Bruiser

Jason was off today, so he was tasked with dropping off and picking up children from schools. When he arrived at Riderwood to retrieve Ainsley, he was surprised to run into her teacher Mrs. Buchman. Mrs. Buchman was surprised as well to see him but glad for the encounter. Apparently she needed to speak to us about Ainsley's behavior today.

Apparently while waiting in line for the water fountain, Ainsley became impatient with the boy in front of her, who was at the time drinking from the fountain. In her frustration she hauled off and punched him in the back. Yes, folks, that's right, PUNCHED him. Read it again because it is impossible to believe. But yet it is true. Little petite dainty Princess Ainsley punched a boy!

On the walk home, Jason grilled her. I wasn't present for the actual questioning, but I can only imagine there was no less than 100 questions fired at her. It was when I pulled in the driveway that it seemed to start sinking in for her. I got out of the car and she quietly approached me. I could tell by the look in her eyes something was askew, I asked her what was wrong, and she welled up and started bawling. So much so I couldn't understand what the heck she was saying. After getting her to calm down a bit the story finally came out. Jason helped fill in the gaps of her story while she interjected the best defense she could come up with. After all the pieces were put together the whole story includes the following details (the truth of which I cannot vouch for!).

She was thirstier than Graham (the victim) and he was taking too long. It was his fault.

When she was sent to the office after the incident, she was apparently crying so hard that the office staff couldn't figure out why she was there and proceeded to give her a stuffed animal and send her back to her classroom. Ainsley now thinks that going to the office yields toys and prizes!

During art class, Ainsley was rewarded with a "coupon" for her good behavior.

After all the facts came to light, we sent her to her room so that we could discuss an appropriate punishment. What we came up with is the following: She had to call all the grandparents and tell them what happened. She also lost her television privileges for two weeks. And she has to write an apology to Graham and give up her coupon to him on Monday. That last one really hit home and produced even more tears.....

Little Miss Bruiser now. Watch out boys, here she comes.

The Mother of All Updates...

I know I've been really bad about my blogging lately so here's the Mother of all updates.

Dr. Zee the Optho Neurologist saw Jackson a few weeks ago. It seems his Ocular Motor Apraxia is slightly improved (Dr. Zee rated it a 15% improvement). And with more time it should improve even more, although it is uncertain if it will ever go away entirely.

Dr. Collins, the Opthamologist, said Jackson is farsighted, although that is fairly common in children and is still within the normal range for his age group. So no glasses, yet. She'll see him back in six months.

Dr. Cohn, the Genetic Neurologist, has ordered more testing for Jack. He is to have an xray of his spine to check for Scoliosis. We will be drawing blood to repeat his acylcarnitine profile, since his liver enzymes were high when last tested. And last, but not least, Jack will undergo an EMG (Electromyography) to test muscle and nerve function. It's not a pleasant procedure, it involves needles and electric current and NO anesthesia. But it will yield some valuable information about Jack's nerve conduction and muscle function. Hopefully it will be worth the unpleasantness.

All of us, with the exception of Jason, have had our Flu vaccines already. Armed and prepared for the winter months which will, with any luck, turn out to be very uneventful.

The Sub Sub Specialist

Today we had a follow up appointment with a sub sub specialist, Dr. Lefton-Grief, Jackson's Pulmonary Swallow Specialist. While we expected a fairly warm and fuzzy visit, it wasn't quite as joyful as we had hoped. Dr. Lefton-Grief suspects that Jackson is still having issues with liquids, more specifically she thinks he is still aspirating liquids. After spending about an hour with the good doctor, it seems Jackson will be keeping his g-tube through the upcoming winter season. That was a little disappointing, she was however pleased with his progress and encouraged us to keep trying. We will be taking him in for another modified barium swallow study once we can get him to drink something other than water but yet not a dairy product. (Anyone have any ideas?)

Friday, Jackson is scheduled to see another sub sub specialist, Dr. Zee, an Optho Neurologist. I would venture to guess that none of you had ever heard of an Optho Neurologist before. I know I hadn't.

I am officially a yuppie in suburbia....

I went out with the girls tonight, for the first time in a very very very long time. I came home just in time to say good night to Jason and have some quiet alone time to myself. As I was flipping through the channels I came across the HD version of "She's Having a Baby", specifically the choreographed lawnmower scene. Upon viewing it for a few moments it came upon me that this is my life. So much of this movie is real it completely freaked me out. And had I not recently consumed three Jager Bombs, I would have been considerably more freaked out.
But looking at it for what it is I realized that everyone has there own little dramas. Everyday, there is something somewhere that affects someone. Big or small , today or tomorrow it happens. The reality of it is how you deal with it. Watching Kevin Bacon scurry around panicked with the idea of the impending doom of child rearing that lurks in the darkest corners of his life, it occurred to me that everyone deals with chaos and drama differently.
But what is even odder, is that this is not the first time I've seen this movie. In fact it is like the 50th time I've seen it. But through the years my perspective has changed, and I suppose it will continue to change. Shaped by the events and elements that make up your life, slowly but surely we all figure it out. And I am suddenly amazed and awed at the number of things that I have managed to figure out, and even more shocked by the number of things I have yet to figure out.....

It's been a big week....

For once let me blog about Ainsley.  Goodness knows she doesn't get quite the print that Jackson does, but it has been a big week (or two) for her for which she deserves the attention.

Two weeks ago (or so) she mastered the art of riding her bike without the training wheels.  Last week she learned (and yet again mastered) tying her shoes.  This week it was starting Kindergarten and then yesterday she lost her first tooth.  All momentous occasions, with much rejoicing and accolades following them.  I can't believe how much she has grown up in the last month.  I jokingly said to her that she is no longer allowed to eat vegetables or take her vitamins.  On some level I'd like nothing more than to lock her up in the tower and throw away the key.  Anyone know a good convent I can ship her off to? 

Don't blog angry....

Earlier, I put up a post that wasn't very flattering to certain people close to me.  While I admit it isn't pretty to air your dirty laundry, sometimes it is just what has to be done.  And now I feel better and have taken down the post in question.  The person in question none the wiser.

In the meanwhile, I'd like to say my social calendar is booked but as it turns out it is just my day to day grind.  Jackson has somewhere between 10 - 14 doctor's appointments in the next six weeks.  So stay tuned dear reader for the many updates yet to come in the very near future......

Junky Jack

He is still sick. Really junky junky lungs. We started Prednisone on Tuesday, which doesn't seem to have helped much. Low grade fever and a runny nose to boot. Mucky mucky mess. Keep your fingers crossed that we avoid the dreaded hospital.