Tag - My special girl

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How Confronting My Child’s Doctor Brought Me Peace
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Boo Hoo, My Baby’s No Longer Two….
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The First Seizure
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Mama Lion – Hear Me Roar (and then possibly scratch someone’s eyes out)
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Paging Dr. McDreamy—Ear Tube Surgery

How Confronting My Child’s Doctor Brought Me Peace

Since our daughter was little, we’ve worked with cardiologists, neurologists, therapists, orthotists, geneticists, pharmacists, speech pathologists—so many “ists.”. There was a time when I followed a specialist’s advice without question. They were the professional—the expert. Who was I to question them? That was then. Now I question everything. I research every word. I seek second and third opinions. I don’t care about the glares. I don’t care if I’m disliked. I do care about my children. They are my priority. Last week my husband took the kids to his parent’s while I hosted a party at our house. At 11:30 p.m. he phoned to say an ambulance was coming to take Avery to the hospital. She was having a seizure that wouldn’t stop. I met them in the ER. The seizure eventually stopped on its own, without medication this time. They eventually sent us home and told us to follow up with our neurologist. The following afternoon, I put Avery down for her nap. Thanks to our generous family, we now had a video surveillance camera in her room. I could see her lying in her crib on her side, staring, not blinking. I ran to her room as her eyes began repeatedly[…]

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Boo Hoo, My Baby’s No Longer Two….

Teary, Blubbery, Gloomy, Snivelly, Sappy, Sucky and Sobby The new cast of the Seven-Dwarfs? More like a perfect description of me approaching my baby girl’s 3rd birthday. Maybe I was a little grumpy or even a titch witchy? No. Not really witchy (I just used that word so I could use a photo of me as the witch from Snow White!) Really, I was more of a weepy, mush-bag. I could easily write a post wrought with emotion describing how far our little girl has come. How she’s faced obstacles and countless trips to hospitals and appointments with a smile and that giggle of hers that makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time. I could go on about how her daddy and I burst with pride every time she accomplishes a goal or does something that she was never “supposed” to be able to do. I could. But I won’t. Every parent’s child is special. Every parent bursts with pride on a daily basis. And, every parent feels sentimental on their child’s birthday. I’m no different. This year my husband, 6 year old son and our dog Roger (What? He’s totally part of the family) made[…]

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The First Seizure

How sweet she looks strapped into this retro looking wheelchair. We laughed about how it looked like a prop from the horror movie, “The Changeling.” We made jokes, but what our family had just gone through was far from funny.  Though our daughter has spent her fair share of time in pediatric wards over the past few years — always without complaint and never failing to win over the staff with her sunny disposition and ready smile — this week was truly frightening.    Though our Avery has many challenges, we try not to focus on the “what ifs.” Research tells us that many of the significant medical issues for our daughter tend to present later in life, if at all. Since Avery’s initial diagnosis we’ve had our ups and downs. Mostly ups. Doctors told us that Avery might never walk, or talk but she has proved them wrong by doing both. Tuesday however, after celebrating the great results of her perfect hearing test, things took a nasty turn. I went to wake Avery from her afternoon nap — a nap I let go on longer than usual after a long day of appointments. When I entered her room I found her unconscious.[…]

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Mama Lion – Hear Me Roar (and then possibly scratch someone’s eyes out)

Grade 2: A boy in my class told everyone my jacket was the colour of poop. He called me “Poop Coat” for the rest of the day. The other kids laughed hysterically. Naturally. I mean, they were eight and anything poop related was hilarious. I was obviously traumatized as I still remember this clearly, decades. Grade 6: My three-some of best girlfriends become a lonely party of one when the other two ditched me. I was devastated—stomach aches, didn’t want to go to school, cried my eyes out. Funny enough, one of those bitches and I patched things up the next school year and have been best friends ever since. I should really remind her of how lucky she is that I forgave her. Kids can be mean. Even the kindhearteds can get sucked into a teasing vortex. When I was teaching I was shocked by how quickly things could go bad. Recess could quickly turn into The Lord of the Flies, with sticks and everything. Until I blew my whistle and confiscated the sticks. Children can be like a pack of wild animals – the predators sniff out and circle the weak, ready to attack. When MY child is[…]

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Paging Dr. McDreamy—Ear Tube Surgery

Our daughter had ear tube surgery today. Not a major procedure, but to me it may as well have been a brain transplant. Avery is 33 months old and isn’t talking. She has underlying genetic issues that are likely the cause, but we also know she has fluid in her ears. A whole lot of gunky fluid. What is “Glue Ear?” She failed hearing test after hearing test. They finally put a number on it – 40% hearing loss which is like listening while pressing both hands tightly against your ears. We decided to go ahead with the ear tube insertion. It would help Avery hear and hopefully speak clearly. We hesitated only because her genetic condition also includes cardiac issues which can make anaesthesia more risky. We arrived at the hospital at 7 am and took a seat in the surgical waiting area with the other gowned patients. Everyone wore the same expression of exhaustion, fear and nervous anxiety. I tried not to touch anything and probably used the community hand-sanitizer more often than would be considered NOT INSANE. While we went through the pre-surgery protocol, I kissed Avery’s little blond head a hundred times. We sat and watched[…]

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