Timmy's Fontan

Our heart buddy Timmy Deskin is scheduled for the Fontan today at Hopkins. This child is close to our hearts because he has the same diagnosis as Corey and the same care team as we do. His surgeon is Dr. Vricella. We are thinking of Timmy and praying for success and a speedy recovery today.

ABC!

Warning! Bragging ahead!

Corey has started impressing us with some big boy activities lately. First, he has learned to say the entire alphabet! Just ask him - he'd be happy to recite it for you. So I'd like to say thank you, Dr. Seuss for your book, aptly titled ABC, and for Zizzer Zazzer Zuzz, Corey's favorite new character.

Next on the list of big boy activities! Corey has decided that big boy underpants are better than diapers. Hallelujah. I see an actual end to the days of wiping tiny tushies.

And finally, I took the boys out to the playground yesterday, as I often do, and Corey surprised me with his batting skills. (Keep in mind that I've never batted a ball with him before.) There was a baseball bat that had been left by some other child, and Corey picked it up like it belonged in his hands, asked me to toss him a ball, and proceeded to hit many of the balls that I managed to throw close to his bat! Also, when he throws the ball, it's straight as an arrow, right to you. He's a natural. Who knew? Today his daddy plans to take him out to get his own bat and ball, and then, who knows?

That's my big boy!

Speech Pathologists and Neurologists

And lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

Let's start with the neurologist. After my episode of nearly fainting and landing in the ER. I went to my GP, who decided to send me (brain MRI films in hand) to see a neurologist. I've felt incapacitated by these spells of dizziness, nausea, etc., and it's made me fear that I wouldn't be able to take care of the boys. They're so dependent on me right now, so if I can't function, what happens to them? It's terrifying.

And then this morning I went to see Dr. Singh, my new favorite person. He's a tall, dark man who moves slowly and deliberately, a bit like Shugah from "No Country for Old Men", but without the psycho killer aspect. I look for that in a doctor. He gave me a thorough exam, asked me a series of questions, put my MRI films up and looked them over, and then told me I've got "a nice brain". That's the first time a man has ever said that to me!

The conclusion Dr. Singh drew is that I've got what's called vestibular migraines. Auras, dizziness, numbness, neck and jaw pain, but no head pain. He acknowledged how incapacitating they are, however, and he said I need to be on preventive therapy. That means Topomax (and Maxalt when I'm symptomatic) for 6 months. After 6 months, he said there should be permanent changes to my brain chemistry, and at that point we'll wean me off of it.

I nearly cried from relief. Perhaps I will get my life back now.

On to the speech pathologist. Mason has been evaluated by both a speech pathologist and a child development expert, and they both agree that he qualifies for the speech services. We are in the process of doing truckloads of paperwork, and we'll start meeting a few times a month starting in July.

One thing that I found reassuring is that Mason is apparently on track or ahead developmentally with everything other than speech. That made me feel good, as my instincts have told me that my sweet, happy guy is a smart normal toddler, he just doesn't talk. If Corey's progress is any indication, we'll get there!

And on a lighter note, the boys new favorite place to play is the pool! We've got a membership. Let the splashing begin! Here are some pics of the dudes hamming it up:

http://photos.damianandjenn.com/index.php?album=060608