NWHCM – THE CASTILLO CLAN

So I saw my high risk doctor today who isn’t happy at all with the blackouts. He does believe they’re related to the migraines. Here is the kicker – there is NO TREATMENT for it while I’m pregnant. The medications I need aren’t safe during pregnancy. 

So basically I have to just put up with it until delivery. This wasn’t the news I wanted to hear because I can just be sitting down and completely black out. I can be walking to the bathroom and black out. It’s random when it comes and the only warning I have when it’s about to happen is I feel really nauseated and hot seconds before. 

No need for hospitalization right now because they can’t treat it. Basically I’m the same as I’ve always been – on strict bedrest (to avoid falling). I’ll do the ultrasound on Monday which will look at all the babies’ parts – make sure everything looks okay. I know that’s the only thing that matters – that the babies are healthy. But it sure would make life easier if I wasn’t so sick all the time.

Thanks for your prayers.

So I saw the doctor today – and my headaches are still here and I blacked out again last night. It could still be the headaches causing it but with being on those medications – he didn’t think it should still be going on. He is not sure what the deal is. He switched my medication and is hoping the high risk doctor will have a better clue as to why this is happening. I see him on Friday. The babies are okay – and that’s the most important thing. It’s just a little scary and overwhelming to not understand why this keeps happening. 

On a good note – the girls start school tomorrow! We turn in all their paperwork in the morning – hopefully they’ll accept it all and it will be a good day.

The power is back on at my parent’s house – it came on last night. We spent yesterday at Jani’s house – THANK YOU VERY MUCH JANI! Shauna and Becky came and took the girls and are keeping them a few days so that I can rest. Jose met my sister in Cincinnati and she took Gabriel! We are very blessed! God sent us all the right people and at the perfect time.

The doctor ran a bunch of tests and believes those pesky migraines I was fighting last October are causing the blackouts. He prescribed me Percocet and Phenergan to take every 5 hours around the clock for 36 hours straight. I’m to be in a dark room and basically be completely rested. I’m in between pill cycles which is why I’m writing right now. I’ve been so drugged since I left his office that I’m just now coherent enough to type. 

He gave me the “option” of being hospitalized yesterday and I asked him if it was okay to wait. He said he’d prescribe this to me – give me until Wednesday and if I’m still hurting then I’ll have to be admitted. I’m seeing him Wednesday, the high risk doctor Friday, and then an ultrasound on Monday (which I’m far enough along that I might learn what we’re having!). So I’m under very good care – and a very watchful eye.  

Okay – well I’m getting Loopy again! When you take those pills together -you’re truly in your own little world! It’s a great little place to be right now!!! LOL! 🙂

Jose and I keep driving to check and see if the power is back on at my parent’s house – so far no luck. But I got sick again last night and blacked out. This is the 3rd black out now and at least 4 other times I felt like I would pass out. We called my doctor who we will be seeing this morning. I’ve had a horrible headache since this happened Friday and my face has been numb off and on since then. I was prescribed some Tylenol with codeine last night to help with the headache until I could see him today. He had mentioned after he sees me – he may admit me into the hospital for observation. This isn’t the best timing with the power outage and trying to place all the kids – but as I’ve prayed the last several days – NOT MY WILL BUT HIS. 

So please pray today – that whatever is causing this is fixable and that I won’t need to be hospitalized just yet. Or if I do – that arranging the rest of the family and figuring out our next steps will come easy.

FIRST OF ALL – I MUST SAY THANK YOU  – THANK YOU – THANK YOU – TO ANGEL AND MOMMA ANGEL (Kandiance)! There is absolutely NO WAY I could have had such a beautiful party for my little Malaya if it weren’t for their efforts. I know momma Angel didn’t feel very good but she dressed up like a princess anyways and it was such an honor to have her at the party.

Here is a picture of Momma Angel and the girls:

We had several adults come to the party – Thanks to Angel! The best part – they all dressed up for the party. I’m wearing jeans and they’re wearing prom dresses! How awesome is that! Cinderella is actually Angel’s principle at her school. She had told Kandiance that if there was anything she could do for her – to let her know. So very unselfishly Kandiance called her favor and asked her to come play Cinderella at Malaya’s birthday. I know it sounds crazy but I actually got a little teary-eyed when she walked through the door and I saw Malaya’s eyes get really big. She went and hugged her and it was just so precious. 

I have never seen a BETTER Cinderella. Now Grant was a great Hannah Montana – but it just doesn’t compare to Cinderella!! Talk about someone who is great with kids – she was amazing! All the little girls had a dozen questions which she graciously answered. Of course Rosie ended up in her lap towards the end of the party – but really – it wouldn’t have been such an amazing party without her! 

Here is a little peek at our Party

First the girls got dressed up so they could be ready before Cinderella arrived. Angel’s friend (Jenny) works for Mary Kay. So she brought her supplies and little mirrors and the girls got all dolled up! She was even curling their hair!! 

Then they colored a special picture to give to Cinderella:

Here comes Cinderella:

They each walked down the runway giving a princess wave!

Time To Play A Game:

Time To Eat at the Royal Banquet Table:

Time for Cake:

Time for a Scavenger Hunt and to make a wish at Snow White’s Wishing Well:

Time to make Wands:

Time For Presents:

Thank you to everyone who came – especially Cinderella!

Yep – of course I did. Today is Malaya’s birthday party and while I’ve been a good girl and have stayed on bedrest – I needed to go to Walmart to get a few things for the party. Yesterday – we were at the check-out and I told Jose something wasn’t right. The room started spinning, I got really hot, and my face went numb for some reason. My head started pounding. The next thing I know I was sitting on a bench in the front of the store with a bunch of people staring at me. Kind of embarrassing. I didn’t hit the floor but Jose helped me over to the bench before I went down.  I completely blacked out. I have NEVER felt that way before. When I got back to my room – it happened again.

This morning – I’m not feeling much better and yet I have a Cinderella Party to attend. Don’t worry – Angel is basically hosting it – so I just have to sit and watch! Would you believe we have the REAL CINDERELLA coming to the party! She’s coming in all the way from her Castle at Disney World! (Not really but Malaya thinks that!). The girls are so excited.

I see the doctor this week but I’m sure he will not be happy. It’s really hard not being in my parent’s house. We still have no power and it’s getting a little old! I know my life isn’t normal – but would still like some normalcy at least in having a house. It’s expensive to feed 7 people three times a day when you can’t cook or keep groceries. 

I’ll post pictures of the party tonight – hopefully! We’re still praying every day for the power to return. We heard there is another massive storm coming on Monday! Great! 🙁

Despite our best efforts – which I really was impressed with our set-up – it was still just too cold. We left around midnight and slept at the mission offices in Frankfort. We’ve got a place for the next two nights – so hopefully the power will come back and we’ll be able to go back home! Always an adventure! Pretty crazy moving all the kids in the middle of the night but they were coughing so much – I doubt they were really sleeping well anyways. I certainly wasn’t! They’ve all got runny noses too. They were supposed to get their shots today – all 4 of them – but both the Health Department and the Doctor’s offices were closed. I guess it’s not a big deal since no one is going to school right now anyways – but it’s hard to get 4 kids lined up at two different places all in one day! We’ve got Malaya and Gabriel rescheduled for Monday night but haven’t been able to get a hold of the health department for Rosie/Mikela. Oh well – it might be a blessing in disguise! Having all four crying and sick and not being home – might have proved to be too much!

We have a gas fire place that hasn’t worked in years but is working now. Jose went out and bought a car battery inverter. So we have a car battery that is powering the internet and the TV. It lasts 3 hours and then we have to start the van again for 10 minutes to charge it again.  The entire subdivision is dark -I’m not sure if people stuck around or not – but we have our mattresses on the floor, Gabriel’s crib right beside us,  and are set for the night! We hope the power comes back tonight/tomorrow. Malaya has been sick all day – I think she has a 24-hour virus. She’s running a fever and has been throwing up all day. I’ve been having contractions all day. So it’s not been the funnest day.

The power has flickered on and off now for the last hour. It’s only a matter of time and I’m sure it will be off for good. I cannot believe all the snow and all the ICE. The snow is still coming down – tons of trees are breaking/splitting because of the weight from the ice. Now Honestly – I think it’s beautiful! I haven’t been apart of a real blizzard in a long time – years even! We’re always in Haiti during this time. Eveline has never seen anything like it. Now if I lose power – it won’t be quite as beautiful – but my parents have a glass porch and we’ve spent hours there drinking hot chocolate and watching the snow.

Look at the tree in the background: