Playing and loving with friends

ENT

Nolan has had an ear infection every month since October. With this last ear infection we saw another doctor in the practice and after he looked at the history, he said he was referring us to an ENT. FINALLY! I'm pretty sure we went to the doctor every week in December because I kept thinking he had an ear infection. His only symptoms are that he doesn't eat and doesn't sleep well. This time I took him to the doctor because he had a high fever for 3 days and it turned out that he had a nasty infection in his left ear. Fast forward a 2 weeks and we are at the ENT. He just finished a round of antibiotics and they tell me he has an ear infection in both ears! They also did a hearing test. Neither ear drum moved and he also has hearing loss. I knew during the test that he wasn't hearing the tones and my heart sank. Good news is that he's a severe case so the doctor made time for us next Thursday at 5:30am to get tubes. Hopefully this will solve the eating issue and help with his speech. We will do another hearing test one month after the surgery to see if he has recovered his hearing loss.

Silver Linings Playbook - a movie review

 

Let me start this review by saying mental illnesses have always been an interest of mine. I guess that's part of the reason I went into special education. I think my uncle peeked my interest in this subject too. My Uncle Steve had schizophrenia and I always wondered how his minded worked because most of what he did and said did seem to follow a normal pattern, meaning I could not predict what he would say or do next but he was always nice to me. So back to the movie. Silver Linings Playbook was wonderful in it's portrayal of a man with a bipolar disorder and it was amazing to see what happens when he takes his medication and when he doesn't. I don't want to give away to much, so I'll just say I loved it.

I couldn't help but compare it to A Beautiful Mind, where Russell Crowe portrays a man with schizophrenia. I had a sudden awareness that a person with a bipolar disorder can lead a normal life under the right circumstance but a person with schizophrenia cannot.

Having boys I worry that they may develop a mental illness since members of my family have mental illnesses and it is more prevalent in males. So I did ask the geneticist if the chromosome 16 has been associated with schizophrenia and the short answer is that it is not. Schizophrenia is likely to develop in people that are already fragile in some way. So if my boys follow a normal path in life they should not develop schizophrenia, but due to me having an anxiety disorder and depression they are likely to have to struggle with these mental illnesses. But after seeing Silver Linings Playbook I feel like these are easily managed. I mean after all I'm managing my anxiety.

Boobaversary

Well my 1 year boobaversary came and went without me even thinking about, which to me means that the mastectomy was a success. Before the mastectomy I thought about breast cancer daily and now it's not a worry. While I count the mastectomy a success, the reconstruction I'm still dealing with. At the time I did not want to do reconstruction and I still don't want it. It may have been helpful to the emotional healing from this surgery, but I don't like the way they feel. I have aches on the left side and on the right their is weird stuff with the muscles. If I touch the middle of my chest it tickles the muscle under right arm. Maybe I'll have them taken out when the time comes when they should be exchanged. I know that clothes won't fit right, but that's an issue I already have with my thighs.

Still Running in Crazy Indiana Weather

In just a matter of 2 days I went from running in this to running in this.

Just helping myself

Too heavy

These guys are now too heavy to push around.

Evidence that he does eat

A rarity around our house these days.

Genetic Counselor and Geneticist/Neurologist

Nolan and I finally got to meet with the Geneticist/Neurologist. Let me preface this with all that I say here is paraphrased from what I can remember. First a genetic counselor came in and talked with us for a long time and answered my questions. She started by explaining where his partial or micro deletion is and what info is stored on that chromosome. She also had an article that was published last year of a 12 year old boy with the same deletion. I haven't read the article yet but we discussed the similarities and differences between the Nolan and the boy. It turns out that the boy has problems with the left side, specifically the left leg, which is Nolan's problem leg too. The boy has autism, Nolan does not, but the boys father was odd too. Apparently a lot of cases of autism are due to deletion on this chromosome, but their chromosome usually has more information deleted than Nolan's.
My main questions where regarding his heart, eyes, and urethra. And the answer was when problems arise with those areas then we will address them. These are all areas that seem to have serious issues in people with deletions on 16p13.3 .
It was suggested that he get the genetic testing again because the lab that did his tested has not been accurate in the past. Since this is a $6000 test we will wait until we meet our deductible and revisit if we want to do this again. If he does have the micro deletion then they would want to test one of his parents, because this is usually hereditary. At this point there is no follow up because we aren't even sure that he has it now.

An afternoon of experiements

First we made oobleck, which is cornstarch and water. It's really neat but very messy. It's a solid when you grab it but turns to a liquid.

Next up, cut up pipecleaners in a bottle and a magnet.

Then we did glitter glue and water in a bottle. It is supposed to settle after you shake it. Ours never settled.

And finally baking soda with vinegar and food coloring. Even after the baking soda is saturated it still bubbles.

And all of this was possible because of the few hours I spent organizing my craft supplies.

Ahh

Found the frog paci

and he was dancing in a box with it.

Can you tell which one is from our chicken?

Family Birthdays

Here are some pictures of David and me from our childhood. Right now it's hanging on the wall but I need to attach hanging tags of family birthdates under the month.

Beans

I love when they play nice together. Even if causes a mess of beans everywhere.

No need to program it

I have Nolan that is happy to make a coffee or tea for me any time of day.