There must be a reason

Financial Empowerment!

2014-07-01T23:53:00.002-04:00

Financial Empowerment: Realign Your Finances to God's Will by Pamela Carmichael

This book could not of come at a better time, as God's will. I am still reading this book and loving it. Financial Empowerment looks at topics like work, tithing, saving, investing, spending and loaning money. It includes helps and practical tips such as steps to eliminate excessive spending. There are a lot of biblical references, as to be expected as well as the plantings of several seeds in the readers soul. I think anyone that reads this will take something away from it if not only to be sprouted at another time in their life.

The Bible says a lot about money and this book offers biblically sound principles with scripture verses throughout; Although this book is about financial empowerment, the emphasis is more about our attitude towards money and God and how that relates to your everyday life.

Pamela has done an amazing job with this book, you can feel as though she is talking directly to you. It is a powerful conversation between two people and I feel empowered to change because of it.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

View all my reviews

Homemade Marshmallows!

2014-04-02T09:21:00.001-04:00

Homemade Marshmallows!

Check out the new blog!

PRESS RELEASE FEED YOUR DREAMS COOKBOOK IS AVAILABLE www.apinchofgerman.com

2014-03-13T11:19:00.001-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Nathalie Porter
Phone: (978) 322-0411
Email: apinchofgerman@outlook.com

LOCAL WOMAN PUBLISHES COOKBOOK WITH GERMAN INFLUENCE

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire – Nathalie Porter, the owner and founder of A Pinch of German, is pleased to announce the release of her cookbook Feed Your Dreams. Porter has been passionately cooking since the age of 5. From her mother and grandmother’s apron strings, Nathalie learned family recipes. Urged by her husband to fulfill her dreams of writing a cookbook, Porter said, “This cookbook is a result of determination despite personal setbacks to show my children that no dream is too small or too big. no matter what you go through.”

Published by G&R Publishing, Feed your Dreams is a perfect companion to Porter’s spice blend business. A self-taught cook, with a passion for food, Porter keeps dishes rustic with a “made-and-served-as-mom-would” flair. Refusing to compromise on flavor, she keeps things simple and delicious using the best ingredients. Blending German heritage with Irish, Polish and American influences give the recipes an authentic taste with a twist!

For Porter, publishing her cookbook has been a great way to show her passion for cooking and showcase her heritage, both of which are very important to her. Porter says she loves creating recipes so much that she sometimes dreams about them and then starts testing as soon as she wakes up.

Some of Porter’s favorite German recipes include Schnitzel (spiced breaded cutlets) and Rouladen (stuffed rolled meat). A sample menu created from Feed Your Dreams may include an appetizer of Caramelized Onion and Prosciutto Pizza, the perfect blend of sweet and salty. Next up, a nice hot bowl of Goulash Soup and finally on page 116, the award-winning Spiced Apple Fried Ravioli with Caramel Dipping Sauce for dessert.

When asked about publishing her book and working with G&R Publishing, Porter commented, “This book is so much more than 161 unique recipes and nutrition tips. It also contains inspirational stories and quotes.” She continued, “G&R Publishing has been a joy to work with! They understood my vision and really walked me through the process of making my dreams a reality.”

To purchase a copy of Porter’s book, visit her website at http://www.apinchofgerman.com or visit Shaw Farm Dairy Farm in Dracut, Ma. Books will soon be available at more locations so check the website for updates. Priced at $24.95, Feed Your Dreams would make a great holiday gift.

The Book, The Wesite, The broken bank... HELP

2013-10-20T21:30:00.002-04:00

OK I finally did it but I need your help!!! Here is the website www.apinchofgerman.com

There is a donate button at the bottom of the page! Or you can go here

When God closes a door, He opens another.

Mondayâ€™s Menu: German Plum Cake with Streusel Aka Zwetschgenkuchen mit Streusel

2013-07-18T11:01:00.001-04:00

Mondayâ€™s Menu: German Plum Cake with Streusel Aka Zwetschgenkuchen mit Streusel

Monday’s Menu: Caramelized Onion, Prosciutto, Fig Pizza Recipe

2013-06-17T08:40:00.001-04:00

My Featured Recipe!

See what you are missing?!?! ;O) Follow me on Facebook: A Pinch of German

Monday’s Menu: Caramelized Onion, Prosciutto, Fig Pizza Recipe

rollercoaster

2013-05-23T20:30:00.001-04:00

What a rollercoaster the past few years have been! It started in 2009 when we planned to have another child and sibling for our than 2 year old, Kylie. We were successful and got pregnant soon after trying and we were delighted! While planning a trip to Florida with the family we went to our appt to hear the heartbeat but it was early and unsuccessful so we figured we’d wait till we got back. I went at 14.5 weeks and when we went to listen we found out there was no heartbeat. The baby never grew however my body carried on with the pregnancy the entire time and never rejected the baby. I was scheduled the next day for a D&E as I now needed dilated as I was out of my first trimester. This was devastating but we pushed on. When we found out a couple months later we were pregnant again we were scared waiting for that first visit but overjoyed at the thought have having a successful pregnancy. Under excellent care by my Dr. and by treating this as high risk the pregnancy went on and I was supposed to take it in stride. Work was very stressful at the time working a lot of hours but I was happy to have this little baby to look forward to. We made it through the first trimester and most of the second when we had that appointment to see what we were having- we took our daughter with us because we were all so thrilled. I remember like it was yesterday the moment they touched the ultrasound wand to my belly, and we saw our little boy- and his heart was not beating. Chaos broke out in the room as I could see but needed to push back my tears because our daughter was there. As the nurses quickly removed Kylie to entertain her so we could talk to the Dr. we were overcome with emotions. Not knowing what happened to our baby I was given two options, deliver him naturally the next day and chance him being dismembered or deliver him while unconscious so that he has the best chance. At this point the Dr. was unsure when exactly our baby died and wanted to deliver him the most humane as possible. So we opted for unconscious so that he would be whole. I wish the circumstances could be better, but you deal with the cards you were dealt.

When we lost Justin at five and a half months a piece of my heart broke in a way that can never be repaired. I tried talking about it but no one really can understand what we were feeling because it is one of those things that if you haven't gone through it you can never understand it. Losing Justin in under 7 months of a previous miscarriage was not something anyone could understand. Doctors had no answers to what happened either time- so we chalked it up to my 1% of all things strange and unexplainable that happens to me (no exaggeration- all true keep reading).

My husband and I ran the gamete of emotions, and lucky for us we pulled together instead of apart. No one was to blame for what happened and we had no answers. How do you deal with that? Well I am sure I was not the most pleasant person to be around for awhile, but it was not something I could help or even explain. No one can say the right thing to you. You don't want to hear stories of other people and what they went through. You know you are not alone but you feel like you are drowning and no one can save you. Just when you think it couldn't get any worse I returned to work which was busier than ever- and thought the stress was just exhausting me and causing me the most intense Migraines I have ever had- I decided to walk to the ER to get something to clear the pain. I was admitted again with a freak case of viral meningitis (see the 1%). I then suffered complications of meningitis and came down with encephalitis as well as some memory loss. At this point we had just recovered from my loss of work with Justin for 4 weeks. This recovery was taking a lot longer after all I was lucky to be alive for something that they don't know how I got it and don't know why it took so long to get better illness, I was at my wits end. This time really did a number on us financially as bills were piling up and we had exhausted our life savings just to survive in our house. After four months I was well enough to return to work part time with a 2 month plan to resume full time. And that is when we found out we were pregnant again. What a rollercoaster and this time we were just scared to death with this pregnancy but happy nonetheless to move forward as I had almost died just 4 short months ago and we were still recovering from the loss of our son Justin. Well as you can guess we can’t seem to do things the easy way and at 31 weeks my water ruptured. When I finally went into labor no one believed me again. I was told I had an “Irritable Uterus” from the doctor, I knew better and called my husband right away. Upon arriving at the hospital and after roughly one hour, it was decided to move me into the Labor and Delivery Area. I was admitted to the hospital on the evening hours of October 15, 2010 due to ruptured membranes at which point I lost most of my amniotic fluid.

The doctors worked quickly to stop the immediate onset of labor as they felt the results would be disastrous for both the baby and I. The doctors were successful and I was admitted to the hospital on strict bed rest.

It can not be understated the direct and serious nature of pre-term labor at 31 weeks. Yes, I know, modern medicine has come a long way, but the reality of the situation was there were many questions as to the viability of Nicklaus had he been born at 31 weeks. My health was also in question if I had to give birth at 31 weeks gestation.

So I adhered to the doctors’ plans and maintained constant bed rest for 2 weeks and 2 days.

While in labor, there were signs Nicklaus was in severe distress during contractions. The Dr. never once hesitated and looked at me and told us that if he saw 2 more stress indicators, he would have to conduct an emergency C-Section. I am not even sure that the doctor really got the words out of his mouth before he sprung into action and we were told to put on our gowns. Within minutes, I was whisked away to the operating room with mom and husband in tow. Within minutes, Nicklaus Paul entered this world. The Neonatal Unit was on hand as were many nurses and doctors. Nicklaus made a brief stop to see me before being whisked to his new home for the next 24 days.

While I was able to see Nicklaus briefly on October 30th, I also had to rest and recover from the C-Section. There was an issue that occurred during the C-Section that caused the doctor to go back in and suture an area that was still bleeding. This added additional strain to an already stressful situation.

Nicklaus was in the NICU and little did we know at first how serious Nicklaus’s situation was. We did not find out until the next morning that Nicklaus had a serious bacterial infection which was causing intestinal bleeding. The bleeding was of an unknown nature and he was not stable enough for surgical intervention. The doctors had to wait it out and see what lab results produced. While the lab was working rapidly, Nicklaus was very ill, and the doctors’ continued to work on Nick through preventive measures. My husband remembers the phone call from the Neonatologist very well. She called to let him know Nicklaus was having some major issues, one of which was a major infection and the other was an unknown cause for intestinal bleeding.

After many tests were conducted, X-Rays taken, medication being administered, it was determined Nicklaus had contracted E-Coli and was sepsis. While this was a reason for the bacterial infection, the doctors were still stumped as to his intestinal bleeding. After consultation with outside medical staff, it was decided a PICC line would be introduced to Nicklaus in an effort to evenly distribute the antibiotics and provide other life protecting measures.

After 2 attempts to introduce the PICC Line to Nicklaus failed, we were faced with the ever looming need for invasive surgery. Mind you, Nicklaus was only days old at this point. We agreed to allow the doctors to do whatever they had to in order to ensure Nicklaus would be ok.

After some discussion, it was decided to have a 3rd attempt at a PICC Line as the medical staff did not want to wait 2 days for surgical intervention. At 2:00 AM November 6th, you would have thought we won the lottery. It was a phone call to let us know the PICC Line was successfully inserted and the antibiotics were flowing freely. This was a major mile stone and major hurdle for us.

During this time period, Nicklaus had issues with his breathing in which he would pause for 15-20 seconds, sometimes longer. All the while surgery was looming which would have required an even greater pause in his breathing…in essence….being put under anesthesia could have been fatal for him. The doctors and nurses worked on him and never gave up. By inserting the PICC Line when they did, the doctors and nurses saved his life.

From that day forward, Nicklaus continued to make marked improvement. Unfortunately, the same day his PICC Line was inserted, I had developed a massive infection…..or so we thought it was one. In the end, I was battling dual infections. One for major cellulites…and the other….E-Coli both sepsis. I was dying as my organs had begun shutting down. This resulted in an additional 5 day hospital stay in which I could not visit my son.

November 22, 2010, is one of the best days we have had to endure in over 1 month. That was the day we received news that our family would be together for the first time in over a month. We could not be happier.

For the first year of Nicklaus life he had to undergo painful RSV shots every month in order to keep him from contracting a cold as it could be fatal for him. We kept him home and in a kind of seclusion- lots of antibacterial soap used in our house. Then he was old enough to stop the RSV shots. He contracted his first ear infection that never cleared, then pneumonia. Little did we know this was a pattern and was going to go on for a year of constant Dr. Visits, urgent care and ER visits with no rhyme or reason as to what was happvfening. After much frustration with the Dr.s we went to Boston and met who was to be our savior for Nicklaus – Dr. Martin. In one visit with Boston Children’s we discovered that Nicklaus has some major issues from birth. He aspirates which means every time he drinks it goes into his lung and causes an immediate pneumonia. He had about 14 documented pneumonias at this point. They also found that he needed tubes in his ears because his canals were so small and he had some reflux in conjunction with the aspirating that he kept infecting himself. Then they moved onto his lungs. They wanted to do a procedure to see what was going on because they were having a difficult time diagnosing him. While performing the ear surgery they also did a triple scope to determine what the constant rattling in his chest was caused from. While in surgery he had complications and they needed to paralyze him in order to revive his airways again. We almost lost him again. Out of surgery they determined that he does in fact have an issue with his Mucus similar to that of Cystic Fibrosis however more like something called PCD. This was the start of many tests for Little Nicklaus to determine what to do and how to treat him.

Meanwhile, I had been suffering from incredible abdominal pain that we could not determine and so begins my course of pain medication and tests.

After several hospitalizations for Nicklaus our financial situation has become intolerable. We had no choice to stop paying for many credit card bills. Our medicals were climbing and our saving were gone. Knowing we have many more medical bills coming and appointments, surgery and several medications that Nicklaus needs regularly we both took loans from our retirement funds. That wasn’t enough to pay anything off. And then I found out I have an infection in my jaw and need to have surgery, an implant and another tooth pulled. In the meantime, my husband suffered some injuries that just piled onto the bills. Due to some extreme exhaustion running from hospital to hospital and dealing with life in general he had some accidental misfortunes dislocated his elbow, broke a couple ribs, tripped over a toy and ended up with a major concussion. Now back on short term disability, my husband also had to go through minor surgery, that same day I found out I need to go in for surgery as the pain I was having was getting worse. I scheduled my surgery, and was informed that they would use robotic assistance, and would try to save my ovaries if possible depending on what they found.

We finally got a handle on Nicklaus and although he is not better we are aware of the signs and can monitor him more closely so that at the first sign of a cough we can start his course of treatment and try to avoid going back to the hospital.

Coming out of surgery I found out that I did in fact have damage from the delivery and the ecoli infection that I had 2 years prior with Nicklaus. In the end I had lost an ovary and tube, they cleared all the scar tissue and separated all the adhesions so that I could have less pain but still keep some parts. This is still a process that will go on for some time and eventually will need a hysterectomy.

During all of this I was recruited by another company. I had explained in my job interview about Nicklaus and how I am excited for the opportunity however I wanted to be honest as to my situation so that they knew in advance of the flexibility I required with my son. At my current job I was able to take the time as I worked often from home or from the hospital. Since I worked for a hospital they were ok with that – for the most part. My new job offered much more money which we desperately needed. Our credit was sliding so fast we went to the lawyer to figure out bankruptcy. Due to pride we figured we would manage on our own, my husband was graduating from law school soon and we hoped he would find something right away. The job for me was going really well and about 5 months into the job Nicklaus had his first hospital stay in which I worked from the hospital and put in several extra hours on all the weeks we weren’t in the hospital so that I could prove my dedication. Nicklaus post release ended up readmitted and had some serious complications in which he required oxygen and constant care. I again worked from the hospital and upon his release my folks were able to care for him so that I could return to work – after missing three days. I’ll never forget the morning I arrived back, no one asked how my little Nicklaus was doing ever and just directed me to a back room where they told me I was being let go. The papers were dated while I was in the hospital with Nicklaus so they were waiting for me to return pending his release.

Today we are still struggling, our credit is now nonexistent. We are barely holding onto our house while all the bills pile up. We tried to work with our creditors but they refused. We have tried to refinance but got denied. We have tried the hardship program for our mortgage but we are too underwater and didn’t qualify. We are trying again… Nicklaus is not able to return to school as it is too detrimental to his health and we still need to keep him clear of anyone that is sick because it means a hospital stay for him. My daughter now six and in kindergarten I had to reduce her down to 3 part time days as the daycare costs without me working was astronomical. For me I have medical issues that continue to mount as I have now an autoimmune gluten allergy and hypothyroid. We remain humble and believe this is just another test in life. We push forward and do our best as that is all we can do...after all there must be a reason....

BEWARE OF THE GBG for Life Health & Wealth company!! The Vitamin you GOT TO TRY!!

2013-03-26T22:24:00.000-04:00

Update~ So I thought this were working however even if they were at this point I am so utterly disgusted with this company and how they operate I will move on to another method- I would stay far away from this company as you can- they rope you in get you to sell- and make promises they can't keep BEWARE

If you read my posts you know I am always looking to lose weight and stay healthy! Since having my last son two months early and suffering all my health ailments since- I have not been able to do it. Since my last major surgery in August- in which I lost an ovary and tube... :O( I also found out I have a gluten intolerance- and Hypothyroid... recipe for unsuccessful I'd say! Well I found out I have mal-absorption of nutrients due to the state of my gluten allergy- naturally this is my luck so I have been required to take a TON of vitamins just to get my levels up. Good explanation of why I have felt like crap and not myself and tired all the time. Oh ya because I am also anemic!!! Love the rain fall don't you! So not only have I found been spending a fortune on these crazy vitamins- I feel better most of the time but I am losing money. It appears I will be on these for a long time to correct my body and yes you can feel the difference so I was trying to find the most efficient cost effective way to do this.

Well by golly I found it- and yes I said Golly! A friend of mine from high school has been reading my posts for a long time and reached out out me with a product she uses... I implore you to check out this website and watch the videos and most definitely reach out to me with questions!!! This is so much more reasonable on price saves me half of my costs and guess what?! It has more bang for my buck! My regular vitamins are lacking all the antioxidants and minerals that these have and they potency is higher in the GBG Vitamins.

The best part of this is the one day diet! Read the testimonials below! I'll update you with my progress as I embark on my new adventure!!!

Check me out here!!!

We’ve shared with you the facts and nutritional information about how the One Day Diet can help you shed those pesky pounds but sometimes facts and statistics can only go so far. Hear for yourself how the One Day Diet is helping people shed weight and lead happier, healthier lives.

“The GBG One Day Diet has been amazing for me. For the past 15 years I have tried to watch what I eat and tried a couple other diets. When I would lose some weight my energy level would be zapped. That is not the case with the One Day Diet, I have lost over 20 pounds since I started and I feel great. I have more energy than I have had for a long, long time. I am at the weight that I was at 20 years ago!” – Tom B.

"When I decided to start the One Day Diet I was both skeptical & hopeful. Skeptical because I have tried so many different diets and never seemed to "beat" the diet dragon and hopeful because I want to be more healthy & thin! I've struggled with my weight most of my adult life and I must say that I have been pleasantly surprised with the One Day Diet. I have lost a total of 18 pounds and 13 inches. It is such an easy plan to follow and I don't struggle with being hungry, shaky, cranky or cravings. I have lots of energy and I am satisfied with much less food. Before I started the diet I suffered with indigestion fairly regularly but I haven't had any problems. I also sleep better! Thanks GBG for such wonderful products! I'm looking forward to continuing my weight loss journey and I KNOW I am going to achieve my goal." – Deena L.

“This has been the easiest diet to follow. Knowing that it is just one day and the following day I can eat what I want is extremely doable. And the day I am on the diet I have plenty of energy and feel satisfied from the shakes and delicious bars. I feel good knowing that my body is getting what it needs from the 10-In-One vitamins. I have also found I am waking up fully energized and I need less sleep. Other diets are so hard to stick to because they are never ending. This is definitely a diet breakthrough! I can't wait to get others started on this diet.” – Karl B.

Long Time Coming

2013-02-16T09:30:00.000-05:00

Well it has been a long time- sorry for the wait- Nicklaus has been sick and things have been so hectic I have had little time to focus on writing!

My cookbook is almost done - just editing the last of it - proofing all the recipes and hoping that I am following the correct format while I my eyes go criss cross! Then onto the photo pages and the autobiography of the book- that should take some time! Maybe I'll hire someone to write about me! In the meantime the recipes are selling well on EBAY and I have great reviews for those recipes.

I recently have been diagonsed with Gluten intolerance and so you know what that means... new book opportunity! I want it to be simple not a lot of ingredients and just regular dishes- nothing so funky you would only eat if you had this allergy! Then onto the others~! This has been a life long dream of mine and I am hoping for your support!- failure is just not an option!

Updates with Nicklaus- Well our little preemie is still a mystery to the Dr's at Boston Childrens- we are praying for some kind of diagnosis and cure for him. It seems he has some kind of a lung condition wether it PCD or something else. He has a lot of A typical symptoms hmm guess he got my Gene for the 1% of all things strange! So we are back and forth inbetween the pnemonias trying to get answers. We ask that everyone pray for the little kids with medical issues and not just for them of course but for all- no matter what your religion.

Best news is after a very long and what seemed impossible ride most of the time- hubby takes the bar at the end of the month! WOOHOO I couldn't be more proud of him if I tried! We have been through so much in the past few years with love and loss and medical issues, near death experiances and job loss he has fought through it all to graduate with a PHD in law in Honors!

This year will be a year of change and opportunity! May the planets align and God carry us through!

vacation spots- close to home

2012-08-13T22:05:00.003-04:00

Man I have so much to write about but I have to think of how to compose all that has been going on- in meantime of all the regular crazy drama we have been trying to find some mini vacation spots. You know the kinds that are close enough to drive to or cheap enough to fly too- that way we can go for adult mini weekend or a fun time with the kids. We ran the gamete of places and although we decided our first trip to be a romantic getaway in Bar Harbor- we made a kind of bucket list of places to go. One of those places is Central New Jersey.. I haven’t been since 1996 when my brother was in school in NY …but it was it great. Now that I am grown they have so much more to offer..

One of the coolest things I saw was the festival of ballooning! Who even knew that this existed!? What a great time! Just to give you an idea of all the cool things for kids Kidz Village – Woodbridge, Uptown Playground - Kendal Park, Six Flags – Jackson, iPlay America – Freehold.

If you haven’t looked at Jersey as a place to go visit I suggest you check out their website for some great ideas http://www.gocentraljersey.com/.

I am always looking for great places to go – good food, entertainment, hotels, beaches – you name it!

The more I research Central Jersey the more fun things I find to do. I love fairs and festivals, live music etc. There is nothing Central Jersey doesn’t have – so I suggest you hope over to check them out as soon as you can and book your vacation- keep American running by staying and keeping it alive!

Results are coming... 3 hospital stays.... omg

2012-07-02T14:47:00.000-04:00

Sorry it has been so long to write- there has been so much going on - you wouldn't even believe this is my life! So Nick had his surgery - had issues during surgery and luckily he came out of it ok... Opposite of all we were told he was sent home against our wishes by the PACU nurse at Childrens hospital. Much to our shrigrin we were on not even 2 hours before rushing Nick's non responsive little body back to Boston by ambulence with a 104 and rapidly climbing fever! While totally dehydrated- he had to get poked 7 times to get a vein while the poor thing screamed his head off. My husband I took turns to comfort him because it takes a big toll on you as a parent.

This was Nick getting his blood work- he didn't even cry - just a pout! he is such a strong little kid! Since the recovery from the surgery which by the way did give him pnemonia again... once home he was healthy for about a week. Then you guessed it - Pnemonia. This time it was bad they admitted him right away. Three days on more heavy meds- poor Nick ended up with night tremors and seperation anxiety all over again!

Thankfully he is on the mend again! Tomorrow we go to Boston to see if there are any results from the cilia biopsy and or if they have any ideas as to what is causing all of these issues with constant pnemonia. As you can see he is a pretty happy little boy!

Me and my baby!

When it rains it pours!

this is Nicks stay at the hospital at home- Kylie was so happy to visit with her brother!! She didn't want to leave...

Sibling Love

Finally getting out of bed!

Daddy snuggles

Step 1 of our journey with my baby!

2012-05-15T14:43:00.002-04:00

For tomorrow: good news. bad news. good news is surgery will last between 2 and 4 hours. bad news is they won't make repair until later due to nick having to be in intensive care with a breathing machine as they will be blocking the air way. so this surgery will not be reparative-

Scopes (3) , airway block, (E.N.T. will go into the larynx and biopsy the area....as well as look for the Laryngeal Cleft and tracheamalacia....more concerned with Laryngeal Cleft. Pulmonary will go in, with the airway blocked, scope the lungs, fill the lungs with fluid and slowly resect the fluid from the lungs until completely empty, while conducting biopsies of the lungs, cilia, and bronchi branches (with E.N.T at the same time). Gastro will go in, with the airway blocked and biopsy the stomach, intestines....and one more area ( I forget the name). The doctors will review the procedures and determine what the next step is If it is Laryngeal Cleft, then the next surgery will be more challenging due to him having to be on a ventilator and in ICU for several days post-op. Pulmonary is looking for damage to the lungs and whether any damage is repairable....or needs to be resected as a result of recurrent pneumonia. They will not know until the biopsies come back.........gastro is looking at any possible damage from the infection after birth. Concerned about the infection and meds given to fight the infection may have damaged the intestines. (The meds were the right meds.....but just may have caused damage)

Finally Some Answers- and No we are not crazy!

2012-05-09T20:45:00.000-04:00

As you all know....we have now been to Boston Children’s Hospital 3 times with Nicklaus. As a result, we are now working with a team of 3 specialists....all of whom are top in their field of pediatric specialties. (Pulmonologist), (ENT) , and ( Gastro), have all had the opportunity to view the test results....blood work, etc...and we are seemingly on the right path for Nick.

Each doctor has given us a lot of information....a lot of which is overwhelming at times, but none the less...we are beginning to narrow down the long term issues Nick has been facing since birth.

As you all know from reading my posts...Nicklaus struggled his first week of life. There was the conversation between doctor and parent that no parent ever wishes to have...and that was the reality Nick may not survive the first 24-48 hours of birth....as a result of an unknown infection at the time. The infection was winning the battle early on....but the doctors persevered and worked tirelessly to make sure Nick survived.

Dr. F from the NICU did recommend Boston Children’s Hospital after Nick’s birth, but after discussing the situation with the doctors at our level 4 NICU and the course of treatment all the while keeping in mind I would have been in been in the hospital here at hom and my daughter would be here as well with Nick an hour away…..we decided to keep him here. To do it all over again, we would have certainly acquiesced to Dr. F’s recommendation. The old saying: If I knew then…what I know now…..I would have made different decisions.Decisions were made and they were the best decisions at the time, considering all the factors. Hindsight is always 20/20!

For the last 16 months, we knew something was just not right with Nick. We knew he was having difficulty breathing. He was continuously sick. Nick was struggling....all the while; we were continuously told this is "normal". The rattling in his chest, the recurrent pneumonia...and his overall health was not something that should have been deemed normal.

Well, after 4 bouts of pneumonia since Christmas Day, we made the decision to go to Boston to see if we were crazy or if the doctors up here were missing something. Well, clearly we are not crazy.

Dr. M was the first doctor we met with for over 2 hours. He had a lot of suspicions as to what Nick was going through...and ordered tests and called in other doctors to work with him. We were sent to Dr. R (ENT) where additional tests were done. While the non-invasive tests were and are promising...it is the unknown activity going on in Nick's lungs, larynx, stomach etc. that can only be determined through a bronchoscope and endoscopy for Nick.

For the average adult, a bronchoscope and endoscope is not a big deal. In fact, these are often conducted in the doctor’s office in an out-patient capacity.

With Nick, there are many issues to contend with:

1) The lack of knowledge as to how he will handle anesthesia

2) His ability to breathe while under anesthesia

3) Surgical repairs to be made while under anesthesia

4) Various biopsies of the throat, lungs, stomach, and small intestine

5) How long Nick will be kept under anesthesia

6) What will be found from the procedure.

Right now, the Gastro doctor wants to be part of the procedure...but if she can't be...we will have to wait 4-6 weeks after his first surgery to allow the Gastro doctor to put Nick under again. So, we are looking at the next two months one this month and next month for the next procedure if Gastro cannot take part in the first surgery. While the Gastro doctor does not think she will find anything...there are some indicators that she may. We will not know until she is able to go in and look around and take several biopsies as well.

So here are the roles each doctor will play during surgery:

1) Pulmonary is the lead doctor. His primary objective is to biopsy the lung....make any repairs necessary...and do any surgical intervention necessary.

2) He is the Ear, Nose Throat Doctor: His primary objective is to look for openings in the lower larynx that is causing Nick to aspirate liquids when Nick drinks fluids. What this means is that when Nick is drinking fluids, fluid enters his lungs and sits there causing pneumonia due to bacterial infection. The objective is to fix the cause of this. There are many causes...the two being sought out right now are:

Tracheomalacia: cartilage in the windpipe (trachea ) has not developed properly.

Laryngeal Cleft: rare congenital abnormality in the posterior laryngo-tracheal wall. It occurs in approximately 1 in 10000

http://www.childrenshospital.org/views/october06/cooperating_for_care_cadd.html

http://www.childrenshospital.org/dream/dream_fall05/reaching.html

http://www.childrenshospital.org/clinicalservices/Site2025/Documents/Robotic%20Surgery%20in%20the%20Pediatric%20Airway.pdf

Dr. R is the leading surgeon in this field and essentially has been influential in surgical intervention in this area here in the United States.

Dr. R will also insert tubes into Nick's ears (minor event) to prevent the fluid from building up

3) Dr.: Objective is to biopsy the stomach area, small intestine and one other area...and surgically repair anything needed (however it is unlikely surgical repair will be needed).

Next up will be Pediatric Orthopedics...and Pediatric Neurology for the nerve in the area of Nick's broken collar bone. There is a lot to this as well...and this nerve could be the cause of some of the symptoms Nick has been exhibiting. We just don’t know yet.

OK....so I tried to be brief...but I also wanted to be thorough. This has weighed heavily on us and the amount of information we have received from Children’s Hospital since March has been far greater than any pediatrician has been able to give us over the last 18 months. We are thankful for this.

So with dealing with all of this I have not been able to write a whole lot so thanks for your support and your patience!

Ok...I will end it here. Thank all of you for your support and words of encouragement. Also understand that at the same time...when we are nervous....fearful...overtired...or just stressed.....just a simple word of encouragement goes a long way for us......

Country Girl

2012-04-04T18:41:00.002-04:00

Country Girl
Thanks to Olga Quinn
Being a country girl means I was thrilled when my husband told me he wanted to start an organic farm with me. We’d lived in the city for years and I was just plum tired of the rat race so when the chance came for us to buy up this piece of land and build our dream house I couldn’t have been happier. I just wanted nothing more than to farm for a living and really make something with my hands to be proud of, you know? Anyway, we recently finished the house and we’re really starting to settle in. I’ve got the curtains up and the satellite star internet service going and I feel right at home. I love going to be exhausted every day and my husband’s actually really coming along with the farming and I think we’re going to be able to make a decent living off it. Who would have guessed I’d end up back on a farm after going off to college and never looking back!

Kids decided for us

2012-03-03T08:38:00.000-05:00

Content by Mac Kline

At first, I really could not decided whether I wanted to have Dish Network or Direct tv. I had definitely heard good and bad things about both of them from multiple friends. I think ultimately the kids helped my husband and me to make our decision. Many of their friends in the neighborhood use Direct TV. The boys got to a point where it seemed like they liked being over at their friends’ house more than ours. My husband and I said we had to put our foot down and make sure the kids wanted to be at home too. It is funny that TV had such a sway on the kids hanging out at our house. I never thought that day would come, but it definitely did. It is funny because it seemed like such a competition at first. Now, we see other benefits though and we definitely do not regret making the choice the kids pushed us toward. We get to watch some of our favorite shows once the kids head to bed so it definitely seems like it is a win, win situation.

RSV... inevitable

2012-03-01T11:45:00.000-05:00

With all the viruses going around and nasty bugs it was inevitable we would soon be plagued somehow! This Winter has been very difficult at any given moment one of has had something- no breaks in between! Ahh the joys of working parents. Unfortunately my husband who hardly ever catches these colds came down with the super bug- which starts off in the sinus and works its way down to pneumonia! Four weeks later - he is still hacking up a lung! Luckily he escaped the stomach bug that I luckily caught along with the kids. Seemed to get me the worst- NATURALLY....

Then it happened ... Nicklaus caught what Mike had- but to Nicklaus it comes in the form of RSV. Very scary stuff- (see the link on the right banner). He has been rushed to Urgent care 2 times already- for special breathing treatments and steroids. He has bad asthma with just exacerbates everything! He is in great spirits considering. He has many of his moments of general unhappiness but this kid just never ceases to amaze me.

He is finally stable and breathing- Kylie has escaped part of it but she is still coughing... I am getting the sinus piece now and loading with every vitamin you can imagine just to avoid it. We will just continue on fumes and pray for the best!!!

Watching It Now

2012-01-26T14:18:00.000-05:00

The Author of this post is Kory Dotson

For years, I have resisted the urge to subscribe to cable or satellite television, preferring to curl up with a good magazine, book or dvd. Now with all the excellent programming available on stations that I can’t get over the air I find myself more and more tempted. Not only would I love to be able to watch shows like Madmen and Southland when they air rather than waiting for the season to come out on dvd, I’d feel a little more in touch with reality. Everywhere I go it seems people are talking about what happened on shows that I enjoy but can’t see at the same time. My neighbor recommend I check out http://www.GiveaDish.com/ to look for deals on a subscription. I figure I can afford it with all the money I’ve saved over the years of not paying for television and have even earned it! I’m sure my kids will appreciate it when they come to visit as well but I’m sure I’ll get a hard time from them for not doing it before now!

The Web Page

2012-01-24T22:18:00.000-05:00

This is quite the project - I am working on the site but need to get some legalities in order- SOON I will have all that I need to launch www.APinchofGerman.com It is a LONG time comnig and I can't wait to share it with you! You can go and like my facebook page :O) it will give you an idea of the website.... just search A Pinch of German and it will pull up for you! If you "like" the page I appreciate it! Trying to get my concept programed when I am not a programmer is complicated at times... but good bad indifferent and wether or not successful- I must complete it. That is the thing - get back to checking things of my list.

Excercise program check - and for those that have not tried ZUMBA yet OMG is it great! so much fun!!! down 30 and climbing :O)

Cooking recipes and writing them up with photos- Check- currently on my facebook and ebay pages...

House cleaned - well we all know that is on going haha

House repairs- done as we can afford

Getting to bed on time- G'Night :O)

Skinny Bits: {giveaway} Cookbooks!!

2012-01-03T10:02:00.000-05:00

We are so much alike it is almost scary... I would love them

Skinny Bits: {giveaway} Cookbooks!!: I'm a cookbook addict, I just love the way they feel, love browsing the recipes and looking at the photos. I can spend hours doing looking ...

Newlyweds

2011-12-29T15:39:00.000-05:00

Guest post of the week by Deangelo Spencer

When my husband and I first got married we were clueless. We got married young, and had never lived on our own before the wedding. Of course we thought that we were so mature and knew everything. It took us a while to figure things out though. My parents rented us a home they own, so thankfully they were close by to help us when we needed it. They tried to give us our own space, but I still needed them! We had a hard time managing our money, so my mom gave us some great advice on how to keep our finances in check. The first thing we had to do was cut our energy expenses because they were out of control. My mom let us know that in Texas we could shop around for our rates, so I searched texas electricity providers TXU energy and started doing the work. She also helped me learn how to cook a few basic meals so that we wouldn’t be eating out all the time. Little by little, things got better and we were able to sort ourselves out. I’m glad those days are over!

Holidays are coming- with challenges

2011-12-21T22:17:00.000-05:00

WOW it has been a long time- sorry about that- there has been so much going on these days I haven't had time to write!
Between sick kids, sick parents, sugery follow up's on top of the holidays... well where does the time go!
So I finally went to follow up on my tooth that was removed for the implant only to find out that they took out too much bone and now I can't complete it - and yup on top of that- another tooth on the other side has an absyss on the nerve- and no that one doesn't hurt either! But nonetheless I am told that I have to have a root canal! Oh Joy tomorrow! Well maybe it will curb my appetite not being able to chew on either side haha..

Speaking of that I have been cooking up a storm- if you haven't been to my facebook page please go check me out search under A Pinch of German!

I just finished up the Christmas cookies- yes Christmas- not "holiday" cookies - how do they look!!!

3x5 Folded Card

2011-12-08T13:56:00.001-05:00

Street Car Fun Thank You Card

Shop custom thank you cards and notes at Shutterfly.com.

View the entire collection of cards.

Finally taking my wife to go and see Billy Elliot

2011-10-27T09:55:00.000-04:00

Guest post written by Tim Harrold

My wife and I really love to rent movies all the time and watch them at home. That might just be our favorite activity to do together. It just seems like so much more fun than lots of other things that we could be out doing. We don't even necessarily rent the newest releases either. I remember about a year or so ago, we rented the movie Billy Elliot. It seems like any time that we rent a movie based on a Broadway play, she decides that we should go and see it sometime in the future.

Well, going to see a play in the future in New York City isn't exactly something that's in our budget, so I kept up to see if it would have a travelling show. When I was getting info about the tour a while back, I ran across the site miracle-ear.com. I looked through it some and after that I decided to get fitted with some hearing aids.

The tour finally came to a city near us and we went. We both really enjoyed it and I thought that we would really have to do this again! If only tours like that came around more often.

WHERE AM I NOW- FB, LI, EBAY, TWITTER

2011-10-19T14:56:00.000-04:00

Boy I am all over these days! Please go check me out of facebook!A Pinch of German

This is where to get the latest and greatest of what's cookin' in the Kitchen! If you love it click on my ebay page and get the recipe!!! MY EBAY PAGE . They are not always what they seem in fact they are better ;O) !!!

On facebook you can comment, view, share, ask questions- whatever - see what others are saying about my recipes- the tasters themselves go there to respond! It is so exciting!!

Soon to come is my website www.APinchofGerman.com as I was saying in previous posts- it may be a long journey- but stay on the path and you will get there!

So I am using technology as my guide to melt my worlds together! Please find me on Facebook A Pinch of German
and "like" my page!!

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Surgery

2011-09-25T21:54:00.000-04:00

So I had the surgery- of course I ended up with a massive infection and two weeks later had to go in and do the sugery again. The second time they didn't knock me out- THEY SHOULD HAVE! Boy I hate with the people doing the surgery say "it is not big deal"... and that is only because it is not them it is happening too!!!

SO I don't have much to say about it at this point, just that I am tired of being poked and proded.. and I have to go back in 3 - 4 months to have the next part done. As they say- no big deal. Well with my luck I just don't buy it at this point!