It sure has been a long week...

Well, the yucky virus was/is horrible! Bug ended up in ER Monday night, saw the pediatrician Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday and then off to spend the night in the hospital to get 24 hours of IV fluids. Shew! Bug has lost nearly 4 pounds through all of this. His doctor thinks that he should be okay to go to school tomorrow, but probably won't be back to normal until mid week. He is still complaining that his belly hurts and is constantly wanting me to rub his belly. I have been one worried Mama! He does seem to be better today, so I am hoping that he will be okay for 3 1/2 hours of school tomorrow. He missed a whole week last week and I hate for him to miss any more school. Mrs. P stopped by to see him in the hospital and she said that he always seems to be sick around their assessment time. Thank goodness there is only one more assessment time this school year! Say a little prayer that my lil Bug is on the mend. Until next time...

Yucky virus!

The last few days have been horrible in our house. I already said that Bug was vomiting on Sunday. Well, the vomiting turned to diarrhea on Monday and he ended up in the Emergency Room late Monday night for IV fluids. He was just not himself, sleeping alot, moaning and was making me pack him back and forth to the bathroom. That is so NOT my little Bug. Luckily for us, he was so sick that he didn't give up a fight when we went to the hospital.

I am so very glad that I remembered to take our trusty ole weighted blanket for reinforcement. He wanted it on him while we were in the waiting room and we kept it on him the whole time we were there. I am also grateful that we got a very understanding doctor and nurses that were very patient with him. That was my big fear, that they would get rough and mean with him when he decided to throw a fit. It did take 2 nurses along with my husband and myself to hold him for the IV. He just didn't understand why we were hurting him :( He begged for us to take him home...tears me up when I think about it.

He had a fever and the only way that I can get him to take his medicine is to put it in his milk. Well, we all know that you aren't supposed to have milk when you have vomiting/diarrhea, but that is my only option and when you have a fever...you do what you gotta do. Luckily again, the doctor was okay with it and the nurse brought him some milk and tylenol. Of course, it wasn't the flavor that he likes in his favorite "milk cup" at home, so he refused to drink it. We ended up promising that we make him a cup as soon as we get home and having him drink it then. Wouldn't you know that he decided to put up a fight when we got home and we spent the next hour begging him to drink the milk so that we didn't have to go back to the hospital.

So, here we are, it is Wednesday and after going back to pediatrician yesterday and ruled out other possible causes for his illness, he is still sick. He has still got diarrhea and weakness. He is not having me pack him to the bathroom everytime, so that is an improvement. He has no interest in food for the forth day straight, but is starting to drink some Gatoraide. Please pray that we are going over the hump!

God Bless!

The 2 a.m. wake up call

Don't you just hate waking up at 2 a.m. to the sound of your child throwing up? That was yesterday morning for me. It scared me because Bug was still half asleep and was throwing up. I am yelling at him to wake up and my husband halfway wakes up and wants to know what in the world is wrong with me. I spent the next 4 hours running back and forth to the bathroom with Bug and of course having to change the sheets again and our pajamas yet again.

Went to the pediatrician (thank goodness they have started having Sunday hours!) and he has a stomach virus that is going around. Thank the Good Lord for Phenergan gel!!! I have one of those children who refuses to take medicine the old fashioned way. He hates medicine!!! He begged me all day yesterday to please give him some milk and put some medicine in the cup. Luckily, with the Phenergan gel, you just rub it on his temple. (and go wash your hands or you will get sleepy!) What a wonderful creation!

Last night, he went to his bed on his own, without Mommy because he said that he needed to go get some rest. Bug does not go to bed without Mommy and he does not go to HIS bed!! That tells you just how sick he feels right now.

This morning, he said that his belly was a little better...that is, until the diarrhea began. So, here we are waiting for this nasty bug to decide to leave my son's body (and come to mine, we all know it's coming!) Then, I need to disinfect this house to get rid of those nasty germs. Please say a little prayer that this virus resolves quickly. Bug needs to feel better soon. He is wearing Mommy out, since he doesn't like me out of his sight right now. I am not getting anything else done, but that is ok. Bug is what is most important :)

Today is a special anniversary

Yes, today is March 17, St Patricks Day. That is not the reason for our special anniversary though. One year ago today, Bug finally began to "poop in the potty!" We began to think that the day was never going to come. He would freak out at the thought of doing it. He didn't have any trouble with #1, he had been doing that since he was 2. We tried everything, right up to plain ole bribery. I told him that I would take him to Wal-Mart, Toys r us, it didn't matter! It didn't work...

Last year, he spent the night with his Nana and Papaw and when Bug took off for a minute, Papaw went looking for him and he was trying to put on a pull up by himself and he was having trouble. Papaw said "Let's go try the potty" and he finally did it. Papaw thinks that he just couldn't wait any longer and didn't put up any kind of fight, he just did it! I remember the phone call just like it was yesterday, Bug called me to tell me that he did it and he was so excited that I almost couldn't understand what he said.

Earlier this week, his art teacher had mentioned to my friend at school that Bug had announced in class to everyone that he had just pooped at school. Lol! Just another journey for us. We had such a hard time getting him to go to a strange potty because of his fear of the loud flushing noises.

So, today I think I will bask in the glory of such a happy anniversary for us :)

Happy Potty Anniversary Bug!

Gonna "use" the OT for my benefit!

Okay, I am not a person that likes to "use" another person. I think it is mean or even cruel in most instances. But, after yesterday, I decided that I needed to use Miss L for my benefit. When I got Bug off from the bus stop, he was climbing in the third row seats with his friend and as he was climbing back there, he was pulling his weighted blanket back there and putting it on himself. I acknowledged just how proud I was of him for taking that step and doing it by himself. He responds with "Miss L told me too!" Well, this idea popped right into my head that I need to use her (I mean my kid will not listen to me and he will listen to her, why not use her, right?) and have her to tell him that he needs to try new foods.

Wait, I do have to go back and say that we are working on a new food and for the last three days, I have been able to get him to eat very small, tiny pieces of the lunch meat that is packed in those lunchables with the crackers, meat and cheese. I have had to bribe him with oreos to get him to do it, but hey, you do what you gotta do! He has not thrown it up immediately, which is a major plus!!! I have gotten frustrated and given up so many times because he would instantly throw up whatever bite he had just eaten. I am so delighted! If only you could see the smile on my face right now :)

Anyway, back to the using Miss L, I have emailed her and I am hoping that she will agree to my using her and won't think too bad of me...

I also spoke to his special education teacher, Mrs C for a few minutes this morning and she said that he has responded well to the daily brushing that she administers. I am starting to feel a little better, but still waiting to hear about the Speech Evaluation.

Finally Friday...

I am singing the George Jones song in my head. For starters this morning, Bug was a little upset when I told him that Mrs. P would not be at school again this morning. Then, we walk into the school and the first bell rings. He gets all upset again because he likes to be the first one in his classroom. He is usually in my friends classroom waiting for the bell to ring with his friend. Today, he was not. So, he was very grumpy, so I decided to walk him to his classroom myself. I told Mrs. B that he was a little upset and I hoped that he would pull it together quickly. When I picked him up, I asked Mrs. B about his morning and she said that he had a wonderful morning. Yay! I am so glad he pulled it together :)

The light went out!

Well, the light yesterday burned out. I got an email from Bug's special education teacher letting me know that Bug was having a bad morning. I called her to find out what was happening. I mentioned that Bug does not like changes in routines and has a hard time dealing with them. I knew that his teacher was going to be out today, so I did talk to him about it and explained to him that things were gonna be a little different today. I think he was okay with that, but he got upset because someone was not sitting in their seat so he took it upon himself (lol) to go take one of their star dollars away from them, since that is what his teacher would do. When his other teacher told him that he could not do that, the meltdown occurred. He couldn't seem to get it back together for awhile after that. Oh, and did I mention that it was also picture day? He then had to go with the rest of the class and get their group picture taken. Apparently, his face and eyes were all red from his meltdown. So, I will always have a reminder of his meltdown today...

I am so blessed to have a great support system. My friend is a teacher at Bug's elementary school. I sent her an email and she went to check up on him and took him with her class to get his individual picture taken. She also went back later to check on him and she informed me both times that he was fine and had gotten himself back together. I honestly do not know how I would get through the 3 1/2 hours that he is in school if she were not there. I feel bad for other parents who do not have what I do. I would have run right down to the school and would have been tempted to bring him back home with me. My friend says that she is proud of me for not going down there. She said that he needs others to help calm him besides me. I am always saying that I don't know what my husband will do if something happens to me. Bug depends alot on me. I don't really know what to do to make things different. If my son can't depend on me, then who can he depend on?

Seeing a light at the end of the tunnel...

So, I am finally starting to feel better after the meeting at school last week.  It wasn't a bad meeting, I just always leave feeling frustrated and helpless because I can't fix everything like I want. 
There were suggestions made that I need to do before school and some for the teacher to do in the classroom.  I am pleasantly surprised that Bug has responded well to the changes.  Normally, he DOES NOT like changes in routines.  Having the weighted blanket on the way to school is now his favorite!  He wants it everytime we get in the truck to go somewhere.  He says that he feels so much better when he gets out of the truck, makes me happy :) 
Day two wearing the compression shirt has been good too.  He really seems to love it.  His teacher told me that he was proud of the shirt yesterday and had to show it to her.  Yay!  Makes me happier :)
He also told me yesterday that his OT didn't come to see him, so he used the brush on himself.  Wow!  I didn't think he realized when he was feeling the sensory overload.  So, maybe he will respond well to the "Alert Program"  that the OT is going to implement.  WooHoo! 
So, maybe there is a light at the end of the tunnel...a faint light, but I am seeing it.

Hello, my name is Mary

I was inspired a couple months ago to do a blog when a friend sent me an email telling me that she wanted me to check out someone else's.  She knew that it would interest me because it was about a Mom's adventures with 2 boys with SPD.  I put it on a backburner until last week.  I had a meeting at my son's school and with that meeting came out those fears and emotions that get stuck in the back of my head and I revisited this idea that I should blog about my adventures with my son.  So, let me start by saying...

Hello, my name is Mary and my son has SPD.  For privacy reasons, he will be called "Bug" in my posts.  What is SPD?  The technical term is Sensory Processing Disorder.  Those three words changed our lives 3 years ago.  I always knew deep down that there was something different about Bug.  He didn't do things the way other kids did.  He didn't react the right way in situations.  Loud noises freaked him out.  He was the pickiest eater that I had ever seen.  The list goes on and on.  When we would go to the doctor, it was terrible.  He would cry from the moment we pulled into the parking lot until the moment we were gone.  It was such an emotional roller coaster ride to go to the pediatrician's office, people stared.  He cried, I cried and the doctors would say "it is normal for some kids to be afraid at the doctor."  I would look around the waiting room and there were no other kids reacting that way and feel even more frustrated.  Finally, at his three year checkup, his regular pediatrician said that his reaction was  "a little over the top" and referred him to Occupational Therapy for evaluation.  Now, that's where the joyride begins...

I hope that with this blog, I can help people understand what SPD is and does to not only the child, but the whole family included.