Wednesday, August 11, 2021

Our Experience With Covid and more...

Covid… that was the last thing I expected she would test positive for when our doctor sent us to the hospital when Kierstyn was really, really sick a few weeks ago. She had come down with a fever and a really bad case of what we thought were hives all ...
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Our Experience With Covid

Covid… that was the last thing I expected she would test positive for when our doctor sent us to the hospital when Kierstyn was really, really sick a few weeks ago.

She had come down with a fever and a really bad case of what we thought were hives all of a sudden on a Sunday night a few weeks ago. We called the after-hours nurse and she had us go in and get it checked out at the walk-in clinic that night. They thought it was just some sort of allergic reaction + a virus. They gave her Benadryl and told us what to watch for and sent us home.

Her fever went up and her hives got worse Sunday night/early Monday morning. She was miserable and my mama heart felt like something wasn’t right. We called our pediatrician Monday morning and got Kierstyn in to see her. Kierstyn’s fever continued to rise and her rash/hives got a lot worse and she was inconsolable, so our pediatrician sent us to the hospital.

In addition to giving her IV fluids and meds, they ran a battery of tests/bloodwork… and we were all shocked when she tested positive for rhinovirus and Covid. (We knew something was up when the lady came in in a sort of hazmat looking suit to tell us the results!!)

They were able to find some meds to give her some relief and calm her down and her breathing looked good, so they sent us home with meds and what to look for and watch for (they felt she’d be more comfortable at home and they said basically what they were doing at the hospital we could also do at home, since she didn’t need any oxygen or anything).

In this week’s episode, we share about our experience, Kierstyn’s recovery process, what we learned about MIS-C, surprising info that we never expected from test results, and lessons we learned from this experience.

At the beginning of this episode, we start it out like we always do — giving you some life updates, talking about books, sharing about what’s saving our life, and sharing some listener feedback!

Note: I know that even talking about this topic can be hot-button and controversial — something I seek to avoid in what I post here. We wanted to share our story since so many of you care and were praying when Kierstyn got so sick + we are hopeful that our story will be helpful to some of you — since there was a lot we learned in the process and wish we had known. However, we tried to tell it in a way that would not be controversial or triggering to anyone. Instead, we hope it is helpful. As always, comments that are seeking to debate or are related to hot-button issues will be deleted. There are plenty of other spaces to discuss those things on the internet. Thank you for making this a debate-free, politics-free blog! 

In This Episode:

 

[0:35] – We explain why we took the last two weeks off.

[2:00] – We also went on our annual trip recently with my extended family.

[2:55] – I recently finished listening to The President Is Missing — an audiobook Jesse recommended!

[8:06] – What has been saving my life.

[10:30] – Hear a funny story about my recent trip to the dentist.

[12:57] – It’s listener feedback time!

[18:16] – We start sharing our recent story involving our experience with COVID-19.

[20:45] – Learn about what happened a couple weeks ago on the weekend of a baseball tournament.

[23:11] – We share what our daughter was initially diagnosed with.

[26:06] – Our daughter’s fever was 104, and medical personnel knew something was wrong.

[28:48] – We were shocked to find out that Kierstyn tested positive for COVID.

[31:26] – We had so much planned that the COVID diagnosis impacted.

[34:09] – The new hospital where Kierstyn was transferred didn’t seem as concerned.

[36:02] – We started thinking back over the last few weeks and things started making sense.

[38:02] – What we learned from the testing we got done.

[40:42] – What Kierstyn’s recovery process looked like.

[41:42] – Two lessons we learned from the experience.

How to Listen to The Crystal Paine Show

The podcast is available on iTunesAndroidStitcher, and Spotify. You can listen online through the direct player here. OR, a much easier way to listen is by subscribing to the podcast through a free podcast app on your phone. (Find instructions for how to subscribe to a podcast here.) Ready to dive in and listen? Hit the player above or search for “The Crystal Paine Show” on your favorite podcast app.

    
 

Gretchen’s $107 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 5

Publix

1 Chips Ahoy! Cookies – $1.64, used $1/1 printable AND $1/1 Ibotta rebate – Free plus $0.36 overage after coupon and cash back

2 Reese’s Puffs Cereal – $1.88 each, used $1/2 e-coupon – $1.38 each after coupon

2 boxes Kraft Mac & Cheese – $0.73 each, used 2 $0.35/1 Ibotta rebates – $0.38 each after cash back

5 Think! Protein Bars – $1.25 each, used 5 $1/1 Ibotta rebates – $0.25 each after cash back

1 Oikos Yogurt – $1.25, used Free e-coupon – Free after coupon

2 pkg GoGurt – $1.32 each, used $1.50/2 printable – $0.57 each after coupon

2 pkg Yoplait Yogurts – $2.25 each, used $1.50/2 printable – $1.50 each after coupon

Earned $0.50 bonus from Ibotta

Total after coupons and cash back: $8.05

Aldi

1 box Oatmeal Squares Cereal – $2.69

1 box Granola Bars – $0.95

1 pkg Steak – $7.74

1 pkg Chicken Tenderloins – $5.80

1 can Refried Beans – $0.72

2 cans Green Beans – $0.47 each

1 bag Frozen Corn – $0.75

1 bag Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.85

2 gallons Milk – $2.44 each

1 Vegetable Oil – $2.25

1 pack Frozen Tilapia – $6.99

1 lb Butter – $2.66

2 dozen Eggs – $1.05 each

2 cans Great Northern Beans – $0.49 each

1 Half & Half – $1.55

1 carton Yogurt – $1.75

1 Cottage Cheese – $1.69

1 pkg Frozen Blueberries – $3.49

2 bags Frozen Broccoli – $0.85 each

1 can Black Beans – $0.48

1 bag Flour – $1.15

1 bag Kettle Chips – $1.24

1 box Pure & Simple Bars – $3.99

1 can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies – $0.42

2 cans Tuna – $0.65 each

1 bag Sugar – $1.85

3 pkg Strawberries – $0.99 each

1 Ranch Dressing – $0.92

1 bag Green Peppers – $2.19

1 Peanut Butter – $0.99

1 Unsweetened Applesauce – $1.25

1 bag Cheddar Cheese – $2.59

1 bag Chocolate Chips – $1.29

1 Grape Jelly – $1.29

1 Honey Bear – $2.85

1 Spring Mix – $1.89

1 box Thin Wheat Crackers – $1.39

1 bag Caesar Salad – $2.59

1 Ground Cinnamon – $1.49

3.26 lbs Bananas – $1.17

1 loaf Bread – $0.65

2.60 lbs Red Grapes – $4.13

1 Seedless Cucumber – $1.19

1 bag Cinnamon Raisin Bagels – $1.49

Total: $99.20

Total for both stores: $107.25

Menu Plan for This Week

Breakfasts

Cereal, Bagels, Yogurt, Eggs, Fruit, Oatmeal, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Lunches

Tuna Sandwiches/Chips/Carrot Sticks, Mac & Cheese/Grapes x 2, Cheese/Crackers/Fruit/Veggies/Hard Boiled Eggs x 2, Leftovers x 2

Dinners

Smoked Steak/Chicken, Toast (using up old bread), Caesar Salad, Steamed Broccoli

Picnic Dinner up in the mountains (Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Chips, Veggies, Fruit)

Grilled Tilapia, Mashed Potatoes, Biscuits, Steamed Peas

Soft Taco Bar, Refried Beans

White Chili, Veggies, Homemade Rolls

Cheese Pizza, Tossed Salad, Breadsticks

Homemade Chipotle Bowls