We dove off the Na Pali coast one day this is some video of our ride to the dive site.

Were Home!!

We had a WONDERFUL time in Kauai. We missed our little Bugaboo soooo much! And now we will let the photo purge begin. I will start off by posting some photo's of Jada over the last 10 days.

Tag!! Where were you....

20 Years Ago: Well 20 years ago to this day I was probably sitting in Mrs. Vickory’s class trying not to embarrass myself. The Utes stank! Brad Arbon, Jeremy Christofferson, and Bart Brisko were the coolest dudes at Adelaide Elementary. Def Leopard was radical, David Lee Roth was awesome, and my Levi Jacket was getting plenty of use …and yah lets just leave 20 years ago where it belongs.

10 Years Ago: Hmmm I was dating Laura Ward who actually loved Chad Nestman, going to SLCC, bought a 96 Camaro, and the Utah basketball team was playing in the National Championship game! The Golden Retriever that my family bought while I was on my mission was Gay (not that theres anything wrong with that) and I decided to get another dog, so I bought “Shadow” The most loyal dog to ever walk the earth!

5 Years Ago: Thank the LORD I was able to bypass writing about the prior 5 years! They involved Chad Nestman…late nights….and stories that will NEVER be repeated. To the Day however sadly enough I was mourning the loss of my faithful Dog “Shadow” he contracted a strange disease and began to bleed internally. We put him down exactly 5 years ago yesterday. However Life was getting pretty sweet. I was a newly wed to Andrea! A hottie Oregonian turned Utahn! Spent that year living in a one bedroom studio apartment learning how to live in a relationship where one spouse is the Oldest Child (know-it-all) in their family and the other spouse is the Youngest Child (the baby who knows it all)

3 Years Ago: Well the Utes had crashed the BCS! And we were making a Sweet 16 appearance! How things have changed! Andrea and I had bought our first house! My mother was going through some life changing issues. Andrea and I started ‘flirting’ with the idea of having our first child. I had graduated from the University of Utah with a LUCRATIVE DEGREE in SOCIAL WORK! (tic).

1 Year Ago: Well Andrea and I were swimming with Humpback Whales, Dolphins, and Sharks! We were in Kauai celebrating the fact that our family remained in tact through a liver transplant, and a catastrophic death of a parent. We loved it so much that we saved all year to go again! Leaving in 6 hours!!!

So Far This Year: “LIFE IS GREAT!!! I couldn't be happier. We have a gorgeous healthy baby girl. “ Sorry I plagiarized Loni on that first line. But the same is true with us! Jada is such a wonderful part of our lives, each day is frosting on our cake! We live the here and now, not knowing what the coming year could bring. In fact if my buddy Rob wasn’t going through his issues with his little boy I would say Life is Perfect.

Yesterday: How about you just read the post below. Unlike Loni, and even worse Teya! I try to update once a day.

Today: Well the most difficult thing about today is leaving my baby girl! Both Andrea and I look forward to each moment we spend with that little munchkin, and it breaks our hearts to leave her for 10 days! BUT the Legacy of my parents was to make sure that at the end of life you say to yourself “ I left nothing on the table” I ran, I swam, I surfed, I laughed, I walked, I cried, I hugged, I spent, I saved, I skied, I biked, I read, I watched, I learned, and I LOVED LIFE! And I did it as hard as I could!

I tag:

1. Rob or Angel

2. Joel

3. Meghan W.

Does Joel even keep a blog? I just want to get some dudes participating so I don’t feel so Gay (not that there’s anything wrong with that!)

Just plain enjoying life...

Yesterday Jada spent the early morning with Aunt Loni, Cousin Kit, and Cousin Troy. Then at noon she went up to the Chilton's and spent the afternoon with Uncle Bob! When I arrived at the Chilton's house I went downstairs and the closing Credits of "Chicken Run" were scrolling on the TV. And there on the Love Sac was Uncle Bob and Jada Rose taking a nice afternoon nap. She was just cuddled next to him looking almost as relaxed as he looked! It was sooooo cute! I searched the whole house for a camera but to no avail! I really gotta get a camera phone :-< About 3 hours later, when I told Jada Rose it was time to go home, she refused! I had to bribe her with Dominos Pizza to get her to comply!

Thanks Bob for your help today. I'm excited that Jada will be able to spend more time with you and Aunt Claire this weekend!

Kat and Zak, thanks for your help this week as well. C U IN KAUAI!!!

A day at the ZOO!

Well our Monday trip to the zoo was postponed until yesterday. When I got off work, Jada Rose and I went up to Hogle Zoo for the afternoon! We had a great time. Jada was able to identify many of the animals such as "Seebra, Cammal, SSSSSSneeak, Minkey, Tiger" and a few others. We came upon a Cougar and she called it a "Cat". I decided I would correct her on this one and said to her "Actually Jada, that is a C O U G A R" I sounded it out slowly so she could repeat it. Immediately her eyes got big and she and she exclaimed "Pooooh-ger!" I high five'd her and said "Yes Jada, I stand corrected, hence forth and forever it shall be known as a Pooh-ger". Isnt it amazing how these humble un-tainted fresh minds continue to teach us! ;-)

Tomorrow Andrea and I are going on a vacation with my two sisters and their spouses. My wonderful 'foster-grandparents/parents' The Strands will be joining us as well. The Strands adopted my mother when she was a teenager and taught her to waterski, snowski, Scuba dive, hike, and most importantly LAUGH! We have begged them to join us on other trips in the past hoping that in some infantile way we could provide them with a fraction of the joy they have taught my parents and subsequently us by going on a vacation that we had for once planned. They are comming! So we are excited. We will be going to Honolulu for 3 days then to Kauai for a week. We all are divers (thanks to Dott and Randy Strand) and so we have several big dives planned, as well as some fun hikes and just lounging on the beach. Teya graduated from college and we are also celebrating that achievement as well. HOWEVER, we are SOOOOO anxious about missing our little "bugaboo" Jada Rose for 10 LOOOOONG days! It truly bums us out to not be able to squeeze her and read books to her for 10 DAYS! However we also know that if we took her she would have very little recollection of going there, and believe we have many many opportunities for her to enjoy the same things we do such as scuba dive and hike in the future. Besides, do you know how hard it would be to keep a watchful eye on Jada when her "Hottie" of a Mom is sunbathing in a two piece under that warm Hawaiian Sun? Jada will be spending most of the time with her Gramma Dawny, and a day or two with her Aunt Claire and Uncle Bob! So given both perspectives she will probably have more fun with her Aunts, Uncles, and Grandparents than we will!

Expect photos to be showing up both from Jada's experience over the next 10 days as well as ours. As always our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the Christensen's. For the record they were going to go with us as well... but life happens.

Ground Breaking Day!

Jada is doing so well, that Dr. Booke has now taken her off all meds except 1. WOW! Seriously to have a Liver Transplant Recipient only be on one medication Just 18 months out of transplant is...well...pretty special. Needless to say Dr. Booke was VERY PLEASED with Jada's progress. Thanks to everyone who has had Jada in their prayers. We know that you have played a pivotal role in helping her to get/stay healthy!

Full Day Planned!

Jada Rose is currently sleeping with no idea that in 2 hours she will be walking (Running with a mask on) into PCMC to get her labs drawn. Recently she has had a major drop in her immunosuppressents. This is a good thing, because the less immunosuppresents the less likely her chances are of getting nasty bugs. It also is a round about sighn that her liver is not being rejected by her body. But we need to watch her labs very closely when her meds are being adjusted. After her labs are drawn she has an appointment with the Liver Team (her three month checkup). When this is complete she will hopefully take a nap in the car because she and her dad will be meeting Kit, Aunt Loni, and Troy at the Hogle Zoo!

Update...

Ok here is a quick update. Jada appears to be on the fast track to wellness again! Fever is pretty much gone, her poops are regular and smooth enough to make Rob tear up with envy! She is back to her favorite sport of Domestic Base Jumping. Gramma Dawny has been helping us get back to our working schedules by sitting during the afternoon. Whew! glad to have that week behind us! But more importantly were glad to have our giggling little bookworm prankster back to her usual "Regular" Self.

Ahhh its good to be home!

Ok, we have been home for well over 24 hours! Still Jada has a low grade temp, but it is controlled with the help of Tylenol. Today Mom is going back to work. Grandma Dawny is coming over to Jada's house to watch her until Dad gets home. Once Dad gets home we have a very special evening planned together! We are going to make some cracker snacks, warm up the Ute Room, and watch 101 Dalmatians that was just released today! We can't WAIT! Jada LOVES Doggies. And everytime the preview for the re-release is aired on TV she gets excited and starts jumping around.

We still have some loose diapers, but its getting better. We have regressed back to some bottle dependency, but will work on that when hydration isn't such an important factor. The most difficult part of our lives right now is feeling like we have abandoned Rob and Angel, we were such a part of their experience and they assisted us so much. I have had a pit in my stomach ever since I left there. I love PCMC and believe it is a place of miracles. Yet when I leave there I am extremely happy to leave it out of my life for a while. It usually feels so good. I don't feel that way right now. I cant put it out of my mind and move forward. I (Andrea feels the same) feel like part of me is still there. And I hate it. Please continue to pray for Rob and Angel, Britty and Coop. Seldom does a minute pass by that I don't think of them. WE MISS YOU GUYS!

Home Cookin!

So we walk in the door, say hi to the puppies, and the first thing Jada asks for? A bottle of formula! She then downed 14 ounces of formula. We couldn't get her to even sip the stuff in the hospital! What the Freak?! Guess its just the home cookin she misses!

We have a confirmation!

We are walking out the door right now. Rob and Angel we will call you. We thought for 1/100 of a second about stopping by to say we love you and are thinking about you. BUT we realized in that amount of time that we DO in fact have an immune compromised kid and therefore are RUNNING to the car. We will be back up to see you. I DO NOT WANT TO LEAVE HERE WITHOUT YOU! However with her low grade temp, lack of drinking...we may be back. POSITIVE I NEED TO BE POSITIVE!!!

PCMC as usual you have outperformed our expectations. Kathy, Tabitha, Melissa, Natalie, your awsome! We love you, and will miss you! We hope we don't see you agian for a long time! ;-)

Theres a "buzz" going around the ICS...

The "buzz" is that we are going home in the next hour. Now dont mistake this with a PCMC Game Over. We still dont have a great amount of fluid input. In fact she's pretty much on a liquid fast right now. She doesnt want to drink anything. But she did eat a whole bowl of Mac and Cheese. She is running around like a crazy monkey! Her output has been reasonable. Stand by for confirmation of this "buzz".

hmmm waiting for Jada this time!

We are waiting for Jada to realize that if she wants to go home all she has to do is EAT! She also maintaines a low grade temp... Her output is just over the maximum hourly amount that they would like.

A small dose of cautious Optimism!!!

Actually it is BIG news! But we are cautiously optimistic about it! Jada is not hooked up to iv today. She has eaten a small breakfast and brunch. The doc came in and said "no more juice of any kind!" He wants her on pediasure. At 5 pm today if her output stays as it has over the last day or so. If she can take in some pediasure. We are going home tonight!!!! Cautiously optimistic, because there are a lot of "if's" there!

Stand bye for regular updates!

One Week...

Well one week ago we were admitted! Wow we did not think this would last this long! We are starting to re acquaint ourselves with life in PCMC. We are re-learning our favorite nurses, techs, cleaners...well actually we still have our favorites, but we are just ADDING to the list :-)

Last night Jada wanted to play all night! Its so weird to be in the hospital with an IV, yet still playing, running, and jumping! It bites that we are stuck in this room. But that is the way it has to be until the c-diff test comes back (whenever that will be?). Last night Jada wanted to play until the early hours of the morning! Even after turning off the light she just whispered, stretched, laughed, and goofed off in the dark while her dad was laying down trying not to laugh at her efforts to lure me into her late night games! She is gonna be a nightmare at girls camp and sleepovers someday, have fun with that one mommy!

This morning she ate a banana, and about 8 ounces of juice. She had her Prograff level tested (anti rejection med). Jada has NO desire to eat anything other than chips, juice, and bananas.

Evening report

Well its 7pm and she doesn't want to eat, output hasn't been quite as frequent, but then again input isn't very good either. I'm really bummed that when they decide they need to scope her, she will need to have an NG tube inserted. OK SERIOUSLY, I DO NOT WANT TO SEE THAT AGAIN! I DO NOT WANT TO SEE HER ARCH HER BACK IN PAIN AS IT IS INSERTED THROUGH HER NOSE AND DOWN HER THROAT!!!! Its one of the ugliest things I have ever had to witness in my life, and the possibility of having to witness it again just plain depresses me. If this thing could start to show some improvement in the next 12-24 hours I would be one of the happiest Dads on the Planet.

Like Clockwork...

Like Troy stated earlier, it's not if but when. At about 1:30pm Jada had a blow-out. More Diarrhea and she down for a nap. I'm sure we'll see more later. The low grade temps keep climbing and falling but at least they go down by themselves. We just have to wait, and wait, and wait...again! Troy is down on hot lunch date with his second floor boys, so he won't be surprised to return to his consistant lil girl!

So its 3rd and LONG...

were gonna throw it. We could go conservative and keep with the gator aid. But on Monday were gonna be faced with 4th and long anyways. So the Doctors decided to give back her normal diet and see what happens over the weekend. No more gator-aid for a while. Chances are it will just make her diarrhea a little more interesting. But there is an outside chance that the Gator-aid may be causing the diarrhea to stick around. Again its a long shot, but that's how we roll! So that's the plan for now..."Ready? BREAK!"

Here we sit like flies on a toilette seat...

waiting for "poop" to come...Its not a matter of if but when? Jada Rose ate almost a whole bowl of oatmeal, 1/3 bag of chips, and about 8 ounces of gator aid. We are sitting here waiting for the reckoning of such a meal...so here we sit....We had a decent night. Jada woke up at 5:00am for about 10 minutes then went back to sleep until 8. We will allert the blot when 'Young Faithful' blows.