Holy Moley, it’s been a year! Well, actually it’s been a year and a few days, but I’ve been busy. So a year ago last Friday, my Rob had his chest cracked open and they began a surgery I was skeptical of and in the end, Dr Ralph D. saved his life. I still cannot wrap my head around all of the “what if’s” and try not to even go there. However, I did re read all of my posts and all of the comments on the anniversary and was again humbled by all of the support and kindness shown to the Wetzel’s. Looking back on that day, I never thought that the Rob we have now was possible and I am still so GRATEUL even a year later. Thank you again for all of the support. Long live Rob Wetzel!!!!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
I'm a THANKFUL girl!
Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE holiday!! I love that we have a whole day to reflect on what we are thankful for and tell people thank you! More and more Thanksgiving lost in the pre-Christmas rush and I hope that I can instill the "attitude of gratitude" (stole that from a church sign) in Kaitlyn. In that spirit I wanted to take a moment and tell all of the reasons I have to be thankful this year...... not just the obvious ones (rob, kaitlyn, family, friends) but all the reasons that I have THIS year.
- Dr Ralph Damanio. Thanks for your" surgeons are God like" attitude and convincing Rob to proceed. You saved his life and I will forever be endebted. As a special thank you to him, I have stopped going to every appt with Rob with my notebook!
- The Green team (and many of my other coworkers). Overall, you are all saints for having to put up with me and a special shout out to Julie, Kim and Rhonda for having to deal with my ever changing needs.
- Robs amazing coworkers who have had to change their schedules for us!!!
- The makers of the Keurig....thanks for making my caffeine habit so much easier!!!
- To the phamaceutical geniuses at Bayer and Pfizer. Bayer, Rob thanks you too!
- My mom. My matter how old I am, she still takes care of me....example today, dropped Kaitlyn off there today and she had a plate of mini muffins for me that served as my breakfast and lunch.
- my CONcordia peeps. Could not have survived the last year without you and because of all of you, my faith has been strengthened!!
- All of the other moms with kiddos K's age who have helped either K or I!
- Susan who I have discovered is my SISTA from anotha MOTHA!!!!
- watching my daughter play with Mary's daughter, PRICELESS!
- U2, Def Leppard and Foo Fighters for coming to thema Lou.
- David Freese.
- Jeggings
- Pandora and Tom Bickel for introducing me.
- The creators of The Borgia's and the Tudors, or as Rob calls it, historical porn. Thanks Danielle C and Nna P for talking about it so much that I HAD to watch for myself!
- my new sister in law Lauren and realizing how her LOVE for animals can benefit me at the Zoo.
- Mary Ann Saitta, the greatest hair/skin/makeup/LISTENER and fellow police wife, a girl could ask for!
- For my dad being able to retire (not just so he can watch Kaitlyn when I need) and not have to work at a job that he did not love. Thanks for all of the years that you worked for us!
- Area agency on aging for sponsoring a conference I attended. If I hadn't had those two days away from work to renewing myself as I social worker, I may have quit that week!
- To all the crazy, mean, dysfunctional families I dealt with this year, (2 in particular). Thanks for making my family look normal and for helping me realize that I REALLY do have an issue with SOME men telling me what to do
- Thanks to three wonderful pts/families that I dealt with who restored my belief in the ability to help!
- To one special patient I met this year, UNFORGETABLE!.
- Dr ELan Simkus who kept me laughing through the tears....AGAIN!!!!
- Amy Z for getting my struggles and for capturing my girl with beautiful pics
- Missy S, Mandy R, Tracy H, Jenny P, Lisa M, Shari M, Carrie R, Maria C, Lisa B, Kenda M and Alison D. for all that you did for Kaitlyn and Rob and I. When I die instead of my money going to Wash U or another school I attended, I want it to go to KECC. (unfortunately, I will likely only leave debt so it probably won't help much!)
- K C-P, you have no idea how your patience and understanding has helped all of us. Sometimes at work (see above) I have felt that I was the swer for a reason. You were MEANT to be K's teacher.
- Derek Jetter for his 3000
- The current crop of Republican presidential nominees, I have to be thankful for you or else I would cry!
- My sister, for getting me!! And for naming her baby to be Caroline!
- for all of my nieces, there has never been a prouder aunt! You are all beautiful and so special to me!
- Rob, for not listening to my medical advice, for working so hard, and for sticking with me NO.MATTER.WHAT and being an amazing father.
- and to my Kaitlyn....for conquering your fears, scoring two goals, being an AMAZING individual that keeps me guessing, not being afraid to show your quirky sense of style and always being excited to be with me..........YOU make my life!!!!
Friday, September 30, 2011
Are you still with me??
I have been neglecting my blogging duties and have not written on here in a really, really long time. Summer flew by, mostly because we could do SO much this summer together. Rob and K had an extended time at home together before kindergarten started and they had a blast. I would get calls like this, “we are at the top of the Arch” or “we went out in a canoe on Creve Coeur Lake today.” “Rob, have you ever been in a canoe before and why did you decide to do that?” “No and because I can!” Not sure when/if the thrill of Robs health will ever just become normal. I had another “I can’t believe that all of that happened” moment just today. I hugged him and told him how once again, I was so glad that in this one instance, he didn’t listen to me in my “lets get a 2nd opinion” mind and went with his gut!
We are full swing into kindergarten now. After the initial nervousness and upset stomach, I think that we have conquered most aspects of the school day. Just working through the last one…..getting out of the car in the morning, which is essential to the school day. At least, we are no longer vomiting in the morning, just gagging now!
Funny K story of the month---- One morning I go into her playroom.
K, why does it smell in here?
I don’t know (with a guilty look on her face)
You have to tell me, b/c if its bad food, there will be bugs.
(Reluctantly, She points to her play kitchen, and I notice a white substance in the play sink.)
What is this?
(after much hesitation) Well, you told me I couldn’t use water in my play kitchen, sooooooooooooooooooooooooo…………………………. It’s milk.
YOU USED MILK IN YOUR PLAY KITCHEN??
Well, you told me not to use water.
(As I try to compose myself, she realizes that she may be in a wee bit of trouble.)
Well, Mom, I guess since you are mad, you should go ahead and look in the oven part.
(open oven door and find several dishes with curdled milk in them.)
Kaitlyn, I am going to take away your kitchen for awhile until you can prove to me that you know how to play with it…(anticipating screams, protests, etc)
Yeah, you probably should because if not, I will do it again!
Ah the joys of raising Robs child!
Promise to try to blog more if you are still with me!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Update on the Wetzel's from Rob
Hey guys,
Rob here. The start of summer seems to be going well. Only a month left at K.E.C.C for Kaitlyn, then it's a month off with mommy, daddy, Nana and Paw-Paw. She's excited and so am I. K.E.C.C. is great but just under $900.00 per month hits hard. Full day kindergarten at Westchester will cost too, but not nearly as much as K.E.C.C. I shouldn't complain as we have had great luck with teachers and staff. We realize we are lucky in that aspect.
Kaitlyn just completed a week of Vacation Bible School at Concordia. She had a great week due to the hard work of many people and a bunch of our friends from church. Great start to summer.
We have made a couple trips to the lake and a good handful of trips to the Kirkwood Pool. Some of you fellow pool goers have been lucky enough to see me sporting the scar from my heart surgery. Do girls like scars? I keep telling myself they do.
I've continued exercising at ClubFitness and can't recommend it enough. $10.00 a month and more equipment than you will ever need. I've kind of hit a plateau with weight loss at the 258-260 mark. I would like to make it to 240 but this may take another six months. Again, I'm very lucky to have good docs and a great family support system, not to mention a wife that doesn't complain about me visiting the gym six times a week.
The street has been consistently steady and pretty entertaining at times. We've been running into more mentally unstable people than usual and a few who just want to challenge the police. (Almost always a bad idea) I work with a good squad who is quick to help each other out when needed. My only complaint is changing shifts every eighteen days.
Preparing for some the 2011 concert series. Def Leppard, Foo Fighters and U2. Not a bad lineup and I'm looking forward to some great people watching. Give the Wetzel's a shout and we'll set up a little backyard time and maybe a roasted marshmallow or even a s'more.
Be Cool, Rob
Rob here. The start of summer seems to be going well. Only a month left at K.E.C.C for Kaitlyn, then it's a month off with mommy, daddy, Nana and Paw-Paw. She's excited and so am I. K.E.C.C. is great but just under $900.00 per month hits hard. Full day kindergarten at Westchester will cost too, but not nearly as much as K.E.C.C. I shouldn't complain as we have had great luck with teachers and staff. We realize we are lucky in that aspect.
Kaitlyn just completed a week of Vacation Bible School at Concordia. She had a great week due to the hard work of many people and a bunch of our friends from church. Great start to summer.
We have made a couple trips to the lake and a good handful of trips to the Kirkwood Pool. Some of you fellow pool goers have been lucky enough to see me sporting the scar from my heart surgery. Do girls like scars? I keep telling myself they do.
I've continued exercising at ClubFitness and can't recommend it enough. $10.00 a month and more equipment than you will ever need. I've kind of hit a plateau with weight loss at the 258-260 mark. I would like to make it to 240 but this may take another six months. Again, I'm very lucky to have good docs and a great family support system, not to mention a wife that doesn't complain about me visiting the gym six times a week.
The street has been consistently steady and pretty entertaining at times. We've been running into more mentally unstable people than usual and a few who just want to challenge the police. (Almost always a bad idea) I work with a good squad who is quick to help each other out when needed. My only complaint is changing shifts every eighteen days.
Preparing for some the 2011 concert series. Def Leppard, Foo Fighters and U2. Not a bad lineup and I'm looking forward to some great people watching. Give the Wetzel's a shout and we'll set up a little backyard time and maybe a roasted marshmallow or even a s'more.
Be Cool, Rob
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
My Froggies are Dead!
For over a year, K has had two frogs living in her room in a Frog-o-sphere (PETA people I know that you think they are cruel!). They have become a part of our family (in her mind at least). They have gone to show and share at her school, pictures have been drawn, of them and for them. I have been amazed that these things have lived this long and was increasingly getting concerned about when they died. I really didn't change the water like I should of, in fear that would bring about their demise.
These frogs were named Frog 1 and Frog 2. They started out about the same size, but Frog 1 always seemed to get the food before Frog 2 and grew bigger (for a dwarf frog, that is.). Despite this Frog 2 lived on, until a couple of weeks ago. Frog 2 was floating dead in the water. In a moment of panic, I decided to tell K that Frog 1 ate 2. In my panicked state that seemed better than Frog 2 died and Mommy flushed it. It actually worked and we got through the death with relative ease. We got a replacement frog (TINY, dwarf frog) and they were renamed Big Frog and Little Frog. For a week, they seemed to be living in Frog-o-sphere bliss, until tragedy struck the tank and I found both floating motionless, white in color, dead on the rocks. Now, real panic set in. Rob decided he could handle this and told her. As expected the news was met with shock, disbelief, denial and ultimately sadness. In true K fashion, she made the decision that they should be flushed because if buried, she would "always be sad when she went in the backyard." Down the toilet they went and then reality set in.
The next 24 hours were filled with the following crys
"FFFRRRRRRRROOOGGGGGGGGGGGIIIIEEEEESSSSSS"
"why would God do this to me?"
"The only thing that will ever make me happy again, is if my froggies come back (not new ones) and if I can sleep in you bed."
"I will probably need to wake up during the night and cry some more."
"Where are my Froggies now............how about now?"
"This is the worst thing that ever happened to me."
and the dreaded..... "Does this mean Sammy will die on day?"
She spent about 20 minutes sitting on the tub staring at the toilet and crying that she changed her mind about the flushing and just wanted to keep the dead frog corpses in her room.
I had to tell her teachers that "she might be sad and need to talk about her froggies." Things got better and she seemed to have entered into the acceptance stage of the grief process. Then last night she wanted to write a letter to her Frogs:
"I miss you Froggies. Are you missing me? Our Friendship will last forever. Love Frogs! K" If this kid isn't an actress or a politician, it is a waste of her talents.
I know that Rob's mom is looking down on us and enjoying every moment of this- so loved K's dramatic side!!! K is comforted in the fact that Grandma is taking care of them in heaven now. Until, she freaked because we still have the frog food here and they will need it in heaven..................................................
These frogs were named Frog 1 and Frog 2. They started out about the same size, but Frog 1 always seemed to get the food before Frog 2 and grew bigger (for a dwarf frog, that is.). Despite this Frog 2 lived on, until a couple of weeks ago. Frog 2 was floating dead in the water. In a moment of panic, I decided to tell K that Frog 1 ate 2. In my panicked state that seemed better than Frog 2 died and Mommy flushed it. It actually worked and we got through the death with relative ease. We got a replacement frog (TINY, dwarf frog) and they were renamed Big Frog and Little Frog. For a week, they seemed to be living in Frog-o-sphere bliss, until tragedy struck the tank and I found both floating motionless, white in color, dead on the rocks. Now, real panic set in. Rob decided he could handle this and told her. As expected the news was met with shock, disbelief, denial and ultimately sadness. In true K fashion, she made the decision that they should be flushed because if buried, she would "always be sad when she went in the backyard." Down the toilet they went and then reality set in.
The next 24 hours were filled with the following crys
"FFFRRRRRRRROOOGGGGGGGGGGGIIIIEEEEESSSSSS"
"why would God do this to me?"
"The only thing that will ever make me happy again, is if my froggies come back (not new ones) and if I can sleep in you bed."
"I will probably need to wake up during the night and cry some more."
"Where are my Froggies now............how about now?"
"This is the worst thing that ever happened to me."
and the dreaded..... "Does this mean Sammy will die on day?"
She spent about 20 minutes sitting on the tub staring at the toilet and crying that she changed her mind about the flushing and just wanted to keep the dead frog corpses in her room.
I had to tell her teachers that "she might be sad and need to talk about her froggies." Things got better and she seemed to have entered into the acceptance stage of the grief process. Then last night she wanted to write a letter to her Frogs:
"I miss you Froggies. Are you missing me? Our Friendship will last forever. Love Frogs! K" If this kid isn't an actress or a politician, it is a waste of her talents.
I know that Rob's mom is looking down on us and enjoying every moment of this- so loved K's dramatic side!!! K is comforted in the fact that Grandma is taking care of them in heaven now. Until, she freaked because we still have the frog food here and they will need it in heaven..................................................
Saturday, April 23, 2011
The night before Easter...
Well, here we are. The night before a major holiday and I am lying to the kid telling her that she has to go to bed b/c the E Bunny has already made his way to some peoples houses (How do you know, Mom??? Facebook, K). Luckily the baskets were stuffed last night so tonight just involves hiding them and installing the new monkey bars on the swingset (not that she will be able to play out there anytime soon, unless she wears waders!). Rob has to work midnights so he has his list of last minute things, like the Ceramic E Bunny holding the egg that needs candy and money in it because it was mine when I was a little girl and "Rob, it just has to be that way, don't ask anymore." I am certain my mom never had to run out the night before and she had to pull this off for 4 kids!! Usually it is these nights that I am in awe of all my parents did for us and I am feeling sorry for parents with more than one child.
So I am exhausted, not so much physically as mentally. This is a sampling of the topics we covered today:
-Where rain comes from and how it is not literally God's tears
-Bullies and how to deal with them
-Who our prom dates were and if we each told them about how we wanted a little girl and that they would not be the person we married
-Who the Devil is
-Skin color
-Why we wear underwear
-Why her cousin Ellie has other relatives who are not related to us but Ellie can love all of us
-What to do if she wakes up during the night and hears someone hopping in our house
-Why we have to go to the dr and get shots
- What happens if someone sprays you with pepper spray
-Will I ever go to jail since I am married to a police man
- how my pager works
-Catholics and Lutherans..............
and this is only the list I remember. And I loved every minute of this day spent with her and I am thanking God tonight of the miracle that is my family!!!
Happy Easter !!!!
And just when I thought she was asleep, yet another question......Is Wubzy a boy or girl ?
So I am exhausted, not so much physically as mentally. This is a sampling of the topics we covered today:
-Where rain comes from and how it is not literally God's tears
-Bullies and how to deal with them
-Who our prom dates were and if we each told them about how we wanted a little girl and that they would not be the person we married
-Who the Devil is
-Skin color
-Why we wear underwear
-Why her cousin Ellie has other relatives who are not related to us but Ellie can love all of us
-What to do if she wakes up during the night and hears someone hopping in our house
-Why we have to go to the dr and get shots
- What happens if someone sprays you with pepper spray
-Will I ever go to jail since I am married to a police man
- how my pager works
-Catholics and Lutherans..............
and this is only the list I remember. And I loved every minute of this day spent with her and I am thanking God tonight of the miracle that is my family!!!
Happy Easter !!!!
And just when I thought she was asleep, yet another question......Is Wubzy a boy or girl ?
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
The BIG appointment
Today was the 3 month checkup, the BIG appointment!!! Rob had a stress ECHO on Friday and we got the results today, and............... everything looks better than the surgeon had even imagined!!!! The doc had gradient scores that he was hopeful for pre-surgery and Rob's were better. So now off most all meds and does not have to see him again for 3 months.
The surgeon said that he expects Rob to continue to feel better, but I am not sure how that is possible. He built a fire pit, working on a play house for Kaitlyn, continues with cardiac rehab and now a "regular"gym and working. As I have said before, I can not keep up with him. I was off on his last day off and had to take a nap midway through the day- he just continued on. Our backyard (which has always been Rob's area) has never looked better and the projects just continue.
Before the surgery, we had hopes that Rob would be able to walk short distances without stopping to catch his breath. Over the weekend he walked to the store up the street and then RAN home. Why run home, I asked him, "because I could!" I have been continually reminded that with God all things are possible!!
Hope everyone is staying safe in this storm!!! Get to your basements!
The surgeon said that he expects Rob to continue to feel better, but I am not sure how that is possible. He built a fire pit, working on a play house for Kaitlyn, continues with cardiac rehab and now a "regular"gym and working. As I have said before, I can not keep up with him. I was off on his last day off and had to take a nap midway through the day- he just continued on. Our backyard (which has always been Rob's area) has never looked better and the projects just continue.
Before the surgery, we had hopes that Rob would be able to walk short distances without stopping to catch his breath. Over the weekend he walked to the store up the street and then RAN home. Why run home, I asked him, "because I could!" I have been continually reminded that with God all things are possible!!
Hope everyone is staying safe in this storm!!! Get to your basements!
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