Talentedhands

Friday, February 29, 2008

Because you asked nicely

I have blog block. Sure, stuff has been happening, most of it good, but I just can't seem to get it from my brain through my hands to the computer. So today I will do what I can to catch up.

"How's that eating thing coming along, anyway?"
We stopped giving Roxanne formula in her tube around Christmas. Last week, we stopped giving her water and medicine in her tube. Now everything that goes to her stomach must enter through her mouth. Her eating waxes and wanes, and she hasn't gained much over the last few months, but evidently, that's not terribly unusual. She's drinking better these days, so to answer another question, I don't think "drinking camp" is in her future. The short answer is that her eating is going great, especially when you consider we started to wean her off the tube only four months ago. I just wish she'd eat more and gain some weight.

Roxanne needs to be independent of her tube for at least three months before the doctors will consider removing it. Of course, we are very reluctant to go back to using the tube and start the clock over again, but if she gets too dehydrated or simply can't gain weight, then we will use it to keep her healthy. But she might get the tube out as early as May or June this year, if everything goes well. Yay!!

"Is she walking now, or what?"
Well, sort of. She can stand up independently, and will take a few steps without support if strongly motiviated, but most of the time, she still prefers to crawl or cruise, holding onto furniture, people, or walls. If that's walking, then yeah, she's walking. She's getting better at climbing, too. And opening drawers and stealing things, like my brush.

"Didn't you guys go to Florida?"
Yup, we were in Pensacola visiting my dad and his wife last weekend. Roxanne was a challenge on the plane. She doesn't want to sit still for 2 minutes, let alone 2 hours. Dan got his exercise wrestling her. He won.

Pensacola was sunny and wonderfully warm, a great break from "the F month," as Roxanne's pediatrician calls it. We all had a good time, especially Roxanne, who was showered with attention, and seemed to mature verbally in just a few days. Since we've returned, every time Roxanne sees a guy with grey hair, she points and says, "Pop-Pop!", what she calls her grandfather. I don't thinks she thinks it's actually HIM, but one of his kind.

Roxy has definately been working her cute vibe overtime, which is good, because she's starting to act more like a bossy toddler. All weekend, she wanted "bup" (up) "dnnn" (down) or "momo" (give me my Elmo). Most of her communication is in the form of commands. Great fun.


"Take me for a walk on the beach, lackey!"

Friday, February 08, 2008

Riddle

When is a shoebox not shaped liked a shoebox?

When it contains toddler size 4 shoes.

Square? Crazy!

Thursday, February 07, 2008

This is your brain...

This is your brain. This is your brain one year post-op epilepsy surgery. Hm. Not so catchy.

Roxanne had an MRI yesterday at Children's Hospital. Her brain surgery was a year ago on February 15, so the test was a follow up to see how everything looks. We had to arrive at the hospital by 6:30am, which meant waking Roxanne up about 2 hours early. Not cool, but she wasn't as crabby as I expected. She had to be sedated for the procedure, which meant she couldn't eat until after the test was over. Also not cool, and Roxanne signed "eat" almost constantly from the time she woke up, but she wasn't as fussy from hunger as I thought she'd be.

Roxanne recovered very well from the anesthesia, and was perky again within a couple of hours. We met with the neurosurgeon to review the MRI images before we left the hospital, and she was extremely satisfied with how Roxanne has healed. Yay!

We were home from the hospital by 11:30am! That has to be a record for getting in, doing a procedure, meeting with a tightly-booked surgeon, and getting home. I didn't think we'd make it back until about 2pm. Whew.

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

My word!

Roxanne is going through the "word explosion" I've heard so much about: adding several new words in a short time. Granted, most of her words are incomplete, but they are consistent and appropriate for the context. Cool! She knows some signs, too. You'd think the kid of an interpreter would be signing up a storm, but I've been lame about signing with her. Weird.

Here is the secret decoder ring for understanding Roxanne so far.

She says: "bup"
She means: up or cup (it's clear within context -- if she's reaching up to be held, you can bet she doesn't want her cup.)

She signs: bed
She says: "behhhh"
She means: bed (go figure!)

She says: "uck"
She means: truck or stuck

She signs: eat/food
She says: (nothing)
She means: feed me!

She signs: milk
She says: "muk"
She means: any drink, including milk or juice

She says: "ahhoomm"
She means: bathroom (the place) or vacuum (noun or verb)

She says: "nnnnnnnnn"
She means: phone or down (clear within context), sometimes spoon

Other words that are clear: bus, wow, yay, uh-oh.

The way she says "wow" is particularly cute, but I can't figure out how to show it in writing. Next time you talk to me, I'll imitate it for you. Yeah, I'm one of THOSE moms.

Saturday, February 02, 2008

Oh, THAT.

May, 2007

Subject: Safety Recall N4

Dear Volkswagen Owner,

Volkswagen has decided that a defect ... exists in some [my year, my model] vehicles. The affected vehicles have a brake light switch that may malfunction ... the brake lights could become inoperative or come on and stay on.

Please arrange an appointment to repair this defect without delay...


OK, so I got this letter eight months ago. I skimmed over it, and thought, "Well, if my brake lights stop working, I'll take my car in. Otherwise, I'm busy with a zillion other things. Maybe I won't have to deal with it at all."

If the letter had clearly said, "Hey! If your brake light switch malfunctions, you won't be able to get your car out of 'park' and you'll be stranded in a parking lot somewhere, and you'll have to have your car towed!" maybe I would have listened. But no. And yes, I was stranded, but luckily, in a safe place that wasn't terribly far from my repair shop. And, bonus! Roxanne was home with a sitter who could stay late.

Many thanks to MC who picked me up at the repair shop, took me home and joined me for dinner that night!

All's well that ends well. I just feel like a dork.



My mother was clearly too focused on ME to pay attention to a mere vehicle.


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