Yesterday Benji and I went to the circus with my brother and his 4 year old, Tanner. Glenn took the older boys to a movie. Turns out this was a good thing as the circus was exactly the same as last year, except for the girls' sparkly outfits which seem to get skimpier every year. Not only would they would have been bored by the redundancy of the acts, but for our close-to-puberty 10 year old it was a good form of censorship.
It was almost the "circus that wasn't" for our Mr. Benji. He woke up at 6AM spewing green bile. Just when we were starting to think the bile days were done for a while.....
After lots of venting, numerous blood sugar checks, and the little miracle Zofran pills, Benji was better by late morning. Not perfect, but better.
He had a great time watching the elephants, the dogs, and the mini elephant that he knew was really a dog.
For me, the fun was watching the two boys have a great time. For some reason Benji felt the need to sit in Tanner's chair and Tanner felt the need to sit in Benji's wheelchair. It all worked out for them and they were great together.
When I was a kid the circus entailed exotic creature like the infamous lions, tigers, and bears. Now the motorcycle riders and ladies swinging by their necks are as exotic as the acts get. That's okay with me though, no sense is my anemic kid losing blood from a wayard tiger tearing limbs off of people. :)
This morning Benji woke up crying again at 6AM. Prepared for more bile, I was pleasantly suprised by a bile-free sleepy boy requesting a return trip to the circus with Tanner.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
The Dennison Tribune
This week's news:
(because I'm feeling too tired to be creative!)
Will- went to a pool party and had a rockin time on Thursday. His swim shorts looked like Daisy Dukes so we had to make a swing by Walmart first to get some that covered the cheeks fully. Geez this boy has grown. He had a pizza party at school with players from the Sioux City Bandits and came home and told me that "black men signed my arms mom." Screeeechhh...yes my world stopped for a moment as I explained that he can just call them "men." Where the heck did that come from? Also, he was invited to the swearing in ceremony of his babysitter's son-in-law to the SF Police Dept. in a couple of weeks. He is VERY excited about that.
Isaac- went to a pool party and had a terrible time- fell, hit his head, and hurt his toe. He may or may not have had a seizure that caused this. Damm It! 12 different children told 12 different stories of what happened. He has been off seizure meds for a year. Isaac can't tell us what happened because he reports that he does remember any of it except when his foot was bleeding all over the side of the pool. Good thing there were no sharks in the water. On top of this traumatic pool incident, he is quite upset that his mentor is moving to Florida. Poor kid.
Benjamin- has been holding his own at home, thank you Jesus. It's been a rought week but it is all chronic medical stuff that wwe can manage at home. We've determined that his awol nursing agency is probably not coming back. It's been 5 months. They return brief responses to my lengthy emails, don't return calls, and in fact never even call to check on him. Hmmmph. Next week is preschool screening for services through the school district. He is so excited to go to see his school. I hope they take him..fingers crossed. In order to try to avoid the school inadvertantly killing him, we are going to the clinic to request a continuous glucose monitor today. I have no idea if it will be approved but he scares me at home with his wonky blood sugars and the thought of him going into a coma at school is even more terrifying. Next week we will be in MN. The following week he is scheduled for a same day surgery that I am assuming will need to actually be an overnight stay.
Glenn- lost his job at Aladdin last week. Those of you who know much about Aladdin know that this has been a long time coming sort of thing.
Me- nothing new, except cleaning off bloody feet, cleaning up yak, and struggling to get Mr. B caught up on his neglected medical appts. I am feeling a bit like a cab driver.
Eddie- Who the heck is Eddie? Well, Eddie is our newly rescued dog from SC Animal Control. We need a bit bigger dog to fend off the coyotes, racoons, possums, and other wildlife that have moved in on us since our bassett hounds died last year. Welcome to country life! So Eddie the Super Dog is a standard schnauzer who is very social, very well trained (sit, stay, leave it, shake, roll over, the whole nine yards), very well mannered, and overall the best dog in the world. He tolerates Benjamin whacking him, has no interest in chewing on tubes, and we have no idea why someone would abandon him. Generally he makes Sadie and Petey look like a couple of boxes of rocks. We got him over a week ago and intended for him to be a primarily outside dog. He, in fact, spends very little time outside though and has won the hearts of all of us, even me who did not want the expense of three dogs. Right now he is laying next to me on the couch licking my hands to remind me that hands are for petting, not typing.
Charlie- Who the heck is Charlie? Well, he's the squirrel I ran over in the driveway this AM. Can't wait for one of my brave men to get home to move it. I do not touch dead things!
(because I'm feeling too tired to be creative!)
Will- went to a pool party and had a rockin time on Thursday. His swim shorts looked like Daisy Dukes so we had to make a swing by Walmart first to get some that covered the cheeks fully. Geez this boy has grown. He had a pizza party at school with players from the Sioux City Bandits and came home and told me that "black men signed my arms mom." Screeeechhh...yes my world stopped for a moment as I explained that he can just call them "men." Where the heck did that come from? Also, he was invited to the swearing in ceremony of his babysitter's son-in-law to the SF Police Dept. in a couple of weeks. He is VERY excited about that.
Isaac- went to a pool party and had a terrible time- fell, hit his head, and hurt his toe. He may or may not have had a seizure that caused this. Damm It! 12 different children told 12 different stories of what happened. He has been off seizure meds for a year. Isaac can't tell us what happened because he reports that he does remember any of it except when his foot was bleeding all over the side of the pool. Good thing there were no sharks in the water. On top of this traumatic pool incident, he is quite upset that his mentor is moving to Florida. Poor kid.
Benjamin- has been holding his own at home, thank you Jesus. It's been a rought week but it is all chronic medical stuff that wwe can manage at home. We've determined that his awol nursing agency is probably not coming back. It's been 5 months. They return brief responses to my lengthy emails, don't return calls, and in fact never even call to check on him. Hmmmph. Next week is preschool screening for services through the school district. He is so excited to go to see his school. I hope they take him..fingers crossed. In order to try to avoid the school inadvertantly killing him, we are going to the clinic to request a continuous glucose monitor today. I have no idea if it will be approved but he scares me at home with his wonky blood sugars and the thought of him going into a coma at school is even more terrifying. Next week we will be in MN. The following week he is scheduled for a same day surgery that I am assuming will need to actually be an overnight stay.
Glenn- lost his job at Aladdin last week. Those of you who know much about Aladdin know that this has been a long time coming sort of thing.
Me- nothing new, except cleaning off bloody feet, cleaning up yak, and struggling to get Mr. B caught up on his neglected medical appts. I am feeling a bit like a cab driver.
Eddie- Who the heck is Eddie? Well, Eddie is our newly rescued dog from SC Animal Control. We need a bit bigger dog to fend off the coyotes, racoons, possums, and other wildlife that have moved in on us since our bassett hounds died last year. Welcome to country life! So Eddie the Super Dog is a standard schnauzer who is very social, very well trained (sit, stay, leave it, shake, roll over, the whole nine yards), very well mannered, and overall the best dog in the world. He tolerates Benjamin whacking him, has no interest in chewing on tubes, and we have no idea why someone would abandon him. Generally he makes Sadie and Petey look like a couple of boxes of rocks. We got him over a week ago and intended for him to be a primarily outside dog. He, in fact, spends very little time outside though and has won the hearts of all of us, even me who did not want the expense of three dogs. Right now he is laying next to me on the couch licking my hands to remind me that hands are for petting, not typing.
Charlie- Who the heck is Charlie? Well, he's the squirrel I ran over in the driveway this AM. Can't wait for one of my brave men to get home to move it. I do not touch dead things!
Friday, March 26, 2010
Switched at birth...or something!
Yesterday was the start of our series of eye/dental appointements and I've got to tell you all that I was pleasantly surprised. Isaac was up on the docket with an eye exam and it turns out that he...NO LONGER NEEDS GLASSES! Yes, I am yelling that.
He ceremoniously dropped them in the Lions Club donation bin as we walked out of the store.
Believe it or not, his vision is better than four years ago when we started this battle of keeping spectacles on this boys face. I'm pretty sure there was a nursery mix up or something because in this family eyes just do not get better. Have you seen a family pic of us? Well, let me tell ya, the next one will look like we have the "neighbor's kid" in it because he will just not fit in with this bespectacled crew.
Isaac and I went out to celebrate after this glorious eye appointment with some celebratory quesadillas. Then, he tried to convince me that I should buy a toy for him with all that money I saved by not having to buy new glasses. Little scheister!
But, because someone ALWAYS has to rain on my parade, the opthamalogist told me that in a couple of years his vision may start to go the other way and he may again need glasses. WHAT?!?!? That's a mean trick. Hopefully by then it will no longer be frowned upon to superglue glasses to a child's face.
For now, Isaac is just obnoxiously giddy. Will is jealous. And Benjamin keeps walking around tattling that Isaac doesn't have his glasses on. Sigh....the life of being a mom to boys.....
He ceremoniously dropped them in the Lions Club donation bin as we walked out of the store.
Believe it or not, his vision is better than four years ago when we started this battle of keeping spectacles on this boys face. I'm pretty sure there was a nursery mix up or something because in this family eyes just do not get better. Have you seen a family pic of us? Well, let me tell ya, the next one will look like we have the "neighbor's kid" in it because he will just not fit in with this bespectacled crew.
Isaac and I went out to celebrate after this glorious eye appointment with some celebratory quesadillas. Then, he tried to convince me that I should buy a toy for him with all that money I saved by not having to buy new glasses. Little scheister!
But, because someone ALWAYS has to rain on my parade, the opthamalogist told me that in a couple of years his vision may start to go the other way and he may again need glasses. WHAT?!?!? That's a mean trick. Hopefully by then it will no longer be frowned upon to superglue glasses to a child's face.
For now, Isaac is just obnoxiously giddy. Will is jealous. And Benjamin keeps walking around tattling that Isaac doesn't have his glasses on. Sigh....the life of being a mom to boys.....
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Potty 101: Benji style
We had to go read that damn book again at the library again today.
No need for sad faces though- this go around Mommy was much wiser. I brought along a book I created for him over the past few months- seriously, I am unemployed and spend all my time at a hospital, what else did I have to do?
It's complete with pics of him cleaning his tummy, helping put on his ostomy bag, flushing the urine down the toilet after we empty it, and of course, one of him standing next to the toilet "aiming, with no ammunition" , because that is what imaginations are for.
It was a hit.
Why did I not think of this about three years ago?
Why did I wait until the pressure of potty training a child with no ability to be continent started to make him feel like there was something "wrong" with himself?
Benji loved the pics of himself in his book. He loved the pictures of himself as a baby in the NICU. He loved the story of why his body works different.
His favorite page though was the picture of the hospital. He affectionately calls it "The doctor house." What a little weirdo. Really, the child is more at home at the hospital than he is at home.
And the two little strangers who came and plopped down next to us on the library floor enjoyed the book too. No one screamed, pointed, and yelled "your kid is a mess."
The only comment from the 4ish year old who crashed our incontinence story was "My daddy sits to pee like a girl." I bit my tongue from inquiring. Maybe he's tired? Maybe he's got bad aim?
Ummmm...okay.
TMI for his mom living in a very small town, who turned bright red. I have no idea who she was, but if I see her and her husband in Walmart I'm sure I will hold back a giggle that hubby pees like a girl.
No need for sad faces though- this go around Mommy was much wiser. I brought along a book I created for him over the past few months- seriously, I am unemployed and spend all my time at a hospital, what else did I have to do?
It's complete with pics of him cleaning his tummy, helping put on his ostomy bag, flushing the urine down the toilet after we empty it, and of course, one of him standing next to the toilet "aiming, with no ammunition" , because that is what imaginations are for.
It was a hit.
Why did I not think of this about three years ago?
Why did I wait until the pressure of potty training a child with no ability to be continent started to make him feel like there was something "wrong" with himself?
Benji loved the pics of himself in his book. He loved the pictures of himself as a baby in the NICU. He loved the story of why his body works different.
His favorite page though was the picture of the hospital. He affectionately calls it "The doctor house." What a little weirdo. Really, the child is more at home at the hospital than he is at home.
And the two little strangers who came and plopped down next to us on the library floor enjoyed the book too. No one screamed, pointed, and yelled "your kid is a mess."
The only comment from the 4ish year old who crashed our incontinence story was "My daddy sits to pee like a girl." I bit my tongue from inquiring. Maybe he's tired? Maybe he's got bad aim?
Ummmm...okay.
TMI for his mom living in a very small town, who turned bright red. I have no idea who she was, but if I see her and her husband in Walmart I'm sure I will hold back a giggle that hubby pees like a girl.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Birthday Boy!
So this great (but sideways) boy is 10 today. Can. Not. Believe. It.Ever the sweetheart, he asked me yesterday if he could bring two treats to school for his class. I said no, he looked disappointed, so I sighed and inquired why. Turns out a little girl in his class shares his birthday, she told him her family didn't have the money to send birthday treats, and he didn't want to her to be embarrassed.
Sigh.....that's my guy...
So, because (in my 10 year old's eyes) I am made of money, I made an extra trip to the grocery store, doubled the snack count with some packages of oreo mint cookies (gotta have green for the holiday, ya know!), and dropped them off to his teacher at conferences. As I told her why we were sending two treats her response was....
Sigh....."that's our guy"...
How in the world can he be so mature and insightful one minute and beating on his brother the next moment? I guess it's the age. We are seeing some early signs of, ummm, puberty. The next year is sure to be...FUN!
(I uploaded this pic- glare on glasses and all- from my wonderful camera phone and apparently it is just going to stay crooked, because there is no rotating it!)
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
No comments from the peanut gallery!!!
Today my children realized that I recently made the font bigger on my cell phone. Much bigger. They had a heyday with this. It was funny for the first, oh say, five minutes. Then the reality set in that I really need that bigger text. 25 led to bifocals and that was hard enough.
Is this what happens to someone when they near 35? Not that I am anywhere near that old....
Tomorrow Will has his every 3 month opthamalogy appointment. They are deciding tomorrow if he needs to have the surgery done that we have been talking about for the past 8 years or so. Thanks to his high maintenence little brother we haven't made it there for around 8 months. I'm tempted to see if they can sneak me in too. Apparently Will and I are going blind.
Perhaps Benjamin should be driving us to the appointment. Oh, but wait, he ate the bow off of his glasses so he can't see either!
Is this what happens to someone when they near 35? Not that I am anywhere near that old....
Tomorrow Will has his every 3 month opthamalogy appointment. They are deciding tomorrow if he needs to have the surgery done that we have been talking about for the past 8 years or so. Thanks to his high maintenence little brother we haven't made it there for around 8 months. I'm tempted to see if they can sneak me in too. Apparently Will and I are going blind.
Perhaps Benjamin should be driving us to the appointment. Oh, but wait, he ate the bow off of his glasses so he can't see either!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
more pics of family
Looking a little pale, but it didn't stop him from playing with his beloved Imaginext toys. Yes, pants are optional yet again today.
This young lady, our niece Bethany, looked less than thrilled to be hanging out with all the little boys. Oh how she has grown up quickly!
Isaac never has to work very hard to convince Grandma Joyce to give him a back rub. He has her with one smile!
Recently I was walking through the halls of EPJ and heard a girl refer to this guy, our nephew Casson, as a "hunk." I resisted the urge to tell her that I used to change the hunk's diapers.Notice the SDSU shirt though? Booooo......This boy needs brainwashing!
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