The Nicholson Family: Its Been Almost 5 Months! So Sorry!

Its been quite a while since I've posted on my blog, which isn't excusable honestly, but I haven't been on a computer for that long either.

The Summer was spent with my 3 kiddos before they went off to school. Yes, All Three of them went off to school this year!

Hannah started First Grade this year! She got the teacher she wanted and she was so excited! She is doing absolutely AWESOME in 1st Grade. She's very person oriented, she's organized, she loves to read and she's always helpful.
They started a reading program in 1st Grade called Accelerated Reader. This is something I used when I was in school as well.

What is Accelerated Reader?
Accelerated Reader is a program where after a student reads a book they check and see if the book they've read is on the list. If the book is on the AR list then the student will take a 10-20 question "test" for it. They receive so many points per book. It depends on what level the book is for the amount of points. Generally the points and level are marked in the book by the teacher or the library.
Hannah had taken 33 tests in the last quarter. Out of those 33 tests she had a possibility of 90 points. Hannah had 86.5/90 points on her tests!!!!!

Hannah is definitely our reader! I love it. I love buying books for my children, especially knowing they will be read. As she gets older and starts reading bigger books I will likely get her a Nook or something of the like so she can save money and not have so many books lying around here. We have a lot LOL. Most of the books Hannah has gotten are AR testable.

Hannah turned 7 years old on September 29th. Its hard to believe that 7 years ago she was a tiny infant in my arms. Well, I wouldn't say tiny, the child was born at 8 lbs LOL. Definitely not TINY, but you know what I mean. I can't hold her in my arms like I could when she was a baby. I do miss those days, but watching her grow is an absolute privilege. She is quite the drama queen, but not in a bad way. She tells me she has crushes, she's got the "7 going on 17 attitude". Gotta love it. I know I sure don't!

Katelinn started Kindergarten this year. Last year when Hannah was finishing up Kindergarten I asked her teacher if she knew whether or not Katelinn was in her class for the 2012-2013 school year. She looked on her list and Katelinn WAS NOT on the list. I was disappointed. I had requested that Katelinn gets the same teacher Hannah had. Why? Well, to be honest with you I prefer Mrs. Rediger. I've known her for quite a while, she's an awesome teacher and I wanted my kid to be acquainted with someone she knew. Katelinn has ADHD and if you stick her with a teacher who doesn't understand her disability then there is a world of trouble.
Katelinn is doing VERY well in Kindergarten. She's only having a problem with organization. That's something we can fix over time. She's only in Kindergarten so its not HUGE, but we are slowly working on it around here with her so that she can apply it to using it at school.
Katelinn turned 5 on July 5th. It was a record 105* on her birthday. VERY HOT Summer around here this year. Our temps got as high as 115* this Summer. It was insane, but we managed to survive, thankfully we had air conditioning that worked great for once and we also found other ways to stay cool such as going out and about to the mall or something.
Katelinn is still her happy bountiful self. Of course she has a little attitude, but what 5 year old doesn't right? She's generally a happy child unless she doesn't feel well or someone has really made her mad. She is an early riser though, something I've had to get used to!

Now we move onto Kaleb! Lastly, but not least of the kids.
Kaleb started Preschool this Fall! Hard to believe I know. He turned 4 on September 15th. Now, Kaleb made the cut off date for Preschool on the exact date! We're obviously going to be on the fence about whether he will start Kindergarten this next school year or not. Likely he won't, but time will only tell.
He had a little bit of a rough time the first few days of Preschool, but what kid who's used to being at home with his mommy all day doesn't? He cried for a bit, but then he got the hang of it.
While it was still warm I would walk to pick him up so we could walk home. He enjoyed that, but now its too cold to really do that. He doesn't care for walking in the cold much. I only do it when he requests I do.
He's doing VERY well in Preschool. He's coming along really well with his numbers, letters and everything. He can write his name now without any trouble. The kid is a very social little boy.
We held his birthday party for his friends at the park on his birthday. He had 3 of his classmates show up, a few family members and some friends as well. He had a great time! It wore him out, but it was so cool to see him playing with some of his classmates outside of school and get along with them so well! I couldn't have been happier for him. Seeing that big grin on his face was totally worth it despite what had happened prior to his party.

Things have been rather crazy around here, especially in the last 2 months. Now, forgive me, but this blog is LONG because I haven't been here for 5 months.

On September 12th I was waiting for Paul to come home. It was payday. We planned on doing what we always do on paydays. We wait for him to get home, he cleans up and we head to the city for him to cash his check and we get much needed items.
I'm standing in the hallway folding laundry and listening to music when I get a phone call while I'm holding for the cable company because my internet and cable quit working yet again.
Its Paul. Ok, no problem. I answer. He says "I need you to come and pick me up."
Ok, so I just assume before I ask him why that he left his car at Kalona Tire and forgot about it when I had talked to him earlier. Usually he'll drop a vehicle off to be fixed there and pick it up and drive it to the shop on his way there in the mornings.
Well, I said "Ok, why?" He replies, "The cops are on the way."
My heart sank a little and I was thinking, ok, are you running from the cops? Did someone hit your vehicle at work and the cops were called for a report? My mind was racing and then it came. The scariest words I've ever heard in my life since the day we've been together honestly.
"I've been hit head on by a teenager. My car is totaled, I'm ok, but the cops are on their way and I need you here to get me. My car obviously won't be drivable."
I immediately rush the kids. Kaleb wasn't fully dressed so I get him ready, I tell the kids we have to go and pick up Daddy. Of course they are questioning me and the last thing I wanted to do was freak them out.
We get in the van and start heading there, but my children are smart, they figured out that Paul's car was NOT at Kalona Tire. Of course since they knew this they then brought up 10 million questions. I finally had to explain to them that Daddy was hit by another car and his car is broken so we have to pick him up and we will leave when the police are done filing the report.
My children know that cops are good people! I always teach them that. It may seem silly to a lot of people, but they put their lives on the line every single day to protect and serve. Well, most of them do anyway.
We drive there. We arrive.....I suddenly am hit with this nauseated feeling and I can't breathe.
Paul's car was on the other side of the road, the whole front end is completely gone....I look for him, thankfully he is up and moving around. I open the door for the kids, but ask them to stay in the van so they don't get hit by a car or dust in their eyes. The road was blocked by Paul's car and the person who hit him. No one could get through, otherwise I wouldn't have ever left the door open. I wasn't far away and there were several people on the scene and they offered to watch the kids.
I walked up to Paul to be sure he was ok. He kept telling me he was. I looked inside the car and couldn't believe it. The windshield, shattered. Air bags-Deployed, both sides. Axle-Busted on the passenger side mostly, but busted all the same.
You could tell that this car was gone. Completely totaled. Now, I will never buy a Grand Prix ever again! They are obviously NOT safe for any human being EVER.
The officer asks Paul if he's hurt. After asking him the 3rd time Paul states "Well, I'm sore between my shoulder blades and my neck is a little sore." I explained to the officer that he wasn't going to tell him he needed an ambulance, but I would be taking him to the ER as soon as we were cleared from the scene.
The officer ran everyone's license, told the dispatcher what was going on. The tow trucks arrived. They hauled both vehicles off. We were cleared to go from the scene. Paul was NOT at fault for this accident. The other driver (a 17-18 year old TEENAGER) was cited for Failure to Maintain Control on the scene. She was on the wrong side of the road and didn't move over and hit Paul head on. He tried to avoid it, but it was too late.
Paul was still complaining of pain, even more so when he got into the van. I immediately called my mom and asked her to meet us at the ER so I'd have help with the kids.
I don't do well in hospitals. EVER! My anxiety doesn't like hospitals and I was freaking out already. Thinking what could be, what could have happened, what the hell was that girl thinking when she was on the wrong side of a gravel road so on and so forth.
We arrive at the ER about 25 minutes after the accident. We explain to them what happened. The doctor came in and said they were going to have a CT done because Paul's shoulder muscles are too thick so an X-ray won't penetrate through all those muscles. I kind of chuckled at this because I'd never heard of it. I sure hope some BIG wrestler or Football player doesn't come in and need an X-ray of the above body parts!
They did the CT. It showed a fracture of the C-7 vertebrae. It was showing a fracture on the pad of the vertebrae, not on the actual spine part. Now, this is good as far as healing, but bad if his neck moves the wrong way.
They requested a MRI to be sure that it wasn't broken into his spine. If it was broken into his spine then he'd be kept overnight and be fitted for a halo and see a surgeon, if it wasn't he'd be given a collar and sent home then see an Orthopedic Doctor Thursday or Friday (this happened on a Wednesday).

We waited and waited. Paul was getting tired of lying on his back with his neck being in a collar. The doctor wouldn't allow him to move much at all. He was in pain, he was hungry and he was thirsty. My mom had taken our children to her house and I said we would pick them up after we were done. This was about 9:30 p.m.
Finally about 10:30 p.m. the doctor came in and gave us the MRI results. The MRI did NOT show a fracture in the spinal column, but they weren't 100% sure. Paul was sent home with a collar, pain meds and no work until he was seen by the Ortho doctor.

While Paul was in MRI his boss had called his phone several times. I figured it was about time I call him and let him know what was going on since we knew something. I let him know that Paul had a definite fracture in his neck and that he wouldn't be at work Thursday or Friday due to that. I told him Paul would let him know more after he saw the Orthopedic doctor on Thursday or Friday.

Finally we head home about 11:15. I hate ER's with all my might, I don't go to them unless I HAVE to. This was obviously a MUST to go, but seriously I was never so thankful to be walking out of there.

On Friday the 14th we saw the doctor. He reviewed the CT and MRI and confirmed that there was a fracture of his C-7. Therefore Paul was put off work for 6 weeks with no return until he went back to the doctor.

This was the hardest and longest 6 weeks of our lives. Paul did well. He was going crazy not being able to work, but he was just thankful he was ok. We were all glad he was ok. Paul could have been paralyzed or even worse, killed. The thought of my husband never returning home after an accident hit me while he was in the MRI and I lost it. I had to leave the room, go outside and just bawl my eyes out for a while. Reality hit. This is what can happen even a few miles from home, never take life for granted! EVER!

We've been fighting with insurance companies all this time. We did get our settlement for his car and have been slowly living off of that, but honestly, its not much and its not easy. We bought a new car though! Its a 2008 Chevy Malibu! Paul drives it to work, much to my disliking. I would have preferred to keep the car for myself, but I pick up 5 kids after school every day, but Wednesday and obviously I can't fit 6 kids plus myself in a car. It's a wonderful gas mileage vehicle! So glad we bought it, but I'll hate parting with the payment every month LOL.

Finally on October 24th (2 days before he was actually scheduled to go back because the doctor was going out of town suddenly on the 26th) Paul returned to the Ortho doctor. The doctor had X-rays done, reviewed them and we received the BEST news ever! Paul was HEALED. 100% healed!!!
Paul was released to go back to work on light duty, half days with no lifting no more than 25 lbs. This wasn't going to be easy, but it was better than being stuck at home!

Today, November 12, 2012 Paul returned to work Full-Time again. He is hoping he can handle it, but time will tell. I told him if he starts hurting to tell someone so he can get a break. I don't want him stressing that spot and rebreaking it.

Here we are. Exactly 2 months to the date of his accident. We're broke, but you know something? I don't care. I'd rather have my husband alive and in once piece walking around on this earth than either stuck in a wheelchair for life or not here at all. To imagine my life without him is not easy. It makes me want to cry when I think about (tears a starting to come up right now). The fact that my children could be left without their dad scares the living daylights out of me.

Things are going to get better. Things happen in life for a reason. This was to bring us closer to each other and teach us just how precious life is every single day. Never take a moment for granted. Be thankful for all that you have and realize that in a flash it can be taken away.

One thing I will never understand to this day, despite Murphy's Law of Force is, how the heck did a man who is strong, works hard every single day, hasn't done a single thing wrong in his life get his head on by a teen aged girl and get a broken neck when SHE gets to just walk away and is running up and down the stairs at school a day later?
This was her fault, she will pay for it (well actually her insurance and her parents will honestly), but it still will never make any sense to me as long as I live.

Lastly me. I'm doing well. I have my good days and my bad days. More so I've been having good days. I've had a few episodes with my Ehlers Danlos, but I've managed. Rest is not something that comes easily to a mom of 3 and a full-time wife as well. Taking care of all the kids and helping my husband out was a bit tiring, but eventually I got enough rest and it was all well.
Its been 2 years since my last surgery (and hopefully my last for a while anyway) and about 4 months since I've had to visit an ER. The only reason I went there is because I couldn't breathe and I was tired of not being able to breathe. I ended up needing several breathing treatments, which I had an allergic reaction to, and being sent home on antibiotics as well. I had bronchitis. Joyful times in July just before the 4th no less!
We were grateful enough to have our nieces here throughout the Summer visiting. Having Chela and Dora here was an absolute blast! It'd been a while since they had been here for a Summer, it was great! We had awesome times! Celebrated my birthday together, had good times, stayed up late, making sure no one robbed my house, etc. I miss them A LOT! I can't wait until next Summer when they come see us again! They live 4 hours away, but it seems like an eternity away!

We marked the 10 year anniversary of my Grandpa's transplant. Hard to believe that 10 years ago at this time he was a whole new man and prior to that we had NO idea if he was going to live or die. I'm thankful every single day my Grandpa was given a second chance at life, my children got to meet and spend time with their Papa and that I've been able to spend time with him as well. Without my Grandpa I don't know where we'd be today. He's helped us out A LOT. I also think about the Lilly family every single day. If it wasn't for this family, my grandpa wouldn't have been given the second chance to live. They were kind enough to donate their son's heart. It was given to my grandfather and he is here today living the life he deserves. Zach deserved living life as well, but God had other plans for him. Unfortunately that meant being in heaven. We miss this child every day and thank you so much!

In the past 5 years I've endured many losses. First it was my Father In Law who passed unexpectedly just after Katelinn was born. Katelinn never met him, Kaleb never will. We didn't know what was happening. We teach all of our children about him everyday. We remember him everyday as if he were still here with us to this day. We miss you!!

In November of that same year (2007) a very young and precious little girl was taken from this world very abruptly. I will never forget the call I received that day. I think about Starlene all the time. She was a very happy, bouncing baby girl full of life that was cut short. She was like one of my own family members. Paul, my mother and myself went to Star's funeral. I will never forget it. I know Star is up above watching down on all of us and keeping us all safe. I miss you little girl! You deserved a full life!

Lastly but not least in November of last year I went to the funeral of a strong little boy. A little boy who taught us that no matter what is happening in our lives we live the days to the fullest and always with a smile! Tyler passed away after fighting a VERY courageous battle with ALL. He fought the hard fight every single day. Sadly his body couldn't fight it any longer. He was only 2 years old when he passed away. Going to his funeral was very hard, but I needed to be there for me, for my friends and mostly for his mom, dad, and little brothers. I needed to say good-bye. In my heart I knew he was gone, but I didn't want to believe it.

Tyler, you've taught us all a lot about life, you too, are watching down on us from up above. You and Star are bouncing around happy and healthy up there in the clouds with God. Know that we all miss you both every single day and that someday we will meet again.

Ok, I think I'm done writing my 10 page blog. I'll do my best to stay more on top with it from now on. Things are slowing down around here now that its colder, kids are in school and we've fought a few illnesses in the past month. Here are some pictures of Paul's old car, our new car and some pictures of the kids as well!