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Saturday, March 1, 2008 4:46 PM EST
Hey all.
Michael is still doing pretty good and is doing well in school. HE is going for about an hour into a 1st grade class for Reading and Math and is doing good. He is learning so much.
Potty training is doing better with just a few accidents. Considering that most kids like Michael are 10-11 year saverage getting trained, I think he is doing well to just be 7.5 years old.
We have an eye apointment to see how much Michael could see with his glasses. As most of you know we have always been told that Michael has NO vision out of his right eye and very little out of his left one. Well while we were there, they tested him from very large print to very small print and Michael could see them and tell what they were. Even out of his right eye!!!! The print got so small me and my mom had to look close to see it. They requested for us to not enlarge things for him....only because they know he is capable of seeing small and if we enlarge things for him, he won't try to see small. They also want to try a magnifying glass and a telescope. The telescope would be for him to see things very far away. We haven't gotten them yet so I don't know how it will work out.
Michael is getting ready to start playing Challenger Little League baseball so he will enjoy that for about 2 months.
Pretty much it going on right now.
Love,
Sherry & Michael
Saturday, December 8, 2007 11:06 PM EST
Hey! Yes I know it has been awhile since we have updated both kids sites.
Everyone has been doing so well that we haven't had anything to update with. I would like to say thanks to everyone that has sent all 3 of the kids cards and Christmas gifts. They love getting thiings in the mail.
A few things have changed since my last update on Michael. We ended up having an IEP meeting for Michael and we decided to switch Michael back to the school he was at last year. Since then we have not had one problem with him and he has yet again been taken off his behavioral medicine which he really didn't need anyway. I thik the whole problem was his one on one assitant. She was a good teacher but for what ever reason, Michael just didn't tolerate her voice I guess. So anyway he is back at his old school with a different teacher and he is also being pulled out for Reading and Math along with Library and Music with the 1st graders!! I am so proud of him!
Oh yeah, we did have a repeat Celiac Disease test done on him and it can out negative again so that was a good thing.
That is pretty much it for him. I will try hard to update at least once a month.
Love,
Sherry and Michael
Tuesday, September 11, 2007 12:21 PM EST
First just let me say...as most of you know Michael is a special needs child that is legally blind in both eyes, mild cerebral palsy, behavioral disorder,developmentally delayed plus a few other medical problems that don't have anything to do with how is acts in school. His first year of school he was in an Exceptionals Kindergarden class and did really well. We never had problems with him at school but did EVERYWHERE else. We tried to get him tested for ADD or ADHD plus tried to get him tested for Autism. They never would test him for Autism but we did see a doctor at Duke that said he thought he was high functioning autistic but he could not give the diagnosis. Nowhere here would test him. As far as the ADD and the ADHD testing, they said he didn't have either because according to the forms his teachers and I had to fill out were totally different. He was an angel at school but no where else. Last year he was placed in a TMD class room which stands for TraumaticMental Disorder or something like that. The 2nd week of school I started trying to get him removed from that class because that was NOT a good fit for him. He is not TMD. They would not listen to me so he was stuck in a classroom for one whole year with kids that did not talk, made all sorts of noises, didn't listen and were just basically off the wall. Michael was scared to death. He wouldn't talk to the kids or the teachers. He shut down basically. Between his case worker, my mom and I, we are the ones that taught him what he learned last year mostly. This year I was finally able to get him placed in a regular kindergarden class with 1 hour of pull out to a resource class.
On Aug. 28th Michael started school. From day one, the teachers have been complaining about Michael making noises, laughing talking really loud and they were putting him in time out and taking him to the principals office. I told them that that was part of his disability and he could not help it and that he didn't understand that he was doing wrong. Every single day I had to send my child to school for him to be taken out of the class, put in time out, taken to the principals office, and getting sad faces for something he couldn't help. The it started that he was hitting and kicking his one on one asstistant and some of the kids. They complained to me every day...10-15 minutes in the morning and 10-15 minutes in the afternoon. Very upsetting to have to go pick up your child and be told how bad he is. Well Michael is not bad on purpose...he is handicapped! I told the principal that he needs a one on one that has worked with children like Michael and that could use some behavioral techniques with him. This is all new to him, he has a short attention spam plus what they are learning, he already knows! Anyway, yesterday they called me twice and the second time the prinicipal wanted to see me. I couldn't even do anything yesterday! When I went there I pulled him out of school and told them he would not come back until they had an appropriate place for him. I then called the exceptional childrens director who is out of town til next Monday. Finally today I talked to the lady under the director and she is giving me a fast call IEP meeting with a followed up one within 10 days (next week) to put him somewhere until we can find out what to do with him.
Anyway, I just don't know what to do! They don't have a class really for him. Last year for one day he spent in a high functioing autistic class and he did well. He talked to both kids and teachers, used the potty, and the teacher even did some reading or math assessments with him. He loved it in there and wanted to go back but he can't because he hasn't been diagnosed with autism. Who cares...if he does well in there than any other class. That's what matters. So I have been totally stressed out! Don't know what to do.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007 11:54 PM EST
Well I have a few updates.
Last week on August 29th, Michael went to Duke for his eye appointment. Michael himself had a bad day but his appointment went really well. His vision has not changed at all. Good news on that is we don't have to buy new glasses and prescription!
Today Sept 5th, he went to his ped. for his 7 year check up. He has gained 2 pounds!!!! That puts him at 33 pounds now. I was so shocked. He was just there 1 month ago and only weighed 31 pounds which is where he has been since January!
Michael also started back to school on August 28th. We have been having a tough time! He LOVES school this year but our problem is that with Michael's disability, he makes noises, talks, laughs for no apparent reason etc. Well the teachers are compaling saying he is disturbing the class and keeping them from learning. Well I don't know what to tell them! Thats what he does! Everyday he is getting sad faces, put in time out and taken to the principals office. Today he was being mean to his assistant that works with him one on one. I don't know what to do....he was not like this the past 2 years at school! Anyway, I don't know what is going to happen with all this. Very frustrating!!!
I hope everyone had a great holiday!
Love,
Sherry & Michael
Sunday, August 19, 2007 6:32 PM EST
HI all!
It has been awhile since my last update but not much has happened.
In June, me and my mom took Michael and Emily to Water Country in Virginia. Brandon was away at camp with our church so we thought it would be a good time to take the 2 small ones. They had a blast too!!
The next week (4th of July week) my mom and step dad took Brandon on a acruise so it was just me and Michael and Emily. We spent a few days at the river and the kids had fun playing in the pool. Lee would come down after he got off work. 4th of July night, I took Michael and Emily down to the town commons to watch the fire works. We had a nice spot and it wasn't too loud.
July 5th, we moved into our new house and boy am I lovein it! It feels so good to have ROOM! All 3 of the kids have ajusted well to the move too.
In July, Michael stopped taking his Trileptal and has been doing fine without it. For the time being we are keeping him off but are waiting to see how it goes once school starts back but I think he will be fine.
School starts back on August 27th so I am hoping that will turn out okay for Michael. He is use to being in a self-contained classroom but this year he will be going to school and having a resource teacher for a few hours then going to a regular 1st grade class.
On August 29th, Michael goes back to Duke to see the eye doctor. I guess we will find out if his vision has gotten better or worse. He has been complaining some that he can't see with his glasses.
I guess that's all for now!
Love,
Sherry & Michael
Tuesday, May 29, 2007 9:12 PM EST
Hey everyone!
Michael is doing pretty good.
We had a big ordeal last week which I will tell you about later. On Friday May 25th, Mrs. Gail Waters came out to Michael's school and observed him all day. She did a get job too!! We will be meeting before Michael's IEP which is tomorrow and hopefully we can get Michael properly placed next year at school.
Emily got pink eye on Thursday and now this morning when Michael woke up, he had it...mostly in his right eye. Anyway I called the ped and they didn't make me take him in, they just gave us a prescription so I hope he gets better soon. He only has this week and next week of school left. Last year he missed his last week because he was sick...I don't want that to happen this year.
We didn't do much for the Memorial Day weekend. Monday, we went down to the river and went swimming for a little while and we cooked out twice this weekend.
Hope everyone else had a great weekend.
Love,
Sherry & Michael
Friday, May 11, 2007 12:53 AM EST
HI all!
Michael is doing good...getting a little crazy in this 2 bedroom duplex but that's all of us, LOL.
He is doing good in school (now that a month is all they have left). We have a new IEP scheduled for May 30th and I am going to be trying my best to get him in a regular classroom for next year.
One bad thing thathas happened to us is that we lost Michael's medicaid which means that he lost his case worker Ashley!! We LOVED her and she has done great with Michael. Also this means that after school, Michael will not have any worker, PT, OT, or anything. Also we have to pay for what our insurance doesn't cover so that means some of his treatments will have to be cut some. It's just a whole big mess but we are working ona few things trying to make something work.
Our house is coming along good. They have started priming the walls and should start painting them in a week or 2. Most of the cabinets are done except for the doors. We have picked out our carpet and flooring so that should be put down soon. I can't wait...I am ready to get out of this duplexand spread back out.
Well I guess that is all I have to update about.
Sherry & Michael
Monday, April 16, 2007 11:03 PM EST
Hey all!
I got Michael's test results back. One of the levels was up and so they want to do a trial of growth hormone treatment on him. It has some rare side effects like pressue on the brain, vision problems, joint problems in the hips, pancrea problems, etc. Although they are rare, it scares me because Michael is already legally blind in both eyes with only some vision out of one eye, when he was in the NICU, he had CT scan of his brain which didn't look right but after the repeat CT scan it looked fine, he is so small and had multiple fractures while he was in the NICU so that bothers me with the hip joints, as for the pancreas...his are fine but mine aren't. We have decided to not do the growth hormone treatmenst though...maybe when he gets older and still is small and self consicious about himself, then we will consider it then.
Last Thursday and Friday, me and my mom took all 3 kids to Busch Gardens since they had the week out of school. It was nice there but my legs sure are aching pushing that double stroller with Michael and Emily in it up and down those hills.
On a side note, we have been staying in the duplex for a little over a week now. We signed the final papers to sell our house today so it is gone now. This duplex is a right nice size but too small for the five of us. I don't want them to rush through building our house but it sure will be nice when we get to move there and can spread out! LOL. Hopefully now, things will calm down some and I can update more....but just remember...no news is good news.
Love,
Sherry and Michael
Friday, March 16, 2007 8:51 PM EST
Hey everyone!!
Michael is doing good. I was hoping to have some test result news but his doctor has been on vacation but hopefully she will call me when she gets back on Monday.
On March 8, we had a follow up IEP meeting and we changed his goals since he has already reached the ones he had. We are going to also try to get him mainstreamed to Music with the regular first grade class. So far I haven't heard if that has gotten worked out yet.
On March 6th, we signed papers to get our house on themarket and on March 7th, we got our sign in the yard. We have had someone come look at our house everyday except Sunday and this past Wednesday. We actually got an offer on March 11th but we didn't take it and then she gave us another offer on March 15th and we took that one. So our house was on themarket for 1 week and was sold!!!! Now we have 4 weeks to find somewhere to move and stay until we get us a house.
Well that is all I have to report for now but as soon as I hear from his doctor about the test results, I will update.
Love,
Sherry & Michael
Thursday, March 1, 2007 4:27 PM EST
Hi all!
First of all before I get started I have a few "Thank You's". I thought I had done this already but as I went back and checked, I hadn't. I wanted to say thanks to Michael, Kristina, and Dakota for helping with both Brandon and Emily's bithdays...Thanks to Yvonne, Ray and Gloria for helping with all 3 of the kids at Christmas. They enjoyed everything!!
Michael has been doing okay. Last week he was sick with a nasty virus for 3 days. He was out of school for that whole week though because he had to have a procedure done on Friday and I didn't want to take the chance of him getting sick again.
I don't know if you remember but back on Dec, Michael had bloodwork done and 2 of the levels were low...which is why we had to go to Duke on Feb 23rd. We stayed the night at Duke the night before because Michael couldn't eat nor drink after midnight. We got to the hospital at 8am and meet with the doctor and she explained what would be happening. We went over to the "Rainbow Hospital" (still in the Childrens Hospital at Duke) and had to get an IV. First the put some numbing cream on his arm which he did not like at all!! After awhile they sent us to get the IV. I told the nurse that he was super double jointed but she thought she could handle it....well she found out different. So then she thought she would try his hand and I told he the same thing and yet again she found out different. After 2 times trying, she decided the IV team needed to be called and had us wait in the waiting area for them. After the lady got there she had to of the other nurses go in with her and thankfully let me and Zilphia stay out in the hallway...we always ask to do this but they never will....they make us help! They got the IV in and then sent us to the "treatment room". I had never been in there before but it was really nice. Majority of the kids were getting chemo treatments. Michael did not want to watch TV nor play video games which was so unlike Michael. We then had to wait for the medication from the pharmacy. It was kind of boring because only one person could be back there at a atime. After they put that in his IV, the long process started. They had to draw blood out of his IV line every 15 minutes for 1 whole hour. The Lee's mom came in and relieved me so I could get something to eat. I was back in 30 minutes LOL. When I got back there, Zilphia had told me that they had started the Clonidine about 10 minutes before I got back. After he got that he had to get blood draws every 30 minutes until 2:45. He wanted to keep rocking with his grandma so I went out for awhile and came back in at 1:45 and sat with him until he was done at 2:45. Let me say that even though they drew blood from his IV, he screamed each time and it basically took me holding him and 2 nurse getting it. He then began asking for drink but he couldn't have none but as soon as he could, he sucked that grape juice right down. He didn't want to eat any crackers but I told him he had to eat before we could leave. Finally at 4:45 we were told we could go but we had to wait to get the IV out so we were there for basically 8 hours!!! LONG DAY! We cam right home. We get the results in about 2 weeks...she said maybe sooner.
Today March 1st he went for his well child check up. Of course he is still under in both height and weight. He was 30.5 pounds and was 39 3/4 inches tall. He did good with the doctor but hated getting the shots! What can you expect though after last Friday!!!
Gotta go for now but be sure to check Emily's site...she has an update as well! http://www.caringbridge.org/nc/emily
Love,
Sherry & Michael
Monday, February 12, 2007 9:05 PM EST
Hi all! I can't believe it has been 2 months since I updated the website.
Michael has been doing well. He did have an appointment at Duke in December where they drew some blood. They later called and said two of the test results were on the low side. SHe said it could be a pituitary or a nutritional problem. Michael eats good though so I don't think it is nutrional but it could be. Anyway, we go back to Duke on February 23rd to have a procedure done to determine the real cause. They said the whole procedure will take about 4 hours. He can't eat or drink after midnight the night before. Lee's mom is going with me and we are planning on staying there the night before so we don't have that long drive. I don't know how he is going to do hooked up to that IV all day.
School wise, has still been a battle. I have an IEP meeting that I called that we will have on Feb 14th. That class he is in is just not for him. It is a TMD class which I forget what the "T" stands for but the rest is Mental Disorder. He doesn't have a mental disorder...in fact he is good at school. He is very quiet where as all the other kids have more serious problems and NONE of them talk which is not good for Michael to be around. Plus we are working towards his comminication skills but the teacher is working with them working individually. Then on top of that, all the kids are kinderardeners except Michael is the only first grader so therefore he is not learning what he needs to be learning. Michael loved school last year and begged to go on the weekend and during the summer. He was lookng forward to school starting but he totally hates going and sometimes cries. The kids are really mean to him too. He listens and does what he is told but it goes unnoticed so often because of all the attention the other kids need. Also now I can't even barely go in the classroom if I have Emily with me because after Christmas they got a new little girl in the class and for some reason she gets hysterical when Emily is around and she will try to hit or kick Emily for no reason...even if I am holding her. I can't wait for the meeting and if nothing is done, I guess I will be homeschooling the rest of the year.
I guess that is all for tonight. I will try and update more often.
Love,
Sherry & Michael
Tuesday, December 5, 2006 8:07 PM EST
Hey all!
Michael has been doing well. My computer crashed and we just got it back this past weekend so I am just now getting to update the kids sites.
On November 6th or 7th, Michael lost his 1st tooth!!!! I knew it was about time for it. The bad thing is, Michael doesn't understand it and so we have no idea when, where, or how he lost it.
On Noveber 7th, Michael's school had an awards ceremony and Michael got an award. It was for being a good citizen type award. Each month they focus on certain words like courage, sportsmanship, etc.
On November 9th-14th, we were taken to Disney World. It was really nice and the kids had a blast!!
December 4th, Michael has his appt at Duke to see the Endocrinologist and she talked with us for awhile about Michael growth and she said that he for sure was not growing like they want him too. He was 29.4 pounds. They did a whole lot of blood work and we go back April 3rd and in the mean time she is going to see if Michael qualifies for growth hormone treatments. She talked with us some about some of the side effects that seem kind of scary but she said we would talk more after she gets test results and stuff. He did really good there...he cried while getting blood drawn but he was not fighting like he usually does. They had 6 vials to fill but after the 4th vial, he jerked his arm and the needle came out but they checked and said that those 4 would be enough so that was good!
Like I said earlier, he is overall doing really well. I am currently in the process of switching over pediatricians so I am hoping that when we see the new one, they can help us out a little more with a few of Michaels problems. I know I will like this new ped. because Brandon saw him when he was a baby when the ped. was with a different practice. He is really good and is also a Pediatric Hematology and Oncology doctor. Right now we are waiting for them to get the kids records and then we will be able to make appts.
I guess that is all for now. Be sure to check out Emily's website...http://www.caringbridge.org/nc/emily
Love,
Sherry & Michael
Saturday, October 14, 2006 9:53 PM EST
Hey everyone!
Gosh, it has been so long since I last updated Michael's site. Let's see if I can go back and fill you in on some things that have been going on.
On August 1st, I took Brandon, Michael, and Emily to Kings Dominion in VA and my cousin James went along with us. They all had a blast. James took Brandon around since he rides the bigger rides and I took Michael and Emily around. They rode some rides then we went and spent most of the day in the water park area, then I let Michael ride more rides while Emily took a nap.
On Aug 2nd, I had to take Michael to see the Allergist and everything was fine except he had an ear infection and was given some antibodies. He was suppose to be re-tested for his allergies but I didn't know that he had to be off the Zyrtec for 14 days prior so we had to reschedule that.
Aug 9th, Michael had his 6 year check up at Dr. Blair's office. Everything was fine except he still has an ear infection so she put him on a different antibiotic.
Aug 17th, Michael went back to the allergist to have the allergy testing. HE is no longer allergic to beef, peanuts, or dogs. However the test said he was allergic to cats this time around. To confirm all this and make sure that it was all right, they sent us to have the bloodwork test. That was aweful!!! It took so many sticks to get blood from Michael and he was screaming so bad and it took about an hour or more.
Aug 28th, both Brandon and Michael started back school. Michael cried for the first 3 weeks but is doing better now. Brandon has an excellent teacher that is really nice and young too...she is 23. Also, the worker we had working with Michael did not work out (she was doing things she should not be doing) so that day he had a new girl named Ashley start working with him. She is really nice too and I like her a lot and so does Michael...even Emily.She picks him up and works with him for 3 hours Monday thru Friday.
September 6th was Michael's birthday. He turned 6 years old. We gave hima little party at school that day and he also had another party on Sept. 9th at Sonic.
Michael also had an eye appt at Duke. We are now waiting for his new glasses to come in.
Today we had a Bar-B-Que sale at church that Brandon helped out with. Later after we got home, Michael was having some difficulty breathing so I had to give him some Albuterol puffs twice tonight. I hope he does not get bad off tonight because Lee is out of town for the night.
That's pretty much it that I can think off.
I will try to update a little more often, it is just a little hard when not much is different.
Love,
Sherry & Michael
Sunday, July 16, 2006 10:02 AM EST
Hey! I have a few updates to post about...again I have been slack with updating the sites but we have been so busy this summer.
To start where I left off, on June 19th, we sent Brandon off to camp with the church. They went to Cragmont. Since he was away, on June 20th, me and my mom took Michael and Emily to Busch Gardens in Virginia. They had so much fun and we have some pictures that I will post after they get developed. They rode pretty much all the kids rides. Michael's favorite was the lady bugs (forget what it was called), but he called them cars. Emily liked pretty much everything. The only thing they rode that they didn't care about was the Carousel Horses. I was shocked that Emily didn't like it because she likes the one in our mall here and always begs to ride it. We stayed the night in Virginia then got up the next morning hoping to do a little shopping but Michael and Emily did not want any parts in that...not even with M&Ms, LOL. Michael still keeps asking to go back!
Brandon came back from camp on June 24th so the next few days we spent lots of time in the pool. Brandon then left again on June 29th to go on a cruise with my mom and stepdad LM. Then it was just back to me and Michael and Emily. After Lee would get home from work, we would all spend about an hour in the pool. Both kids love it but they both bit their floats and now they don't have them so I had to buy new ones. After Brandon got back from the cruise on July 10th, I wanted to do something fun with the kids together before they have to go back to school so on Juy 11th, I took them to the NC Aquarium in Atlantic Beach and we alsoo spent some time on the beach. It was Michael and Emily's first time and they both loved it!! All 3 of the kids wanted to stay so I told them we would have to go back some other time...it takes about 2 hours to get there. They played in the sand and at the edge of the water some. Me and my mom had talked a few times about taking them but didn't know how Michael would do with his Sensory Integration but he had no problems at all!! Emily on the other hand...at first...was scaredof the water and I had to hold her. She was also scared of the sea gulls. She finally got use to them both until later she was playing in the sand and a sea gull flew over her and she saw the shadow and it scared her some them and she just kind of ducked, LOL. We all had lots of fun that day.
That is pretty much it for Michael. Oh yeah, we did finally get a worker to come in and work with him...he gets 15 hours a week but after 1 week, we realized that he was not with the "right" worker so we are in the process of finding him a new one. Starting tonight, we will "try" to attend VBS at our church but I don't know how Michael will do, so we will see. It last til Thursday. Next week, he has 2 appointments at Duke so I will update as soon as I can and I promise it won't be a long wait next time.
Just another quick update...I took MIchael to the ped on July 17th and he has a sore throat and an ear infection in his right ear. He could really use some "happy mail".
Love,
Sherry & Michael (be sure to check out Emily's site... Emily )
Wednesday, June 14, 2006 2:50 PM EST
Hey all!
It has been awhile since my last update. Michael has been doing pretty good and I think that we have finally got his medication right. We have huge problems with the Ritalin, Metadate, and Adderall, so they put him on something different to help with mood swings. He still has them but they are not as bad as they were. He has been playing baseball with a special needs team and he has enjoyed that. He has missed the past 2 games though (the first because of rain then last weekend because I was out of town). He missed most of his last week in school because they were calling me saying he was having diarrhea so I picked him up early 2 days then the last day he didn't go at all.
It has been busy here these past few weeks with the boys getting out of school and us having field days, awards, and stuff to do with each of them.
Sunday, June 11th was my birthday so me, Lee, Michael and Emily and 2 of our friends Brad and Steven celebrated and cooked out and had cake. It was nice but I wish Brandon would have been here. He had stayed with my mom the weekend and they did not bring him home...they called about 9pm and said they were going to wait and bring him home the next day.
To keep us all busy the summer, we put up a pool but this week, we have had nothing but RAIN! I hope next week will be better so we can get out of the house. I have been trying to get the house super clean and re-painted so we can put our house on the market but that isn't going to good...by the time I put something up, the kids have dragged it back out. Also, Michael is going through a stage again where he is constantly hitting, pushing, or biting Emily so I have to watch them very closely. I wish I had someone to keep them for the day so I can work around the house.
I am so glad that things have been going good with Michael. He goes back to the behavioral doctor at Duke and to see the endocrinologist at Duke at the end of July.
Love,
Sherry & Michael
Friday, May 5, 2006 8:58 PM EST
It has been about a month since I have updated and I didn't even realize it.
Michael has pretty much been doing well. A few weeks ago though, he was having trouble with his "privates". It was bright red and he acted like it was hurting him and he was constantly digging. It was right at the weekend and I thought it was just a string from his pull up. As he was taking a bath, I thought I had gotten the string off and the next day he looked better. It kept looking some what red so I was thinking that maybe it was not the string causing the problem but a yeast infection so I used some of Emily's cream on him but it did not seem to have worked. I took him to the peds and she said that she thought it was a yeast infection and that what I thoguht was a string, was crust from the infection. SHe gave him Diflucan in the liquid form and also some different cream to use on him. Within 2 days, he still was not better. One night my mom had kept himand Emily and put him in the tub right as I got there. WE let him soak in there and play for awhile and then me, my mom, and my stepdad held him and me and my mom both pulled parts of string off his privates. The piece I pulled off had some puss on it where it was getting infected. Ever since then, he had been fine.
He went to Duke at the end of April to see the doctor that takes care of his asthma and sleeping issues but since all has been well, he discharged us to our regular ped not unless something starts happening again. He also set us up an appointment to see the Endocrinologist which we see in July.
He has also been put on Ritalin in the daytime but at a low dosage. I haven't really been able to tell that much of a difference.
I have a meeting with his teachers, therapists and someone from the school he will be attending next year to see how he will be placed for next school year. I think that is next week.
Well I am exhausted so I am going to try and get the kids to bed so I can go to bed.
Sherry & Michael
Thursday, April 6, 2006 6:58 PM CDT
We got back from our vacation on Saturday night. Both Michael and Emily were up when we arrived at 11:30pm and they stayed awake until a little after 12 midnight.
Michael develop a nasty virus Tuesday around lunch time and I had to pick him up from school. His teacher said that he had diarrhea. After getting home, he had about 3 or 4 more diarrhea diapers and then later started throwing up. He did that about 2 times. I thought for sure I was in for a long night but thankfully, after he went to sleep, he was all fine. He missed school on Wednesday because of him being sick and I hated it because it was a field trip day for him. They were having an Easter Egg Hunt at a local park that they have every year for the special ed classes. He went back to school today but his teacher said that he was real sluggish and didn't do anything nor eat anything all day and that he actually took a nap. I have not had any problems with him since being home nor did I yesterday so I don't know.
Last night Emily got the nasty virus and this morning Brandon woke up with it so he missed school today.
Yesterday we meet with Michael's new case manager Amanda. She was really nice and she is going to try and get us set up with some community services and respite. It looks like she is going to help us out lots....which should have been happening all along!!
I hope everyone is having a great week.
Sherry & Michael
Saturday, March 25, 2006 2:25 PM EST
It has been about 2 weeks since my last update but there have been afew changes with Michael.
On March 14th, we saw the nurse practitioner at the Psychiatric office. Along with him getting Clonidine at night, she had us add 3/4 tablet in the morning. It made him sleepy so I asked to change it at luch time since that was close to naptime for him.
We went back the next week on March 21st but I had not noticed a change so she put him on Metadate in the morning time and stopped the daytime Clonidine. It is only good in his sytem for 6-8 hours so it does not help me in the afternnons since it has worn off so he is off the walls!! I think he gets more hyper every day. The medication is an appetite surpressant so we have to watch his weight VERY closely as we can't afford him to lose any weight.
Other than that change, Michael is doing pretty good, no other problems.
I will be out of town all next week so there will not be any updates until after I get back.
Love,
Sherry & Michael
Tuesday, March 7, 2006 8:27 PM EST
Just a fast update to let everyone know that Michael got a referral to see a pschiatrist/bahavioral doctor. We go next Tuesday March 14th!
Getting a little bit closer...
Sherry & Michael
Saturday, March 4, 2006 6:24 PM EST
Just an fast update...
Michael is doing well these days. Still has his normal behavioral problems but we are still seeing the psychologist for that.
With Michael's sensory integration disorder, we can't get his haircut. He won't let noone touch it and if we try, we get beat up by him and even he sometimes will bite us. Well last Monday (Feb 27th), my mom and LM came over to try and cut it. It needed it bad and I wanted it cut because he had school pictures coming up that Wednesday. We played with him with the razor and acted like we were cutting our hair, his Barney's hair, the game characters hair (He was playing his GameCube) and he actually got his hair cut!!!! Granted it took about 1 hour but at least he got it cut!
Also at school, he is still doing good. Friday (March 3rd), he actually wrote his NAME on the dry erase board twice!!! Of course he writes big and is real curvy like since he has low muscle control and it is hard for him to write well but I could actually understand his letters. Now he has to learn to transfer it to paper. It is different than writing up on a board than writing it down on paper. Plus his letters are so big that it is like one letter per page. I am taking my camera to school on Monday and hoping that it will still be on the board so I can take a picture of it. If not, I am going to try to get him to do it again.
Michael still likes to be independent when he plays but this past week, he has been playing with Emily more. They have so much fun together when the do play together.
Michael is not due for any appointments for a few more months now but some lady from Medicaid called the other day and said that they have in their records that Michael's last check up/physical was in 2003. I told her I knew that was wrong cause he is always going to the doctor for well checks plus sick checks. Plus he had to be seen to start kindergarden this year. Anyway, so now I have to take him in just so it can be recorded with the Medicaid office.
Well I guess that is all. I am going to try an update at least once a week unless something happens in the meantime.
Sherry & Michael
Thursday, February 23, 2006 10:38 PM EST
Just wanted to update since it has been awhile.
Michael has been doing good health wise right here lately. He has been to see the phychologist twice now. He loves to play with her but she does see some of the things I have been having problems with. We saw her today and she is referring us to somewhere different that can test him for many different things that she can't. She is calling the place tomorrow. She did say that she thought that he might have ADHD because of his short attention span and today he was extra hyper!!!! He was tested a few months ago for ADD which his ped said no he did not have it but I still had doubts and wanted a second opinion but since hearing the pychologist say that today, I really do want him re-tested again.
He is still loving school. He got hurt twice yesterday...once at nap time he was playing and got off his blanket and got carpet burn on his face...then later one of his classmates pitched his finger somehow. His teacher said he screamed! Michael is going to have a new occupational therapist working with him because his therapist (Mrs. Hammel) is going on maternity leave for the rest of the year. It is good for her but I hate it...Michael LOVES her!
Michael is in his second quarter taking Theraputic Horse therapy. His horses name this time is "Patch". He makes his teachers there play football, basketball and golf while riding the horse.
Well that is pretty much it for Michael.
Sherry & Michael
Thursday, February 9, 2006 10:55 AM EST
I got a few more updates on Michael...
Friday (Feb. 3rd), Michael had his first visit to see the dentist. I was so worried at how he would do with his Sensory Integration problems not wanting people to touch him. We got there and it was packed with lots of volunteers, PeeDee the Pirate (from East Carolina University), ECU Cheerleaders, ECU Dancers, etc. Michael sat all big in the chair and 3 of the ECU Dancers just talked with Michael about anything and entertained him. HE was having so much fun. Then Dr. Lewis came to check out his teeth. Michael laid back and let him do it and did not move around or cry!! HE DID GREAT!!! After that, he went and got 3 x-rays done. He cried a little but hardly any. I was so shocked because I was expecting the worse. I remember the first time I took Brandon, they had to strap him down and he still fought and got out of the straps. I was so proud of Michael. He only had 2 cavities which shocked me as well. One is at the front which I knew was a cavity and then the other is at the very back. The one at the back he is more worried about becausethe cavity is deep. HE said that it might can be saved by them taking out the cavity and crowning it but they may have to take it out all together. He seems to think he can fix the one at the front too where he will have a tooth there.
On Monday Feb 6th, I met with the psychologist that will be working with Michael. She asked lots of questions and she also said that it appeared that he may have Autism but she is thinking more of High Functioning Autism since he is smart and does talk. We got back next week on Feb 16th so she can met Michael and interact with him some and see what she thinks then. She will also be helping him learn to control his frustration and also show us ways to helpp him calm down when he does have his tantrums. She is really nice and I am looking forward to working with her.
We are still awaiting his referrals to TEACCH and to the Endocrinologist.
Michael is doing fine otherwise and has managed to not get the nasty cold both Brandon and Emily have plus the Upper Respiratory Infection his dad has.
I guess that is all for now.
Sherry & Michael
Wednesday, February 1, 2006 10:27 AM EST
Okay, I have still been having internet problems so I do have some updates.
We went to see Dr. Worley at Duke on Friday, January 20th. He gave us Michael's test results from genetics. They came back normal!! Dr. Worley and one of his colleagues talked with me and asked a bunch of questions while 2 of his other colleagues played and observed Michael. After we did that, they went out and talked. After just a few short minutes, he came back in. He said that it did appear to him that Michael does have Autism. He also said that he was going to refer him to an Endocrinologist for his weight to see if maybe he needs growth hormone treatments. We are waiting for the referral date right now. He also said for us to get Michael into TEACCH here for a FULL evaluation to check to see if they come up with MIchael having Austism or not. He also wanted us to get Michael in to see a psychologist for his behavioral problems. I talked with Dr. Hennessy his ped. and she is referring him to TEACCH. I called and got him scheduled with a psychologist but she wants to meet with me first without Michael to get a full idea of what is going on. I go there Monday, Feb. 6. At the end of the appointment, since he will be seeing an endocrinologist, Dr. Worley went ahead and got some blood work done that they would want done so that way we would have a head start. This time went so much better than last time...instead of me having to sit ina seat and try and hold him, they had him lay on a table and we just held him down that way. They got the blood on the first time!! That was a big relief to me.
Michael has been doing pretty good. He has still been having his tantrums, the worst one lately being Sunday at my grandparents house. We were leaving and he didn't want to go. I fought trying to get him in his carseat for so long and he is so strong that it made me weak. I could not even lift him an inch off the ground. Then my cousin James came over and helped put him in the seat and hold him down while I snapped him in. My aunt Brenda had to help too. Saturday night, he had another pain in his legs and woke up screaming. I don't know if it is cramps or growing pains or something else.
Michael is still enjoying school. He did get his report card and he did have some "I" which basically means needs improvement. That is normal though for Michael and they are working with him on those problem areas.
Check Emily's site for her updates. Brandon has been doing good too. He got all A's and B's on his report card.
I guess that is all for now...
Sherry & Michael
Tuesday, January 10, 2006 4:24 PM EST
Hey!
I am just now getting around to update about Michael's appointment last week.
Anyway, the sleep study turned out normal which was great news!!! The doctor did say thought that he thought that Michael's sleep problems was due to his behavioral problems. He thought that the Clonidine was not just helping him to get to sleep but was helping him behavioral wise which was causing his sleep problems to be better. He wanted us to call him while we are at Duke on Jan. 20th seeing the behavioral doctor but he will be out of town that day. Since that is teh case, he will be sending Dr. Worley a list of things to be looking out for when he sees Michael. He thinks that we are going to really benefit from seeing this doctor and that he will be able to help us out a lot. I sure hope so!!! He is also suppose to be calling the doctor here that prescribed Michael the Clonidine and see why she choose that drug for him. I don't know what that is about. So now I am just waiting around for next Friday to come so we can see this doctor and hopefully get some sort of answers. This has been going on way too long!
Be sure to visit Emily's site...she turned 2 yesterday! http://www.caringbridge.org/nc/emily
Hope everyone has a great night.
Sherry
Thursday, January 5, 2006 9:46 AM EST
Hey! Sorry for the long lapse in updating but ever since I got AOL, I have had trouble logging in and I have a long update so it took me awhile to get every thing ready to post.
I will start off with Michael's wish trip, then below the "stars", will be an update on him.
Michael's Wish Trip
We left Greenville on Saturday, December 11th to go to Raleigh to catch our flight for Saturday morning. That was a terrible night! Michael did not like the room and he screamed. Lee doesn't have enough patience so he went out to the car and I was in the room with Brandon, Michael, and Emily. Michael got so bad that he was at the door screaming and banging his head. I was trying to get Emily to sleep so I could deal with Michael. After a few minutes a doorman came and said that someone was complaining so I sent Brandon out to get Lee so he could come in and I could go out and let Michael and Emily watch TV in the van until they fell asleep. Well after awhile, Lee and Brandon came back to the room and Lee said that when Brandon went out to the van and he knocked on the window that it scared him and that he jumped and the keys to the van went flying and they couldn't find the keys. I went out to try and help but it was too cold for the kids so I went back in. Then I took Michael and Lee stayed in the room to rock Emily to sleep. I found the keys which had fell into a box and while I was searching, Michael had fell asleep in the front seat. When I got back to the room, Emily was asleep and thankfully Michael stayed asleep.
Sunday morning we got up and headed to the airport. I thought we were going to have a hard time with Michael on the plane with his Sensory Integration. He in fact though, had fun. So did Emily. We flew from Raleigh to Atlanta, then from Atlanta to Orlando. We were met by a nice man with a Give Kids the World sign and he helped his get our luggage and get to the Mears Shuttle to take us to the Give Kids the World Village. They were booked at the village so we were suppose to be going to Polynesian Hotel to stay but were to get most of the same benefits as if we were staying at the village. Once we got there, they gave us some information, gave all 3 kids each 2 shirts, gave Michael a big Mickey Mouse and gave Brandon and Emily a Shamu. We also got some good news that they had a cancellation so we were asked if we wanted to stay at the hotel or the village. We choose the village of course. It was so pretty there. We got to get free ice cream any time we wanted so that was the first thing we did, LOL. Later that night I had to go to an orientation and that is when we got our tickets for the theme parks.
Monday morning we got up and went to see a few characters that were at the village and then went to Magic Kingdom. The kids had a blast!!! At first Emily was scared of some of the rides but then she started liking them. Michael's favorite rides were Buzz Light Year and Winnie the Pooh. My mom and stepdad met us there so we could ride some rides that Michael and Emily couldn't ride. My stepdad had back surgery a few years ago so he can't ride most rides so he watched the kids. Later that night after we got back to the village, we went and ate at the Gingerbread House and then went and played some putt putt.
Tuesday morning, we left and that day we went to MGM and Epcot. They had fun there too but there was not much we could do there. We did meet some of the Power Rangers and saw Donald Duck who was who Michael wanted to see. Jo Jo's Circus was there too but left for a break before we got to see them. Also there was alot of characters by the "ball" but my mom had left the stroller by "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" ride so we had to go back there to get their autograph books and when we got back, all the characters were gone. When we got back to the village, of course we had to eat and play putt putt again. That was Michael's favorite thing to do and even asked to do it while we were at the theme parks.
Wednesday morning we set off to Sea World. There was not much for the kids to do there either since they are so small. We did see the Shamu show and let Brandon feed the Dolphins and the Sea Lions. Later we took an expensive cab to get to Animal Kingdom. We only had 2 hours there before they closed and Emily slept most of that time. Later we ate at Rain Forest Cafe. That was the only reason we went there which was a mistake because then we coudn't go back to Magic Kingdom and I wanted to go back there on Friday. That is where I wanted to get some souveniers for the kids, mainly some Minnie ears for Emily. Maybe I can see if I can get a pair from a Disney Store somewhere.
Thursday we went to Universal Studios (both parks). Not many rides for Michael and Emily but I rode a few rides with Brandon. They did like the Barney part and the Suess Landing. BTW, Emily has been scared of all the characters at all parks so I had to hold her in all pictures. Here, she went right up to Barney!! We came back to the village a little earlier since they were having Santa at the village and pictures. All this took place in the Castle of Miracles. As soon as we walked in the door, all 3 kids got a big bear. Then we all had our picture taken with Santa and then the kids got too pick out a gift. Brandon got some kind of gift pack that had some Star Wars pee zee things in it. Michael got a football...imagine that. Emily got a green beanie baby rabbit. After that, we kids played on the little slide in there, then they went and made a pillow. Well I had to do Brandon's because him and Lee went off to play putt putt. There was a little girl there that Emily had a blast playing with. Then I was ready to go and get Michael ready for bed since we were suppose to have Mayor Clayton come and do a tuck in. We went to the room and Brandon had gave me a deactivated key so we couldn't get in and Brandon and Lee were still off playing putt putt. I took Michael to play putt putt at the village to waste some time not knowing what was about to happen. Emily wanted to be a slow walker and Michael wanted to be a fast walker. Emily stopped walking and I told Michael to wait so I could get Emily. He did not listen and kept on but I thought I could catch up with him that he was probably get his ball and putt putt stick but that was not the case. I was running thru the thing calling his name and I ran into 3 kids and asked them if they had seen him but they hadn't. They were nice enough to try and help me find him. After running thru there and not finding him, I went back to the front by the balls and saw Michael had gotten shut into the building and he was trying to open the door. Evidently someone had gone in or out and he went in and he was too small to get back out. We played 1 round of putt putt and went to the front office to get another key. On our way back to our villa, we ran into Lee and Brandon and I told them what had happened while they were gone. Then before Mayor Clayton got to our room, Michael fell asleep 10 minutes before he got there so we missed out on the tuck in. I was looking forward to it too.
Friday morning, Lee had to get back to Greenville so he left at around 3am to catch his flight. I went back to Universal Studios (both parks again). While on the way there, we met a really nice family that was also staying at the village. It was too bad we had just met them the day before we had to leave. From yesterday, we thought there was not much for Michael and EMily to do, but being there without Lee, we saw some stuff we didn't see from yesterday. We found a little play area that the kids loved, we rode "ET", we found a Curious George section that had a water area (it was too cold to do this) and it also had a huge ballplayground. All 3 of the kids liked it and it was nice because I could sit down and watch all 3 of them play and didn't have to worry about them getting lost since there was only 1 way out which is where I was sitting. Michael had so much fun that he actually busted his lip but didn't even notice!! We wached the Fear Factor Live show which I didn't think Michael and Emily would sit through but the did and actually liked it. Michael wanted to go back, LOL. We ran into the family we had met 2 or 3 times at the park and then we ended up riding back to the village together that night. We taked the whole way back about Michael and her daughter's diagnosis' and about some of the things going on with Emily. When we got back to the village, Brandon went back to their villa to play with Ray some and they also went and played a little putt putt. I took Michael back to play some putt putt too since we had to leave the next day. I had everything planned out, got all our clothes washed and their towels washed and put up. I even had too try and figure out how I was going to get all our stuff back home since I didn't have anymore luggage bags which meant I was going to have to get on a plane by myself with 3 kids and about 4 take on bags. I was hoping to only have 2 small bags. I wasn't prepared what was in store for me that night! Since Lee wasn't there, I just put Emily in bed with me until about 12pm she woke up sick throwing up!!! We got up and went into the living room where she fell back asleep on the floor. About 2am, Emily threw up again and then I heard Michael crying. I went back there and he had thrown up too. Brandon was asleep on the couch so I made him go get in the 1 and only clean bed left and I laid on the couch with Emily and Michael laid in the floor, throwing up the remainder of the night.
Saturday morning after no sleep, I got up to take a bath and started washing ALL the towels again that I had used during the night. Right as I was getting out, the lights went out! I got dressed and then went up to the front to get more washing powder so I could wash the sheets after we got electricity back. The told me not to worry about it that they would get the sheets and towels. They took the clothes and their blankets and Baby Bop and Barney and got them washed for us since we needed them for our trip home. While in there, a lady comented on how tired Michael looked and I told her how sick he and Emily had been the night before. She said that someone with her was sick as well. It was so sad to leave there. We had so much fun!!!! Anyway, wwe had a long wait at the airport and on top of that I had to sit in the floor and Michael was still sick. He threw up 3 times on the plane, the last time he got it all over me and Emily. My mom and aunt Brenda picked us up. Then we could only find 2 of our bags so it took a while to find them. Michael screamed the whole 2 hours home. As soon as we got home, he threw up again but thankfully that was the last!
I want to thank Dream Factory very much for granting Michael's wish. He had a great time!! I also want to thank Give Kids the World for giving us such a fun time. Michael is still talking about it saying he wants to go back to our room, he wants to play golf (putt putt), and every time we leave the house, he says "Disney World is this way, we are going to DIsney World today". It is so cute but he just don't understand that Disney is states away from here. I hope that in a few more years, I will be able to take him back there.
********************
Michael had a great Christmas!! Thanks to his Christmas Elves he had for helping out. He loved everything he got. Thanks also to the many people that sent Christmas cards and gifts. Michael loves getting mail.
Just a update on the kids getting sick, we all 5 ended up getting that mean virus! It was awful.
Today, in a hour, we are headed to Duke Medical for his follow up appointment on his sleep study. I hope we get some results, good or bad, so we know where to go from there. Hopefully I can get on tonight to let everyone know what they say.
Have a great day!!
Love,
Sherry & Michael
Tuesday, December 6, 2005 7:55 PM EST
Hey. I have a few updates on Michael since I do not have working internet right now. I am at my moms house now.
Last Sunday night, after Michael had been sleeping for about 3 hours, he woke up screaming. I had just gotten Emily to sleep too! Anyway he kept holding his foot saying it was cold. He could barely stand up on it. THen he was acting like his leg hurt. I got him back to sleep after awhile and 5 minutes after he fell asleep, he woke up screaming again. His leg was hurting. Then back to sleep he went again but for only 15 minutes. This time he could not walk either. THe next morning he was fine so I am guessing he either had a bad cramp that would not go away or either he was having real bad growing pains. No problems since that night.
Anyway, Michael went to Duke last Tuesday to see Dr. Ulshen and Dr. MacDonald.
First we saw Dr. MacDonald who is a genetic doctor. She talked to us first and got a whole history on Michael which took about 1 hour or so. Then she said that sometimes kids can have a genetic problem but still look normal. She put some numbing medicine on both Michael's arms so we could go back later to have blood drawn to check his chromosomes.
It was time for us to see Dr. Ulshen (GI doctor) so we went there. Pretty much, there is nothing else he can do for Michael not unless something shows up from genetics and it is something they can help with.
After we left there we went back to Dr. MacDonald's to get the bllod drawn. That was terrible!!!!! They had a hard time and Michael had to be stuck 3 times. THey had to get enough for 3 tubes. It was pretty neat though that they gave Michael a "sick" bear with a medical "Hat". In the hat was another hat, some bandaides, syringe, butterfly (without the needle part), gauze, alcohol wipes, mask, etc so we could use it at home to show him that it is nothing to be acared about so that if he has to have blood drawn again, maybe he will remember the "sick bear".
Since then, things have been well with him. We leave on Saturday night to start our trip to Disney World for Michael's wish trip. He is so ready to go.
I probably won't upadte until after we get back on December 17th (day before Brandon's birthday).
Love,
Sherry & Michael
Friday, November 25, 2005 12:16 AM EST
Well when you think things are getting better everything starts all over again!
It has beena long week and I haven't been able to update so I will do a run through of this past week.
Michael was put on daily asthma medication about 2 months ago and has not had any asthma attacks. Well on Monday a nurse from the hospitals asthma program stopped by Michael's school just to check on him. He was fine though. Until later that night about 3am he woke up and was having an asthma attack and while having the attack ONLY, he had a low grade fever of 100.5. I called his ped Dr. Blair the next day and told her about what happened and she said that fevers with asthma attacks are not common but can happen. She said that as long as they were low grade then he was fine and didn't need any medication for it. He has been getting treatments every 4-6 hours. Then Tuesday night, the same extact thing happened, he had an attack and a low grade fever. Wednesday night was different though. He woke up and WAS NOT having an asthma attack but had a fever of 104. I gave him some motrin and called the night clinic and they paged the ped on call. She said it sounded like he was fighting off a virus and not to worry unless he got way worse or developed a rash. On Thursday he was better until later that day he got a low grade fever and I did give him medication since he was not having an asthma attack. So far today he is doing good but I am just praying that he is not getting sick and that this is all over.
Michael goes to Duke on Tuesday to see Dr. Ulshen (GI doctor) and Dr. McDonald (Genetic doctor).
Please be sure to visit Emily too since she is also in need of prayers right now. www.caringbridge.org/nc/emily
Sherry & Michael
Sunday, November 20, 2005 4:40 PM EST
Hello. Michael has been doing well lately. He never got sick so that was a good thing.
Michael already had a new Bed set for his toddler bed that was Spongebob but Friday, Nov. 18th, he got a new Toddler bed. It was SpongeBob too. He likes it a lot and has not had any trouble transitioning to the new bed.
Michael is still enjoying riding his horse Dutch but Friday, it was a bit cold. He will not ride this week.
That's pretty much it for Michael right now. I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!
Don't forget to visit Emily http://www.caringbridge.org/nc/emily
Also don't forget to sign my guesbook so I know you stopped by.
Sherry & Michael
Wednesday, November 9, 2005 11:09 AM EST
Last night Michael and I left Greenville to go to Duke at 4:40pm. I wanted to allow us plenty of time to get there so we were not rushed. Well on the way there, when I only had 10 more minutes to go, I turned down the wrong exit and get not get turned back around so it ended up taking us 45 minutes instead of 10. We got there at 10 minutes to 8:00. His scheduled time was at 8:00.
Michael did better than I expected. When we got there, I changed Michael into his pajamas and gave him medication. THen the guy came in to attach all the stuff which takes about 45 minutes. Michael cried but he let the guy hock him up. He tried to pull some electrodes off and the guy put these things on his arms so he could not move them and said that he would take them off but if Michael started pulling at them again he would have to put them back on. The guy was making me somewhat mad a few times the way he was treating Michael and one time he really hit a nerve but I bit my tongue. He was the only one there so I didn't want to make him mad. Michael was crying so I was trying to rub his back to calm him and the guy said "don't touch him, I think it would be better", then he was asking him questions that Michael could not answer so I was answering them and the guy said "let him talk". ALso Michael kept saying take it off and the guy was like I do this to kids all the time...blah blah blah. Well Michael is NOT a normal child!!! I think he just didn't have enough patience with Michael and was frustrated.
Anyway by the time he was almost done, you could tell Michael was tired. He finished and layed him back and he was almost immediately asleep. After he got into deep sleep, the guy came back in to put the 2 pieces into his nose. Michael woke up and didn't like it. The guy had to put the things back on Michael's arms so he could not bend them. He went back to sleep then about 12:30am, he came back in to take the things off his arms...Michael woke up and pulled the piece out of his nose so he had to get it back re-taped and get the pieces back on his arms. After that Michael woke up a few times and cried out. He pretty much stayed asleep each time though except 1 time. I got up and sooth him back to sleep. Then a little after 5am, he came back in and unloosened the arm pieces but did not take them off. Michael never went back to sleep but still had 25 minutes to stay hooked up. He just layed in the bed and laughed about who knows what! A few times he told me he wanted to go home and I told him he had to wait a little bit longer. When it was time, the guy came in and unhooked everything. Michael cried and was fighting some. That tape hurt coming off. After that, I washed the mess off the best I could, changed his, clothes, went to the bathroom and then we were headed home. We pulled out of the hospital at 6:17am. We got extremely good timing. We drove home, stopped and ate, and when we got back in the car, it had been exactly 2 hours, 1 minute since leaving Duke Hospital.
Michael has been playing since we got home and I just got a bath and I am getting ready to give Michael a bath. He still has stuff in his hair.
Here is what all was hooked up to Michael...he had 3 electrodes on his head (one on each side and one on the back), one behind each ear, one on his forehead, one above the side of one eye, one below the side of the other eye, 2 under his chin, he had 2 patches on his chest, one on his left bottom leg, one on his right bottom leg, a belt type thing around his chest and a belt thing around his stomach. He also has a snore microphone taped just under his throat. ALL of these things were taped in place except the ones on his head. They were held in place by some type of cream stuff. He also had the pulse ox meter on his toe.
We won't know the results for about 2 more weeks from now. The guy did say though that it looked pretty good...not much snoring, few talking, no night terrors, and no sleep apnea.
I hope nothing is wrong to be causing his problems but if it is, I hope it is something minor that can be easily fixed. He should be good to go for awhile as long as he doesn't get sick. He comes back to Duke at the end of November to see 2 of his doctors (the GI and the genetic doctors). He may have to get blood drawn that day but we won't know until then.
Michael was also in a magazine that the United Cerebral Palsy Center gets. He was on the FRONT cover along with his classmate at the time Marta. They are both also shown on page 19. I am working on getting a link for it but so far no success.
I guess thats all for now but I guess that is enought right?!?!?!
Love,
Sherry and Michael
Sunday, November 6, 2005 11:45 AM EST
Good Sunday morning.
Michael so far has not gotten sick but he has got a cough this morning. I hope he don't get sick cause we only got 2 more days before his sleep study. I am ready to go but dreading it at the same time. I just don't know how he will do getting all those things attched to him. With his sensory integration, he doesn't like things to touch him especially on his face and head.
Yesterday we had a BIG day. Very busy. It was my Diabetes walk and it was me, Michael, Emily and my mom at first, then Brandon joined us after our first mile. Michael walked for about 1/2 mile on the track and then after we ate (or tried to eat), both Michael and Emily just walked around. THey got to see Scooby Doo and liked that very much. The walk was suppose to be 3 miles but we only did 2 because Brandon was complaining and to be honest I was worn out from pushing a double stroller on an uneven path. I had to work all muscles! It was fun though. So far I raised $460 and I have until Dec 10th to raise more. I want to at least make it to my goal of $500.
After that we went to the fire department because today was the barbecue sale. We ate there and then Michael and Emily played there for awhile.
Later that night, Brandon had his first basketball game with the church. I got there first, and Michael was pitching a fit wanting to play basketball. He doesn't understand that when there is a game, he can't play. So I decided we would go get something to eat and then come back. Well we met my aunt Brenda and cousin James at the door so we talked for a minute while Michael was still pitching a fit. She helped me get them in the car but then my mom and Brandon got there. We left anyway and went to Burger King since it was right down the road. Besides I knew I could not go back because there was nothing I could do for Michael. My mil and her husband came too but it was after we had left. Neither Michael nor Emily have played on the playgrounds at any fast food restaurants. Well II tired to show them how. All that was low down was just some tunnels that basically just went around in an oval shape. Then they had to climb up something that looked like a slide but had high grips to assist in climbing up. That was the only way to get to the slide!! Finally after a LONG while, Michael started climbing through the tunnels by himself. Then Emily followed. Next thing I knew, Michael was trying to climb up the slide. He was only going half way and then coming back down. All of a sudden I heard something and I was like "Oh gosh, Michael is at the top!". He loved it and kept doing it over and over. He kept saying mom this is fun, mom this is fun, mom this is awesome. Yeah it was!!! I was so proud of him doing it. Doesn't seem like a big deal for most parents with normal 5 year olds, but it was a lot for Michael!! They both had a blast and we were there for 1 1/2 hours. We missed Brandon's game which I hated but at the same time, I was glad I took Michael and Emily to Burger King since they had soooo much fun.
Well I guess that is all for now.
Sherry
Wednesday, November 2, 2005 9:35 PM EST
Hey everyone. Sorry for the long pause in updating but we have been offline for the past week.
Michael is doing really good and I am hoping that it continues. Both Brandon and Emily have Bronchitis and Brandon has phayngitis. I hope Michael stays clear of it since he is scheduled to have his sleep study done next Tuesday.
We all had a good Halloween. Brandon was the scream man and Michael and Emily were Raggedy Ann and Andy. Michael was very hyper that night though and everytime someone gave Michael some candy, he grabbed it before it hit the bucket and he would bite right into the middle of it.
On a school note, don't you hate it when your kids get in trouble for a wrong reason?!?!?! Well today when I picked up MIchael they said he didn't get a treat because he was not listening to his OT and that he was just laughing at her. Well for everyone that knows Michael, knows that he just laughs sometimes for no reason at all. You can be sitting at the table eating and he will just be looking around laughing at who knows what. That is just something he does, not that he is laughing at YOU. Anyway, I am a little mad about that.
Even better news...we got a call last week and Michael gets his wish to go to Disney World. They are trying to schedule it for the 2nd week in December but so far nothing is dead set. We are all excited and ready to go!!
Well I guess that is it for right now.
Sherry
Wednesday, October 26, 2005 8:56 PM EST
Just a quick update on Michael.
Not really nothing to update about but he has been doing really well. The past 2 nights he has been waking during the night. I don't know why, he hasn't had any breathing problems. He just wakes up, cries, gets a bottle, goes back to sleep.
I had to start doing a sleep journal on him this past Sunday since he gets his sleep study in 2 more weeks. I can't wait to get it done but at the same time I am dreading that night!!
That's pretty much it on Michael.
Hope everyone has a good night!
Sherry
Sunday, October 23, 2005 6:27 PM EST
Hey everyone and sorry about not updating in awhile. Both Emily and I have been sick and still are.
This has been a terrible week.
On Wednesday, Lee had some dental work done around 3pm. He was fine except that the space would not stop bleeding. He had gone to the fire department, walked the dog and had just gotten home to eat. He took a few bites and then got up because he felt sick. I was on the phone with my mom doing some laundry at the same time. I walked down the hall and saw him near the floor then he was laying on the floor, his eyes were open and I was wondering what the ehck he was doing. So I called his name and he didn't move or say anything. I thought he was joking around or something. I said his name again and again he didn't move, laugh, or anything so I knew right then something was wrong. I yelled to my mom that something was wrong with him and she said she was on her way. As soon as I hung up the phone getting ready to call 911, he came to and he said "Why are you yelling?" Then he realized he wa in the floor and that he was burning up. HE said he wanted me to take him to the rescue building but he was so hot he couldn't dress himself so I had to dress him. I took him there and everything checked out okay and he optioned to not go to the hospital. They felt that it was probably just the fact of losing blood and being on 2 medications, and that he had done too much since having it done, contributed to it. He has been fine ever since.
Then today, I get one of the biggest scares of my life!!!!
Ever since Michael has been born, I have had to live in fear. Being born at 24 weeks itself is a miracle. THen after he was born, I was so happy because his first week of life he did well besides the normal problems preemies have. I went to the NICU to see him, and I will never forget, the nurse looked at me and said "Let me go get the doctor, Michael has taken a turn for the worse". I was so scared and alone that night. The I had to spend the next 5 months and 10 days with Michael in the NICU constantly having infections, pneumonia, surgeries, blood and platelet transfusions, etc. Now from time to time we have other things happening with Michael. Well today wasa a big scare. We were at my grandparents house. The kids always play in the back yard. Soemtimes he will push his push toy firetruck beside the house but stop by the side steps. Well today I was in the backyard putting Emily in her carseat. Michael starts pushing the firetruck down beside the house and my aunt follows him. NExt thing I knew I heard her yelling his name, then my granddad, then my grandma. I finished and went to see what was going on. Well he didn't stop and was headed to a very heavy highway. My aunt is trying to catch him while all 3 of them were yelling his name and then I started after I saw what was going on. He gets to the end of the driveway, turns and looks at us and laughs. He thinks us yelling his name is a game or something and he doesn't understand the concept of cars in the road can hit you. THen he sees my aunt coming and he goes again, this time into this very busy road!! Thank God, cause he was with us and no cars were coming either way!! All the way home on our 30 minute drive, I kept having visions of Michael getting hit by a car.
I think that now that we are safely home, I am going to soak in a hot bath!
Sherry
Tuesday, October 18, 2005 7:19 PM EST
Hey all!
Michael has had a bad cough for about 6-7 days now. THen this morning, Emily woke up with a very bad cough. Later I got a call and I had to go get Michael from school, he had a fever and seemed to be "out of it". I decided to take them both to the ped. Michael has had a bad cough for about 6-7 days now but it is not bad. Not nearly as bad as Emily's! Hers sounds like whooping cough to me. The ped said that they both had of course a cough and an upper respiratory infection. They are both on a decongestant/cough prescription med. They both also got their flu shot today.
Michael still has not gained weight either. He is still at 26 pounds even. Dr. Blair wants me to take Michael back the first week in November to see if he has gained weight, then she will determine if she still wants to get the bone age test done on him.
I don't know if Darlene checks his site but anyway, yesterday when I picked him up from school, he said "where's Darlene" then he said "Darlene's at school". It was too cute!
Well I guess that's all to update about...
Sherry
Wednesday, October 12, 2005 7:12 PM EST
Michael has had a much better week so far!!! I am so glad of that. I don't know if I could have done another week.
Michael is still doing good in school. He loves to go and ask me to go even on the weekends. On Wednesday nights, he has been having homework to do which is tracing his alphabet they are working on for that week. Tonight he has to do "C". He likes to do it and when I tell him it is time to do his homework he runs into the kitchen.
This Friday is Michael's Ride-A-Thon for his Therapeutic Horse Therapy and we have only raised $15 out of his goal for $100. We still got 2 more days!!!
Tonight, Brandon was on our local TV station. They interviwed his school talking about fruits and vegetables. He was excited.
Michael is going to be on the local TV station later this month for March of Dimes. It will be his classroom.
Hope everyone has a good night!
Sherry
Sunday, October 9, 2005 11:18 AM EST
Happy Sunday!!
Can it take any longer for our appointment to see the behavior doctor!?!?! This has been one terrible week. Michael's behavioral problems have gotten way worse. I always have so much patience with him but this past week, my patience is running thin. I am so tired, exhausted, stressed, and I don't know what else.
Everyday is a battle with him. He throws fits so bad, you think he is going insane and makes me feel like I am going insane. I try to talk to doctors, his teacher, etc and they just don't understand the extent of his problem. They all think it is normal behavioral problems but after working with kids for over 10 years, it is not just a normal problem...it is much much more!!
Last night he went to sleep for about 30 minutes then woke back up and it all started all over again. He was fussing over a straw that we did not have, then wanting to play some games but after I turned them on, he wouldn't play them. Finally he went back to sleep.
Right here lately he has been doing a lot of blinking and I am not sure why. I know that the ophalmologist said that if he was swatting in front of his face to call immediately because that meant his retina was becoming detached again. But he's not doing that, just blinking. I am going to watch him today and see how much he is doing it.
I just don't know what to do anymore these days. I am stressed by Michael's problems, by Emily's problems, by my problems, then the Social Security Department stressing me about paying them $4,000 that I don't have! I can't even pay my bills barely, Michael only gets $141 a month from them and now they are deducting from that so he is barely getting anything. Then there's Lee stressing me over stupid stuff but that's another story and he just don't understand! I am basically raising all 3 kids by myself and it is hard to do with all these constant problems and I just don't need his added stress.
Okay off my soapbox for now....I gotta get to Michael and Emily!
Sherry
Thursday, October 6, 2005 10:08 AM EST
Hey all!!
We DID find Michael's glasses...the next day. He had threw them behind the toy box and I didn't pay much attention there because he barely goes in that room, lol.
Michael is doing so well in school. He loves it!! Yesterday he was so cute...he were riding down the road and I was telling him he had to go home and trace his "B". THen MIchael goes "A is for apple and B is for ball". He is getting so big!
Last night we all went to the fair but Emily and Michael did not ride anything, they just rode in the stroller and looked around. They both did good though. Michael was suppose to go today with his school, every year they have one day reserved for special needs children for local schools and daycares. This year they could not go because the school systems are on a ban to take field trips!! I hated that because then Michael and Emily could have rode on all the kiddy rides because they slow them down.
I hope everyone has a good weekend!
Sherry
Tuesday, September 27, 2005 10:14 PM EST
Hey!
Yesterday Michael got his new glasses. He wore them for awhile and then wanted to take then off. As far as I know, he wore them all day. Right after we got home, he took them off somewhere and guess what....I still can't find them. I have searched everywhere!!! I all rooms including the bathroom, under beds, chairs etc and still...no glasses. I asked him where they were but he can't tell me. I wish he could. I even asked Emily incase she has seen them. She is pretty good about remembering where things are and can usually get "it" for you but even tonight, she can't find them. I hate him not having them for schhol tomorrow but I am just hoping they don't get stepped on and broken!!!
Yesterday when I took Emily to the ped, I asked for her to refill Michael's medication for him to go to sleep. I was so glad we got it. I don't think I could have stood another night with barely any sleep!!
Right now he appears to be doing fine.
Sherry
Friday, September 23, 2005 9:08 PM EST
Hey all. Michael seems to be doing well on his new medication for his asthma. We have not had any breathing problems since he has been on it.
Today Michael started his therapeutic horse therapy. At first I had a time with him. He wanted to leave and was fighting so hard so I could not change his clothes. Two of the other parents that were there finally helped me. THen he still wanted to leave so I took him and Emily so the van so they could watch TV while we waitied. We still had 30 minutes. That did not work so we rode across the street and looked at some houses over there (really big nice houses). We went back when it was time and I told Brandon to stay outside with Emily while I took Michael in. I told Michael that we had to go in so mommy could potty which I did have to but as soon as we walked in the door, they were waiting for him. I had to hold his arms down while she put the helmet on him. He wanted it off!! While she was putting the belt on, he was trying to pull the helmet off but he couldn't. Then she just took him. About 15 minutes later they came back out. I thought "Oh no he pitched a fit!". But it was quite different. He actually loved it and kept talked about the horse and was saying he told him to "walk" and "wooo". He grabbed the other ladies hand and said "lets go ride the horse". I am so glad he liked it. Now they gave us a fundraiser form that has to be turned in by Oct 10-14th. Each rider has a minimal goal of $100. Not much time for me!!
Michael will be getting his new glasses on Monday. We were going to get them today before the horse therapy but the office had closed at 12:00 but I didn't know that. That's why we were 30 minutes early to the therapy.
The nurse from Duke called and he goes back there on November 8th to have his sleep study done.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!!
Sherry
Tuesday, September 20, 2005 11:11 PM EST
We are back from Michael's appointment. I am so tired and exhausted and getting ready to get to bed.
First all let me start off by saying that the medication that Michael takes to help him get to sleep, had run out and I had called in the refill not realizing that there were no more refills so they had to call the doctor to prescrice them again. I called last night and they said "they had not seen it". So Michael did not have him pill and did not go to sleep until 4:30 am this morning. I took him to school so he could at least get 2 hours in before we had to leave. He was so tired they could not keep him awake so he slept. I was so tired and then having to drive that long drive was tough!!
His appointment was at 10am this morning. After we signed in, they come and tell us that Michael needs to have a chest x-ray. I knew from then on it was going to be a rough day!! We went downstairs and they had us wait in a small area with no toys which MIchael was screaming because they had fun toys in the big waiting area. My mom could hear him screaming so she came and got him and just let me sit there and wait for them to call him back. After awhile, they did. He was still pitching a fit. He would not corporate at all sitting in the chair so they laid him on a cushing thing and the lady and I had to hold him down while the guy took the pictures. It was terrible...he was screaming and the lady was holding his arms while I was holding his legs and I know it looked like his arms were going to break!! That is one of my fears because Michael is so tiny and fragile. In the NICU, he had fractures on his arms and several ribs.
Afer that we went back upstairs and waited. The nurse called us back and took us to a room where she could test his breathing and do a treatment on him. First of all she tries to put the pulse ox meter on his toe and he did not like that. Then she tried to put the mask on his face and let him blow into it. He has sensory integration so of course he hated that. He screamed so hard and then took a BIG chunck out of her arm and drew blood!! He even got some of her blood onhis face! THen we had to do the treatment but she wanted to use the mask so more would get into him. He screamed so much so she then took th emask off and let it be flow by like he has it at home. He was fine then. After that she took of the pulse ox meter and then explained to him about breathing in the mask again. He did fine that time. I was happy about that.
We were then taken to yet another room to wait for the doctor. We had to wait awhile so he could talk with the Radiologist about the chest x-ray which was good since Michael had finally fell asleep in my arms. He came in and he was soooo nice! I really liked him. He asked me different questions about different things but I want explain since it would be too long. After that, he told me his thoughts. He said thathe is not sure why Michael is having these problems during sleep so he wants to do the sleep study. They are suppose to call tomorrow to schedule the appointment and then in January we will follow up with another doctor there at Duke. He also said that he can clearly tell that Michael has asthma. Before Michael was not on daily meds for the asthma, just got Albuterol as needed when he was having difficulty breathing. He said that Michael's was bad enough that he needs dailty meds for it so he prescribed Singulair tablets for him to take each night along with his Clonidine and Zrytec.
He also said that Michael needs to see a doctor to help out with Michael's behavior disorder and to also be tested for Autism. (Two things I have also been begging for). He referred us to yet another doctor there at Duke for this which is also in January. I hate having to wait so long for both these appointments but they were first available.
He also gave us a chamber to go along with Michael's new inhaler since Michael doesn't understand how to use the inhaler. We tried it on him to make sure it would seal when it was on his face and he did good.
Then finally at 3:30 pm we are leaving to come home. We got home around 7:30pm. That was one long drive but at least my mom and Emily were there also. Next time I will be alone with Michael. Let's just say I am scared to take that trip!!
Thats to everyone that was thinking of us!
Sherry
Saturday, September 17, 2005 9:17 PM EST
Hey everyone!
Michael is still doing good in school. He gives me no problems going. Since last Monday, he has been wearing pull ups and using the potty at school. I try to get him to use it here at home but he just sits there and don't potty but he barely wets his pull up. I give him a few more weeks and I am sure he will be completely potty trained with Emily following close behind.
Michael has done a little better at night about not having breathing difficulties. I am glad because I thought he was getting worse and was going to start having to have daily treatments. Dr. Blair gave him an inhaler but he won't use it. I think he just don't understand it.
We have an appointment on Tuesday September 20th to go to Duke to see the sleep doctor. Hopefully she will be scheduling a sleep study, something we have been trying to get done for 1 year now!! I am so ready to go but hate the long drive!
Well I guess thats about it for now...Michael and Emily are both asleep so I am going to get me some much needed sleep!
Sherry
Monday, September 5, 2005 6:06 PM EST
Well I got a little to update about Michael.
He has been doing great at school! He has asked though a few times to go to the "other school" and to see Mrs. LeeAnn and Mrs. Kathy (his old teachers). He has adjusted well at school and with his new therapists.
Michael has been having a few problems since last Monday. On Monday night, he woke up around 12:30am and was having difficulty breathing plus had a fever. I gave him a treatment and medicine but he would not take much medicine so I barely got a drop in him. When he woke up he was fine. He did fine all day Tuesday, Tuesday night, all day Wednesday, but then around 10:30pm Wednesday night, he was having difficulty breathing again. I gave hima treatment and he went back to sleep but then around 2am he woke up screaming! His wasn't breathing too bad but not too good eaither and he had another fever. So I began getting worried. Thursday at school he was fine but that night, he woke up screaming again. We where lucky though that he was breathing fine and had no fever. I took him to the ped on Friday but she pretty much said it was a virus. If that is the case, then it is a very strange one!! So I am not sure about that. Last night (Saturday) he was fine again but did wake up screaming. I am telling you, I can not wait until Sept 20th!!!! I know it is just a visit but hopefully I can talk to the doctor at Duke and he will get a sleep study done ASAP!!
Michael has always had a nebulizer for his breathing but now his ped has just ordered him an inhaler so now we have to get use to that.
Saturday (Sept. 3rd) we had a birthday party here at our house for Michael. After my grandparents got there, he screamed for about 20-30 minutes wanting to go to their house. We got him calmed and ate some cake and stuff then he wanted to open his gifts. He wouldn't open them though so Brandon opened them for him. Tuesday he is having a small party at school.
I do want to say thanks to everyone that has sent Michael cards and also to the Gerasimovich family for Michael's birthday box! He loved everything in it and so did Emily LOL. Thank you so much as it came very much in handy!
I hope everyone is having a great Labor day. We are just sitting around at home relaxing!
Sherry
Thursday, August 25, 2005 11:23 PM EST
Hey. Sorry for the delay in updating but August has been a crazy month.
Last Wednesday Michael saw the eye doctor at Duke. His vision in his left eye has changed for the first time since birth!!! His vision has been being about 20/2200-2300. Now it is 20/1500-1600. They prescribed him some new glasses but we have to wait 4-6 weeks to get them but they said because it is such a strong presciption to plan on the 6 weeks. He does not have to go back until next year.
Today Michael started kindergarden. He was excited to go to his new big boy school and to see his new teacher Mrs. Phipps (although he didn't know her name). While I was there he was sitting at the table waiting for breakfast and then after he ate he just started crying!!! I left becasue I knew it would be easier that way. When I picked him up, the asst teacher brought him out but forgot to give me his folder soo I had no idea what he had done but when we were in the car he said "Michael cried at school today" and I said "did Michael cry today". Then he said "sit in time out chair" so I asked him if he had to sit in the time out chair but I never really got an answer. I did talk with his teacher though and she said she cried for about 1 hour!!! But then was fine, she never said anything about time out. Oh yeah funny thing, she said that they had to double up his chair by putting another chair on top of the other because he is too small and couldn't see how to eat, LOL. Sounds kind of scary but it looked secure and it is only temp. until the OT can get him a booster seat. When he came home, he knew his teachers name and he sounded so cute saying it!! The only part I am dreading now is him having to learn a new PT, OT, ST, and blind teacher. At his last school he did fine with the teachers but had trouble adjusting to the therapists and they actually had to go in and just talk with him in his classroom and work his way up. He never really got use to his speech therapist so she quit seeing him over the summer.
Brandon goes to a different school than Michael. Brandon's school is in our school district but they don't have a special ed class which I hate because it is one of the best schools. I had a conflict with both schools starting at the same time and ending 10 minutes difference and Brandon begged and begged to ride the bus. The day before I gave in and let him so today was his first day riding but he LOVED it!! It works out good but I hate it. I would rather take him myself. He seems to like his teacher too.
Well that is all for Michael for now. I will try to update more on him.
Sherry
Tuesday, August 16, 2005 8:42 PM EST
Sorry for the delay in posting but I have pretty much been gone. Two weekends ago I was in Georgia and this past weekend I was in Denver.
I have not gotten the evaluation results back yet. I talked to his therapist on Friday though and she said that they had been sent off and his "goals" have changed some. She said she would make sure that the lady that did the eval got in touch with me this week.
Tomorrow (Wednesday) Michael has to go back to Duke to see his eye doctor but I don't know how it will be since they sent a letter and he has to see a doctor he has never seen before. I think that we may have a long day ahead of us.
Next Thursday August 25th, Michael starts kindergarden!!! I can't believe it. He is so small compared to all those children. He is also going to have ALL new therapists. We are trying to keep one of his OT's though since she works more with Michael's sensory integration but right now we don't know if we will be able to do that.
This past weekend while I was in Denver, my mom kept all 3 kids some. The first night I was gone, my mom said that they got worried about Michael that he was hallucinating or something. SHe said that he was asleep and just sat right up and said "hey mommy hey mommy" and was waving just like I was right there. She said he did this a few times then got up and played a game and it never happened again.
Well I am going to update Emily's site then head to bed!
Love,
Sherry and family
Tuesday, July 26, 2005 9:37 PM EST
Hey everyone! Michael is doing pretty good. He has a behavioral disorder and right now it is pretty bad. He often will just scream out and wants to kick everything in sight.
He had his evaluation today but it will be a few days before I get the results back. I am very curious as to where he is developmentally. His last evaluation was when he was 3 and he was developmentally at a 6-12 mth old.
I wanted to thank everyone from Hugs and Hope that has sent Michael cards (and Brandon and Emily). Brandon is a bit jealous because he don't get as much as Michael. I also wanted to thank Patty and Rick Ray for the SpongeBob comforter set. Michael loves it!!! Before I had to rock him to sleep then put him to bed but now he will go get in his bed and go to sleep by himself. Thank you so much, I really do appreciate it and so does Michael.
I hope everyone has a good night!
Love,
Sherry
Thursday, July 14, 2005 9:20 PM EST
Well, yesterday was a heck of a day!!!
We got to the appointment about 25 minutes early. Our appt was at 9:45am and we got there at 9:20. While we were waiting some baby came in and he was crying and they said that they were having trouble with aninsertion site so they went ahead and took him back. Well it had been 45 minutes and we were still waiting and I assumed it was because they had taken the baby back which was fine for me since it was an emergency. Well 10:20 came around and I went and asked how much longer because they had taken some other patients back since the baby that had come in way after we had. They told me that they were just talking about us and that we would be called back soon. While we were waiting Michael saw some controllers to a Gamecube and wanted to play. They finally called us back and Michael was fussing because he wanted to play the gamecube. We finally got him calmed down and was playing a little game while we were waiting for the doctor. Then Michael decided to have a bowel movement and as soon as I laid him down on the table to change him, the doctor comes in. Well instead of giving us time to change him and get settled back down, he goes on and starts asking me questions about Michael. I get him changed and he goes and sits on my moms lap and then we noticed that he had stinky on his legs. We looked and he had gotten it on his shorts but we hadn't noticed so them we are having to mess with his diaper again and clean up somemore and the doctor is STILL talking!!! Michael then starts fussing and then we noticed he had busted his lip open and was bleeding so then we are dealing with that...the doctor STILL talking! Then Emily starts crying and at that same time the doctor starts by telling us what the next step will be.
What is it??? I have no idea because neither my mom or I could hear!!! I do know hw said something about some growth hormones, something about some IgA test, and he wants a gentic doctor to see Michael to rule out other problems as he thinks it is genetic related. We go back on Nov 29th (the earliest they had) and he will have blood work done that day for both Dr Ulshen and Dr McDonald which is the gentic doctor he will be seeing plus he will see both doctors that same day. He wants to see how much weight he gains between now and then.
GOOD NEWS...he has gained a pound!!!! He was 26 pounds!!! That makes 1 pound in 2 months!!! Usually it is just 1 pound in one year.
Anyway...that was our day and we were exhausted today. I am ready to go to bed and I am as soon as Michael goes. Emily is already asleep!
Have a great night,
Sherry
UPDATE: July 15, 2005
I talked to Michael's ped here (Dr. Blair) and she said that as soon as she gets the letter she will call or have her nurse call and explain to me what will be happening.
Dr. Blair is also going to get a bone age test done on Michael probably next month. It is an xray of his wrist and hand. It will determine how slow his growth is compared to other kids his chronologic age.
He might be getting an xray of his ribs and arms also from where he had bone fractures when he was in the NICU. He had fractures on his right ulna and humerous, his 7th rib on the right, and his 8th and 9th rib on the left.
Saturday, July 9, 2005 12:21 AM CDT
Michael has been doing well. No treatments lately!!
Our July 4th was okay. We went down to the town commons area during the day but not much was going on down there. Later that night we went to see the fireworks but we didn't have a good view because of a tree but I don't think we would have saw that much anyway. Emily loved what she saw and Michael, we are not for sure if he could really see them or if he just heard them but anyway, this year he was not scared.
After we got home someone across the street had some fireworks but both Michael and Emily were scared of them. I guess because they were closer and really loud. Michaell stayed in the house and Emily went out with me and BRandon but she held me tight!!
Yesterday we had a fun day. After lunch, me, Brandon, Michael, and Emily all got in the pool for a little while. Emily just floated in her float since I had to hold Michael. Michael sure did learn a lot at swiiming lessons, he fell of a float while I was pulling it. I immediately grabbed him but he actually started swimming!!
Brandon has really surprised me this week also...he has been spending more time with Michael playing with him and watching Winnie the Pooh with him.
I will try to update before then but just in case I don't, Michael goes to Duke on Wednesday to see his GI doctor.
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Sherry
Wednesday, June 29, 2005 8:55 PM EST
Michael has been doing pretty well during the day. Last week though MIchael was back to having breathing problems again and we were having to give him treatments. One night we were about to take him to the ER because his treatment that night weren't working. After we said that, the last treatment worked. He did fine over the weekend and even the beginning of this week. Two night ago, he started back and we have had to give treatments. I can not wait until he will get his sleep study done but we still have 3 more months (Sept 20th) to wait for that. It is so scary. We bought a new monitor so we could hear his breathing but it hasn't been helping too much. I am scared that one day I will wake up and find him not breathing.
Please pray that nothing bad happens and please sign his guestbook and let him know you are thinking of him.
Tomorrow is Emily's last day of swimming lessons so I will be able to get my pictures developed and share Michael's swimming lesson pictures. I can't wait to see them, he did so good.
Off to bed...
Sherry
Friday, June 24, 2005 5:01 PM EST
Michael is finished with his swimming lessons. He did so well. He will go under water and swim from teacher to teacher. He will even practice in the bath tub.
Michael has had a few breathing problems every night since Sunday. On Wednesday night, we gave him an albuterol treatment which did not help so we had to repeat it. The second time worked. Last night though, he did great and did not have to have any treatments which was great and he even slept thru the night. I finally got a little sleep.
Yesterday, Michael went on a field trip with his class. They went to the Farmers Market but they were only there for about 15-20 minutes and then they were done. Today they had water playday and they played in the sprinkler. I have asked Michael if he had fun but so far I haven't gotten an answer.
Tomorrow we will be going to my friend Angel's kids birthday parties. I am hoping that he will do good there. We'll see!
Next week I have to take pictures of EMily finishing her swimming lessons then I will get the pictures developed, scanned and then posted here for you to see how good he did.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
Sherry
Saturday, June 18, 2005 12:26 AM EST
Hey. Sorry it has been awhile since I last updated. I was having trouble signing on to caringbridge.
Michael has been doing pretty good since his last episode of breathing difficulties. I am so happy about that. He did so good at his graduation from preschool on May 27th. He cried though so I had to walk down the aisle with him and sit behind him. We left right after to go to Ohio. We had fun there. He keeps asking to go back.
He is continuing to go to UCP throughout the summer until he starts kindergarden in August. He is still getting PT and OT there and is still going to TLC for his 2nd OT. His speech therapy and his blind teacher will start back up when he starts school. He is currently on the waiting list to have therapeutic horse therapy at Rocking Horse Ranch. I hope he gets in. We should know soon.
That's pretty much all about Michael. He is doing well. Emily is the one this time having trouble.
Happy Fathers Day to all dads!
Love,
House Family
Here are some of his graduation pictures.
This was him sitting in the circle singing and watching a play.
This was him getting his diploma.
This was him with his diploma walking very carefully not to fall.
Friday, May 27, 2005 4:22 PM EST
Hey all! Michael has been doing okay since the other night. I hope it continues. Tonight is his last night getting the steroids so we will see.
Michael graduates tonight from preschool!!!! After that we are leaving and driving straight to Ohio (about 10 hours). We won't be back until next Tuesday 5/31/05 so I won't update until then.
Have a great Memorial weekend.
Sherry
Monday, May 23, 2005 10:03 AM EST
Well, last night I went to sleep around 10:30pm already depressed because I knew when I woke up on May 23, 2005 that it make 6 years ago exactly of the birth and death of my daughter Kim. I miss her so much!
About an hour later around 11:30-11:40pm, I could faintly hear MIchael crying. I got up to calm him like I always do every night but to my surprise, he was having an extremly hard time breathing. Far worse than last weeks episodes. I got his treatment ready but it was so bad that he was fighting his treatment which he never does and he was out of it. He looked terrible so I went and woke Lee up. He came to the living room and while I started the treatment I told him what was going on. He looked at Michael and we were like "He needs to go somewhere NOW!". Michael was so lifeless.I gave him to Lee to finish his treatment while I put some clothes on. I took him to Eastern Pines REscue and they checked him and said he was wheezing and was "tight". We took him to the ER and on the way there they gave him another treatment of Albuterol and gave him some oxygen since his was a little low. By time we got to the ER, he was still wheezing but his oxygen levels were back up to 100 nd he was having tachycardia (fast heartbeat) from the oxygen they gave him. At the hospital, after a few people examined him, he later got a chest x-ray and another treatment of Albuterol. The chest x-ray came out fine and he stopped wheezing and was doing so much better. They gave him some prednisolone before we left and also a prescription for something else but I am not sure what is it for. HE has to take it for 4 days. We left the ER at 4:00am this morning and they said for us to call this morning and get him seen by his ped again. We got an appoinment for 1:40pm this afternoon. I will be asking her about that medicine they want me to put him on before I give him any. I don't know what she will say or do. Lee is going to meet me there because like me, think something is wrong. You know like why is this happening all of a sudden??
They did get us an appointment to go see the sleep center in Duke finally!! But guess what, it is 4 months away on September 20th?!?!?!
Anyway, I am exausted from last night but Michael and Emily are both awake so no sleep for me. I am hoping for some good sleep tonight though!
Love,
Sherry
Tuesday, May 17, 2005 4:52 PM EST
Well along with Emily, I thought Michael was doing pretty good until Sunday night. He had gone to sleep and then later kept waking. He was having trouble breathing and I had to give him a treatment. I figured it was just a fluke or something but I told his teachers what happened and told them to watch him. He did fine at school and then even later at home. About 30 minutes after taking his medicine, he started having trouble breathing again. I gave him a treatment and called his ped. She asked about how his pillow was (for dustmites etc) and I told her that he was tested for that kind of stuff but wasn't allergic to it. Since that was the case she said she wanted to see him in the morning. I took him in and she listened to him breathe and she said he sounded like he was having some allergy problems with his nose. She put him on another medicine for his nebulizer that he gets once a day and she also put him on Zyrtec chewables. He also has an ear infection, first one since his tubes have been out which was over a year ago.
We found out to that Emily also has yet another ear infection. I have to let Dr. Blair know if either one of them is not better by the end of the week. I am also still waiting for an appoinment to the sleep center in Duke. Check out her site at http://www.caringbridge.org/nc/emily
Have a great day!
Sherry
Monday, May 9, 2005 5:24 PM EST
Hey everyone! Michael is doing great. He spent the weekend at his grandmas house while I was away in Charlotte for Emily's state pageant. He did really well for her. He is going ona trip tomorrow for school. No where big, just the library but I think he will have a fun time.
Emily needs some sponsors. We just got back from Emily's State Pageant. She did really well. She won for Prettiest Eyes and won 1st runner up for the Model Search. She came home with 3 trophies and 2 crowns.
Now she is able to go to Internationals in August and she needs your help. She needs some Sponsors. There are many ways you can help her out. I know money don't grow on trees.
You can:
Business card size ad for $25.00
1/3 page for $50.00
1/2 page for $75.00
whole page for $150.00
You can also just donate some money and I can make one whole page and sign everyones name that doantes money.
She needs to sell at least a total of 10 ad pages. All ads are tax deductable. If you know any others or businesses that you think would like to help out, please let them know.
You can either mail them to me (email for address) or you can pay thru paypal. The ID is sherry_house2001@yahoo.com. Just make sure you put that it is for Emily's pageant in the subject line. As soon as we get the pictures back, I will post them on her website http://www.caringbridge.org/nc/emily
I am still taking donations also for March of Dimes. My website is http://walkamerica.org/Sherrys3miracles I am also still selling the March of Dimes car magnets for $5.00 if anyone is interested.
Thanks a bunch!
Sherry and family
Tuesday, April 19, 2005 7:40 PM EST
I am walking in honor of my 3 miracles that were born premature. Our walk is next week and so far I have no donations.
I am supporting the March of Dimes by participating in WalkAmerica. Volunteers like you and me help raise funds that support lifesaving research to prevent premature births and infant mortality. Now in its 34th year, WalkAmerica gives moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, family members and friends the opportunity to help the March of Dimes fight prematurity.
Premature birth is the leading cause of newborn death in the first month of life. It’s on the rise - up 27% since 1981. And it can happen to any pregnant woman. In nearly half the cases, the causes are unknown. The March of Dimes is leading the way to find answers by supporting research into the causes of premature birth.
We need your help - and so do America’s babies. Won’t you join me in this fight? Please visit my personal Web site to make a donation and learn more about the March of Dimes.
Please forward to all you family and friends in your address book.
My personal web page address for donations is ...
http://www.walkamerica.org/Sherrys3miracles
Click Now to sponsor me for WalkAmerica 2005!
Thanks in advance.
Sherry
Tuesday, April 12, 2005 11:36 PM EST
Update on Michael... the doctor from Duke said that it was good for me to discontinue the medication that he prescribed. Right now he is not going to do anything further as far as his weight. We go back for a follow up in 3 months and he will re-evaluate him then. We are still waiting to hear from the Sleep Center doctor. Right now he goes to the United Cerebral Palsy Center and they are scheduling to take him to the therapy pool at tthe hospital. They (his therapists) are hoping to be able to take him stating in May but may have to wait until June. He should like that and I think it will do him some good.
Today Emily had her 15 month appointment. She only weighs 17 pounds even (under the charts) and was 28 1/2 inches long (25th %tile). SHe got 3 shots today. Her ped said that she is borderline in 2 development areas and her speech was way under. She is going to watch her until 18 months and if she is still under in those 3 areas she is going to refer her to DEC to be evaluated and to see if therapy is needed. She just got over a double ear infection about 2 weeks ago but now she has yet another infection in her left ear. She is on antibiotics again. Other than that everything was okay!
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Sherry
Monday, April 11, 2005 2:06 PM EST
Well I called Michael's ped this morning to remind her to call the sleep study doctor to see about getting him in. So far I haven't heard anything.
We have been talking to a few medical people and tried to get their thoughts on what was going on with MIchael. One of the people was my stepdads brother who is the head of an EMT in a nearby county. He hasn't seen my stepdad since Christmas until last night and he asked how MIchael was doing and how he did with the sleep test because we "thought" we were going to have it done in DEcember but they said no it wasn't needed because he wasn't snoring all night or having sleep apnea (well we don't know if he is having sleep apnea for sure). He was very surprised that this has not been done on him yet. My stepdad told him about Michael being put on Clonidine in December to help him get to sleep and then about last Tuesday when we went to Duke and he was put on medication to increase his appetite and how he reacted to that medication (having difficulty breathing). He said he wouldn't give him any medication until a sleep test had been done and that he felt that the doctors could possibly be killing Michael with the meds. He said he was getting one med telling his brain to go to sleep and the other med telling his brain to get up. He said that he may be confused whether it is day or night and could be causing him nightmares since he was waking up screaming but not really waking up, his eyes were still closed but yet he was screaming. He also mentioned other things that could be wrong with Michael plus things that could be wrong with Michael being caused by his medication.
So now after all this I am so scared and don't know what to do. We have very good doctors here but not good enough for me and my child. I am trying to find a good doctor at Duke to take him to. Some test need to be run and need to be run now...not after it's too late. His ped also refused to have him tested for autism, ADD, and ADHD. Even if he doesn't have either of these, it could be something else but we won't know until tsets are run. My question is...what does it take to get things done??
Sherry
Saturday, April 9, 2005 3:15 PM EST
Well I finally have an update to post about...
This week has been very eventful here. Tuesday I had to take Michael to Duke Medical for a GI appointment. They put him on medication to increase his appetite. He was 24 pounds that day. However last night was my last night giving him that medication. It seems to make him unable to breathe and we have been having to give him treatments. I called his ped last night and she said to call her office first thing Monday morning and she is going to call the doctor that does the sleep studies and try and get Michael in. So hopefully we will find out what is going on with him during the night with his wakenings.
On Wednesday, I got very sick and got dehydrated and went into DKA and I was put in the hospital. I just got out yesterday and I am doing much better. My fingers are very sore from all the finger pricks.
It was good to be back home with the kids. Everyone else is doing well.
Lots of love,
Sherry
Friday, March 11, 2005 2:47 PM EST
Hey all. So far I haven't gotten our appointment to go back to see the GI in Duke or to go back and see the Neurologist.
All this week Michael and Emily have both been battling fevers and runny noses and bad coughs (especially Michael). I ended up taking Michael to the night clinic Wednesday but of course as usual when I go there I feel like I wasted my time. They did nothing but said it looked like a few spots on his throat and told us to go and see his ped on Friday. Well all 3 of my kids were sick so I took them all. Guess what??? We just got back from the doctor and Brandon, Michael and Emily all 3 have strep and possibly me (I am being treated anyway since all 3 of them have it), Michael and Emily have a upper respiratory infection, and Emily also has a double ear infection. We are all on antibiotics. Hopefully in a few days we will all be feeling better.
Sherry & Michael
Wednesday, March 2, 2005 4:34 PM EST
Hey everyone! Michael has been doing well as far as his health. His behavioral problems on the other hand are getting worse. I can't leave him and Emily in a room together for nothing without him trying to hit her. Next Tuesday I am meeting with his pediatrician and hopfully we will have him see the Sleep Center again, a phychiatrist or physcologist and have him tested for Autism, ADD and ADHD. We'll see how it goes on Tuesday and see where we will be going from here. Something needs to be done before it gets too out of control.
I will try and keep everyone updated on what happens.
Have a great night.
Thursday, January 27, 2005 9:54 PM EST
New update... Michael went to see the Allergist. He is indeed allergic to dogs. We also found out he is allergic to peanuts and beef! Talk about a shocker. Other than that, he is doing fine.
Hope everyone has a great Valentines Day!
Hello all. Everything has been going great until yesterday. Michael had his normal therapy on Wednesday's but this one was going to be a little different...his therapist now has a therapy dog. They had planned on Michael working with the dog some but Michael ended up having bloodshot eyes, kept blinking them constantly, and rubbing them so they didn't let him play with the dog. When I picked him up, they asked me if he had been sick because I had already told them that he was not allergic to dogs. My mom has 3 dogs and my mil has 1 dog and they have never bothered him. So I am thinking he probably has pink eye and I call and make him an appointment. Well they couldn't see us until today (Thursday) at 10:00. About 2 hours after his therapy, his eyes clear up and he is fine the rest of the day. Then for the 3rd night in a row, Michael has not slept well. Last night he was waking every 30 minutes to an hour. Then around 4:00am, he wakes up and is having a bad asthma attack...so then I am rethinking that he may just very well be allergic to dogs. We go to the ped today and she says it sounds like he is so they are scheduling us to go see an allergist cause we need to know before next Wednesday. She wants him to be able to work with the therapy dog though cause it could really help him a lot so they are going to give him something to take so it won't bother him. I am waiting to find out when his appoinment is. She gave us a prescription for an antihistamine to take just in case we don't get an appointment before next Wednesday. Also his checks and lips are seriously dry so she gave him so Efidel and I put some on him as soon as we got home and it seemed to have already started working.
Other than that, he seems to be doing well. Oh yeah he has gained another pound...he weighs 24 pounds!!!!!
His baby sister still needs everyones help for her upcoming pageants. Please see the last update for details or you can email me at sherry_house2001@yahoo.com
Hope everyone has a great night and upcoming weekend.
Sherry
Saturday, January 9, 2005 12:25 AM EST
Hey everyone! It has been forever since I last posted. I was having internet problems for awhile but it is all fixed now.
We had a great Christmas and New Years. The kids all got lots.
Michael has been doing pretty good. The medicine he is taking to help get him to sleep is still working. He does still wake about 3-4 times a night but thats better than before!
He went to see the ENT and they said his tonsils are indeed large but they seem to think that will shrink some. They are not taking them out not unless he starts having problems breathing or snoring. So thats good news.
I do have a favor to ask. Michael's sister Emily needs your help. She is to be in 2 pageants. For both pageants she has to sell ad pages. If you would like to buy an ad and wish her well or just a special message that would be great.
The prices are
business card size or small message is $25.00
1/3 page is $50.00
1/2 page is $75.00
Full page is $150.00
I know some may be tight on money right now after the holidays so if you would just like to donate some that is fine too. I can put messages together to add up to a certain amount. Like if 5 people sent $5.00, I could add them together to make a $25.00 ad. You can either mail it to me (send an email for address) or send it to me thru paypal. My id is sherry_house2001@yahoo.com Just put that it is for Emily's pageants and let me know what the message is you would like to be put there. For businesses, this IS tax deductable and I am assuming it can be for others as well.
Love,
Lee, Sherry, Brandon, Michael, and Emily
Tuesday, December 21, 2004 10:30 PM EST
Man it has been a long time since I last updated. Nothing really new though. The meds MIchael is on to help him to sleep is still working pretty well. HE is going to sleep within 1 hour after taken it and is only waking 3-4 times a night. So much better than 8-10 times!
Thursday he goes to his appointment at the ENT so they can look at his tonsils. I will give an update as soon as we get back.
Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and holidays!
Sherry
Monday, December 13, 2004 7:03 PM CST
Hey all. Today MIchael went to the mall with his class and got to sit with Santa. He also had his picture taken with him. After that we ate at Chick-fil-A and then went to the Convention Center here. They have lots of Christmas Trees decorated with different themes. They were so pretty.
Michael ped called this morning and he is scheduled to be seen at the ENT on Dec 23rd. Well see what they say but I am sure they are going to take his tonsils out.
Michael is Dec 04 Featured child at Bridge of Dreams. Here is the link http://www.bridgeofdreams.org/Kidz/Michael/michael.htm
I will try to get his pic with Santa on the site sometime this week. I haven't been feeling to well and went to the doctor today and I have a double ear infection plus a infection in my throat. I am on Amoxicillin and Nasonex for it. Because I never test positive for strep, they didn't even bother doing a strep test since I was going to be on an antibiotic anyway.
Have a good night.
Sherry
Thursday, December 9, 2004 8:16 PM EST
Thursday, December 2, 2004 6:20 PM EST
We are back from Michael's appointment. Of course he threw a fit. He knows the deal when he goes to see the doctor.
When we first got there, he was already ready to leave. There were two other patients in front of us and wouldn't you know it, the doctor wasn't even there yet!!!! We went back so they could weigh him, get his height, blood pressure and pulse. He did the weight and height good but would not let then do the other two. The also took a side view picture of him for their records and then a front shot of him for us to keep.
The neurologist we saw was very nice and good with him. He liked her and actually went and sat with her!! Thats a first! She said that as far as his sleep habits it is normal for preemies to experience that because of the life they have in the NICU. Michael was there for 5 1/2 months so he was very use to their environment. Since Michael doesn't have the snoring part going on they don't have to have him come in and Sleep. So thats good. They did prescribe him Clonidine which is a blood pressure med that will make children sleepy. He has to take 1/4 of a pill around 8:30-9:00 at night. If he gets tired but not to the point he falls asleep, he will start taking half the pill.
To rule out the seizures, he has to go back to see the neurologist at the end of January to have test run for that.
Michael has never been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and still hasn't but she did tell me that with all his "issues" put together he does have some form of Cerebral Palsy. It is not severe of course to the point he is diagnosed with it.
He is really tired now so I am going to go for the night and get him feed, bathe and hopefully off to bed. Wish us luck!!
Sherry
Wednesday, December 1, 2004 5:18 PM EST
Sorry it has been so long since I posted. It has been pretty busy here.
We had a good Thanksgiving. We all got together and had lunch at my grandparents house then we had supper at my mil house.
Michael has been doing well until about 2 days ago he started getting a nasty cold. He has a runny nose (very runny) and a bad cough. He had therapy today with Bridget but was a little spacey.
Tomorrow Michael goes into the Sleep Center so we can start some sort of process hopefully. Please pray that all goes well. We have to be there at 1:30pm EST
I will try to give an update tomorrow or Friday on how everything turns out.
Be sure to visit Emily's site. http://www.caringbridge.org/nc/emily
Please sign the guestbook too.
Sherry and Michael
Wednesday, November 24, 2004 8:32 PM EST
Hey everyone!
Everything is still going pretty good with Michael. He didn't have Occupational therapy today because his therapist was going out of town for the holidays.
Next Thursday is the day that Michael goes to the Sleep Lab so they can talk with us about his sleep patterns. Hopefully then we will be able to hopefully rule out seizures and maybe we can get some help so Michael will sleep better and not wake 8-10 times a night.
Thats pretty much it for Michael. To find out about his sister go to her website http://www.caringbridge.org/nc/emily
Have a happy Thanksgiving!!!
Sherry
Saturday, November 20, 2004 12:17 PM EST
Hey Everyone. Sorry it's been awhile but I really haven't had anything to report. Everything has been really good with everyone. Looking forward to Thanksgiving next week.
I am off for some sleep hopefully, just didn't want anyone to worry.
Love,
Sherry
Monday, November 15, 2004 8:31 PM EST
Michael has been doing pretty good, nothing much has changed though. Still late nights and several awakenings at night. He is waking more at night now than he was before, but hopefully when we get to go to the Sleep Center something will be done or some advice will be given to us on how to make that better.
Today I started keeping a little baby named Drake. Emily is a bit jealous of him I think. When I sit on the floor next to her holding him, she gets on her belly and rubs his feet on her face like it feels good to her. I dropped Drake off at his house before picking MIchael up from school and ever since then he has been going around asking for the baby and saying "get the baby." He is real good and slept most of the time. He played for awhile though.
Tonight Brandon had his first championship football game and they won so we play again on Wednesday. I am glad they are wining but will also be glad when it is all over because it is so cold outside!!
Well thats about all for now.
Thursday, November 11, 2004 12:38 AM EST
Well this morning everyone woke up with runny noses.
Yesterday Michael went to see Bridget his Occupational therapist. She said he was aggitated and didn't want to do what she wanted him to do and instead a tracing a circle he just kept scribbling it. He has been fine otherwise.
Today he is home from school so he is having hima good time playing. Me, Michael and Emily were just playing "Copy Michael". We (mostly me) would copy what Michael was doing. He had fun doing that.
To read about Emily, go visit her webpage listed at the bottom of this page.
Don't forget to sign the guest book!!
Well off to get some lunch going.
Tuesday, November 9, 2004 8:04 PM EST
Friday, November 5, 2004 6:32 PM EST
WOW! Has it really been since Monday since I updated.
Very busy with lots of sick kids. I will give a run down of each one.
On Monday, Brandon started a new school. He liked it there except for the school food. Tuesday he went to school and around 8:30am I got a call that he had a temperature of 101. So I went to school and checked his temp. which had dropped to 100.2. He was complaining though of his throat and head hurting so I took him to the doctor. She looked at his throat and said it looked like he had strep but the culture came back negative. Since it was so bad looking, she gave him an antibiotic to take 3 doses. After we got home, he went to sleep and so did Emily. Emily awoke around 9 pm and she had a fever of 102 and I checked Brandons and his had gone back up to 102. I gave them both medicine and they both went back to sleep. Wednesday Brandon stayed home from school which I had a meeting at Michaels school so he had to go with me there. Both Brandon and Emily did not have a fever Wednesday. Michael had therapy and did really well. Thursday, Brandon went back to school and so did Michael. Everyone was fever free Thursday!!
Then Friday morning about 1am Emily woke up again with what?? A fever! Yep so I gave her medicine and she went back to bed. She also has only been drinking 4 ozs at a time and not very often. Then around 3am, Michael wakes up and is having difficulty breathing so I had to give him an Albuterol treatment. Emily has been having fevers all day today and she keeps getting Tylenol whichs brings it down but not much at all. It is always 99. something everytime I check. She is doing lots of sleeping and not much drinking. Michael is doing well and Brandon is doing well.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
Please sign the guestbook so I know you visited!!
Lee, Sherry, Brandon, Michael, and Emily
Monday, November 1, 2004 11:19 AM EST
Things have been pretty good here but busy. Michael finally got rid of his fever Saturday evening and he never was sick, so that was a good thing. Saturday night we went to our church's Halloween Carnival. We had a small hotdog cookout and then had games. Emily didn't play any but she sure was watching. Michael played a few games but he loved to pick up the ducks out of the pool. I thought the floor would be drenched by time he left there but he did pretty good. Emily was dressed as a cheerleader and Brandon and Michael both were Spiderman. Emily's was blue and white and had a logo on the shirt that said cheerleader. She was so sute. Then on Sunday night we went Trick or Treating. Emily rode in the stroller and we let Brandon and Michael go to the doors. They had fun and they were both dressed as Spiderman. Emily was dressed which an outfit that said "Future Super Model". I took pictures with my regular camera so I have to get them developed before I can post pictures, my battery had died in my digital. My aunt Brenda and cousin James went with us. Today Brandon started his new school. He was excited but nervous at the same time. I think he will like it though. There was also another new student starting in his class today.
Well thats pretty much our weekend in a nutshell.
Sherry, Brandon, Michael and Emily
Friday, October 29, 2004 10:30 PM EST
In September, Michael got unexplained fevers. He was not sick in any way. However I took him to the doctor on 1 and everything looked good. The fevers continued and on day 3 I took him back. While we were there he had 2 loose stools but nothing after that. The fevers lasted for 4 whole days. The did blood work and they were a little abnormal. Since then he has been fine in that aspect until last night. His temp was 102.6. I have him Motrin and it went down. Was down all day until tonight. Ithas been in the 102's and then reached 104. I gave him more Motrin, and called the night line. They said to give him a bath with warm water and wait 20 minutes. So I am here waiting now.
This is so scary!! He has never been the type to really get sick or have fevers.
Sherry
Thursday, October 28, 2004 9:31 PM EST
Hey all. Today has been pretty good for everyone. Today me, Brandon and Emily all went to Chicod school to observe and take a look at it. We are thinking of taking Brandon out of his private school and putting him in a public school. He wants to start on Monday.
Tonight we went to a Fall Festival at Brandon's school but Michael didn't seem to have a good time. He cried and wanted to leave. He did play two games, a basketball one and a ring toss one. He could have cared less for them.
Bad News: When I got home tonight Michael felt very warm so I took his temperature and it was 100.6. Not too bad but all I can think about is when in September he had unexplained fevers for 4 days. I hope we do not have to go thru that again. Last time it would go down with Tylenol or Motrin but as soon as it would wear off the temp would be back. It stayed in the 102 and 103's.
I am getting ready to give him a bath and hopefully tonight will be one of those nights he goes to bed early.
Hope everyone has a great night.
Sherry
Wednesday, October 27, 2004 11:42 AM EST
Hello. Michael seems to be doing pretty good, still his late nights with whining outs during the night but everything else is pretty good. His behavior has settled down some since the other week. He still has his moments during the day though.
Yesterday for a trip with his class, we went to Shiloh Farms (Pumpkin Patch). He seems like he had a great time as well as Emily. A goat ate out of his hand and I think it scared him a little at first but he didn't cry. On the hayride, he just sat there and looked around, didn't do much. They had a great big tunnel for the kids to play in and he got in it and stayed in the middle the whole time, then we decided to go slide. We did but the slide was so fast that it scared Michael and he didn't want to get back on it which is unusual for him. He loves to slide. THen he got on the swing for a while. He liked that. THen we went off to the pumpkin patch, I tried to get him to pick out a pumpkin but he just stood there so I picked out a pretty one for him. Then after I got it and it was in the bag, he decided he wanted to finally go touch some. He had a good day though.
We are off to go to his Occupational Therapist so I will see ya. Hope everyone is having a great day!
Sherry
Monday, October 25, 2004 10:50 PM EST
Hey all. Last night was good. We went to my grandparents yesterday and left around 5:30pm. He fell asleep and slept until this am. He did still get up several times during the night with his whining but never tried to get up. Make sense??
I think that the time changing is tiring out both my kids some. Emily even went to sleep without having a bottle since 5:00 pm and slept until this am. We still have a week to go but you can tell. It is getting darker faster at nights.
Tonight is different though. It is 11:00pm and he is still awake!! He goes on another trip tomorrow to Shiloh Farm. I'll let you know how that goes.
Good night.
Sherry
Saturday, October 23, 2004 9:04 PM EST
Well we have had some pretty good days here. Michael has not had any behavioral problems these last few days. He may get irritable but it only lasts a few minutes, nothing unbearable. Now if we could just get him to sleep earlier without wake ups. We took Brandon to a birthday party and then we went to Wendy's to eat and he did good there and ate all his food.I still have not heard back from the ped so I am calling them back on Monday.
Well I guess thats all for tonight.
Sherry
Friday, October 22, 2004 12:15 AM EST
Hey everyone. Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. Everything is pretty much the same. Still the late nights and the several wakings during the night.
I did talk with the nurse the other day about Michae's appointment at the Sleep Center/Neurologists. She wasn't sure so she is going to talk to Dr. Blair and see what she says. So far I haven't heard back.
Today, Michael finally got to go on his trip to the fire department. He had fun I guess but he was cold. He sat in the fire truck and just looked around. He wouldn't let me out of his site. He went back to school with his class so he is there now. Next Tuesday he goes to Shiloh Farm. He will go on a hay ride and get to pick a pumpkin. Last year he broke out from the hay so I am hoping it doesn't happen again this time.
Well I am off to take care of Emily. She just woke up.
Tuesday, October 19, 2004 9:47 PM EST
Hey everyone! Today was a much better day. Michael went to school and had fun. When I went to pick him up he was playing with a puzzle that makes noises when you put the pieces in and he wanted to keep playing. He did have one time when he was about to throw a fit but it quickly faded.
Last night he went to bed around 11:30 so we were back at the late nights. He woke up 5 times during the night. It is so tiresome getting up that many times during the night especially when my 9 month old sleep thru the night.
Tonight Michael walked in my room and had a messy diaper. He stuck his hands in his diaper and then wiped it on the floor so I had to go ahead and give him a bath. I just got him out and hopefully he will go to bed shortly. Anyway, he was so funny because while I was washing him he looked at me and said "I'm not going to school today". It was so funny the way he said it. It said it like he was screaming it but he wasn't screaming. I was like you already went to school today.
Tomorrow he goes to school then leaves at 12:15 to go to his Occupational Therapy (the one that works more on his sensory issues). I am so proud at the big accomplishment he has made there. He will now touch grass, sand, paint, paintbrushes, hairbrushes, basically anything with texture. He wouldn't before.
I called his ped today but I didn't get to talk to them. They were having a flu clinic so she is suppose to call tomorrow (probably will be her nurse Wanda).
Well I'm off for the night. Gotta help Brandon study for his Spelling test so he can get to bed. He has Chapel at school tomorrow.
Lee, Sherry, Brandon, Michael, and Emily
Monday, October 18, 2004 9:06 PM EST
Hey. Today has not been a good day! Michael did not have school today so he was home all day. He has beenhaving his behavioral problems really bad today. He has been banging his head, biting himself plus me, and boy does it hurt!!
I have begged and begged for the longest time to his ped and his therapists to please help. THey do not take me seriously like it is nothing. Well it is and I am soooo stressed out about it that I really do not know what else to do anymore. I have tried and tried. I am going to call his ped tomorrow and tell her that she has to get him some help NOW!!!!!!
Poor Emily is getting scared to death by all this and I hate her being around it. I just try to comfort her the best I can which she is happy when I am holding her.
Tonight Brandon is giving me a hard time. He won't do his homework. It seems like he is always that way when I am having a bad day with Michael.
Anyway, thanks for stopping by even though I was only venting. I just needed to get it out.
Sherry
Sunday, October 17, 2004 7:55 PM EST
Hey all! Wonderful news, Michael actually went to bed at 8:30pm last night. It was great. It beats the 12:00pm nights. He did wake up about 8 times though so that part doubled but I guess it is because of him going to bed earlier. I don't think it's going to happen tonight though. I hope when he goes to the Sleep Center they can help us.
Today we went to my grandparents house. He had a fun time there playing Tonka Search and Rescue on the computer. He loves that game and will hardly eat because he wants to play it. Michael gets to have fun at home tomorrow. He has no school. Brandon has to go though.
I put Emily up on her hands and knees today and she started rocking back and forth, so maybe she will be crawling soon. She hates tummy time but she just smiled and laughed when she was on her knees.
Thats pretty much our day!
Lee, Sherry, Brandon, Michael, and Emily
Friday, October 15, 2004 8:20 AM CDT
Okay, so I was asked to start doing journal entries, so here ya go. Also pictures have been added.
Yesterday I received in the mail a letter for Michael to go to the Sleep Center but they are waiting a long time to see him. He is scheduled for Dec 2, 2004. I thought they would go ahead and try to get him in so I am going to call his ped. today and se what she says. Other than that he is doing okay. Still been fussy since Monday after getting his shots. It is so hard to satisfy him right now.
Today for a class trip, he was suppose to go to the Fire Department but they cancelled because it is raining and they would have to load up all those special needs kids. They rescheduled for next Friday. I just feel bad because I told him he was going. I guess since his dad is a Fire Asst. Chief he will have to take him to his fire department.
Don't forget to sign the guest book!
Sherry
Wednesday, October 13, 2004 8:00 AM CDT
Michael went to the doctor on Monday for his 4 year old check up and all was well. He did have to get 4 shots. Three were his scheduled shots and the 4th was the flu shot. He was not a happy camper. His sister also went and had 2 shots, so I had two fussy little ones!
However, Friday night Oct 8, 2004 he did have an episode that looked like he was having a seizure. Also right after that he couldn't hardly breathe so I had to give him a treatment. The ped is getting him an appt with a neurologist to rule out seizures so please pray that everything will turn out for him.
*I don't do journal entries so this is the only one.
Thanks for stopping by the site,
Lee, Sherry, Brandon, Michael, and Emily
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