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Treatable but annoying... Impetigo. Our regular and much beloved doc was on vacation- and our second and third string options were out of the office, too. Call in the 3rd Runner up, Dr. Blunt-n-Chatty. I knew the diagnosis before the appointment, but I still had to sit through (again!!) the lecture entitled "Your Son's a Tad Different." Today's installment was entitled, "Lazy Leukocytes." No harm, no foul- but that's why this doc is our 4th option. Still, we heart this practice.

(Note the quasi-mood improvement above. Thanks emoticons for being so flexible with your expressive options. Above, you'll note I'm now feeling "Muah.")

Updates All Around

Update on the x-rays- for the most part, Miles did a great job. If brush his teeth is an ordeal, then it goes without saying that keeping him stabilized for a series of neck shots was a feat and a half. Jesse scored yet another gold star for being able to assist the team. So he's gone from OB (helping deliver Penelope) to on-call radiologist. Pretty soon I might have to start coughing up a co-pay when he brings me my morning cup of joe. I wouldn't mind so much; he's awesome.

We will know the results of the "photo shoot" within a few days.

Back to Japan... just minutes ago I learned the news that a third blast was heard at Fukushima and that the evacuation range has now been widened to twelve miles (185,000 people in total). After hearing the news I could no longer put off my donation, so over to the Red Cross I clicked. In a matter of seconds I was able to make a contribution. Click on the organization's name above for a direct link to the donation page if you are considering helping out. I am also looking for an organization that specifically helps young children- diapers, blankets, lovies... if you know of one, please let me know.

Now a quick word on Penelope- she started acid reflux medication over the weekend. I think I mentioned that the cardiologist could see the reflux in action during ladybug's echo. Well, so far we are thinking this medication is helping. She's eating more, and that is critically important because her weight gain had sharply declined over the past three weeks. Now, within three days, she's up half a pound. I don't want to be overly optimistic, but I am desperate for her to get back on the chubby track. She needs to reach 16 pounds by her fourth month, and as of now, that seems very far off. Clearly she takes after Jesse in this department because all I have to do is simply say the word "donut" and I get a new stretch mark. If she were my girl, all of that boobie juice would have gone straight to her tiny thighs. I kid... only to make myself less stressed.

Good night all- I hear the little one stirring.

A Two Tiger Kind of Night

Miles is having a two-tiger kind of night- meaning he needed to snuggle with an extra tiger during bedtime. This brings the stuffed animal count up to five: two tigers, a beaver, a frog, and a Big Toe. He needed an extra light on, which we've never done before. And here's the kicker- he wanted to hold my hand. Rarely does he seek out affection of this nature. Typically, I am lucky to get in a quick cheek peck in daily, but loving of this nature (especially initiated by the little tough guy he has become) is quite unique. I think he was super tired tonight, so relaxing has been a bit harder for him. Earlier today he had his blood drawn for the annual thyroid screening. Though he handled the test like a true big boy, Jesse said kiddo did get a bit freaked out near the end of the test. Can you blame him? I have a huge fear of needles, so he comes by this honestly. So this, plus a day packed full of play, may have pushed him over the edge. But he's asleep now- thank goodness.

I too will need two tigers tonight because I am worried about Penelope. Tomorrow I plan on calling our ped. to discuss acid reflux concerns. Ever since the heart screening on Tuesday, Jesse and I are much more aware of this problem; having the cardiologist see reflux evidence during her assessment wasn't lost on our ears. I also want to discuss her slowing in weight gain. She's been hovering in the same range now for over two weeks; I am guessing this is reflux related. While she's eating roughly every three hours, which is right on tracking, the weight just isn't adding up.

Two tigers are also needed because I am wrestling with some serious ghosts of Two Month Appointments Past. (Read this entry as a refresher.) Maybe I am feeling more scared than I care to acknowledge. Maybe I am waiting for the other proverbial shoe to drop. This is exactly when we were met with Miles's Ds diagnosis. Now, as I type this entry, I am holding my breath in fear... waiting to learn of some difficulty, some setback, some new hurdle that my dear Penelope will have to face. I hate being pessimistic, but there are certain life experiences that leave such deep scars that knee jerk reactions and unavoidable triggers are just part of the turf.

Okay, I will "man up" and admit that I do this type of thinking as a self-defense mechanism. Allow me to elaborate- if I think of a possible event (more likely to be a bad experience), then I will be able to think of solutions before the event occurs- but in actuality, this strategy has NEVER worked for me. In my own feeble way, I am trying to protect myself from all of the scary what-if's that lurk in Parent Land. Sidebar- to my parents and your contemporaries, my hat's off to you. Being a parent is by far and beyond the most challenging, soul searching, and albeit, rewarding adventure of my life. In fact, it gives my life a whole new meaning. And the power of the experience is why, at least for me, it can hurt so much, too.

As a parent, I want the best for my children- health and happiness. When one of these goals are in jeopardy, I can't help but kick into super mom mode and look for remedies and solutions. When there isn't an easy fix, like a boo-boo kiss or bedtime handholding session, my heart hurts. Really, really hurts. And my mind begins to wander to that area of the What-Ifs. My main what-if is a variation on the same theme- what if I can't help them?!? Ugh!

To be honest, I already feel 90% better just writing it out. And reader, I hope that I have not put any of my stress onto you. Here, I have written to celebrate, to mourn, to vent, and to heal. This blog is the hub for my emotional cross-hares and puddlings, sappy sobs and fierce hollers. Tonight, I think I just oozed out a pile of painful confusions. Thanks for letting me do that. Now that some of the weight has been lessened, I need to secure two tigers of my own.

(And I will update of Penelope's reflux issues as soon as I learn more. Please wish my ladybug a good night's sleep. It's becoming more obvious that this is not a good time of day for her.)

Less Anxious than I Thought I'd be... (so far)

Miles and Penelope are headed in to see the cardiologist this morning. Jesse and I are big fans of this doc- she's super sharp and very professional. She caught one of Miles' more difficult to see defects- one that even UVA's team disputed until proven during the actual surgery.

Anyways, the doc visits our town once a month (saving us a painful drive to her office)- so we're hopping in today. Miles is having his third post-op follow-up. Penelope is having an initial screening. As of now, I am feeling cool as a cuke, but I am sure once their respective echo's pop up I will tense up. While we've not had any specific cardio concerns for little man- he's growing and has boundless energy- there is a little lingering fear from the summer of '08. Can you blame me? And no murmur has been detected during Penelope's check-ups- though there was never a murmur heard with Miles... granted, Penelope has not been diagnosed with Ds- but her ped. and I both think this is one area we can't "wait and see" in.

I will swing back by later today and post an appointment update. Please keep us in your thoughts today.

Spring: The Season of Co-Pays

We are in the process is setting up an appointment with the Kennedy Krieger Institute. I sent back to biggest pre-appointment-packet-ever this morning. If you know me, then you know I love a good forming filling out session. But seriously, it took me three sitting last night to complete all of the questions. Note, I am not whining; in fact, I love it. If we are going to commit to spending a few days and quite a few dollars on this venture, I want the biggest bang for my buck. I am not a fan of getting back half-assed medical summaries, chock full of the information (a) I already know and/or (b) I reported in the first place.

This is why I feel making this journey will be valuable. Not only will we have an opportunity to have some new assessments done (we're thinking a neurological exam is about due), we will get our first non-system (early childhood intervention program) testing done. I am eager to see how the results stack up to one another. However, it won't be a true comparison since Miles' hasn't had a full eval in about a year.

Also, I want to know how his medical progress is coming along, specifically from a clinic that specializes solely in Ds. While I love our local pediatricians, I want feedback from a practice whose stock and trade is trisomy 21. If you recall, we had a less than fulfilling visit with our quasi-local developmental doc. In fact, it was a big waste of time. (And we never got a summary report; don't think I have forgotten that nugget.) Anywhoo... I am really hoping that we get some good input on kiddo and his progress.

In other medical news: March is when the kids see our cardiologist for a follow-up (Miles) and initial screening (Penelope). We are also going to have his AAI x-ray completed, along with his annual thyroid screening. For the past two years, his thyroid test has come back with good results- not great, seeing that the levels are elevated enough to warrant observation, but good enough not to need treatment.

Back to Kennedy Krieger for a sec- I think it would be quite fun to schedule in a little fun time while in Baltimore, for nostalgia's sake. When I was a heck of a lot younger, my fam made a fun trip to the inner harbor area, and I know Miles will get the biggest kick out of the aquarium and all of the huge ships. Hopefully, not too much has changed. This could be a silver lining to the whole experience (and a fun way to celebrate turning 31, ugh!).

Kennedy Krieger, anyone?

We are thinking about taking Miles there for an evaluation. Has anyone out there visited the Institute? What did you think? It would a pretty big trip for us, but I don't think we have anything like this available regionally. (Yes, we've been to the developmental ped w/ CHKD and were thoroughly unimpressed with their slapdash assessment style and zero follow-up, so it's time to move on to bigger and better research facilities.)

I am also open to ABA recommendations in the Hampton Roads/ Greater Richmond area. Hit me back if you've got any good leads. Thanks!