandparents to watch Braxton so he could be up there with us. Because of the whole flu thing, no kids are allowed in Hospitals under the age of 18 these days, and parents or adults are not allowed in if they have a fever. They immediately got him hooked up to the pulse ox machine and checked his oxygen, after the oxygen and breathing treatment in the pediatricians office, his oxygen had gone up a little to 89, still not good, but now at least out of danger. He was started on Tamiflu right away, and within hours, the fever broke, and he was not as lethargic and the moaning had ceased. They tested him for everything, x-rays, for Pneumonia, swabs for Influenza A, RSV, and of course H1N1. Now, unfortunately getting the results for all of this is not immediate. The H1N1 test requires PCR which is a lengthy biology procedure that I have actually done, and usually takes 2 days. And the Influenza A test requires at least 1 day to get results as well. By this time, his oxygen had come back up, after 3 steroid treatments for the croup that he did have, and lots of Tamiflu, and Tylenol. We were then released from the hospital and suitable to go home. Thank God, right? Not even 3 hours after we got home, we got the call from the pediatrician office saying Brennon tested positive for Influenza A. Great!!!!! Also, Braxton was at this time coming down with the barking cough, but not the fever yet. I was purely exhausted at this point from not sleeping for 2 days and being Pregnant, and started to feel achy and feverish, and nauseated, which was weird because I have not been sick at all this whole pregnancy. So I called my OB, and after telling them the situation they immediately put me on Tamiflu. Can I take that being pregnant? And in the 1st Trimester? I immediately started to cry again, how could this be happening to us? My OB said that at this point I need to think of myself, MYSELF? Are you crazy I am a Mom, I stopped thinking of myself, when I became a parent, she said that the benefits outweigh the risks right now, and we cannot let the virus take over my body, because I don't have the immunities and power to fight it off like a normal person since I am pregnant, and the baby is going to suck all that I have out of me that is good to keep going. My fear just turned into a complete Nightmare. The Pediatrician also put Braxton on Tamiflu in hopes of the virus not getting out of hand like it did with Brennon. Well, then when we thought it could not get any worse, Lutheran called and Brennon tested Positive for H1N1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I started to just pray as hard as I could that my little tiny grape growing in me would be Ok. And guess what, I then got a fever, started throwing up so bad that I broke blood vessels in my eyes, and got body aches, so now I had to take Tylenol on top of the Tamiflu. And take care of 2 sick babies, and help a husband who had walking pneumonia. But after 3 out of the 4 of us being on Tamiflu for 5 days, on the 5th day we finally started to feel better, still sleep deprived but not fluish anymore. It seemed as fast as it hit us, it went away, although it was the most difficult 4-5 days of my life. I am still praying that everything is ok with the baby, and would appreciate any prayers that are willing to come my way as well. I think that we are finally on the road to recovery.