Day Trip: Fossil Rim Wildlife Center

We are back from a day of enjoying our first outing as a family of 5!  We have been searching for activities in which we can be socially distant, and also something where we could stay relatively cool (because it's August and it's Texas...) So an outing that happened to be two hours from us that fit all of these criteria - Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose.

The Fossil Rim Wildlife Center is an endangered species research and conservation center which currently allows self-guided tours in your vehicle around the 7.2-mile Gosdin Scenic Drive. Since we would be staying in our car the entire time and the only contact we would have is upon entering to have our phone scanned, we felt comfortable with this outing with Jude. There was a bit of line waiting to enter the park, but it went pretty quick and "Africa" by Toto came on right as we were entering, which seemed appropriate 😀

During Covid-19, they require that all tickets be pre-purchased online.  Once you choose a date to visit, you select an hour window in which you can enter.  Pricing is $24.95 for guests ages 12 and older and $19.95 for guests 3-11. Anyone younger than 3 is free. Admission includes a Species Identification Guide and a bag of food to feed the animals.

Our first animal sighting was the Common Wildebeest:

Meanwhile, we were being followed by a very hungry and determined ostrich.  He was NOT in a good mood and we had already seen him pecking at someone else in their car, so we tried to keep our distance and the windows went up when he walked by 😂

Next we passed a group of Blackbucks, who were small with beautiful horns:

On the other side of the road was a group of Arabian Oryx:

Of course we had to get a few photos of the animals inside the car!  (Going to go ahead to put a note here that the speed limit inside the park is 15 mph and you can only go one way, so we allowed the boys to unbuckle and look out the open windows).

Halfway through the drive, we stopped at the Overlook area for a potty break. The area immediately following the Overlook is the Giraffes!  They were the only animals that you are allowed to hand feed; however, when we went by they weren't feeling very hungry.  They are so beautiful though!  And the baby is so cute 😍

Up close and personal, we got to see the Hartmann's Mountain Zebras:

An animal I had never seen before: Aoudad - They have very unique eyes that are really yellow and pretty, but I wasn't able to get a good photo.  They were extremely close to the car though and the boys threw them the last of our food.

One of the last sections was the Cheetah Habitat, which the boys were really excited about (until they realized they wouldn't be running around 65-mph). Instead, they were lazing about in the shade:

Some other animals that we also saw, but I didn't catch photos of were:  American Bison, Fallow Deer, Emu, Sable Antelope, and Southern White Rhino.

By the end of our drive the boys declared they were HUNGRY and didn't seem very interested in the animals anymore.  Glen Rose is a small town (Population 2,444), but they had several fast food places.  We did the drive-through at Burger King, which satisfied everyone's hunger pangs, then headed home.

It was a great day outing for our family that was family- (and baby-) friendly, while still allowing us to maintain the safety measures we need during this time.  If you looking for a fun outing for your family that allows you to enjoy the AC and the outdoors at the same time, we highly recommend Fossil Rim!

Here is the website if you would like more information about Fossil Rim Wildlife Center:  https://fossilrim.org/

Some notes/helpful tips:

• No pets allowed
• If you exit your vehicle at the Admission area or Overlook, you must wear a mask
• They have Porta-Potties at the Admission area and Overlook area, which we did have to use and were some of the cleanest Porta-Potties I have ever encountered
• The speed limit inside the park is 15 mph

Jude 6 Month Update

Good afternoon!  I know we haven't written in a while, because thankfully there haven't been any major changes with Jude or our family.  I so look forward to the days when we can fill this blog with posts of travels and fun family days.  Until then, we will continue to give updates of Jude's progress.  Jude turned 6 months old on July 31, and he continues to do well with his oxygen sats.  We were scheduled to visit Houston last week, but due to the increase of COVID-19 cases in Houston, we were able to push it off until September.  He continues to see his cardiologist here in Dallas and she is pleased with how he is doing.

Children with Congenital Heart Disease commonly encounter developmental issues, so it is important that we have Jude monitored throughout his life.  This will help to identify any issues early on and get him help if it determined that he may need it. We just finished a televisit with the Developmental Outcomes Clinic in Houston, where they asked questions about Jude's development and watched him perform a few simple activities to monitor his progress.  His doctor seemed pleased with all the answers and video and Jude has been given the all-good from that clinic for another 6 months. That's great news to know that he continues to grow both physically and mentally on path as he should.  

To finish the post, here's a spot of cuteness to hopefully brighten your day:

Right now, we don't have any definite dates of his upcoming surgery, but will keep everyone posted.  Thank you for following along!

Permission to Dream

For anyone who has talked for me more than 5 minutes, you know that I love to travel, like LOVE.  I want to see it all, do it all, embrace the adventure that is life.  Unfortunately, after learning about Jude’s congenital heart disease last September, our travels immediately came to a halt.  Our focus suddenly switched to finding the best care for Jude and preparing for a future with a child with health needs.  Add to that COVID-19 and our travels have been suspended indefinitely. 

Several studies have confirmed that people are happier when they have a vacation planned.  This paper published in 2002 says, "It appears that those are waiting to go on a holiday are much happier with their life as a whole, experience less negative or unpleasant feelings and thus enjoy an overall net positive effect or pleasant feelings.  The holiday-taking group are also happier with their family, economic situation and health domains compared to the non-holiday-taking group." I've found this to definitely to be true for us personally ~ planning the adventure is half the fun!

  

At Jude’s last appointment with his Houston cardiologist I asked some pointed questions about travel and was given some good news and not-so-good news.  Good news – post-COVID he will be able to fly – yay!  However, due to his heart condition and depending upon what kind of surgeries he actually will receive, he may not ever be able to travel to high elevations (anything over 8,000 feet).  Not the end of the world, but definitely a disappointment.  Our family loves Colorado and some of our best trips have been to the mountains.  After being sad for a few days, I decided to mentally pivot.  Yes, there are things Jude will not be able to physically do, but we aren’t going to focus on those.  Instead, we are going to focus on things he CAN do.  So, no right now we can’t travel due to COVID, but we CAN dream. 

So that brings me to our Top 10 list…our Top 10 Dream Travel Destinations.  After a family meeting and laying out our dreams, we came up with our top 10 places we all really want to visit as a family.  These are all places we have never visited before with no limits..  Granted, these may not happen for several years (allowing Jude to have his surgeries and grow a little bigger & for us to save our $$$), but one day we hope to see them all.

10. Philadelphia

Independence Hall, Cheesesteak, Liberty Bell, and Rocky

Okay, so maybe it’s not really high on a lot of people’s list, but in addition to travel, I also really love food and cheesesteak?!? Come on people! It’s steak on bread with liquid cheese – all things which truly make my heart happy.  I also would love to be able to show the boys where our country began.  To top it all off, Philadelphia also has a wonderful Children’s Hospital for cardiology, so I would feel really good about traveling here with Jude while he is in between surgeries.   

9. Maine

Lobster Rolls, LL Bean, Ocean views, be the first to see the sunrise in the United States

 This one has been on my list ever since I read Sarah, Plain and Tall in the 6^th grade.  Lobster, coastlines, beaches, lobster rolls, boardwalks, did I mention lobster?  Again, this is a destination where I would love to eat at!  And our beach babes love the beach (no matter what the water temperature is)

8.  London

British Museum, West End shows, Double Decker Bus Tours, Afternoon Tea, etc.

London has been on our list since before we were married, but just hasn’t happened yet.  A) It’s expensive and B) Every time we had a trip scheduled there, we had to cancel for various reasons.  Since they speak English, it’s an easy trip to take out of the country and definitely a place to take kids to.

7.  Paris

Eiffel Tower, Crepes, Crème Brulee, Louvre

Paris…the city of Love. Josiah watched a Puppy Dog Pals episode set in Paris and he talks all the time about it being the City of Light. J The food here alone is enough to put it on our wish list, but combined with the culture and atmosphere…no brainer

6. The Galapagos Islands

This is one Alex and I wanted to be sure was included.  I love watching animals, and what better place to get to see so many unique ones?

5.  Greek Islands Cruise

Our family loves cruising, so Josiah wanted to put something on the list that was a cruise with islands that we had never been to before.  That’s how we landed on The Greek Islands.  Santorini is truly a dream vacation destination for us, but being able to travel to several islands on one trip would be even more fun!

4.  Australia

Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, Bridge Climb on the Sydney Harbor Bridge

Australia has been on the top of Jesse’s list for a while.  Again, an easy place to travel because there isn’t a language barrier; however, the distance and time required has caused us to push it off in the past.  Love the mixture of city, desert, and ocean this vacation would provide!

3.  Japan

Stay in a Ryokan, Home of Pokemon, Disneyland Tokyo, Ride a bullet train, Bamboo forest

Alex is a lover of all things Japan, so this is his personal #1.  The food, the culture, and the atmosphere is something he really wants to experience.  I personally have a goal to visit all of the Disney parks across the globe and Tokyo has 2!

2.  Tahiti

Stay in an overwater bungalow

Tahiti is another location that has been on our wish list since before children, but just never got a chance to happen.  Cost and location have always been prohibitive.  After watching several documentaries with the kids about French Polynesia and hello, Moana, they are all onboard for a visit as well.  Boy Alex and Josiah loved Hawaii in the past and the idea of being able to jump out of your hotel room into the ocean is something that can’t wait to do.

1.  The Maldives – Soneva Jani

I had heard of the Maldives in the past and the photos I’ve seen are absolutely gorgeous, but it wasn’t until watching a travel video recently that I was completely sold on this being a family vacation destination.  The overwater villas are big enough for our entire family to enjoy along with a private pool.  They have a kids’ club and a spa, crystal clear water, and hammocks over the water.  I ask – what more could you possibly ask for?  When I think of paradise, the Maldives are exactly what I have in mind.

There you have it – our family’s Top 10 Dream Destinations.  So now we challenge you, what is your dream travel destination?  We would love to hear your ideas!

Good Reports for Jude!

Just finished with our cardiology and hematology appointments here in Houston. He had his echo first, then met with the cardiologist. The cardiologist is pleased with how he looks and how he is doing. We will have a follow up with her again in 6 weeks.  The goal is still for him to continue to grow bigger before he has to have his first open heart surgery.

Next, we went to hematology (yesterday he had he ultrasounds done on his legs) and were told his blood clots are gone! Which means no more shots!!! Jude (and mom and dad) are super cute excited about this. This means for the first time in his 4 months of life he will go one day without having to be poked on. Shedding some tears of joy here right now!

We are now headed back home after a nice visit in Louisiana this past weekend and his appointments here. Thankful for the good news!

Next steps for Jude are his pediatrician appointment later this week. Then we will return to Plano in 6 weeks to meet with his cardiologist there.

Taking a nap during his ultrasound 

Alex enjoying our welcome gift at the hotel

Waiting to see the cardiologist

Cath Complete and We’ve Been Released

Lots of good news to report today! Jude had his heart cath this morning and it went well. They were able to expand his stent, which helped his oxygen saturations go up to the 80s. While that would normally be a bad number, for him that is great and will buy him some time before he needs his open heart surgery. Since the procedure was relatively straightforward, and he did really well with the anesthesia this time, Jude was discharged and we are back at the hotel now!

During his recovery time, he had two ultrasounds and an echo to check his blood clots and his heart. The good news is that his blood clots have shrunk; unfortunately they are still there and he is required to get shots for 6 more weeks. At that time he will have another ultrasound to re-evaluate. While it is a bummer that he has to continue the shots, it is good to know that the medicine is working.

The echo came back good and our next step is a televisit with his Houston cardiologist next week.

It was a little eerie in the hospital today. Jude and I were the only ones in recovery today so he received a lot of personalized service from his nurses. Everyone was really wonderful and did a great job of taking care of him. It truly takes a village to take care of the heart kiddos like Jude, and Texas Children’s is a village we are thankful for. Covid-19 has completely changed the medical world and the way it operates. I am thankful Jude was still able to receive the care he needs even during this time of uncertainty.

I also wanted to say thank you to Ms. Tammy Schamerhorn for providing our dinner for tonight. The boys were super spoiled with their very on cheese pizza!

So many have helped us in the last year and we can’t say thank you enough. From gifts, to showers, to taking care of our oldest boys, to providing us meals, and all the uplifting notes and messages sent. We are truly grateful for the friends and family God placed in our lives. Thank you all!

Cath Procedure Tomorrow

We are in Houston relaxing in our hotel room this afternoon, waiting for Jude’s heart cath tomorrow morning. He and I went to the hospital this morning for his Covid test and some pre-op bloodwork. Jude was definitely not a fan of the nose swab or pokes for bloodwork. The hospital is still only allowing one parent to go in with him, so Jesse and the boys are hanging out at the hotel while Jude and I go back and forth. Tomorrow morning we have to be there bright and early for his cath. The procedure will take several hours, then he will have to recover and get some post-op tests including an echo and ultrasound. We should also find out this week if his Lovenox (shots) will have to be continued another 6 weeks or if his clots are gone. We may have to spend the night in the hospital, depending on how he does after his procedure.

I know Covid-19 has completely turned the world upside down, and the same applies to the hospital. It is heartbreaking to know there are dads that don’t get to see their babies after the first couple of days until they are discharged from the hospital, which could be months. And moms are handing their babies over for emergent surgeries with no one to hold their hand while they wait for the news to know if their baby has survived. And I can only imagine how scary this is for those going through cancer treatments or have no immunity during this time. I know that we have all been affected in different ways during the pandemic, but seeing how some others are suffering makes me realize how much I have to be thankful for.

The hospital is only allowed to do extremely urgent cases right now. Jude’s procedure falls into this category. If his flow levels and sats are not kept in a certain window, he will not be a candidate for his open heart surgery he needs later this year. And he will not be able to survive without that open heart surgery. Thank you for following along, and I’ll be posting tomorrow with updates.

Cardiology appointment in Plano

Good morning! Jude just finished his cardiology appointment at Children’s in Plano. He is looking good, his sats are doing well, and he’s gaining weight. Which means he was given the green light. 😊

Our next planned step is a cath lab procedure to open up his left pulmonary artery and possibly balloon his stent. Right now, this is currently scheduled for April 23 in Houston. Texas Children’s is constantly changing their protocols and procedures now, so not sure if that will change. He will also get another ultrasound on his leg to check his blood clot status during that visit. We have been told to plan to spend one night in the hospital following the cath procedure since he will require anesthesia.

We will keep you updated and thanks for following along!

Jude getting an EKG