Off to New Zealand they go........"Cheers" (kori)

Well, let's see how this post goes.  New medication can make me a litle "brain dull" as the nice doctor puts it.  (more on this in the next blog) 

We had the joy of having Kim and Chris stay with us after their honeymoon for the month of September.  It was nice to have them around and hang out extra before they left to begin their new life down under!  Here is just a little clip of them and the kids and a shout out to them.  We will miss you.  And also, this is to inspire Kim to start her BLOG!!

The new Curry Couple!!  Congrats to Kimberly and Christopher Curry.  August 17, 2012 they started their adventure in life together!

Mr and Mrs Curry!!!!

 After a fun filled adventure on a cruise ship in Alaska, my brother and sister in law returned to MT to find their first home ready  for them to move in!  It wasn't much, but it was private and quiet, well except for the trains.

No running water, but you can have electricity!

 It must not have been too bad of a living situation, because they were all smiles and had full run of the kitchen, TV, internet, and bathrooms.  It was a good set up for all!!

Living the good life!



R is a pretty good little picture taker...

  Fun times were had while Aunt Kim and Uncle Chris stayed at our place.  We had some great vegie dinners.  We had bugs in the freezer again.  I got to enjoy hearing stories about teaching over dinner.  I am having a little bit of missing work.  I know I am in no position to be at work, so it was nice to hear their student teaching stories.  The fire drills, the missing shoes, the field trips to Lewis and Clark caverns, the hugs, the little things at school.  Oh...back to task...



R was going to teach Uncle Chris how to be a Jedi.



There were over 20 ladybugs in the bucket.  R and S and C found in the yard.




Aunt Kimberly taught us all about bugs, insects, and spiders.




Bugs, chase, and Jedi light sabers.



Once a teacher, always a teacher!  What a great thing to be!!

Well, the sad time comes when you know things must come to an end. Dave and his brother Russell took Chris out for a final bro beer and bonding. 





Brotherly advice.




Bud Light, Brothers, Bonding all in the Back yard! (Grog and a Chilly Bin?)

 And now the happy teaching couple leaves the United States today to begin their new adventure as student teachers in New Zealand!!!


"No Worries, Mr Curry"




"Can we have Hokey Pokey, Mrs Curry?"



Chris and Kim, we wish you all the luck in the world and best of everything in New Zealand!!  Thank you for the beautiful picture and beer too.  Love you!





Future Kiwis....




NEW ZEALAND... looks like a good place for tramping.

CHEERS!!!     Cheers!!    CHEERS!!!  Cheers!!    CHEERS!!!    Cheers!!    

School memoir from our amazing daughter S

I have always know S was amazing, but today she showed me just a little more.  Her and I have talked and wrote notes to each other and texted and cried and hugged and shared so many things since May 14, (well really forever) but today I read something she wrote for school and it made me see a new side of her.  A grown up side.  She is growing up so quickly and turning into such an awesome young lady.  I wanted to share her story.

First day of the last year in middle school.

S can multi task like no other....

S has a soul that animals love.

Friday September 14, 2012....*tears did fall through this, I apologize

The Worst Night of My Life

By: Jaelyn Silvey

Core 1

            It was a typical Monday in May or so I thought. Like every morning my mom drove me to my bus stop. We had our morning conversation, its subject changed from day to day, depending on our moods. My bus came and we said our goodbyes. I expected to see her that evening at 8:00 when my dad dropped me off.

            I did see her that night but she was a different woman than I saw that morning.  I came home to find her laying in her bed slightly pale and the look of pain on her face.

            “Hi, mom” I said quietly. She opened her eyes and smiled. “I guess you’re not feeling well. What’s the matter”?

            “I have a headache that’s pretty bad. I’ll be better in the morning” Mom answered. Boy was she wrong. That morning my step-dad woke me up instead of mom. I glanced into the master bedroom to see what I could see. I just saw my mom sleeping. I didn’t think anything except she was just tired.

            That afternoon she was still in bed. The night proceeded like usual. My little brother and sister were put to bed and I was watching TV before bed. As always the commercials were obnoxiously loud so I muted them. I heard something that I’ve never forgotten. It was my mom moaning because of the pain. I heard her say ‘make it stop’ and ‘make it go away’. In that moment I knew whatever this illness was, it was more than a headache.

            That morning my step-dad woke me up and drove me to the bus again. I went to my dad’s house that night like Monday. Around 5:30ish I received a text from my step-dad. It explained that mom was in the hospital. I freaked out. In my head I thought so many different things. The most prominent thoughts were: Why? And What if this goes the other direction and I don’t have a mom anymore? My step-dad explained that he had taken her in that evening and she was admitted. Again I asked why? After a spinal tap she was diagnosed with meningitis.

            Mom was there for about 4 days, which made it Sunday when she was released. That Thursday, a day after being admitted, I went to see her. We had to wear masks to go into her room. For me, I understood what was happening. For my little brother and sister it was different. As a 6 and 5 year old it had to be the most terrifying thing to see. The room was dark and there were many objects that could give off a very scary impression. My sister, Kimberly, stuck to me during the visit. About 10 minutes into the visit my sister asked me ‘I want to go.’ There was something about her voice that has clung to me, a mixture of fear, confusion, worry and sadness in those four words. To her joy we left. That night I thought of all the things that could go wrong. It took forever for me to fall asleep but I finally drifted off into a light sleep with dreams that kept me tossing and turning all night.

            That morning I had a hard time not being depressed. I couldn’t focus on anything except for my mom.  I made it to German class before I lost it. I had just finished presenting my “Das bin Über mich” when my vision was being obscured. In one eye I could see fine. In the other eye I could barely see anything but dots. I secretly relied on my friends to get back to the 7^th grade commons. I figured out my way to my locker. By then I could see clearly but my head started to pound. It got to the point that I felt like every sound around me was amplified 100 times. All the veins in my head felt like drums with somebody hitting them really hard.  Towards the end of orchestra I couldn’t handle school. I called my grandma and she came and got me. My neck and head were throbbing. If you don’t know, Meningitis affects your neck and causes severe neck pain. After a trip to the doctor I was confirmed not sick. As I reflect now, I had worried myself sick. I was so focused on my mom I had forgotten myself, neglecting eating properly and drinking enough water.

            By Sunday my mom was released. She was told she had viral meningitis and needed to rest. After a week our family had a BBQ. We stayed up late into the night talking and thanking our lucky stars. We all thought the worse was over. Again we were all wrong, so very wrong.

            That Sunday I spent the day with my friends who lived across the street. Around 1:30 I called my mom. I asked her if I could stay with my friends until dinner time. She said yes. Mom sounded tired. I brushed it off thinking that after all that’s happened and how late we stayed up she was just plain old tired. I again was wrong.  Around 6:30 my phone rang. The contact came up as Mama Mia which is my mom. I answered it expecting my mom telling me to come home for dinner. It was my step-dad telling me to come home now. I didn’t expect anything was wrong. I walked home to find him in a worried state.

            “Dave? What’s going on” I asked

            “The paramedics are on their way. Your mom is very sick” He said something about clearing the way, dinner in the oven and keep the kids occupied and out of the way. I barely heard any of it. As soon as he said ‘the paramedics are on their way’ my heart stopped and I felt the color drain from my face. I ran upstairs to find lying in my mom’s place a woman I didn’t recognize. She was the same person but the old mom I used to know gone. By the look on her sweat ridden face I could tell she was in a completely different world that no one in our family have been in nor could go there ourselves. I whispered “I love you” before I was ushered out of the room. I put on a brave smiling face before taking my brother and sister away. I took them downstairs to stay occupied. My step-dad told me to call my Aunt Angie. I did but she didn’t answer. I thought to myself “Angela, why didn’t you answer? I need you NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!”! I then called my grandma.

            “Hi Jae. What’s up?”

            “Grandma, the paramedics are on their way to our house right now. Mom is really sick and they are taking her away.”

            “Wait… What?”

I repeated what I had said. Grandma then told me to stay calm and she was going to try and call Angie again.

            After a couple of minutes Angie called.  She told me she was on her way to come get us.

I needed to become the brave big sister instead of the emotional wreck that I was. I decided to play hangman on our hanging whiteboard. Soon we heard sirens, distant at first but suddenly dreadfully loud. The paramedics raced in. They ran upstairs. Then the firemen came in and cleared the way for the stretcher.

             One of the firemen was a woman. She came downstairs and looked at us with a very sincere gaze and told us “Everything will be alright. We are doing everything we can”. In that moment I realized that these strangers care about us, two children and a teenager who were full of fear and their eyes glassy with tears. After the firewoman left I had a small hope that everything truly would be ok. Even though one of the worst things of my life was happening, I knew everything was going to be ok. Still after seeing my mother paralyzed to stop seizures, intubated to continue breathing, watching my grandpa and step-dad cry and seeing even my oldest brother cry I still had a small flame of hope. Indeed it was small almost microscopic at the time it was still there. Even after hearing that my mom had a serious brain infection and she had to be flown to Billings, going in to see her and whisper to an unconscious mother that I loved her and finally watching a helicopter fly, her away from all of us to save her life. I will never forget that night. The night my life changed. The night I watched my mother paralyzed and unconscious flown high into the night, I sought comfort in my big brother, instead of anyone else in the world. The night I realized that my life wasn’t an easy road to follow; it was a curvy and bumpy one. Even the next day, waiting for the news mom was out of surgery, going to see her with a tube in her throat and not being able to talk to us I still felt that hope, deep down in my heart I knew she was going to be okay. I knew that she was going to survive. That she was going to try her hardest for us. Not for herself but for us, her kids, her family and friends.

            After that night things seemed to look up. If at this moment you are thinking that this was over you are very wrong. Another trip to the E.R. told us there was more swelling in my mom’s head. The next morning she was again life flighted but this time to Colorado. Finally she came home, just in time for my brothers 18^th birthday. For the rest of the summer she was fine until recently. She couldn’t get out of bed. The doctors had to start at ground zero and again they are baffled. It’s weird to think of my mom as a medical mystery but she has doctors in three hospitals stumped.

            This summer I learned a very important lesson. I realized that the strongest people in your life can falter. Even the healthiest person can go from 100 mile per hour to 0 miles per hour instantly. I didn’t want to learn that but I did and I am continually learning from that. Every day is a story with bad endings and good endings. May 27^th told me a dreadful, horror story about my mother having a seizure and being life lighted away and not being able to remember 24 hours of her life but June 2^nd told me a relieved, joyful story about my mom coming home from Billings for my brother’s high school graduation. The summer of 2012 told me life is full of the unexpected.

S artwork at the beach.

Things not missed and few things missed... (kori)

Last weekend (labor day weekend 2012) was our annual Curry Retreat!  This tradition started a few years ago and I hope it will continue for many generations. 


Fairmont,Montana Hot Springs Resort

On the board of events!!

So the point of the retreat is to spend time together as a family and learn about each other. We have been traveling around to different hot springs in Montana and Idaho so far and we alternate years of taking the younger children and having adult only trips. This has proven to be very beneficial for everyone. This year the focus of the retreat was goal setting. Everyone in the family spent time setting a specific goal to work on for the next year. The great thing is we have each other now to help make sure we all follow through with our goals. The family support aspect is great. I was very impressed to see my kiddos set some very promising goals. W, w, and S all made a positive goals for the next school year. I look forward to the next year and being able to help them with their goals. Not just my kids, but also the whole family.

Brother and Dad Curry

Enjoying the morning watching the kids play mini golf.

The new and official Mr and Mrs Curry!!!!!

Sister Curry and nephews.

.

Momma Curry

After the seriousness of goal setting the fun gets to happen.  We get to go swimming, play golf, go mini golfing, go to the petting zoo, play basketlball, go to the park, play board games, play poker, eat snacks and have some good conversation and laughs.
 

 

Well, I am so glad I made this trip to Fairmont. It was a nice time to relax and even though I couldn't do everything, it was great to watch the kids have fun and smile!!!!  I am glad I didn't miss it.  One weekend later and look at where I am:

 

Pretty soon I am going to forget what my king size bed looks like.  So, here I am in Billings Clinic Hospital.  Was admitted for a bunch of tests.  Starting from scratch to see why things are progressing as Doctors think they should.  I have meet a new team of amazing doctors and each one has an interest in my case.  Being back in the hospital over in Billings has brought back some emotions from the original time I was here.  Some relief, yet some scariness still.  It is hard to believe that we are still here.  I hate leaving the kids at the beginning of  a new school year, even though I know they are always in good hands, it is really hard to be mom from a hospital bed.  I feel like we have gotten some good answers this trip and are on the right path again, it is just a very long and slow path, that is not without speed bumps still. 

So, I didn't miss out on Fairmont but I did miss out on D's Eagle Scout Ceremony and my family's garage sale.  I am so proud of D!!  He worked so hard on his Eagle Scout project and Head Start children in Bozeman will benefit from his hard work.  CONGRATS STEVE!  You rock and I owe you brownies!!

 

 THANK YOU to ANGIE, NICOLE, MOM, DENISE for making sure there were enough treats for everyone at the ceremony.  What would I do without all of you....I would be lost.

 

And my  last little thank you goes out to the 4 most amazing little lemonaid sellers I know....I heard they were just awesome at the garage sale.  I was so sad to miss it. I was really hoping to win the contest of selling the ugliest item for the most money....

 

Thank you to everyone who stopped by the garage sale.  To everyone who helped out.  I have an amazing family.  Thank you to anyone who made a donation.  You are forever appreciat.ed

 

 

Checking in and looking for hope.

Hopefully last trip to the ER!!  Looking like the giant blue berry from Willa Wonka.



So, I thought last time I posted about my sickness would have been the last "sick" post.  Now it is August and we thought we would be farther out of the woods by now.  Well, life has a funny way of changing things on you.  I have been unable to stay out of the hospital for more than 2 or 3 weeks at a time it seems.  My most recent visit was full of tests and more tests with no answers.  I did get to spend the day with my dad though, which is always a good day. 

Thanks for being the best nurse in the ER that day, Dad!

We had good talks and some just daughter/dad time.  He took good care of me.  I sure have become more appreciative of my family this year and will never forget just how amazing they are.  I wouldn't trade them for anything, they are all just too awesome.  I am looking forward to my next 3 tattoos (lots of time to think these days)  *A sister tattoo, a family tattoo, and an inspirational quote.*  Lately, we have become all too familiar with the Bozeman ER and Progressive Care Unit.  Oddly enough we were one of the last patients to be seen in the old ER and as much as we didn't want to see the new ER, we have been there twice due to continual brain swelling, I have to be very careful with any pain or headaches.  Since the brain is still swelling regularly, the doctors must assume the infection is still present and able to cause problems in a hurry.  This led me to a new PICC line being inserted in my other arm now and another 6 weeks of IV antibiotics.  Just when we thought we were done with the IV we had to start completely over.  This is only one of the factors that now limits me from going back to work this school year,  I have been informed by my Neurosurgeon and Infectious Disease doctors that I must keep my life very low key.  No stress, no work, and I must focus on recovery and keeping my immune system up because of where the original brain abscesses were located.  They are located very close to the ventricles in my brain that connect with your spinal cord which produces all your spinal fluid and blood.  If the infection spreads to the CFS it could move into my blood and that can go bad very quickly.  It is dangerous.  So, now I find myself in another scary place and more trips to the ER and hospital along with frequent CT scans, MRI tests, chest xrays and ultra sounds on my arms, legs, liver, and kidneys.  In addition to doctor follow visits for constant monitoring and weekly blood draws and 7 times a day IV antibiotics.  There just doesn’t seem to be an end in sight at this point.  My mom always told me I was a challenge, well I seem to have stumped the doctors lately!!  I have a new Neurosurgeon being brought on to help out on my prognosis and also a brain specialist coming on board to figure out what to do to “fix me”.  We still do not have an idea of the grand total for this ordeal or an end date for recovery in sight, because every day is still a battle to make it through but we are trying to learn something everyday.

scary ventricles.....



Science, the kids learned over the summer





Usually, I am unemployed every summer and only work part time during the school year and now am unable to work at all at least for this coming school.   I put in for a year leave of absence from my job and don't know what to do with my time now that the kids are back in school.  It is very strange not being in training right now or setting up my classroom or seeing my fun coworkers.  I will miss the work jokes and fun kid stories.  Guess the bright side is, I will not have to do much paperwork or checklists thisyear..HA HA! 

2012 first day of school, they all rode the bus, no one wanted to be dropped off.  First time ever.  Sorta sad, but proud of my independent kiddos!!

On a side note, they were so excited to go to school today!  S is in her final year at middle school, R started second grade and C is my little cutie first grader.  W and w are our big high school kiddos (sophomore and junior, oh my).  D has decided to work full time and chill out before making a college decision.  I am glad is taking some time to just live a little..it has been a rough year and a little too much reality for everyone to deal with.  This whole brain infection and continual set backs (small or large) have been a scary and unexpected ordeal in our life.  I can never explain to someone how scary it is to not know what the next day may bring.  I am trying to tie up all the loose ends in my life but stay positive too.  It is a hard way to live and raise my family.  Living with this darn brain infection that affects everyday life is a lot for myself and for my family and extended family and friends.  I don't even remember the last time I just "hung out" with my Donna.  I still am currently unable to drive and need a person to be with me on a fairly constant basis to help with daily activities, medicine management, just getting around the house, and also monitoring my neurological progress.  I get disoriented and confused frequently and miss my normal life.  There are numerous side effects to the medications I am on and it is unclear at this point what long term physical and mental side effects will be permanent.   Just when Nicole updated my "dosing" chart, my doctor called tonight to change it, sorry Nic.  What is a little more paperwork..LOL. Thanks Nicole for making me do my homework, I wouldn't have gotten it done without you. 

Dave and I still must make frequent trips to Billings Clinic for follow up visits because Bozeman Deaconess does not have the ability to care for my condition.  This is an additional expense every month along with the growing list of medications   I have to be on, (I have to stay on anti seizure medication for an undetermined amount of time since I had 2 severe seizures during this ordeal)  but I must say though, we have found a way to pass time in Billings, The Burger Dive!!  Great burgers!!  We also spent an afternoon with the kids and my cutie pie nephew at Chucky Cheese, the kids had blast running around playing games and being noisy and the adults (well not my sober butt) got to drink a beer with lunch.

As a family we are looking forward to our extended family retreat at Fairmont Hot Springs.  The kids are excited to sleep in a hotel for the first time all summer, (homebound is getting old).  Swimming, cupcake decorating, and some individual and family goal setting activities.  Time to recoup and regroup.  We had a great time celebrating the new addition to the family, the beautiful new Kimberly Curry.  The wedding was like a storybook celebration of sheer love.  BEAUTIFUL!!  The wedding was fantastic and now the newly married couple is chillin in our backyard in their "semi private" RV...it is great to spend sometime with them before they head down under to do some student teaching.  The kids had a great time at the wedding, C danced her little heart out.  We got some good fun family photos too!



C dancing with her new Aunt Kimberly!




Sisters all dressed up.



My nephews chillin with the big kids.  Not sure why D had skunk scent stuff in his pocket....Poor Courtney stuck between the boys..

The SCRWD family trying to act normal...

 C Turning 6!

 R Turning 7!

 S Turning 13!  Cute cupcake shoes, thanks to Aunt Angie!!

C just had to take a picture of Mommy with Minnie....

Happy Birthday!  The secret ingredient was Carmel...thanks Nicole.

Pretty Pink Punk hair for mom for a day or two.

 

Well, we celebrate D, W, and w birthdays here and only Dave was up for the hotwings challenge.  WINNER!!!  Good times for all, free wings for the boys and a sweat band for Dave.  The T-shirts were better.



  



Well, that pretty much is a quick check into where we are now and where we are headed.  Pretty much still in the dark and unknown, but getting through.  We are very appreciative to everyone who has been praying for us and keeping us in their thoughts and for helping out in the numerous ways they can.  We live in an amazing community and have wonderful support!  SO, let's hope this is the last post that starts out with...another trip to the ER! 

S trip to the beach....lucky girl.

All of the kiddos...

Keep smiling world...