But with that said, I do have some left over supplies that we cannot send back but are still unopened and sterile and wanting someone to use them. I’m willing to ship this stuff to whoever needs it at no cost to them. You might be someone like us with a preemie or child needing temporary support or you might be more long term. But whomever needs it I would love to send it to you, I know first hand how expensive this stuff is. Or, rather, I know how expensive it can be when insurance doesn’t cover something or even with co-pays (finding out actual out-of-pocket costs has me reeling). So we don’t have a lot of stuff but we do have some. Here’s the list, if there’s anything you want/need just claim it. (I also have girl preemie clothes I’d love to send to someone, let me know.)

ENTERAL

1 MIC-KEY Low Profile G-tube/button. Size 14 Fr, 1.0 cm.
Made by Kimberly Clarke, good through 2011.
This is the whole kit, from what I understand — unopened and sealed.

5 500 mil Enteral Pump Delivery Set (bags) by Zevex, INF0500
1 1200 mil Enteral Pump Delivery set (bag) by Zevex, INF1200
(If it helps, this is the pump we had so the bags look like this.)

1 12″ right angle feeding set with Y-PORT for use with AMT Mini button or MIC-KEY equivalent.

6 Kendall Monoject 60 cc/mil syringe with catheter tip

RESPIRATORY

5 (2 1/2 packages) tender grips by Salter labs
Ref #1005
Latex free

14 vials Detachol adhesive remover, latex free

4 Salter Labs nasal cannulas
Infant size, 7″ width, latex free
Ref #1601

OTHER

1 Kendall infant electrode belt kit for apnea monitoring
Ref #3201
(Note that this is actually half a package since they come two per. There is one belt, uncut, 2 electrodes, and 2 lead wires. So this isn’t unopened but those have stayed in the package when I took the others out and everything can be washed before using.)

5 Similac sterilized water, 2fl oz.

So if you have a need for this stuff let me know – take one thing or take it all, doesn’t matter. :)
I’ll leave this open until the end of September and if there are no takers I’ll start seeing if hospitals or nursing homes want this stuff. It would just be great if we could find someone who needs it, this stuff is expensive! Those little Tender Grips? We were going through them so fast because she just kept ripping them off so I started looking into buying some right out so we didn’t have to wait on the home health people and, holy cow, they’re like $61 for 25!!! That’s expensive for stickers!! And dang, if you look at that second link to amazon for those feeding bags, they want $222 for a 30 day supply! Excuse me while I go pass out.

I’ll try and update this soon with the clothing, gotta run for now…

So, anyway, because of all this sickness, we missed two gatherings with extended family. We were, however, able to make it to my mom and dad’s on Christmas Eve and to Steve’s parents on Christmas Day. (I did sound real great coughing the whole time, though!)

One thing about this Christmas, though, that really makes me smile, is that I know we’re loved. Not because people got us presents (I can do without those, really) but because those people that bought those presents really took the time to listen to what we wanted or might want and took the time to find those things. For example, my sister-in-law got me some dish and kitchen towels. I know that sounds funny, but I ASKED for those. Seriously. It’s one of the things I listed when she asked what I wanted. I really needed some and always forget to buy them myself! :) She also got me some earrings and a matching necklace and even with that she apparently had listened to me the one time I mentioned that I like blue and brown together.

So things like that really make it all the more special, you know?

I don’t usually like to spell out all the things we got for gifts and I’m still not going to list everything, but I wanted to say that I hit the mother lode with my gift card from my parents LOL. Due to sales I was able to snag two (plain color) maternity shirts, three pairs of awesome undies (heehee), two pairs of earrings, and a suede purse! Well, I went $15 over my gift card but that’s not bad. Also took a stop at Motherhood Maternity and grabbed three shirts on sale there one of which I absolutely absolutely love and it fits me great. The others fit me, too, but you get the idea. I really need maternity clothes, last time around all my friends loaned me stuff and some stuff did a disappearing act to other people (long stories) so I only have two pairs of maternity jeans left and those don’t even fit anymore. I more than I wanted to on those three shirts at Motherhood, though, but I really am in need of clothing. One article I thought the tag read $9.99 (they were all clearance) but it was really $19.99 but by that point I was sold, ha.

We also ended up with 3 gift cards to Walmart and while we hate that place, who’s not going to use a gift card? We got ourselves, for the most part, a blood pressure machine. I know that sounds nutty for people our age, but with my pregnancy with Elijah I had high blood pressure and that ended up to basically bed rest and then him being brought forth 3 and a half weeks early. This time I’m going to keep a much better eye on all of it. Not to mention I think Steve is kinda borderline — he’s ok now but wants to keep an eye on it and keep it where it should be.

Some other instances of people listening to us include my brother who got me A Christmas Story on DVD (which is awesome because Steve hates that movie and that I make him watch it lol), my in-laws got me a chronological Bible and got Steve socks (my mother-in-law laughed but that’s what Steve wanted!), etc. Heehee. We’re easy to please! :)

But Elijah… oh, boy, that kid made out like a bandit! Toys, toys, toys. And only one article of clothing: a coat from my in-laws. That little butt, though, kept saying for weeks that he didn’t want clothes for Christmas and I kept telling him it doesn’t matter what you get, you are happy and you say thank you. Of course he threw a fit when he opened it. I was so embarrassed but I think everyone understands that he’s a kid and in that absolutely selfish and rude stage (that some people never get out of). But he got so many new toys, oy! So hopefully he’ll be plenty of distracted for many months to come (at least until his birthday, haha).

He was also kinda mad today when I bought him four pairs of jeans at K-Mart instead of toys! But can I help it if all his jeans are starting to get holey in the knees and these were mucho on sale??
Oh one gift my in-laws got him isn’t really a toy but it’s totally cool and he loves it. It’s a floor puzzle, 2 feet by 3 feet (big pieces) of the solar system. On the reverse side, it’s a drawing of, I think the same image (maybe slightly different) and he can color it with crayons and then wipe it off and do it again!

Anyway, we all know STUFF doesn’t really mean anything in the long haul and that it’s certainly not the point of Christmas, but boy is it fun. :-)

Yes, I agree that the shelving is quite out of place, I can’t wait to get rid of the old printer so I can move the shelving off the desk!

Well, I don’t have a cat, so… :)

Anyway, the original photos:

If you’re nice enough, I might take photos of the desk in ultra-messy stage. But, you know, since I rarely ever sit there anymore and do most of my working and surfing from the living room now… fat chance. :D

So I am all set for next Tuesday.

I will be taking Sheila and Sarah out to finally do their school pictures. I’m excited because it will be my first chance to really really use that digital camera. Will also be taking the good 35mm one, I have one roll of film I can use. I am going to take them up to St. Louis to the Muny and the Jewel Box and probably the Arch and waterfront. It will be pretty dang cool. I picked the warmest possible (according to weather.com) day for this, a high of 55 and 0% chance of rain.

So now I am totally ready for Tuesday as I have a total of 176 MB in XD cards to use. More if I get access to a computer for a few seconds to transfer from the cards to my 256 MB USB drive. That can be a lot of pictures…

I was thinking, too, that I would like to take them up in the Arch if we can. But it can be hard to get tickets and for the three of us it will be at least $20 AND Steve might be all, “AH! You went without me!?” If we do. But I haven’t been up there in so long, that would be TOTALLY cool to go. Can get lots of good pictures from way up there, probably! I guess we could go there first and see if tickets are available then go back later if needed…

Anyone want to go and have their picture taken, too? ;-)