Ruptured Eardrum & Lap Status

I've basically left ya'll hanging in the balance waiting to know what's going on. I'm so very sorry for that. When I went into to sign my paperwork I was still sick, so my Dr. made mention of post-poning the procedure b/c of this. He decided that he would take another u/s for measurement/placement purposes just to keep an eye on what was going on, and low and behold the mass was reduced in size by 3.8mm. This past month I had a natural cycle after not having AF for nearly 3mths, and so my Dr. had me do yet more bloodwork (I'm beginning to feel like a pin cushion again) and talked me into a month of bcps to hopefully reduce it in size altogether. I'm not objectional now that I know it's reduced on it's own, and since I started AF again au natural this past Saturday (28 days later from the last time mind you) I'm now on bcps. I'll keep you posted, and I'm praying to be able to start IFTs the next cycle. Keep you fingers crossed.

As far as *B* is concerned.... the day after Easter he started with a runny nosey and pulling at his ears. It was just intermittant pulling and no fussiness and I noticed his incisors trying to break the gums. I let it go till Thursday morning when he woke up with a horrendous cough. I knew it was much more than just cutting teeth. So, I called his pedi's office to be told that she wasn't in that day that another Dr. was and only until noon and there was no openings. I told the nurse to schedule us for the next day. I gave him Tylenol throughout the day as directed, and he was starting to get cranky, yet be lethargic for the majority. I suggested to DH about taking him tot he ER that nite, but after dinner he seemed to be better. DH went to work and I was there alone with *B*. Then came bath time; I wet his hair and he screamed bloody murder. THROUGH. THE. ENTIRE. BATH. Still it never dawned on me that it was his ears. I got him out of the tub, settled him, and he fell asleep; only to wake in the middle of the night vomitting. I called DH at work who was short handed and couldn't leave. We had to wait another 3hrs for him to get home (got to love only having one vehicle at the moment), thankfully *B* slept during that time however he did vomit while asleep twice. Once DH was there we rushed him off to the ER. Once examined it was determined he had just an ear infection on the right side with bulging membranes. He was given Zith*romax and we were told to put nasal saline drops in his nose and suction it out every hour, b/c of his runny nosey and congestion. We went home and tried to sleep. Within the next 48hrs *B* got much worse. He spiked a fever of 104.5, never woke up even to take his medicine (he would respond but not open his eyes), would scream out in pain in his sleep, and was vomitting while sleeping as well.

So, Sunday evening we took him back to the ER. We told this new Dr. (who specializes in pediatrics no less) what was going on and what the first ER Dr. had given him and told us to do. His response was startling. He shook his head and said "When a child has bulging membranes with congestion and all tubes from sinuses to ears to nose to throat are connected you never advice anyone to add more pressure to it with saline drops or remove pressure from it with the nasal syringe b/c it will make the ear drum rupture." Then he looked it *B*'s ear and said that the right ear drum was indeed now ruptured, and the left one now had bulging membranes. He prescribed us Aug*mentin and C-P*hen as well as going back and forth every 2hrs with Motrin and Tylenol for pain and fever until the fever subsided. The horrible thing about this whole situation I feel like a bad parent, b/c we are the ones by doing what the first Dr. instructed us to do that ruptured his ear drum. Secondly, this second Dr. said he should of been given a decongestant the first time around instead of the instrustions we were given. I even asked the first Dr. about such medicine and what to do for his nose and what not, his recommendation was the saline and Tri*aminic or Roba*tussin for children OTC if desperatley needed. I'm angry witht he first Dr. he didn't know what he was doing by my child or any child for that matter, and I wish he would of called in someone that did know. Now b/c of his personal negligance my child has been suffering for a week. The good news is today he regained his appetite and I noticed his balance is now improving. However his pedi at his follow-up yesterday said it will be a long road of a month or more until it's finally healed and now we will have to be cautious of future infections getting out of hand to this point so he doesn't wind up with deafness or tubes in his ears. In a nutshell that is what happened, and I feel horrible for him and for being so put-offish myself.

Quick Update

I'm sorry gentle readers for those of you who follow and are concerned about what is going over here. I went to the Dr. I don't have to have the lap done. Thankfully. However I have bigger fish to fry. *B* is severely sick with a ruptured ear drum on the right side and bulging membranes on the other side ready to rupture from an ear infection. I'll write more when he's better. Right now it's off to take care of my baby.

Easter

Easter went really well this year. We tried our luck with letting *B* color eggs....or as he calls them "balls". I was a speckled mess at the end from him just dropping them in the cup, and DH had 3 mis-colored fingers. LOL. It was great fun though. I'm the daring one....DH totally against it. Easter morning was nice and peaceful here at the house before we had to make the round trip to family members homes. *B* got up saw his basket and 2 bags of candy from G and Mamaw & Papaw H. Honestly he wasn't worried about tearing into them, he was hungry and wanted food. LOL!! Don't come between my boy and his mealtimes, instant melt down. Finally once I persuaded him that I had started breakfast he wanted the candy and toys. Candy wise he has enough to last him through this Halloween. DH wanted to weigh what he had, and before we went to my side of the family's he had 6lbs of candy, after he had 8.5lbs. OY! Toys he got balls, a plastic golf set, a C*ars kite, bubbles, H*ot Wh*eels cars, and a stuffed dog....plus he got sandals and summer clothes.

Then we had a small little Easter egg hunt for just us, and got ready for the day. He loves hunting eggs and ended up in 4 egg ball hunts. He did really good at it too. He ate lots of yummy food, and a couple of foods that were first for him b/c I don't make them b/c DH or I one don't like them. (I know I know I shouldn't deprive him of trying those foods just b/c we don't like it but I'm not making a serving of it just for my child when I don't know if he'll even like it.) He got to jump or be bounced on a trampoline for the first time and LOVED it. All in all we had a nice day, lots of family bonding with tradition. Here are some pictures for you to enjoy:

PAT Appts (Lap Update)

This past Saturday I had to get blood work done along with the usual weight, height, BP, blah blah blah for pre-admit testing (PAT). I have an appt. Friday to sign paperwork for the procedure, and I'll likely be scheduled on Tues or Wed for surgery. I'm so not looking forward to this...who would be?!?! I'm just hoping between now and then I lose this cold I have. I've been sick since the day after Easter. Started out with vomitting, and has progressed into the worst sinus cold this season. ARGH! I guess we'll see and I'll keep you updated.

Another Lapa*roscopy

UGH! Just thinking of this brings dread to my mind. Being out of commission for a few days just really isn't ideal, since DH doesn't want to take his vacation now and when he does take it I want us to be able to do something fun. But the facts are back in July of 2006 I had a mass on my right ovary. It was thought to be fluid filled but after a month of bcps never reduced in size. So, I had to go in for surgery then. Turns out it was tissue, mostly likely from scarring or something else. It was benign, and it was removed not to return until now. So, it's back bigger, and has been giving me a good deal of pain that I have mistakenly perceived as being kidney pain. I've had a battery of tests ran, and have been encouraged bcps again....however I've decided against them. Something in my gut is telling me to get this taken care of immediately surgically. So, this afternoon I'm back into the Dr. for more testing and hopefully if things play out how I want pre-admissions testing, with the surgery in the next week or two. I'm not looking forward to it, but I don't think anyone would be. My ray of sunshine in the storm (if you can call it that): moving on to TTC#2 with IFTs. Wish me luck!!

B*rennen-isms

For awhile now I've been wanting to document all the things that *B* is doing. I just never find the time to do it. I'll start an entry and not get a chance to finish it, then I'll write other things on my mind and then come back to that entry and so much has changed I feel the need to re-start it. So, he's sleeping....I'm putting fingers to keys and away we go......LOL!

Potty training is going steadily. He's pooped everyday since beginning in the potty!!! I'm so proud of my boy. Peeing well that's to be reckoned with. When we began, the potty we started with started pinching his butt where the cup was (we're sitting him to pee in case you're wondering) and he started to get really sore on his butt. So, he didn't want to pee in there anymore only poop (after about day 5 or 6). Instead he would say "pee" sit on the potty pull-up still up or "unnahs" up and pee. So, I slacked back for a couple of days applied medicine to his sore butt, and let him go at his own will. Plus, during that time we got a new potty chair that has a padded seat on top the removable cup. For 3 days now, we're back to full-blown potty training with NO accidents!!! WOOT!!!

*B* is going through a growth spurt here now too. He was always right in sync his age with the size of clothing he was in until 9mths, then he jumped to 12mth clothing. At a year old he was in between 12 and 18mth sizes. Since he was 15mths he's been at 18mths until now. Now he needs 24mths for the length in pants but in the waist they are WAY TO BIG, and 24mth size shirts. Also, he eats!!! For months he only ate enough to keep a bird alive, now he eats from the time he wakes up until he goes to bed. I'm not talking grazing type eating either, but decent sized portions. He loves most all types of foods except certain pork products. Since the time he was 6mths old he has been on lactose-free dairy products except for the occasional times of trying to introduce it to him to see how he does here and there per his pedi's wishes; so he drinks La*ctaid milk, however within the last month or so he's started eating ALOT more regular dairy based products but he still can't drink regular milk. Weird I know. DH is lactose intolerant though, and is the same way.

As far as words go....*B* is smart!! He amazes me everyday, b/c I know his vocab expands at least 2-5 words daily. He says the following in correct reference to the object/person:
pee, poop, pig, dog, ish (fish), skyy (his dog), cat, kiki (kitty- what we call our cat), hung (hungry), choo-choo (train), hello, hi, buh-bye, bite, night-night, eat, dink (drink), cup, up, down, cah-cung (this is car but not sure why...lol), dah-dunt (and this is truck and not sure why either lol), sit, no (my least favorite word doubled with the next one), why?, bap (bath), mom-meeee, dad-deeeee, baby, num-nums (for candy M*&Ms), unnahs (underwears), chair, Blu (for his auntie), H*attie, JoJo(J*ordan), Mam-maw, Pap-paw, coco (cookie), crackey (cracker), loap (soap), wa-wee (washrag), wawa (water), nahnana (banana), gapes (grapes), cheese, milk, nail, diego (for go diego go), bob-bob (for spongebob), (he can point to and say correctly in perfect context the following body parts as well) hair, eye, ear, nose, mouth, arm, hand, leg, cheek, lip, teeth, pee-pee, foot, nail, toe (which he also calls uckies b/c we do), and knee
Those are just the main ones I can think of, but I know there is so much more he says. He's starting to say 3-4 words together in a sentence type deal as.

He loves to talk on the phone just like his Mama. He's had his hair cut 3 times so far, and is need of a 4th cut. His laughs are infectious. He a total cuddle bug when he wants to be, but mostly plays quietly by himself or is climbing and being rambunctious all over DH or myself. He's a great sleeper from 9pm-9am, and 2hr nap mid-afternoon (insert a knock on wood here b/c I don't want to jinx this). He has a mouth full of teeth all except his 4 I- teeth. He helps undress and dress himself. He's a water baby for sure, and cries when it's time to be out of the bathtub. Everyday I find a little piece of his babyness fading away into a toddler. He's growing leaps and bounds all the time, and it saddens me.....however he'll ALWAYS be my baby. At 21mths old though these are just a few of the high points I want to jot down and be able to look back on and treasure, for being his mother is by far my greatest accomplishment.