10 Years!

October 4, 2015 marks the 10 year anniversary of the day that will never be a joyful celebration for me.

Just a short post (from my facebook post) now, but I will write a 10 year recap.  Here are the 2 posts I made one, in honor of my amazing daughter Kaitlyn and the other in honor of my lost angel Corinne:

To my precious Daughter Kaitlyn:
To my most amazing, wonderful joyful Daughter! Happy 10 years old today my special girl!!! I love you with all of my heart! You are so amazing and joyful and we can all learn something from the way you view life, full of joy, excitement and happiness! I heard one of your girlfriends say at your slumber party, "I've never seen Kaitlyn cry, ever. She is always so happy and excited over everything!" That brought tears to my eyes. Look how far she's come! She even scored ...a goal at her soccer game yesterday! Between the 5K Color Run with her mom, which didn't slow her down at all for her soccer game where she is the center forward and then a slumber party, it was quite a pre birthday day!! Pancakes this morning, then 2 more soccer games today (Quinn too) and then the neighbors over to celebrate Kaitlyn again! I love you my dearest Kaitlyn, I am one lucky Mama, you have taught me a lot!




To my precious Angel daughter Corinne:

Today 10 years ago...at 7 am my twin daughters were born waaay to soon and my life changed forever. Corinne Margaret and Kaitlyn Elizabeth were born at 26 weeks, 3 months early, each weighing 1 pound 10 ounces.each... a few hours after delivery the doctors came to tell me that they just couldn't get Corinne to saturate enough oxygen. her lungs were too damaged from going without amniotic fluid for 10 weeks since my water broke. They disconnected her and handed her to me. ... She passed away in our arms.

October 4th as much as of course it's my joyous happy daughter Kaitlyns birthday it was not a joyous day for me and I always struggle a lot with my emotions. It's this day that I truly really think more about how things would be so different having my two daughters here, how kaitlyn wouldn't have been affected by being born so early...
after Corinne passed away in my arms I wasn't able to do anything but hold my hands over Kaitlyn for 6 weeks. I longed to hold my other twin but her health was very touch and go. We almost lost her as well many times.
This at 10 years seems like such a milestone year as well.
I love you and miss you terribly Angel Corinne.

Kaitlyn and her vocal cord Reinnveration surgery

Sorry I so rarely post anymore, but for those Micro Moms out there, this was too important not to post:

As many know Kaitlyn's left vocal cord was paralyzed after her PDA heart surgery saved life (at 4 days old).  But a consequence of this surgery (for many) is left vocal cord paralysis (Not only making her have a VERY quiet voice (as an infant she didn't have a cry, it was silent) and also caused her to have severe feeding issues and she didn't eat orally  until she was 4 years old as she was 100% tube fed). 

There is a surgery to help with this!! it's called  Vocal Nerve Reinnervation.  or more technically  laryngeal reinnervation (LR) as treatments for unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP).


After doing a lot of reserach I discovered that this surgery shoudl be done as soon as possible after the injury (or in this case the PDA ligation which caused the paralsis of the nerve)  Unfortatenly, I didn't learn of the surgery until Kaitlyn was 8 years old.  We wanted the "best" docotor to do this surgery so we flew to Utah to see Dr Marshall Smith at University of Children's Hosptial.  It took many months of work to get my insurnace to approve an out of state proedure. But persistance paid off and we finally went for an evaluation and the surgery in April 2014. 

Here are some studies articles from Dr Smith:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3183158/

http://healthcare.utah.edu/publicaffairs/news/archive/2011/10-06-11_Vocal%20Fold%20Paralysis%20.php

 http://www.ksl.com/?sid=20601197

from the KSL story  on KSL.com:  "The surgery paralyzed the right side of Burnett's vocal folds. He had to undergo surgery and therapy at the Center to strengthen the left side of his vocal cord. "It was paralyzed in the open position," Burnett said. "Now the surgeries that Dr. Smith performed allow the left vocal cord to vibrate off the right one." 

This is the surgery Kaitlyn had :  from the same article:

"Currently, doctors at the University of Utah Voice Disorders Center are trying new techniques to better heal voice disorders — a surgical procedure that may be available to restore tone to the paralyzed vocal cord.  "We graft in a nerve from another nerve in the neck to the paralyzed nerve to give it more tone," said Smith. "And that procedure is giving good results."

Some pre surgery pictures in Utah:

 Here is a video from this visit, pre surgery so you can hear her quiet voice:

 
 A post surgery picture (so you can see the small surgery bandage)


The surgery itself took over 3 hours, but it was just an overnight hospital stay.   She had her adenoids removed at the same time (hoping that might cut down on the many colds she catches)  that was likely a harder recovery than the reinnervation surgery was.  There was very little pain post surgery, nothing more than Advil cloud handle for a few days.  We flew home 2 days later, Dr Smith just wanted to make sure there were no complications (there weren't)

 Dr Smith told us we wouldn't really hear any difference until approx 3 months post surgery.  and he was right!  We didn't hear any difference whatsoever, which was a bit disappointing, I guess we had such high hopes we'd notice something.  But then one day, we noticed something. All of a sudden her voice got louder (we looked at a calendar and it was literally 3 months post surgery).  From then on over the next 9 months, her voice continued to get louder.  She was rarely asked any more "what's wrong with your voice"  "why is your voice so quiet?"  "why are you whispering"  And my dad, (who is a bid  hard of hearing) said he could hear her for the VERY FIRST TIME!  When I told that to Dr Smith he told me tears came to his eyes!

 Here is a post surgery video 13 months after:

I'm so sad I never took a picture with Kaitlyn and Dr Smith.  . 

We are so so so very thankful to Dr. Smith and his entire team that helped take such good care of Kaitlyn and gave her so very much.  I can't stress enough how much this has literally changed her life.  Kaitlyn loves performing and takes plate in our school play.  Last year, she couldn't be heard at all during the play.  This year, the directors gave her a small singing part duet as they were so thrilled as well.  Hopefully next years play she'll get a real part now that she does have a voice!  at this years performance you could hear her without a microphone, and she was louder than some of the other actors!  I was beaming, so was everyone in the audience who knows her story.  parent after parent came up to me saying, "wow, Kaitlyn's voice was so loud!'

THANK YOU DR SMITH!  I am just so eternally grateful to you and your research into solving this problem.

BUT parents out there, please know that Dr Smith's studies do show that the sooner you can do this surgery after the paralysis happens, you get better results.  The paper should be published soon (in which Kaitlyn will be one of 30 participants).  We were so happy to fly back out so that her results could be part of that study. 

Oh and a side-note.  A fabulous ENT from Stanford (Lucille Packard Children's' Hospital) actually few out to Utah with us to observe Dr Smith do Kaitlyn's surgery.  She has since done this surgery here back at Stanford here in the SF Bay Area. Dr Anna Messner.  I wanted to be sure to let folks know reading this there there is a San Francisco resource for this now as well! 

 PS, kaitlyn got braces right after her surgery last year and JUST had them off yesterday!  Here is a picture of her post 1st round of braces. 

Here she was rock climbing in Reno the weekend prior to our going to Utah:

and our family (with Quinn, now 6) in Truckee/Tahoe Memorial Day:

My daughter is now 9 years old, hard to believe she was 1.5 pounds at birth and had so many medical issues.  She is one amazing, wonderful, happy, delightful, bright amazing strong-willed girl!  she is willing to try anything! It makes my heart just soar to see how far she has come!  I'm one very lucky mom!  Kaitlyn I love you, you are going to do amazing things with your life.  I couldn't be more proud of you!

Update on K's Vocal nerve reinnervation surgyer

Kaitlyn was released this morning from the hospital and had a ton of energy (so we tried to get out for a bit to go to the natural history museum, but that lasted for about 20 minutes and we came back home to the hotel).

Kaitlyn is one amazing little trooper and we are so proud of her. She’s in good spirits but tired.

She had a rough afternoon yesterday in recovery yesterday, vomiting and such, but by early evening, she finally kept food down and had a good night of sleep.  She was released around 10am this morning after her surgeon came by and said again she did great.

I have to say Brian and I are fairly exhausted, just from the stress of it all, especially leading up to it.  Kaitlyn doesn’t remember much going in to the surgery (thankful to the Versed (sp?) she had) which was especially great as she didn’t get to see her parents  trying to fight away the tears as we said good by to her at the operating room door.

The hospital here in Utah (University of Utah Children’s Hospital) has been amazing as well as the university hotel just around the corner from the hotel.. We only have the best things to say about our experience overall.   And we just love our surgeon Dr Marshall Smith, we were so happy we made the trip here.  He really is a pioneer in this field and has led the way for this procedure.  One of the ENT doctors from Stanford flew out to observe as well.

She’s still quite tired and in some pain (especially with eating and swallowing), but she is just getting Ibuprofen for the pain  (we have something stronger, but our little trooper is doing ok). 

We don’t hear any difference in her voice now, but that’s to be expected. The nerve that was connected to her non-functioning vocal cord will take some time to start generating impulses. Keep in mind this surgery will not give her a fully functioning cord again, as that nerve was severed when her heart surgery was done.  The hope is that her vocal cord wills start to “bulk up” as her brain and impulses start to try to control it.   It will not start functioning again.  But all that is needed is to close the open gap when her functioning cord tries to meet the non-moveable cord.  It could be 4 months till we notice any improvement, and then it could continue to improve for up to a year.

Thanks everyone for your well wishes on Facebook and texts as well.

Reinnveration of Vocal Cord nere from PDA ligaton

Brian, Kaitlyn (who is now 8 years old) and I are flying to Utah on Thursday next week to have a surgery done on Kaitlyn’s vocal cords (as well as have her adenoids removed).  Unfortunately this surgery was supposed to have been done within 7 years of injury (Kaitlyn is now 8).  I heard of it from a friend of mine back east who had it done on her daughter with great success (at age 7).  I had to fight my insurance for 3 months for them to approve us going to Utah, but I prevailed and we are heading out next week.

 Here is a link to a medical article published by the doctor we are going to on the procedure:

 

It is called a vocal cord nerve reinnervation.  It's ben shown that at least 35% of PDA ligations are resulting in paralyzed left vocal cords. I'm hoping that other parents will look into this procedure for their children as it has been shown it works better if this procedure is done within 7 years of injury.  (Kaitlyn is over 8, but I only just heard of it).

http://archotol.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleID=1486525

The surgery is Friday morning…

Thankfully it’s a low risk procedure and Kaitlyn should only be in the hospital one night.

Where has Liz Been?

Hi, wonder if I have any blog readers out there any more....(please chime in if you are still around??)

First of apologies to all for going MIA for so long.  I've struggled with figuring out where to start again when so much has happened, and my serious lack of time just led me to not writing anything. 

So rather than doing a "recap" of the last few years, I'll just start in from now and hopefully I can start blogging regularly again.

My little former Micro Preemie is Skiing!  And she's skiing Black Diamond runs!

Here is a link to 2 recent videos of her skiing at Alpine Meadows .

and another one:

I just had Kaitlyn's 7 year old check up (yes she is 7.5 but who's counting) and i was hit with a lot of emotions as the two of us walked in hand-in-hand (albeit terrified she was going to get a shot, she gets a bit OCD of fears), thankfully, as we've already passed flu season (and had the flu in the fall) no shots, so she was all smiles after the nurse took her stats.

44 pounds and 47".  Wow. 

The entire "physical" was more of the doctor asking Kaitlyn about behavior type issues, do you wear your helmet, do you help do chores around the house, etc.  Wow.  We have come a LONG LONG way. 

In winter years past we still spent many times at the docs due to all of her lung issues, many times doing breathing treatments, and if you can believe it, Not one time this winter!  oh my!  amazing!

She eats like a champ.  she loves sushi and will always try new foods.  This from my little one who had a feeding tube until she was 4 years old. 

Yes (remember I said I'm not going to recap the last few years) she has been diagnosed with ADHD.  Yes, she can be really hard to parent at times when she gets the "sillys" as we call them.  Yes it's very very frustrating. esp when I compare her to other children and notice that she is definitely "different".  Team sports can be very difficult.  Basketball, oh my.  so very frustrating.  Hard to see her get the medal at the end of the season and have her be so bummed out that she said to me she didn't deserve the medal.  So sad when she was so excited going into it.  That's on me.  I feel terrible. Both of us try so hard to get her to try to pay attention, to understand the game.   she is playing with other girls her same age (or a year older) and they are soooo much more advanced than she is.   I wish I didn't get so frustrated when she is flighting about the court.

I cry all the time at sappy kid things.  I still have so many flashbacks when Kaitlyn is up on stage or something like that. I think of so many things:  Of not being a mom.  Of loosing her sister.  Of how sick she was. of not knowing what type of life she'd have.  Look at her now!  she is AMAZING!  and then the tears come...my friends expect it now from me, oh liz is crying again! 

  Quinn is 4.5 years old, he's an emotiaitonal little guy, but boy is he darn cute (and he knows it too!) Life is good,  crazy busy... We all have our health.  We've come a long way since 2005 when my story started on July 26 when my water broke.  (a date routed in my memory FOREVER). 

Short and sweet, but at least it's a post!

Worldwide Candle Lighting

Having lost a baby myself, this is a really powerful worldwide event.

The closest location here in Marin as it the Unity Church in Hamilton, Novato. I’ll likely be attending.

If you can’t go in person, please light a candle from 7-8pm on Sunday 12/11 in honor of all those children who passed away much too soon.

Candle lighting begins in New Zealand and circles the globe for 24 hours, and there are some local events as well. More information is at
http://www.compassionatefriends.org/News_Events/Special-Events/Worldwide_Candle_Lighting.aspx

October 4th 2011 - Kaitlyn turns 6 today.

Well, as many of you know, I don’t seem to blog much any more ..Guess life kids and a busy working mom has gotten in the way of a lot.

But just had to write today, Today is my twins birthday….October 4th.

Still not an easy day for me, all my mind goes to is a scene I play over and over in my head as I’m being wheeled to the OR saying it’s too soon, it’s too soon and then later holding my daughter as she passed away…not really the best of memory days for me..

Today my surviving twin turned 6 years old! So hard for me to believe that she is really 6 years old.

She’s doing really, really well, all things considered.

From a 26 1lb/10 ounce little baby to a 33 pound TALL little girl that is doing really well in Kindergarten.

We had our age 6 IEP transition meeting and thankfully my school is really incredible and basically “found” a way for her to qualify again. They are so great at understanding that we still don’t really know if she is going to have issues when it comes to learning in a few more years and they would rather have the IEP in place (as would I) in case there are more issues that surface.

She gets preferential seating, she has a weighted Lap-buddy kitty-cat that the school provides to help stop her wiggles. With her paralyzed vocal cord, this allows the teacher to better hear her.

We had a doctor appointment today with a plastic surgeon to talk about correcting her gtube stoma site. He gave us 2 options to put her under a General now or wait until she is 10 and can sit still enough to do it under a local. As she is once again sick, I’m opting to wait until she’s older, it’s just cosmetic at this point, no need to rush, she’s not trying to impress anyone in a bikini yet!

And to think that this is one of our biggest decisions, that basically it’s for such a minor thing. She’s really doing well.

What I find most amazing of all is how many people tell me all the time how amazing, special and incredible Kaitlyn is. Her therapists, her teachers, strangers, people I’ve just met. Everyone comments on the fact that she is one of the most amzing, engaging children they’ve ever met and that she has a very special energy about her.

I know what that energy is, it’s her sister looking over her and making sure she’s ok. Corinne, we miss you terribly, but we thank you with the bottom of our heart for hanging in there long enough for our wonderful Kaitlyn to be here with us today and for your special looking out for her all the time.

My love to both of my girls on this October 4, 2011.

I love you Kaitlyn my sweet girl from the bottom of my heart, you are the most special, incredible little girl and I'm so lucky to be your mama. I love you Miss Kaitlyn!

Micro-Tinis in SF for our Micro Preemies!

Dear friends,

 If you aren’t aware of my story, I just wanted to tell you that I delivered extremely premature twins at 26 weeks gestation, and my life changed forever.


I have gotten involved with Nick Hall, who also lost a twin as I did with his wonderful non-profit named after the twin he lost: Graham.

Graham’s Foundation delivers NICU care packages to families who are currently experiencing the stress of delivering a micro preemie baby.  These care packages will be for our very own Bay Area Hospitals, like CPMC , UCSF, Alta Bates and more.
I’m hoping you can join me (I am the local sponsor for this event) in San Francisco on October 27th!

If you might be interested in helping our or donating to the silent auction for the event, please let me know also!

More info about the event:
Every year 50,000 extremely premature babies – those weighing less than 3 pounds and delivered at less than 29 weeks gestation – are born in the United States, and rates of prematurity are going up each year. The earliest newborns to survive often require intensive care for months and undergo countless medical procedures. Parents of these babies frequently feel isolated from friends and family due to the serious risk to their babies’ health, and this experience is unlike any they expected with the birth of their child.

Jennifer and Nick Hall understand the joys and the heartaches that are a part of the parenting journey that comes with extreme prematurity – their son, Graham, and daughter, Reece, were born at 25 weeks gestation. Graham was with them for just 45 days, while Reece spent four long months in the hospital before coming home. It was their experiences that inspired them to create Graham's Foundation.

You are cordially invited to San Francisco’s inaugural Micro-Tinis for Micro-Preemies fund-raiser, an evening filled with inspiring stories, endless martinis and tasty treats, all to help Graham's Foundation continue their mission of supporting parents of premature babies.

When: Thursday, October 27, 2011, 6:00 - 8:00 pm

Where: Hotel Monaco at 501 Geary Street in San Francisco

Ticket price: $75/person, $25/parents of preemies

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit our website.
event website

To order more than two tickets or information on sponsorship opportunities, please email Jen@grahamsfoundation.org

I saw this poem posted today on the Compassionite Friends Network (a group for child loss), I just had to share it: Compassionite Friends Network on Face Book

TO THOSE WHO LOOK AWAY
 To those who look away ...
when I grow teary-eyed in the baby department, look a little deeper.
Surely you have some compassion in your heart.
To those who change the subject when I speak my sons' names,
 change your way of thinking.

 It just might change your whole life.

To those who roll their eyes and say that we barely had them at all, how could we miss them so much, in our hearts we have seen them live a thousand times.
We have seen their first steps, first day of school, their weddings, and their children.

We have had them forever in our minds.

To those who say we can have another,
we did.
 I thank God for her everyday,
but even if I have twenty more babies,
 I will forever have two in the grave,
and that is two too many.

To those who say to get on with my life,
 I have.
 It is a different life,
The life of a grieving mother.

 One with a tremendous amount to be thankful for,
 but also one with a lot to mourn the loss of!
Do not judge the bereaved mother.

 She comes in many forms.
She is breathing,
but she is dying.
She may look young,
but inside she has become ancient.

She smiles, but her heart sobs.
 She walks, she talks, she cooks, she cleans, she works, she IS, but she IS NOT, all at once.

 She is here, but part of her is elsewhere for eternity.

Do not dismiss us: we have shaped more than just the future generation.

We have released all the tiny angels who are watching over you

Open your eyes to US
 and you just might see THEM

. ~~~ Author Unknown ~~~

So much, so little time

I guess when I'm so behind on blogging I don't even know where to start...

So quick run-down:
-Kaitlyn graduated from Preschool in June (mom cried of course).
-Quinn has in the midst of potty training, (he got the pee down very quickly, but the poop isn't going as well and mom is getting VERY tired of cleaning poop out of Thomas the Train and Buzz Lightyear underwear
-The McCarthy's have done some fun camping trips this summer
-Kaitlyn did a trial "hike" of a few miles on our last camping trip in preparation of a back-packing trip with Dad and Mom.
-Quinn turned 3 in July and was finally on the growth charts (at 23 pounds) I still swear he survives on air, he's not a big eater, (but I look at how far Kaitlyn has come so I'm not too worried).
-Kaitlyn has really taken to swimming and has even gotten the hang of treading water solo, so we are loving her being to be on her own in the pool safely finally.
-Quinn thinks he can swim but sinks immediately when pushing out of moms arms so is learning that he isn't really as capable as his sister as of this point.
-Quinn starts preschool in September 3 days a week.
-Kaitlyn starts Kindergarten next week. Mom is a bit freaked out actually. It's going to be such an emotional day for me for so many reasons... It seems that summer is only just hear weather wise and school starting seems way too soon.
-I continue to love where we live and get together with our neighbors all the time for swim parties and BBQ's. It's so nice to love where you live.
-As we redid our back yard and finished the end of last summer, it's been wonderful just hanging out and playing in our own back-yard most evenings this summer. what simple joys summer provides. I love watching and laughing as Q and K play in the yard.
-K had her semi-annual eye check the other day, and the doc indicated that her yes are some of the best ROP level 3 eyes he's ever seen. Her vision hasn't changed at all, and is fairly correctable with her glasses.
-I truly think that K has grown a foot in the last few months...she complains of growing pains in her ankles and is shooting up super fast all of a sudden, she also eats like there is no tomorrow. I still never get tired of watching her devour food and ask for seconds. She almost always eats two dinners, as right before bed she states she's hungry (I thought it was a stalling tactic) but she eats an entire 2nd dinner before bed.
-Neither K nor Q have been sick all summer, and everything has felt like we are just a regular family with regular non-preemie kids. What a joy!
-Kaitlyn really loves drawing and making art projects. I'll have to scan some of her work, she can spend hours on doing her art. She writes a lot of letters, but isn't reading or writing yet.
-Both Q and K love to give concerts, they sing and dance in the back yard, it's super cute! have some great videos of it!
-Quinn still pushes all of our buttons all the time. He loves to torment his sister in various ways, and is testing things all the time with mom and dad. We are using the "www.LoveandLogic.com method with him, with some success, and thankfully it brings down my stress level too. He is known on our street as not being the easiest of kids and I'll certainly agree with that.
-as part of potty training, we got rid of the changing table and got bunk-beds, Kaitlyn is thrilled to have her own space that Q can't bother her, but with Q not being in a crib any longer, the mornings start earlier at the McCarthys (kids used to sleep easily until 8am, that's not longer the case, but maybe good with K's school starting at 8am next week - will be a shock to all of us!
-Work has been busy and keeps me always on the go. The real estate market in Marin has kept fairly steady due to a somewhat limited supply of family oriented houses. But the market conditions make every transaction much harder (and stressful).
-I played ultimate frisbee this summer for the first time in 2 years. In our Marin Summer league and our team came in first place. It was super fun for me to play every wednesday evening, I'm going to miss it. Loved doing something for "me" for a change!
-My micro preemie support group on facebook has now almost 1,000 members! Crazy
-I continue to help others with my support group, but just haven't been blogging as much as I'd like. I still promise to get my book published one of these days!

I hope you and your families are doing well. I'm sorry I haven't blogged at all. It's on my mind all the time, just too much to post so didn't post anything at all!

Preemie Mother's Oath

It seems like I could have written this...
The following words truely state exactly how I feel in so many ways...This was very meaningful for me!

I have sat in the NICU and waited.
I have cried and prayed.
I have endured.

Like most things in life, the people who truly have appreciation are those who have struggled to attain their dreams.
I will notice everything about my child.
I will take time to watch my child sleep, explore and discover.
I will marvel at my surviving miracle every day for the rest of my life.

I will be happy when I wake in the middle of the night to the sound of my child, knowing that I can comfort, hold and feed him and that I am not waking to a nurse taking another temperature, an alarm going off, another round of meds or because I am crying tears for fear of the unknown.
I will be happy because my baby is alive and crying out for me.

I count myself lucky in this sense; that God has given me this insight, this special vision with which I will look upon my child that my friends will not see.

Whether I parent a preemie with physical challleges or medical issues, I will not be careless with my love.

I will be a better mother for all that I have endured. I am a better wife, a better aunt, a better daughter, neighbor, friend and sister because I have known pain.

I know disillusionment as I have been betrayed by my own body.
I have been tried by fire and hell many never face, yet given time, I stood tall.

I have prevailed.
I have succeeded.
I have won.

So now, when others hurt around me, I do not run from their pain in order to save myself discomfort. I see it, mourn it, and join them in theirs.

I listen.

And even though I cannot make it better, I can make it less lonely. I have learned the immense power of another hand holding tight to mine, of other eyes that moisten as they learn to accept the harsh truth and when life is beyond hard. I have learned a compassion that only comes with walking in those shoes.

I have learned to appreciate life.

Yes I will be a wonderful mother.

Author Unknown

My son, the blond Mexican..

You'd think that my son wasn't blond, blue haired...

He doesn't like to eat....except when it comes to Mexican food. He LOVES LOVES LOVES rice and beans, pico-de-gallo salsa, chips, guacamole....you name it as long as it's not too spicy.

Well tonight (after yet another night for dinner at Chipotle, as the little guy is still only 23 pounds and is 2 1/2 years old). I decided to google Chipotle rice and I found the recipe online. Yeah Google. I haven't tried to make it yet, but I'm hoping he'll eat the same at home!

I found this on the CopyKat.com blog...very cool!

Chipotle rice receipie:

Featured in my local Newspaper

Today my story was featured in my local newspaper, the Marin Independent Journal.

Here is the link to the article. In the online article they didn't include any of the pictures that were in the print article so I am including those pictures here:

I was contacted by the features writer and he didn't know much about preemies at all. He asked me what angle the story should take, I told him that I felt the main stream media did a horrible job of telling the stories of micro preemies, that the story is usually, "...oh so and so had a baby weighing just 1 plus pounds and they survived, it's a miracle...the family was released from the NICU and all is just great..." bleck! I hate that story. Think of Octo mom, think of the Duggans, think of any other story. it always ends at release from the NICU. My point is that's when the "REAL" story starts, that's when the families start realizing how hard it is to have a baby that is so fragile and that will likely have life-time lasting effects from their prematurity. That's the real story and Paul Liberatore did a great job of telling the untold part of the story of having micro preemies.

I've had a lot of out-reach since the story was published, with other thanking for telling the real story and to thank the write for doing such a great job!.

Here is the link:

March for Babies 2011

Wow, hard to believe it's that time again...We have been doing the March for Babies Walk now for 5 years!

This year I was honored to be asked to be the California State Family Teams Co-chair!

If you would like to walk with us or donate money to our team, here is the link to do so:
McCarthy Family Team


I created this video for the walk 2 years ago, every time I go back and watch it I remember how amazing my daughter is and how much she has been through.

(and still going through). Last night she want to the hospital to have a chest xray as her crappy lungs just can't handle getting sick. and she has walking pneumonia...

March of Dimes San Francisco Ambassador Family 2009 from lizmccarthy on Vimeo.

Here is a picture of the California State Family Teams Chairs (and me) at our recent Family Teams Retreat in San Francisco.

Brian and King of the Hammers

McCarthy Motor Sports in King of the Hammers 2011






Well this has nothing to do with our kids...except to show where daddy has been for the last few years..

I'm so proud of my husband I had to share:

For all of you who know that Brian’s “hobby” has been building a 4x4 Rock Buggy, well, after 2 years… it’s done!

He entered in the “Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ)” for the big King of the Hammers Race in Johnson Valley (down in the LA desert)… and lo and behold he did great and finished…Well he not only finished but he finished #8 out of 120 entrants, VERY IMPRESSIVE…. so he got himself a space in the King of the Hammers race which is Friday.

He built the entire buggy by hand (with a lot of help from his friend Shawn Heywood) but without any sponsors…

This is a REALLY BIG deal.

His brand new-just finished buggy has only been out of the shop 2 times….In all of Brian’s rock crawling “career” he’s probably driven 50 miles (if that…)

His co-pilot for the race (who has also sacrificed a lot of time with his family) is Shawn Heywood…

The King of the Hammers 2011 (2/11/11) is a grueling 120 mile fast race over dessert sand as well as major rocks, boulders, hills… There are exactly 100 entrants in the race. They will leave 2 at a time in 2 minute intervals, one after another and the first over the finish lines wins. Brian’s starting time in the cue is actually quite good (In the top 40 - based on his impressive finish in the LCQ).

It will take them about 12 hours…his goal is to finish, many buggy's tip over, break or any other number of things….be safe boys.

This video clip from the last 2 days of of the LCQ race was just posted and I thought I had to share (it doesn’t include brian in the clip, but it’s worth watching). This video REALLY shows how amazing this race is:



I did attach a few pictures that were taken of Brian’s #415 buggy during yesterday’s LCQ that I found online (I’m home with the kids).

If you want to follow the live feed for the race, it will be here:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/king-of-the-hammers-2011/friday.php
Watch by 8:00 am as his start time will be not that long after 8:00am.

Brian doesn’t have a “tracker” chip, so we can’t watch him directly, but you can see the track of the race here (they do 2 loops).
http://www.pirate4x4.com/king-of-the-hammers-2011/tracking.php

Be safe guys….

Update:

Well Brian is home safe and sound, (he was tired and DIRTY), but made it home safely. Heres a picture of hte buggy parked in front of our house.

During the race, Brian's engine cooling fans (even the back up one) both seized up (maybe do to the amazing dust?) so he only made it to mile 18 (of 120). Of the 100 racers, only 44 finished the race. THis is ONE tough race.

The cool thing is that someone took and posted a video of part of his qualifying run, here is the video:

Corinne's name in the sand

Last year I posted Corinne's name to be "written" in the sand in Australia by a wonderful, amazing woman who lost a child and gives back to all of us by writing our children's names in the sand.

Of course tears sprang to my eyes.

I thought you might like to see Corinne's name with a beautiful sunset:

Corinne

Carly is amazing, if you'd like to have your child's name written in the sand, visit her blog:
Names in the Sand

Happy Holidays and Happy 2011

We hope you had a wonderful holiday season and wishing you all the best in 2011~!!

And what did we do for Christmas this year???

Here is the McCarthy 2010 Christmas Card!

Sorry if you didn't get a mailed one, just soo many friends on my list, at least I sent out cards this year!

Twins...Tears..and the Nutcracker

Today I sent this email to my friends in my local SF Bay Area Twinless Twin Support Group:


Hi Everyone, I’m so sorry for having been so absent the last year, where has the time gone…I had way too much on my plate.

But a number of things have made me realize how much I miss the support from all of you, and would love to try to plan a dinner date for after the holidays.

1. I know how hard the holidays are for everyone..I know how sad I feel and wanted to reach out to all of you in support.

2. Kaitlyn turned 5 year this and I absolutely LOST it at her birthday party, much worse than for her prior birthdays…I had to leave the room as I was sobbing.

3. I took her to the Nutcracker last night and lost it there too…Kaitlyn watched enthralled, sittinng on my lap as tears were streaming down my face for the first 30 minutes of the ballet – will this ever stop…tears for being so happy that Kaitlyn and I were at the nutcracker, tears that I'm a mother, tears for the fact that Kaitlyn was still with me after all she's been through, tears for missing her sister, tears for oh I don’t know, I couldn’t stop them…

4. Today was the annual candle lighting world wide ceremony at 7pm…for the compassionate friends Network..where you are to light a candle in memory of children who have passed too soon.

5. Not sure if you heard on the news, but a few days ago an 18 month old twin fell into a fountain in SF, and I just heard the twin passed away. I'm just heart broken for this family, as I know a bit of what their future will feel like....

My love, thoughts, compassion and prayers go out to all of your during the holiday season..

...and to all of my blog readers who have been through loss or hardship during this holiday season...

Santa 2010

Well, it was a VERY expensive trip to Santa this year!!!!

After a bit of a hectic Santa picture, mom lost her camera...

Mom is VERY bummed out. I actually think someone grabbed it in the hecticness (probably not a word but I like it anyways)...

So the $35.00 fee to the Santa company is now well over $300 if I have to replace my camera..

UPDATE - YEAH I found it! It was tucked into the canopy of my stroller - probably the only place I didn't look a million times..so very happy!

Tube fed toddler makes the news - Today Show

I'm always happy to hear when the mainstream media picks up stories that are close to my heart...

Here is a story about a tube fed little boy and the Graz feeding clinic in Austria (where friends of mine have actually gone).

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy