Update On the Girls

Dr. Chugani's office called, and to our surprise, recommended we maintain the dose of the girls' meds. I guess we're OK with this. Part of me was kind of hoping for a higher dose, to see how much better the girls could get, but the other part of me thinks they're doing so well, they may not need more medication. I certainly don't want them to have medication they don't need. We made an appointment to see him in January, and we'll follow up with him then, assuming they don't have any major "episodes". Here's praying! (Please join me.)

You can rest easy now, I finally got that TB test taken care of. Why it took all summer, I'll never know. Mike has his physical scheduled for next week, so after that we'll finally be done with all the prep-type paperwork that readies us for adoption.

We registered Cherry for school yesterday. She'll start next Wednesday (we get back from NYC Tuesday evening). She said she's not nervous at all, only excited. We'll see. She's SO shy at first. I warned her teacher. We got to meet her yesterday, Mrs. Wittgen, when we signed her up. The school looks adorable, and is set up very different from any school I've ever seen. The classrooms don't really have doors, but very large entranceways that all lead into this big semi-circle, and everything is carpeted. Cherry was VERY quiet, but I could tell she was soaking everything up. We were there in the afternoon, so we didn't get to see her classmates. I'm thinking this will be a very positive experience for her.

I'm completely OFF my diet! Ever since the last challenge ended, coupled with the fact that I'm going to NYC, I have NOT been very good. When I get back, it's back on! I will NEVER gain all that weight back. NEVER! NEVER!

Our Daniel Bible study was yesterday, and it was better than ever! I was actually crying tears of joy near the end of the video session when Beth Moore was talking about all the prophecies that have come true in Daniel, and then about the prophecies yet to come regarding Jesus' return! Sometimes it just gets ya, ya know? I wanted to stand up and shout "Hallelujah!". Of course I didn't. I should have, huh? Chicken.

Cherry's Awana Cubbies' leader from last year had a guinea pig (Tessie) that she didn't want anymore, since she was getting a dog. She asked me last week if I wanted it, or knew anyone that did. I asked Dan, and he said, sure, they'd take it. So, Reva brought it to church last night and we took it home with us. The girls had me put Tessie's cage right on their nightstand, between their beds, so they could sleep by it last night. They want a pet in the worst way, but we're sticking by our "No Pets" rule (so far). At least they got to have one overnight. Dan's taking it home today. That cedar bedding the thing has in her cage STINKS! Yuk! I'm glad she's going home today - I'll have to air out their room and spray disinfectant.

In an unrelated story, we slept in this morning and Trinity missed her bus. Well, I guess I should say I slept in this morning. When I woke up, I could tell it was late because it was too bright outside. I knew I set my alarm, so I checked it, and the time zone was set to Mountain time. (Darling children!!!) I drove Trin to school this morning (she thought she was cool getting a Tardy Pass from the office). Later this morning when Cherry and I were taking Emma to the toy store to buy her birthday present, I heard her say to Emma that Trin missed her bus this morning because when they heard the bus, they thought it was the garbage truck (for some reason this really tickled her because she was laughing so hard she could hardly tell Emma!).

Until next time . . .

School, you say? Yes, I'm back in school. I'm taking a Sign Language class at Macomb Community College on Thursday nights. It's 3 hours, although the teacher's always letting us out early (which really frosts me! I'm paying good money for this!!!). Anyway, it's amazing how quiet it is in class seeing as how we're not supposed to be using our voices at all (a nice break from these loud girls of mine!). Our teacher is deaf, and she communicates mainly with sign language and some writing on the board. She DOES have a little bit of a voice, which she uses when she's trying to communicate some deeper concepts. I have GOT to be the oldest one in my class! Last Thursday when the teacher had to leave and cancel class, leaving us with a few instructions, I ended up answering everyone's questions and collecting the roster sheet, etc. The one boy said, "Since you could understand everything the teacher said, why don't you be in charge?" LOL!

OK, the girls' tests. Two weeks ago, the girls went in to Children's Hospital yet again for overnight EEG's. This time went much more smoothly than last (when they wrapped Cherry's head too tight, and she had welts on her forehead longer than a month!). I talked to the nurse practitioner today, who informed me that their numbers (percentages of epileptic brain activity) were exactly the same as the test from 4 months ago. Kind of a bummer. We're trying to figure out whether the medication is doing any good. They were already doing "better" BEFORE they started the clobazam, so we're not entirely sure whether it's doing anything or not. She said that Dr. Chugani would probably suggest higher dosages for both of them since they are currently not at a very high dose. We're waiting to hear what his recommendation will be. He'll most likely call back today or tomorrow.

We tried to get Charity into the Hearing Impaired program (where Trinity's at), but to no avail. Because she is testing well in all areas except for speech, they are only approving speech therapy for her right now. They said if we see any change in her at all, we can get her in for another round of testing, and see what the results are then. Of course, we tried to explain to them that we think the HI program is the best spot for her now so that she can learn as much sign as possible in preparation for any decrease in speech or comprehension that may occur due to the nature of her disorder. But, they're stickin' by their original recommendation. That really frosts me, too, because you know it's really all about the money and their budgets. So, we are going to enroll her into morning half-day Kindergarten. Since our home school doesn't provide half-day Kindergarten, she'll be bussed to Westwood Elementary (our "home" school), then picked up by the Pinewood Elementary bus (the school that offers the half-day options) at Westwood. How crazy is that? She has a bus layover! LOL! Anyway, we figure if she's in a program at the school every day where a teacher can be watching her and documenting any abnormal behaviors in speech or comprehension, this could only help in getting her into the HI program next year. And if she does wonderfully through this upcoming year, then I guess she doesn't need the HI program at all. They DID approve her for speech therapy, so she'll be able to get that at school.

Awana started a few weeks ago, and the girls are both Sparks this year. How cool that they can be together for that! It's been a bit of a rough start for Cherry, too, being able to memorize and recite larger passages (just like it was for T last year), but she's amazing me in the same way T did!

My sister and two of our best friends (Stephanie and Kim) joined a women's KCC study: Daniel by Beth Moore. It's a video study with an accompanying work book which is a bit homework-intensive, but we are all LOVING it! We have a small group, where we go over our homework, then all the small groups gather in the chapel to watch the video that goes with the upcoming week's homework. This is my first Beth Moore study. People have told me that I'll either love her studies or hate them. I don't know WHO IN THE WORLD could ever not enjoy her studies if they're all like this one. We've only done one week so far, yet I'm already amazed by the things I've learned!

We're going to New York City for a family trip from Saturday morning to Tuesday evening! We are all so excited! Mike and I have been there before, and now we get to share the craziness of the biggest city in the world with the girls. They are going to be floored!!! Since our flight leaves at 6am Saturday morning, we're spending the night at a hotel near the airport Friday night. I think just flying on a plane will be so much excitement for them, the trip could end right there! LOL!

Well, I guess that's enough for now. Check in again soon . . .

I'm Back!

I don't know WHAT happened to the time since I last posted! Don't ask. You'd think there would be MORE free time during the summer. I'm confused.

Well, to sum up the summer, we had a blast (and some tears)! There was Hope's baptism, the Warren City Fair, trips up to Oscoda, Joe's graduation (brilliant and homeschooled, no less! go figure!), Kids N Stuff museum, Jackson fireworks, the Fourth of July family picnic, Paradox baptisms at Metro Beach, and lots of get-togethers with family (Mike's cousins came to visit from out of town).

The girls swam more than ever at Aunt Kee Kee's house, the Minelli's hotel pool and up north in Oscoda. They are big giant fishes, for sure! (The Minellis lived in a hotel for 5 weeks while their house was repaired from the elderly lady across the street crashing into it with her minivan.)

We were sad to say goodbye to our dear friends, Aaron and Jenn Gross, but so very proud of the work they are diving into down in Mexico! I can't believe one of my best friends is a missionary!!! So incredible! (You can read more about them and what they're doing on their web site: http://web.mac.com/aaronsgross/iWeb/our%20site/home.html.)

Trinity went back to school, starting with a half-day on the Tuesday after Labor Day. (She kept using her hand to divide her face in half, while telling people she had a half-day of school. Too cute.) It's been a few weeks, and I think she's finally back into the groove of the school day. I could tell she was enjoying school by the things she would say, but still the first couple weeks were filled with her asking if she could please be homeschooled again and that she missed mommy and daddy too much during the day. I told her that maybe we can try homeschooling again next year, but for this year she stays put. These last couple days, there's been no whining and when I woke her up, she was in good spirits, instead of dragging her feet. She told Mike and I that she won a race in gym class the other day, even against the boys. That girl is quick!

OK, I can't catch up all at once. Next post will be about me going back to school, the girls' medical tests, Cherry's schooling and Awana.

Well, I screwed up the TB test!

So, as part of the physcial exam that I need to do for the adoption paperwork, a TB test needs to be done. In fact, when I went to the dr. for the physical on May 18, I forgot to bring the form, and she didn't realize I needed a TB test, so they called me and told me I had to come back in for it. (They inject tuberculin into the skin, then you come back in 48-72 hours so they can examine the injection site.)

Last Monday, June 4, I went back to Dr. Geiger's office and did the test. They told me to come back Wednesday or Thursday. We went to Cedar Point on Wednesday, so I planned to go in on Thursday . . . but I forgot! SO, now I have to go in and do it all over again.

I'm a dork.

Trinity's Toe Problems

Well, we took Trinity to the doctor today so they could look at her toes.

He said her big toe was fine. She would probably lose her toenail, but a new one will grow.

Her baby toe, however, was NOT fine. It's infected. He had to push around on it and try to get some of the yucky stuff out; he also poked a hole in the nail so that it could drain. (As you can imagine, she was not at all amused by any of this!, although after it was over, she got to pick a toy out of the big prize bin, so she was just fine.)

He prescribed an antibiotic (Keflex) for her to take for a couple weeks. He said that should get rid of the problem. (Of course I verified and double-verified that this drug would not interfere with her clobazam.)

Cherry's PET/CAT Scan

Well, Cherry had her PET scan of the brain this morning. Thank God Mike could take the morning off of work to take her. I really think it's better when Daddy takes the girls to these tests. He's so calm, cool and collected. I try, but I think they can sense my stress.

On the way there, she asked him if she had to have leads attached to her head, and he didn't think she did, so he said no. Well, she was NOT happy when she found out otherwise! But they promised her not to make them to tight (like the ones from her overnight EEG). They had to sedate her, and since she was all riled up by then, she was fighting it so hard, they had to give her another little boost of the sedative. She finally slept so they could do the test. (She told me when they got home that the doctors had to make her sleep so that they could take pictures of her head.)

She was looking forward to the McD's lunch afterwards, but as soon as he got her back to the red van, she spit up a little in the garbage can, then fell promptly into another deep sleep. Poor thing - she never did get her Happy Meal! He brought her home where she slept some more. She woke up and I gave her a HEAPING bowl of "white" ice cream, then some candy, while she watched TV. Then she fell asleep AGAIN! When she woke up again, she kept trying to get up and walk, but just like Trinity when she had this test done last year, she kept tripping over herself and walking into walls. No coordination whatsoever. I kept telling her she needed to just relax because she was still loopy. She kept saying, "I'm not loopy, mom; I'm dizzy." Oh, OK, honey.

Well, another test done and out of the way. We are anxious to hear the results, as when Trinity had this test, Dr. Chugani said it confirmed for him that she definitely had LKS.

And we wait . . .

Cedar Point

Jennifer and I took Nicole and Trinity to Cedar Point today. They girls had a blast, and are now confirmed roller coaster junkies.

We started out slow, doing the tamer thrill rides, then working our way up to the more intense ones. Then, around midday started on the roller coasters. We started with the Gemini Jr. and the Wildcat, then tried out the Cedar Creek Mine Ride, Iron Dragon and Blue Streak. They loved them. We topped the evening off with the Gemini. They only had the red car going--I can only imagine how much MORE they would have loved it if they were "racing" another car!

We were only there a couple hours when I noticed Trinity limping. I assumed it was due to her accident with her big toe (a tree log fell on it when we went up north a couple weeks ago); her toenail is bound to fall off soon. BUT, when we finally stopped at a first aid station to have a look, I saw that her baby toe was swollen and red and very tender to the touch. I put a couple band-aids on it (what else could I do?) and we decided to rent a double stroller. Best thing we did all day! We were able to go so much faster without the girls slowing us down! LOL! I recommend it for anyone going to a park like that.