ATTEMPTING THE IMPOSSIBLE: Mordecai's Birthday

One of the things I love about this medium is the ability to quickly put down thoughts, impressions, and memories...however, I got way off course when I went to Colorado, Utah, Wisconsin, and Oklahoma in March and April. I haven't been very consistent since and I don't want to stop doing something that I have started - writing about the Sweet Ones that fill my life - commemorating their birthdays. So, over the next couple of days I will try to get Mordecai, Wanda, and Cherstin done - especially because Desi, Abby, and Levi are all celebrating birthdays in the next few days! (If I don't get on this now it will quickly become like my quilts! oops! LOL)

Mordecai and Desi for Easter 2010

Mordecai John Rogers was born March 13, 2008. He is now two and quite the charmer. However, my thoughts aren't really of the day that he was born so much as the months inutero - except for the relief that came knowing that he was finally here, safe, unharmed, and that the months of agony for Desi were finally ending.

Our Precious Newborn

Mordecai's Blessing Day

I remember being at Wanda and Robert's home for the birth of Moroni in September when we received news that Desi and Mike had finally sold their home and they were going to purchase Wanda and Robert's home in Westminster. That was wonderful news but terrible timing! I was still in Wisconsin and was to be heading to Oklahoma for the birth of Emmett when I left Wisconsin - but the condition of the sale of Desi and Mike's home was that they needed to close in two weeks. Since Rich, Felicia and I were living in Wanda and Robert's home it would necessitate us finding some place quickly to move to and doing it in 2 weeks - I wouldn't be there to do any of that. Desi and Mike were excited and assured us that they could handle everything - our move and theirs - LOL - especially because I wouldn't be there, Rich was ill, and Felicia was in school.

Well, they did find us a place, started packing us, and getting us moved, but one evening I got a phone call from Desi that had me a little concerned. She was pregnant with Mordecai but experiencing quite a bit of pain. She thought that perhaps she was just tired from all the stress but she just didn't feel good. A couple of days went by and she still was uncomfortable, but the next phone call was very upsetting. She said that she was doubled up in pain and couldn't walk - but she was feeling the pressure to get everything done and didn't want to say anything to Mike or Rich, especially because there was so much to do. I told her to tell Mike immediately and for him to take her to the hospital, and then I waited.

The next few days brought some answers and lots of concerns. A serious kidney infection and kidney stones were the cause of the difficulty. After a stay in the hospital with IV antibiotics and other treatment she was allowed to go home. Gratefully Mike's brother and sister-in-law, Keith and Kim, came from Utah to help Mike complete the moves...I will always be grateful to them for helping Mike and Desi and Rich and I.

I drove home from Wisconsin but was there only about 8 hours when I received word that Cherstin was in labor with Emmett and so I headed out as quickly as I could (didn't make it but I was there that evening) all the while Rich was chastising me for coming home instead of heading straight to Oklahoma. He kept assuring me that everything would be okay - but I just felt completely discombobulated.

While I was in Oklahoma I received word that Desi was having more difficulty. Concerns about Desi's long term health and the health of the baby were weighing heavily and so the family had a fast for her. More hospitals, medicine, pain, difficulty, and uncertainty ensued.

I finally drove home the weekend before Thanksgiving - arriving to a house full of boxes - knowing that I needed to unpack as much as I could because we were having our entire family come to Denver for Thanksgiving and we were going to have Joey and Carlie and their family stay with us, as well as Phil, Hannah and Orion. Desi and Mike were hosting Thanksgiving at their place and having Wanda and Robert and their family stay with them, and Cherstin and Dan were coming in too - but would be staying with Dan's folks. The plan was to bless Moroni and Emmett that weekend and to have family photos as well. It was a very tall order for the circumstances and made all the worse when Wanda and Robert's children started coming down with a 24hr stomach virus well after they were already on the road, and that virus would run through the entire family that weekend.

However, that was just part of the drama that would be a part of the weekend - Desi continued to experience extreme pain, nausea, and vomiting necessitating multiple trips to the hospital. In fact, Desi and Mike didn't even get to have Thanksgiving dinner because of a trip to the hospital. We did, however, manage to have photos taken between trips to the bathroom and the hospital, and we even blessed our precious new babies, Emmett and Moroni.

December continued just as September, October, and November had - trips to the hospital and continued difficulty. One of my precious memories occurred one day when Desi again was suffering. This time I took her to the hospital and Desi had called Mike at work to join us. As we were in triage of the obstetrics unit Desi was struggling mightily against the pain and nausea. Mike had rushed over from work and it was past lunch. A little nurse, maybe 5'2", was trying to put in an IV into Desi's arm so that they could give her some morphine for the pain. Mike was standing between Desi's bed and the wall - maybe a foot or two wide. As the nurse tried to "fish" for the vein Mike suddenly turned ashen, his eyes rolled back into his head, and he slumped into a heap on top of the nurse and Desi - he had passed out cold. I yelled for help and nurses came running. Smelling salts brought Mike back quickly but he still looked pretty woozy. Medical personnel brought him something to eat and checked him out, much to his chagrin and to our relief. The only real damage was to the nurse's glasses and Mike's ego. However, Desi continued to have extreme pain regardless of how much medication they pumped into her arm. After a considerable length of time I looked at Desi's hand - it was all bloated. After showing the nurse it was discovered that because of all the commotion they had forgotten to take off the tourniquet! No wonder Desi had remained in pain - none of the medication was reaching her system - but as soon as the tourniquet came off she found relief!

Doctors eventually placed a nephrostomy tube into Desi's side so that her kidneys could work - that provided a great deal of relief. However, even that was frought with difficulty. She also had a pic line so that they could continue the antibiotics. All this was done to provide Mordecai a chance at life. They had reached the radiological limits for a fetus and they needed to give him some time in utero before they would attempt to get the stones because the procedure could potentially start labor. It was a wait and see game calculated to get him here safely.

Eventually they did take out the stones and Desi felt good for the first time in months. However, new ones quickly grew and took their place, creating all the familiar problems. The relief we felt (especially Desi) when Mordecai was finally born was tremendous. Gratefully there seems to be no lasting problems for him and we are thankful for that. Desi, on the other hand, continued to have kidney stones for some time - but all seems well at the moment.

In August of 2008 Cherstin, Felicia, Desi, and I had taken the little ones to a park in Westminster. As they played, we talked and enjoyed our ourselves, watching and helping children as needed. As usual, the subject of names came up - and we all laughed as Desi recounted the story of the selection of the name Mordecai over the other possiblity of Teancum. Interestingly, a Jewish family had come to the park and you can imagine the fun we had when the gentleman said something to the effect of, "Mordecai! A good Jewish name!"

I think we had all worried about the potential harm Mordecai might have had due to the pregnancy problems, but we also were a little anxious that he might have similar problems as Emily, with the hemangiomas - however, so far so good. He has had difficulty with bowels and vomiting that have worried us some - but that seems to be remediating at this point.

Brother and Sister

Mordecai has had a very peaceful disposition. In fact, for a very long time he just seemed content to watch everything going on without getting too involved. But, he has become less passive and now takes matters into his own capable hands (especially Emily or Desi's hair LOL) just like any other well adjusted two year old will do! He loves watching DVD's in the car, anything that has to do with trains, and teasing his sister. He loves milk, snacks, and his Mommy. He doesn't like playing in snow and cold or sharing his train. He is very verbal and enjoys sparring with anyone who'll play along. If I had to guess I think he'll probably love to play ball as he gets older - soccor, baseball, basketball, football - part of it because of exposure from Daddy - but lots of it seems to be his own natural desire. He also loves cars and trucks...watch out Daddy! Sixteen might seem like a lifetime from now - but in the blink of an eye he'll be asking to borrow the Daewoo!