Droid is great. I am used to it now, have no complaints about the service or the interface and it has now taken the place of my iPhone. I will always love my iPhone but I can no longer say that it was a better phone. Too many cool things on the droid.
Gillian is doing really well--we took her this summer to get a second opinion from a specialist in Utah and he said that the treatment she is getting here is stellar (current treatment: do nothing, medically known as "wait and watch')
I have a list of 13 things I am going to do in Santa Barbara before I leave town. I completed #1 on Saturday. Here is my list, feel free to join me if you like and reviews welcome
1) Gaviota Hot Springs (it was like a warm, stinky bathtub, the girls totally went swimming and loved it, picture coming next post)
2) Tidepool--the problem here is that the low tide is early morning or late at night so I have to pick a Friday night or something
3) Painted Caves
4) Red Rock Swimming Hole
5) Railroad depot to take pictures of my kids
6) UCSB Art Museum
7) Storke tower--I want to see if I can find my way to the top, I hear they don't do that anymore but I would love to try
8) SB Orchid Estate
9) Clairmont Lavender Farm
10) Gaviota Coast Conservatory
11) Ganey Vineyards
12) Drum Circle on East/West Beach
13) Oak Park Wading Pool
I know that anyone who lives here has already done all of these things, I am just a slacker. We have already done cool stuff locally but we don't get out enough. It is tough to do everything when you live a mile from a couple of beaches, a butterfly preserve, a couple of nice hikes, a lake, and a Costco. Who else can claim that?
Showing posts with label perthes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label perthes. Show all posts
Monday, September 13, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Update on le Gill
For those wondering what is happening with Gill's Perthes Disease update:
Her range of motion is increasing--so translation= she is doing great!
We have been really struggling emotionally with is and then suddenly, the day after the doctor visit in which he showed me in measurements that she was doing better and how I could tell if she was increasing/decreasing, etc. Gillian is back to her normal happy self! I asked her if she had been afraid of being really sick and if that was causing her grumpiness and she said "yes and also now I have a *chair."
For whatever reason I am thrilled she is doing well now and our family life feels back to normal.
Thanks for everyone who was concerned, things are much better now and hopefully we won't have a relapse in the tantrum department.
*Her kinder teacher had offered to let her sit in a chair on the carpet instead of criss-cross applesauce (I am sad my kids don't know what "Indian style" means because I guess it sounds too insulting?) but the teachers forgot so she asked again last week and now everything is fine.
Her range of motion is increasing--so translation= she is doing great!
We have been really struggling emotionally with is and then suddenly, the day after the doctor visit in which he showed me in measurements that she was doing better and how I could tell if she was increasing/decreasing, etc. Gillian is back to her normal happy self! I asked her if she had been afraid of being really sick and if that was causing her grumpiness and she said "yes and also now I have a *chair."
For whatever reason I am thrilled she is doing well now and our family life feels back to normal.
Thanks for everyone who was concerned, things are much better now and hopefully we won't have a relapse in the tantrum department.
*Her kinder teacher had offered to let her sit in a chair on the carpet instead of criss-cross applesauce (I am sad my kids don't know what "Indian style" means because I guess it sounds too insulting?) but the teachers forgot so she asked again last week and now everything is fine.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Emotional Side of a Disease
My poor Gillian is a wreck.
She has always been emotional but these days she is a walking tantrum. I am trying to determine what is okay and what has to be handled differently around our house.
I know she is in pain but I just can't tell what is going on--she says that both legs hurt now sometimes but she isn't limping anymore. I need to get some support from the doctoro for both what is going on physically as well as how I can help her cope during my next appointment.
Which is Wednesday.
It might not sound like a big deal, but when your child could be in pain all day, how hard do you come down on her for falling apart at the seams? When does her tantrum become a behavior problem?
So here is what I have come up with and I would love any other advice on this:
1) Crying is okay as long as it isn't loud and disturbing the peace in general. This behavior is preferred in your room but you can do it quietly anywhere.
2) If you are hurting you need to tell mommy so she can help you or get you medicine if you need it.
3) Just because you are tired or hurt, that doesn't make it okay to be mean to people. No yelling "I hate you Bridget" or hitting mommy because you are mad. You still have to be nice.
4) If you do have a tantrum, we are canceling any activities for the afternoon and going straight home (this is tougher to enforce because it messes up the other kids sometimes.)
5) Majority still rules. You don't get two votes because you hurt. This is the toughest one because usually you are irrational by the time we are voting. Example: Do you want to watch Madagascar 2 or Up? 2 vote for Up and you vote for Madagascar. You still lose, even if you are super grumpy and sick and tired. Also, 2 votes for the Habit beats your 1 vote for Jack-in-the-Box. PS The Habit is way better anyway.
6) When you have your second tantrum within five minutes of the previous one, just go to bed.
So... these seem really simple, but when you have four children and one of them is constantly crying, it is really sad. Once she went to bed at 4:30 pm and it was the nicest evening we have had in a very long time. I feel bad saying that but it is true.
I know she has always been emotional but I so rarely get to see her joyful little smile these days, it makes me extremely sad. Any advice is appreciated. If you saw how sad she was all the time it would tear at your little heartstrings. Remember how cute her happy face and her crocodile tears for the saddy from this post? Cry for me, Argentina.
She has always been emotional but these days she is a walking tantrum. I am trying to determine what is okay and what has to be handled differently around our house.
I know she is in pain but I just can't tell what is going on--she says that both legs hurt now sometimes but she isn't limping anymore. I need to get some support from the doctoro for both what is going on physically as well as how I can help her cope during my next appointment.
Which is Wednesday.
It might not sound like a big deal, but when your child could be in pain all day, how hard do you come down on her for falling apart at the seams? When does her tantrum become a behavior problem?
So here is what I have come up with and I would love any other advice on this:
1) Crying is okay as long as it isn't loud and disturbing the peace in general. This behavior is preferred in your room but you can do it quietly anywhere.
2) If you are hurting you need to tell mommy so she can help you or get you medicine if you need it.
3) Just because you are tired or hurt, that doesn't make it okay to be mean to people. No yelling "I hate you Bridget" or hitting mommy because you are mad. You still have to be nice.
4) If you do have a tantrum, we are canceling any activities for the afternoon and going straight home (this is tougher to enforce because it messes up the other kids sometimes.)
5) Majority still rules. You don't get two votes because you hurt. This is the toughest one because usually you are irrational by the time we are voting. Example: Do you want to watch Madagascar 2 or Up? 2 vote for Up and you vote for Madagascar. You still lose, even if you are super grumpy and sick and tired. Also, 2 votes for the Habit beats your 1 vote for Jack-in-the-Box. PS The Habit is way better anyway.
6) When you have your second tantrum within five minutes of the previous one, just go to bed.
So... these seem really simple, but when you have four children and one of them is constantly crying, it is really sad. Once she went to bed at 4:30 pm and it was the nicest evening we have had in a very long time. I feel bad saying that but it is true.
I know she has always been emotional but I so rarely get to see her joyful little smile these days, it makes me extremely sad. Any advice is appreciated. If you saw how sad she was all the time it would tear at your little heartstrings. Remember how cute her happy face and her crocodile tears for the saddy from this post? Cry for me, Argentina.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Doctor Criteria
So you might be wondering what we are doing next on the disease biz...
1) We are going to wait and hear our fancy local doctor's recommendations on treatment in four weeks.
2) Regardless of what he decides we will drive down to LA to get a second opinion because, well, out of the mouth of 2-3 witnesses all truth is established, right? Also because memzy's super smart older bro told me to go to an expert with experience and I trust him (not just cuz he is handsome.)
3) I might like my doc because I heard good stuff about him (from parents whose kids who broke bones, not ones who had bones die in some weirdo rare disease) BUT I have to admit I was frightened when I spoke with him Friday and heard him say "yeah, you might want to stay off the blogs."
WHAT? What kind of person tells you to avoid blogs?
A Luddite, that's who. If you have never heard that term let me enlighten you: The Luddites were a group of British protesters in the 1800s who destroyed machines because they felt that they were going to be out of a job and their way of life would change. One weaver can only do so much on a loom per day, but you stick a mechanized loom in there BAM you have free time to go watch your favorite talk show or whatever fun things that you could do instead of weave, like wash laundry or dishes by hand. But some people want to wash dishes by hand because it is therapeutic? Or because then you might be out your dishwashing job? Uh.
I will say to some of these anti-technology people who decry the social networking of facebook or twitter and say "I am too busy to facebook" or "I don't blog because I am busy having a life" do not have the same needs I do, I get it. I need the written word to journal out my life, to record my daily actions and photos, to mock the public education system or praise it alternately if I so choose and these people feel that they can meet their needs without the web.
But don't tell me to "stay off the blogs" because it seems ignorant to tell people to avoid information. Would he have said "avoid reading journals of other moms in your same situation?" Would he have said "I would steer clear of the encyclopedia?" Of COURSE not. So because it more accessible, this information is suddenly less valid. If something is printed in a book, we like it, if it online it is questionable. News flash: the majority of people journaling have realized that it is far superior to do it digitally because then it is searchable for later. And takes less space. And by the way, doesn't require clearcutting.
So Mr. Smartypants doctor, you better know more about the growth of bones than you do about the way the modern world operates because no offense, but you totally misread your audience.
I don't mean to be rude, I hear he is a way nice guy. With a mustache...and who can resist a man in a mustache? I will get a pic later and if he asks why I can tell him it is for my blog.
1) We are going to wait and hear our fancy local doctor's recommendations on treatment in four weeks.
2) Regardless of what he decides we will drive down to LA to get a second opinion because, well, out of the mouth of 2-3 witnesses all truth is established, right? Also because memzy's super smart older bro told me to go to an expert with experience and I trust him (not just cuz he is handsome.)
3) I might like my doc because I heard good stuff about him (from parents whose kids who broke bones, not ones who had bones die in some weirdo rare disease) BUT I have to admit I was frightened when I spoke with him Friday and heard him say "yeah, you might want to stay off the blogs."
WHAT? What kind of person tells you to avoid blogs?
A Luddite, that's who. If you have never heard that term let me enlighten you: The Luddites were a group of British protesters in the 1800s who destroyed machines because they felt that they were going to be out of a job and their way of life would change. One weaver can only do so much on a loom per day, but you stick a mechanized loom in there BAM you have free time to go watch your favorite talk show or whatever fun things that you could do instead of weave, like wash laundry or dishes by hand. But some people want to wash dishes by hand because it is therapeutic? Or because then you might be out your dishwashing job? Uh.
I will say to some of these anti-technology people who decry the social networking of facebook or twitter and say "I am too busy to facebook" or "I don't blog because I am busy having a life" do not have the same needs I do, I get it. I need the written word to journal out my life, to record my daily actions and photos, to mock the public education system or praise it alternately if I so choose and these people feel that they can meet their needs without the web.
But don't tell me to "stay off the blogs" because it seems ignorant to tell people to avoid information. Would he have said "avoid reading journals of other moms in your same situation?" Would he have said "I would steer clear of the encyclopedia?" Of COURSE not. So because it more accessible, this information is suddenly less valid. If something is printed in a book, we like it, if it online it is questionable. News flash: the majority of people journaling have realized that it is far superior to do it digitally because then it is searchable for later. And takes less space. And by the way, doesn't require clearcutting.
So Mr. Smartypants doctor, you better know more about the growth of bones than you do about the way the modern world operates because no offense, but you totally misread your audience.
I don't mean to be rude, I hear he is a way nice guy. With a mustache...and who can resist a man in a mustache? I will get a pic later and if he asks why I can tell him it is for my blog.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Perthes Disease
For the last month, little Gillian has been limping around, claiming her knee hurt. We asked our wise friends who have children her age and the official diagnosis was growing pains. After a week we took her to the doctor who xrayed her and the diagnosis was that she was too flexible and she overextended. Last week while I was in Cinci I got a call from Steve that she couldn't even walk.
Enter specialist, xrays, diagnosis: Perthes. Technically the name is Legg-Calve-Perthes disease which is ironically not related to the leg and calf but two doctors whose names only sound like those body parts.
There is one doctor in town who is a pediatric orthopedic doc named Mark Maguire. Whose name only sounds like the famous bball player. Gillian claims he is handsome so I guess he is probably excellent.
I called him yesterday morning and he has yet to return my call so I am going to ask my questions here on this blog and go for research by consensus (that means you have to go look this stuff up because I tried and didn't get no satisfaction.)
1. For the first four weeks she is supposed to take motrin twice a day to reduce swelling. How much exercise should she be doing during this time? Should she be participating in PE? If she should, do I tell the PE teacher she can't do it anyway since she hates it and that is probably my fault since she inherited that from me?
2. What is next? I have seen pictures of double-legged casts, braces, and surgery. How likely is that for my little girly girl?
3. Physical Therapy sounds cool--for the women who get to work with attractive male masseuses--but for parents this is a sad affair, right? When Casey was a wee babe he had one of these helmet thingies and we were supposed to do some neck stretches. We tried, I swear we did, and of course we were in our twenties, but consistency was noooo bueno. So how now? How many days a week am I going to set myself up to fail? What if she hates them and cries every night? How will I face her? Are these exercises going to hurt? How frequently do we need to really do them to make this thing happen?
4. What is the long-term worst-case scenario? Gillian said to me the other day "I am always going to walk funny and people are going to make fun of me." It almost broke my heart--and then I was like "hey what kind of kids are at this school??? Am I fighting for a bunch of punks??" I told her that she was young and that we just had to fix her bones up and then she will be just fine. El doctor said that it will take 18 months to 2 years to get her back on track. What does that mean? 2 years? What is going to happen during that time?
5. What else do I need to know? Is this really something to worry about it, or is it a relief that her "disease" is not life-threatening?
Thanks for playing.
Enter specialist, xrays, diagnosis: Perthes. Technically the name is Legg-Calve-Perthes disease which is ironically not related to the leg and calf but two doctors whose names only sound like those body parts.
There is one doctor in town who is a pediatric orthopedic doc named Mark Maguire. Whose name only sounds like the famous bball player. Gillian claims he is handsome so I guess he is probably excellent.
I called him yesterday morning and he has yet to return my call so I am going to ask my questions here on this blog and go for research by consensus (that means you have to go look this stuff up because I tried and didn't get no satisfaction.)
1. For the first four weeks she is supposed to take motrin twice a day to reduce swelling. How much exercise should she be doing during this time? Should she be participating in PE? If she should, do I tell the PE teacher she can't do it anyway since she hates it and that is probably my fault since she inherited that from me?
2. What is next? I have seen pictures of double-legged casts, braces, and surgery. How likely is that for my little girly girl?
3. Physical Therapy sounds cool--for the women who get to work with attractive male masseuses--but for parents this is a sad affair, right? When Casey was a wee babe he had one of these helmet thingies and we were supposed to do some neck stretches. We tried, I swear we did, and of course we were in our twenties, but consistency was noooo bueno. So how now? How many days a week am I going to set myself up to fail? What if she hates them and cries every night? How will I face her? Are these exercises going to hurt? How frequently do we need to really do them to make this thing happen?
4. What is the long-term worst-case scenario? Gillian said to me the other day "I am always going to walk funny and people are going to make fun of me." It almost broke my heart--and then I was like "hey what kind of kids are at this school??? Am I fighting for a bunch of punks??" I told her that she was young and that we just had to fix her bones up and then she will be just fine. El doctor said that it will take 18 months to 2 years to get her back on track. What does that mean? 2 years? What is going to happen during that time?
5. What else do I need to know? Is this really something to worry about it, or is it a relief that her "disease" is not life-threatening?
Thanks for playing.
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