Thursday, July 31, 2008
Oldsmar Sprayground
Monday afternoon, I brought the kids to the Sprayground, a small waterpark in Oldsmar. Before, Kyle has resisted going into the actual water play area, but this time he actually joined in and had a blast! After a while, he came to me and was moving his hands on his chest immitating the sign language gesture for 'please' so I said, "Please? Please what?" then he repeated the sign for 'please' and did the sign for 'sleep'. I asked, "Please sleep? You want to go to sleep?" and he said "Yeah". We went home and he went straight down for a nap without any problems.
2 Years Old
Kyle turned two years old on July 19th!!! We celebrated at Chris' parents' house with one of the items we got with the SSI money - a Bounceland Bouncer/Ball Pit/Slide Combo. It also has a waterplay feature. It was fun. Kyle was not amuzed when we attached the water spray hose, though. The neighbor's daughter, Jacqueline came over to play and Hannah's cousin Zachary came over too. We blew bubbles, too. Kyle got one balloon, with his favorite cartoon character, Pooh.
Check-Ups
Audrey and Kyle had their check-ups (3 month and 2 year, respectively) on July 18th. Audrey was up to 12 pounds 4 ounces and Kyle is holding steady at 21 pounds. The doctors are trying to keep him low on feedings, hoping he'll get hungry enough to try eating. No luck so far, just licking stuff still. He passed his hearing screening just fine. Audrey's developmentally ahead of her age since she rolled over (even once) and is reaching and grabbing for things already, including playing with her own hands. Hannah was the same way. She rolled over really early, too.
Getting in Shape
Chris and I have started a membership at the gym nearby (Bally's Total Fitness) to try to get in shape. I was especially interested in the classes and have attended a couple of Pilates and "abs and stretch" classes. Chris has had a couple of sessions with a personal trainer and is doing excercises called "planks" to strengthen his "core".
Pilates is a popular exercise method based on the teachings of Joseph Pilates. The Pilates exercises were originally developed for dancers and focus on long, lean bodies and strong "cores". The "core" refers to muscles in the abdominal area.
Pilates is a popular exercise method based on the teachings of Joseph Pilates. The Pilates exercises were originally developed for dancers and focus on long, lean bodies and strong "cores". The "core" refers to muscles in the abdominal area.
Pot O' Gold
July 7th, on the way home from externship, I took this picture and thought it was a little humorous:
SSI
Back in late August 2006, we signed Kyle up for SSI - Supplemental Security Income - Disability. When I was looking to return to work, I was worried about medicaid dropping us. Kyle was still in the NICU and there was no way we could afford those bills without medicaid. The social worker suggested I look into SSI since a birth weight of less than 2 lbs 10 oz is a qualification to receive disability payments and insures that medicaid will continue regardless of our income.
While the child is in the hospital, SSI provides the medicaid coverage and $30 check each month. Once the child is released from the hospital and goes home, the parents are required to provide detailed information about income and finances and from then on receive payments based on that information.
We were a little slow in getting all the kinks worked out and all the information given to SSI. In October 2007, we received a letter from SSI stating that based on the information and the fact that they had only been giving us $30 a month for a long time, we were back-owed an amount of almost $5,000! We were thrilled! We thought we could finally pay my mom all the money we back-owed HER for watching Hannah and Kyle all the time I was at school and Chris was at work and for all the gas she spent driving them to Kyle's therapy, doctors and specialists appointments. However, there were stipulations in the letter. Because of the size of the sum, we had to open a dedicated account for the money and in order to use the money, we had to get approval. When I called them, they made it quite clear that paying my mom for childcare was not an approved expense unless she was a registered nurse! Any purchases had to do specifically with his disability (developmental delay).
I asked the caseworker with SSI what would be considered a qualifying expense. She said any doctors bills. But Medicaid pays all of those. Specialists - Medicaid pays those. Special diet requirements - WIC pays for those. Feeding equipment - Medicaid pays those.... Finally, she recommended therapy assists. She said that if the therapists recommended particular toys, videos, books, exercise equipment, etc. for his development, and put it in writing, that would qualify.
In February, the amount was finally deposited into the dedicated account I opened in October. In April, we got the list of recommended items from the therapists. In June, we sent price estimates for everything on the list at the request of SSI, and in July, we finally got approval to use the money for the items. The timing is excellent for Kyle's birthday! We were able to get him push toys, balls, cars, trucks, shape sorters, puzzles, books, Baby Einstein videos, a wading pool, a bouncer/ball pit/slide combo and more.
While the child is in the hospital, SSI provides the medicaid coverage and $30 check each month. Once the child is released from the hospital and goes home, the parents are required to provide detailed information about income and finances and from then on receive payments based on that information.
We were a little slow in getting all the kinks worked out and all the information given to SSI. In October 2007, we received a letter from SSI stating that based on the information and the fact that they had only been giving us $30 a month for a long time, we were back-owed an amount of almost $5,000! We were thrilled! We thought we could finally pay my mom all the money we back-owed HER for watching Hannah and Kyle all the time I was at school and Chris was at work and for all the gas she spent driving them to Kyle's therapy, doctors and specialists appointments. However, there were stipulations in the letter. Because of the size of the sum, we had to open a dedicated account for the money and in order to use the money, we had to get approval. When I called them, they made it quite clear that paying my mom for childcare was not an approved expense unless she was a registered nurse! Any purchases had to do specifically with his disability (developmental delay).
I asked the caseworker with SSI what would be considered a qualifying expense. She said any doctors bills. But Medicaid pays all of those. Specialists - Medicaid pays those. Special diet requirements - WIC pays for those. Feeding equipment - Medicaid pays those.... Finally, she recommended therapy assists. She said that if the therapists recommended particular toys, videos, books, exercise equipment, etc. for his development, and put it in writing, that would qualify.
In February, the amount was finally deposited into the dedicated account I opened in October. In April, we got the list of recommended items from the therapists. In June, we sent price estimates for everything on the list at the request of SSI, and in July, we finally got approval to use the money for the items. The timing is excellent for Kyle's birthday! We were able to get him push toys, balls, cars, trucks, shape sorters, puzzles, books, Baby Einstein videos, a wading pool, a bouncer/ball pit/slide combo and more.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
4th of July Weekend
July 5th, Chris had a paintball game planned with Jay up in Lakeland and we had arranged to spend the weekend at my aunt and uncle's house in Winter Haven, nearby. So while Chris and Jay played, I got the three kids ready for a weekend in Winter Haven and drove the hour and a half to get there. What made it a real adventure was that half-way there, Hannah informed me that she had not gone potty before leaving the house and she didn't know if she could hold it. So I was left contemplating which would be more difficult... cleaning up a soiled booster seat or getting the double stroller and Hannah into a gas station bathroom. I decided to play the odds and Hannah did manage to hold it until we got to my aunt and uncle's house.
My cousin Marcy and her five current foster kids (Desi, Haley and Lexi, all around four years old, and Ethan and Austin, both about two years old) met us there and the kids immediately started playing together. Soon afterward, two former foster kids of Marcy's arrived (twins, Cory and Kyle) with their mother and her boyfriend and my other cousin Jenny arrived with her kids (two boys, Quinton and Chance, and a newborn girl, Kayleigh). My third cousin from that branch of the family (all on my dad's side, by the way), Frankie (AKA: Uncle Bubba), arrived later with his girlfriend, Amber. By the time Chris and Jay got there from paintball, Jenny and Marcy's husbands, Scott and Dan, and my aunt and uncle were all there too. So it was a full house as usual at Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Frank's house.
At one point while everyone was out of the room (the adults were all putting kids down for naps), Audrey apparently rolled over! She was on her back and when we came back in, she was on her tummy! She hasn't chosen to do it again since then
Hannah showed off her new talent for swimming...
Independence Day
Since last year was so crazy (Kyle had only been home for about a month from the hospital after his fundoplication surgery and Chris was dealing with kidney stones - again), we didn't really celebrate the 4th of July like we normally do. So this was Kyle's first celebrated 4th of July and Audrey's first 4th of July.
I dug out the outfit Hannah wore for her very first 4th of July and Audrey fit into it perfectly. Here's some pictures of Hannah back on her first 4th of July...
Our good friend Jay joined us to celebrate at Chris' parents' house and while the adults played a game called Tailgater (similar to horseshoes but with beanbags), Hannah played in the kiddie pool and Kyle splashed from outside the pool.
When it got dark, the neighbors (Suzanne, Shawn and their their two girls, Jacqueline and baby Sadie) came over and Hannah and Jacqueline got to play with sparklers. It was Hannah's first time getting to play with sparklers.
Kyle and Audrey seemed to enjoy the fireworks enough but both of them fell asleep while the fireworks were still going!
I dug out the outfit Hannah wore for her very first 4th of July and Audrey fit into it perfectly. Here's some pictures of Hannah back on her first 4th of July...
Our good friend Jay joined us to celebrate at Chris' parents' house and while the adults played a game called Tailgater (similar to horseshoes but with beanbags), Hannah played in the kiddie pool and Kyle splashed from outside the pool.
When it got dark, the neighbors (Suzanne, Shawn and their their two girls, Jacqueline and baby Sadie) came over and Hannah and Jacqueline got to play with sparklers. It was Hannah's first time getting to play with sparklers.
Kyle and Audrey seemed to enjoy the fireworks enough but both of them fell asleep while the fireworks were still going!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
ER and Home Again
Sunday night, in the middle of the night, Kyle started fussing. He had been fine all day Sunday, so it surprised me when I went in and his forehead was warm. I checked his temp under the arm but the thermometer was set for Celsius instead of Farenheit. I knew that 98.6 F is 37.0 C but I wasn't sure about the reading of 38.4 C so I had to look it up online to find that it was a temperature of approximately 101.1 F. He wasn't coughing or sniffling so I just uncovered him, thinking it might just be too much heat from the blanket. A couple of hours later, though, he was fussing again and his temperature was about the same. As stupid as this sounds, I didn't think to give him Tylenol. I just tried to get him back to sleep.
When Kyle woke up again just after Chris left for work Monday morning (around 7AM), I brought him into our room and held him until he almost fell back asleep and then I took his temperature again figuring it might be lower after he was calm and sleeping. I found a thermometer set on Farenheit this time and it read 102.6 under the arm. They usually say to add .9 to the under the arm temperature to get an accurate number so I started to worry. Then I put my hand on his chest and felt his heart pounding fast. I tried to count his heart rate but it was hard. I used my stethescope. As far as I could tell, it was somewhere around 150-160 beats per minute (bpm) and his heart sounded different to me than usual. I counted his breaths and he was about 60 breaths a minute. I still didn't want to overreact and take him straight to the All Children's Hospital Emergency Room since he still didn't have any cough or sniffling or diarrhea, so I called the pediatrician to get him in to see the doctor at 8:40AM and got the kids dressed.
The pediatrician, Dr Arango, confirmed that his heart rate was over 150bpm and his breathing was heavy and fast. She also commented on the difference in the sound of his murmur and said that he should be taken to the emergency room just to rule out any problems with his heart or lungs that might be causing the fever, if nothing else. She also said she didn't want to give him Tylenol until they heard his heart how it was.
I dropped Hannah off with my mother at my grandmother's new residence at Freedom Square retirement center so that she wouldn't be in the way or bored and Chris met me at All Children's Emergency Room.
They did an echo (which I was fascinated with, of course), a chest x-ray and lab work (which Kyle was not thrilled with). Everything came back clear and the doctor said that the only thing he saw was a little redness at the back of Kyle's throat. He said he might just have something viral and don't be surprised if he starts to have a little diarrhea but once they gave him some Tylenol, the fever started going down and he seemed in better spirits (in spite of the lab work).
The important thing is that his heart and lungs are okay so there's not as much to worry about.
When Kyle woke up again just after Chris left for work Monday morning (around 7AM), I brought him into our room and held him until he almost fell back asleep and then I took his temperature again figuring it might be lower after he was calm and sleeping. I found a thermometer set on Farenheit this time and it read 102.6 under the arm. They usually say to add .9 to the under the arm temperature to get an accurate number so I started to worry. Then I put my hand on his chest and felt his heart pounding fast. I tried to count his heart rate but it was hard. I used my stethescope. As far as I could tell, it was somewhere around 150-160 beats per minute (bpm) and his heart sounded different to me than usual. I counted his breaths and he was about 60 breaths a minute. I still didn't want to overreact and take him straight to the All Children's Hospital Emergency Room since he still didn't have any cough or sniffling or diarrhea, so I called the pediatrician to get him in to see the doctor at 8:40AM and got the kids dressed.
The pediatrician, Dr Arango, confirmed that his heart rate was over 150bpm and his breathing was heavy and fast. She also commented on the difference in the sound of his murmur and said that he should be taken to the emergency room just to rule out any problems with his heart or lungs that might be causing the fever, if nothing else. She also said she didn't want to give him Tylenol until they heard his heart how it was.
I dropped Hannah off with my mother at my grandmother's new residence at Freedom Square retirement center so that she wouldn't be in the way or bored and Chris met me at All Children's Emergency Room.
They did an echo (which I was fascinated with, of course), a chest x-ray and lab work (which Kyle was not thrilled with). Everything came back clear and the doctor said that the only thing he saw was a little redness at the back of Kyle's throat. He said he might just have something viral and don't be surprised if he starts to have a little diarrhea but once they gave him some Tylenol, the fever started going down and he seemed in better spirits (in spite of the lab work).
The important thing is that his heart and lungs are okay so there's not as much to worry about.
Spiders
Many of you already know of our struggles with cockroaches. Many floridians can relate to how quickly it goes from seeing one or two cockroaches to where you can't turn around without seeing several. We're finally cockroach free after a course of weekly treatments by Carson Pest Control - all of which were completely harmless to the children, while still being effective on the roaches, themselves.
Now, it looks like we might have to call them back to do a treatment for spiders on our back porch. I had already asked the pest control guy to treat behind our bookshelves for spiders since we had already had experiences with several brown spiders (which we're pretty certain were brown recluses). Then, on our last visit from Carson Pest Control, I had the guy look at a spider I had seen on the back porch, between our sun panels and the porch screen. I had already identified it as a Black Widow, seeing the tell-tale red hourglass on the underside. He sprayed the spider and killed it. However, in the last couple of days, I have become aware of more spiders on the porch - behind our boxes of Christmas decorations over the washer and dryer, in the corners of the ceiling, along the corner by the sliding glass door side that stays closed, etc. I have not been able (or eager, at least) to view them close enough to be sure of identification but a couple of them look like brown recluses. I've sprayed with household pest spray but I'm worried about whether more may be lurking where I can't see. We have a lot of junk items on the porch that we haven't gotten around to bringing to a junk yard (like the soft-side waterbed that no one seems to want) and I'm worried that if we try to bring them through the house now to get them out to the junk yard, we might wake angry poisonous spiders and let them loose int he house. Granted, I might be dramatizing a little bit (I have a tendency for it), but even if the ones I've seen aren't brown recluses, there have been black widows.
See for yourselves... The picture on the top is a picture from the internet (you know, the web - how corny am I?) of a brown recluse spider. The picture on the bottom is a picture of a spider found on our bookcase (I squished him dead after taking the picture).
Now, it looks like we might have to call them back to do a treatment for spiders on our back porch. I had already asked the pest control guy to treat behind our bookshelves for spiders since we had already had experiences with several brown spiders (which we're pretty certain were brown recluses). Then, on our last visit from Carson Pest Control, I had the guy look at a spider I had seen on the back porch, between our sun panels and the porch screen. I had already identified it as a Black Widow, seeing the tell-tale red hourglass on the underside. He sprayed the spider and killed it. However, in the last couple of days, I have become aware of more spiders on the porch - behind our boxes of Christmas decorations over the washer and dryer, in the corners of the ceiling, along the corner by the sliding glass door side that stays closed, etc. I have not been able (or eager, at least) to view them close enough to be sure of identification but a couple of them look like brown recluses. I've sprayed with household pest spray but I'm worried about whether more may be lurking where I can't see. We have a lot of junk items on the porch that we haven't gotten around to bringing to a junk yard (like the soft-side waterbed that no one seems to want) and I'm worried that if we try to bring them through the house now to get them out to the junk yard, we might wake angry poisonous spiders and let them loose int he house. Granted, I might be dramatizing a little bit (I have a tendency for it), but even if the ones I've seen aren't brown recluses, there have been black widows.
See for yourselves... The picture on the top is a picture from the internet (you know, the web - how corny am I?) of a brown recluse spider. The picture on the bottom is a picture of a spider found on our bookcase (I squished him dead after taking the picture).
Part-Time Externship
Well, still no luck finding me a full-time site for my school externship but the clinical director, Tom, called me last week to tell me that he had a part-time site for me to start getting some of my hours done. The great thing is, it's with the mobile tech that I followed for my once-a-week clinicals for a while and the company she works for now may want to hire me when I graduate! The not-so-great thing is, the only hours she can give me are Thursdays, when she goes to Kissimmee, and every other Monday, when she goes to Naples! I can meet her in St Pete and ride with her but it means meeting her really early in the morning. I met her last Thursday morning at 7 and tomorrow I'll meet with her at 6! Anything to move forward toward my echo career!
Audrey - 2 months
June 17th, Audrey had her 2 month well-baby check-up. She weighed in at 11 pounds, 2 ounces and measured 21 and a half inches. She got her first set of immunizations, including Pediatrix (combination vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Hepatitis B), Hib and a new one called RotaTeq which is an orally administered vaccine that protects against rotavirus.
Audrey is in good health and loves to coo at ceiling fans and mobiles.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
