I have been torn because I try to keep this blog fun. I did write about my miscarriage but I want this to be a fun place. Also this is public and I know some of you.
If you know me you know I am a worrier and I have depression and ocd. The anxiety comes from years of bad experiences.
I won't go into details or name names. I could but I won't. Years of therapy and the focus was who are the men and lets go bring pitchforks to their homes and seek justice have left me uneasy. For me I want to walk down the street without wanting to cry if a man looks at me. I want to have a conversation with a male coworker without having to avoid his eyes. I want to not project my fears onto my daughter.
I have reasons for not talking about my past. One attacker got caught but for attacking someone else. I did come forward in college and was told it was my fault. I was then told by the counselor that she heard I had pursued him a year prior (fabrication) so all of this was my doing and I had to live with it. Then there was a former coworker after an event where several work associates went to a bar. It turns out this coworker had done similar things to other female coworkers. And almost exclusively in group settings.
It is hard to tell people, often strangers, that you were harmed because you have to be specific. I learned the hard way there is backlash and my attackers were just ordinary men. In college the fallout was worse than the event. Girls came up to me in awe that I was "with" the attacker. Boys were jealous because I turned them down prior to and post the incident and they were incessant in their frustration of my continued refusuals of their advances. No matter how often I said the truth was not what they thought I was never believed.
It is a problem how victims are treated. We are scared and ashamed. We don't want attention. We just want no one to go through what we endured. I personally don't want to have to triple check every outfit I put on wondering if I will get undue attention. I would like help healing. I have had night terrors for over twenty years and would like eight hours of peaceful rest.
So now we victims are coming out indroves. We are an army. Now what? Will anything change? Will our collective nightmares make an impact this week only to be swept back under the rug next week?
I do have to say I feel better. I have kept some of these thoughts inside way too long. This was all very personal. Thank you for reading. I do hope more people can get punished for these crimes they are committing. I also do sincerely hope that as we stand up and share our stories that less women feel isolated. We can help people understand how wrong it is and hopefully one day soon this widespread abuse will stop.
Monday, October 16, 2017
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Sorry but waiting in the Emergency Room may be a Good Thing.
I wrote earlier this week that I moved to Maine and am not working full time. The good news is that I work doing switchboard and emergancy room registration. The excellent news is that I want to provide excellent customer service before you go the er the next time by telling you what I have learned. At the bottom of my post I am putting a link to a cracked.com article that deals with the same topic.
Before I get started I want to share this absolutely amazing video that is about empathy. When you go to a hospital literally everyone has a story. Every person who walks in the door and every employee has a story. I am writing this post as a way to help not tear down. Unless you work in a hospital it is hard to understand why you are waiting or what is happening behind closed doors. WARNING: THIS VIDEO WILL MAKE YOU WANT TO CRY BUT WATCH IT ANYWAY BECAUSE IT IS AMAZING. https://youtu.be/cDDWvj_q-o8
1. I am not clinical.
Sorry I am not clinical. I am here to greet you and then either direct you to the department you need, point you to the sign in sheet to get you into the er, or register you for lab work/radiology. I also answer the phones. I do not know if you have a rash or a burn. I can give you a puke bucket but cannot give you medication. I was hired for my customer service skills. The nurse or Doctor in the er has medical training and they will be able to triage you effectively.
Even though I am not clinical I still care. I applied for and accepted this job knowing I would be helping people because I want to. When you come in the door and you are hurt or scared or sick I want you to be met by a friendly compassionate person. I will do what I can to assure you that you are being heard and you will be assisted.
2. Waiting is not always a bad thing nor is it intentional.
When you go to the emergency room and you see no one in the waiting room you might be surprised when you have a wait. Please don't ever take that wait personally. When you check into the er there is a process flow. At the hospital I work at; for example, you give basic demographic information (name/date of birth) and why you are coming in to be seen. I then enter you into the computer system. If you are having a literal life or death emergency I will call the nurses station or run down a hallway and flag down the first person wearing scrubs. There is also a camera behind me and in the waiting room that can be seen at the nurses station. Once I enter you into the system the nurses know you are in the hospital. I also have 2 to 5 minutes once you tell or hand me your information to put your information in the computer. I type 70 wpm. The nurses know you are waiting.
Now comes the tricky part. Emergency rooms have ambulance bays and a set number of beds. The waiting room could be empty but maybe we had six ambulances pull up. Or maybe we have 4 heart attacks happening. Or maybe a patient in crisis hit a nurse. If someone is coding the clinical staff will be detained. Again; if you are having a life or death literal emergency you will get ushered in quickly. I have seen every bed but 2 full and then an ambulance pull up and six people come in the door back to back. I cannot tell you every bed is full but we are a first come first served establishment. The clinical staff does there best to triage quickly and keep patients moving. Everyone wants to help you, but you may have to wait.
3. You may have to wait to see a loved one. Especially if they came by ambulance.
I always feel bad about telling a loved one it will be a few minutes but it could be up to a half hour before they can see a patient. When an ambulance arrives the clinical staff immediately beings working. When a patient who walks in and gets assigned to a bed it is the same. There are tests to be ordered. Maybe the patient must be brought to radiology. Maybe an IV is being hooked up. Maybe labs are being drawn. Sometimes the exam room can only hold two or three visitors and there are already four visitors in the room. I have heard some patients refuse visitors. When you come to visit I will notify the nursing staff with the same urgency as if you are a patient. It is most likely a message in the computer or a phone call to the nurses station. The nurse will get you as soon as they can or as soon as your loved one gets back to their room. I know you are worried and I want to help. I know you are upset and I want to help.
3. If there is a wait and you want to leave.
Please be patient. Once you check in you are getting billed. I also do not know wait times at other hospitals but if they have an ambulance bay like us it varies on a minute to minute basis. The nurses know you are here. Once I enter you in the system your medical history pops up. A wristband prints with any allergies. The clinical staff makes preperations to begin triaging you even if you are waiting. You will be seen.
Thank you for reading this post. I hope it helps alleviate some stress when waiting at the er.
http://www.cracked.com/personal-experiences-1974-we-dont-have-to-treat-you-6-realities-inside-er.html
Before I get started I want to share this absolutely amazing video that is about empathy. When you go to a hospital literally everyone has a story. Every person who walks in the door and every employee has a story. I am writing this post as a way to help not tear down. Unless you work in a hospital it is hard to understand why you are waiting or what is happening behind closed doors. WARNING: THIS VIDEO WILL MAKE YOU WANT TO CRY BUT WATCH IT ANYWAY BECAUSE IT IS AMAZING. https://youtu.be/cDDWvj_q-o8
1. I am not clinical.
Sorry I am not clinical. I am here to greet you and then either direct you to the department you need, point you to the sign in sheet to get you into the er, or register you for lab work/radiology. I also answer the phones. I do not know if you have a rash or a burn. I can give you a puke bucket but cannot give you medication. I was hired for my customer service skills. The nurse or Doctor in the er has medical training and they will be able to triage you effectively.
Even though I am not clinical I still care. I applied for and accepted this job knowing I would be helping people because I want to. When you come in the door and you are hurt or scared or sick I want you to be met by a friendly compassionate person. I will do what I can to assure you that you are being heard and you will be assisted.
2. Waiting is not always a bad thing nor is it intentional.
When you go to the emergency room and you see no one in the waiting room you might be surprised when you have a wait. Please don't ever take that wait personally. When you check into the er there is a process flow. At the hospital I work at; for example, you give basic demographic information (name/date of birth) and why you are coming in to be seen. I then enter you into the computer system. If you are having a literal life or death emergency I will call the nurses station or run down a hallway and flag down the first person wearing scrubs. There is also a camera behind me and in the waiting room that can be seen at the nurses station. Once I enter you into the system the nurses know you are in the hospital. I also have 2 to 5 minutes once you tell or hand me your information to put your information in the computer. I type 70 wpm. The nurses know you are waiting.
Now comes the tricky part. Emergency rooms have ambulance bays and a set number of beds. The waiting room could be empty but maybe we had six ambulances pull up. Or maybe we have 4 heart attacks happening. Or maybe a patient in crisis hit a nurse. If someone is coding the clinical staff will be detained. Again; if you are having a life or death literal emergency you will get ushered in quickly. I have seen every bed but 2 full and then an ambulance pull up and six people come in the door back to back. I cannot tell you every bed is full but we are a first come first served establishment. The clinical staff does there best to triage quickly and keep patients moving. Everyone wants to help you, but you may have to wait.
3. You may have to wait to see a loved one. Especially if they came by ambulance.
I always feel bad about telling a loved one it will be a few minutes but it could be up to a half hour before they can see a patient. When an ambulance arrives the clinical staff immediately beings working. When a patient who walks in and gets assigned to a bed it is the same. There are tests to be ordered. Maybe the patient must be brought to radiology. Maybe an IV is being hooked up. Maybe labs are being drawn. Sometimes the exam room can only hold two or three visitors and there are already four visitors in the room. I have heard some patients refuse visitors. When you come to visit I will notify the nursing staff with the same urgency as if you are a patient. It is most likely a message in the computer or a phone call to the nurses station. The nurse will get you as soon as they can or as soon as your loved one gets back to their room. I know you are worried and I want to help. I know you are upset and I want to help.
3. If there is a wait and you want to leave.
Please be patient. Once you check in you are getting billed. I also do not know wait times at other hospitals but if they have an ambulance bay like us it varies on a minute to minute basis. The nurses know you are here. Once I enter you in the system your medical history pops up. A wristband prints with any allergies. The clinical staff makes preperations to begin triaging you even if you are waiting. You will be seen.
Thank you for reading this post. I hope it helps alleviate some stress when waiting at the er.
http://www.cracked.com/personal-experiences-1974-we-dont-have-to-treat-you-6-realities-inside-er.html
Finally positive steps in the right direction. Potty training hints. VA vs. SSI rant
Wow. What a long strange year it has been.
So last fall I started looking for an apartment in Maine and my employer in RI was nice enough to close our department down so I didn't have to worry about quiting. On Dec. 1 we moved to Maine. Following an administrative nightmare A. finally began school and day treatment at Woodford's Family Services. This school has been a blessing. A. is sociable, calmer, better at motor skills, and has made improvements all around. He is using PECS at school and to some success at home. I could not be happier. He has pt/ot/speech at school. I know some parents are hesitant to put their children in schools/classrooms that are strictly special needs but these teachers are specalized. They can more effectively work with behaviors.
The best part of the move is he is so much happier. Woonsocket, RI was a never ending cacophony. Here in our sleeepy Maine town we don't have to non-stop din and dischord. I had trouble sleeping the first six months due to the lack of sirens, yelling, fireworks (or what sounded like air strikes/gunfire). For a toddler with sensory processing issues moving to a quiet area has helped tremendously. He no longer has an anxious look on his face in the evening. He has no reason to come running for a hug when a car is blasting music. He doesn't wake up screaming due to people engaged in shouting matches outside at 2 am.
I finally broke down on my no meds stance and allowed a script for vegetable based melatonin to be filled. Nighttime was too chaotic. He would either stay awake until 2 am or tearfully surrender to uneasy slumbet to wake up in a bad mood at 3 am. The melatonin so far has mixed results. Thankfully we do not have the paradoxial effect. About a half hour after his dose is administered he gets sleepy and will lay down. Most nights he sleeps until 6 or 7 am. Some nights he still has a hard time falling asleep but those nights are now an exception to the rule. Melatonin is a sleep aid that is probably safer in its natural form but it might not be for everyone.
His school offers case managers who will facilitate home based therapy which we desperately need. After a two part intake which took place here at home we got put on the waiting list. Although Maine in general has a long waiting list, this area has a short waiting time. The case manager is also going to try to get A. music therapy because music captivates and calms him. Because A. still has problems with the baby we will also have a behavior therapist observe them both and offer solutions to encourage a positive sibling relationship.
One constant issue we have had for about the last two years is mornings seem to be a surprise. A. has gone to school since April 2016 so the reutine is more or less the same. Up. Clean up. Eat. Clean up again. Get dressed. Wait for bus. Almost every morning this confuses him. He gets upset and has meltdowns almost everyday. The only days he avoids meltdowns in the morning is on non-school days. I think that is because we get to move a little slower. The case manager said this is actually typical autistic behavior. When autistic children wake up it is like 50 First Dates for the beginning part of the morning. This surprised me because repetition is essential for people with autism. I have adjusted the morning reutine to allow for more time to get ready to see if that helps.
Our new pediatrician is amazing. He offered two potty training tips I cannot wait to share.
1. It is easier to have a bowel movement if you can brace your feet againt something solid and harder if your feet are dangling. On the Doctor's suggestion we got A. a stool.
2. The pediatrician said to give A. a pinwheel to blow on the potty. The action of exhaling moves the muscles that makes having a bowel movement easier. Due to A's cicumstances this doesn't help but it might help others.
I have been hesitant to get A. signed up for SSI because he is 4 but honestly since I can't work full time the income would be a tremendous help. I completed the lenthy questionaire and then had the equally lengthy phone interview. One of the questions was about veteran status. I answered the question honestly. I went through basic training then in tech school I hyperventailated then fainted while running. After a medical exam I was diagnosed as having asthema. I still feel it was running in April in Texas while wearing sweats but thats another issue. The representative at the social security administration then told me it sounds like I am a veteran because I was in the military during a time of war. I said I most definetly am not a veteran. I told her I never served and then told her the story of TSG a brave Army soldier who almost lost his life in Afganistan and people like him are veterans. I told her about B. who was in the service 20 years and my Grandfather who served in WWII and his brother who fought at D-Day. Those are veterans. I was sent home from a med hold flight. Well red tape won and I had to file a pension claim with the VA. If I am fortunate my claim will have an answer by 2/18/2018. Maybe. I honestly feel compassion for the claims rep who got assigned my paperwork. Actual people have real claims and I just am forced to do this so my son can get SSI. It feels like a waste of time and resources. I hope my son's claim doesn't get closed because of this horribly ineffective system.
Hopefully will post again soon
So last fall I started looking for an apartment in Maine and my employer in RI was nice enough to close our department down so I didn't have to worry about quiting. On Dec. 1 we moved to Maine. Following an administrative nightmare A. finally began school and day treatment at Woodford's Family Services. This school has been a blessing. A. is sociable, calmer, better at motor skills, and has made improvements all around. He is using PECS at school and to some success at home. I could not be happier. He has pt/ot/speech at school. I know some parents are hesitant to put their children in schools/classrooms that are strictly special needs but these teachers are specalized. They can more effectively work with behaviors.
The best part of the move is he is so much happier. Woonsocket, RI was a never ending cacophony. Here in our sleeepy Maine town we don't have to non-stop din and dischord. I had trouble sleeping the first six months due to the lack of sirens, yelling, fireworks (or what sounded like air strikes/gunfire). For a toddler with sensory processing issues moving to a quiet area has helped tremendously. He no longer has an anxious look on his face in the evening. He has no reason to come running for a hug when a car is blasting music. He doesn't wake up screaming due to people engaged in shouting matches outside at 2 am.
I finally broke down on my no meds stance and allowed a script for vegetable based melatonin to be filled. Nighttime was too chaotic. He would either stay awake until 2 am or tearfully surrender to uneasy slumbet to wake up in a bad mood at 3 am. The melatonin so far has mixed results. Thankfully we do not have the paradoxial effect. About a half hour after his dose is administered he gets sleepy and will lay down. Most nights he sleeps until 6 or 7 am. Some nights he still has a hard time falling asleep but those nights are now an exception to the rule. Melatonin is a sleep aid that is probably safer in its natural form but it might not be for everyone.
His school offers case managers who will facilitate home based therapy which we desperately need. After a two part intake which took place here at home we got put on the waiting list. Although Maine in general has a long waiting list, this area has a short waiting time. The case manager is also going to try to get A. music therapy because music captivates and calms him. Because A. still has problems with the baby we will also have a behavior therapist observe them both and offer solutions to encourage a positive sibling relationship.
One constant issue we have had for about the last two years is mornings seem to be a surprise. A. has gone to school since April 2016 so the reutine is more or less the same. Up. Clean up. Eat. Clean up again. Get dressed. Wait for bus. Almost every morning this confuses him. He gets upset and has meltdowns almost everyday. The only days he avoids meltdowns in the morning is on non-school days. I think that is because we get to move a little slower. The case manager said this is actually typical autistic behavior. When autistic children wake up it is like 50 First Dates for the beginning part of the morning. This surprised me because repetition is essential for people with autism. I have adjusted the morning reutine to allow for more time to get ready to see if that helps.
Our new pediatrician is amazing. He offered two potty training tips I cannot wait to share.
1. It is easier to have a bowel movement if you can brace your feet againt something solid and harder if your feet are dangling. On the Doctor's suggestion we got A. a stool.
2. The pediatrician said to give A. a pinwheel to blow on the potty. The action of exhaling moves the muscles that makes having a bowel movement easier. Due to A's cicumstances this doesn't help but it might help others.
I have been hesitant to get A. signed up for SSI because he is 4 but honestly since I can't work full time the income would be a tremendous help. I completed the lenthy questionaire and then had the equally lengthy phone interview. One of the questions was about veteran status. I answered the question honestly. I went through basic training then in tech school I hyperventailated then fainted while running. After a medical exam I was diagnosed as having asthema. I still feel it was running in April in Texas while wearing sweats but thats another issue. The representative at the social security administration then told me it sounds like I am a veteran because I was in the military during a time of war. I said I most definetly am not a veteran. I told her I never served and then told her the story of TSG a brave Army soldier who almost lost his life in Afganistan and people like him are veterans. I told her about B. who was in the service 20 years and my Grandfather who served in WWII and his brother who fought at D-Day. Those are veterans. I was sent home from a med hold flight. Well red tape won and I had to file a pension claim with the VA. If I am fortunate my claim will have an answer by 2/18/2018. Maybe. I honestly feel compassion for the claims rep who got assigned my paperwork. Actual people have real claims and I just am forced to do this so my son can get SSI. It feels like a waste of time and resources. I hope my son's claim doesn't get closed because of this horribly ineffective system.
Hopefully will post again soon
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Interview with local author Chad Descoteaux
This is beyond exciting for me! I have asked a few people if I can interview them because I think they are interesting and because I believe in the works they do.
As any regular reader knows, I write about life with my son who is developmentally delayed. He was originally diagnosed with the very broad term Sensory Processing Disorder. As of this year he got the autism diagnosis. I feel the diagnosis is only a term to help him get help, not a label, not a punishment. A. can be anything in life he aspires to be and I will help him get there.
My other favorite topic is anything nerdtastic. My third favorite topic is books. If I could mash these three things together what would I get?
I would like to introduce local writer, director, aspiring rapper, and original Gerber baby Chad Descoteaux. I own two of his early books, watched The Fuzzy Bunny movies as well as Science Fiction Cereal which are viewable on his You Tube channel. His more recent works are available on his website. Chad can be followed on Twitter as well.
What I like is he has persevered. He had a small local fan base that essentially started among his group of friends. Soon he was showcasing his books at our city's annual Oktoberfest celebration. He never stopped being creative and has moved his work space from the table in his kitchenette to a an actual writer's office filled with geeky memorabilia that would make the lads from the IT Crowd weep.
I am thrilled that he was nice enough to take time out of his schedule to grant me an interview. Honestly, his stuff is very original and funny. Please take the time to explore his works.
1. Before we talk about your work and the creative process, could you tell me, in your own words of course, which ninja turtle always brings his A game and why? Well, I would say Leonardo, just because he is the most intense student of the martial arts out of the four. Between being a perfectionist and the responsibility of being the big brother and the leader, he is always bringing his A game.
2. How long have you been writing? I’ve been writing since I was a kid. I always enjoyed creative writing assignments in school. And it was reading Bruce Coville’s ‘My Teacher is an Alien’ series when I was in fifth grade that made me want to write my own stories.
Out of your books, which was the hardest to write? ‘Working-Class Superheroes’, That story focused more on the larger world, with a lot of superhero characters, so when I did the rough draft, I had to figure out who the main character was. I think I made the right choice, picking the most relatable one, but that was the challenge.
Which was the most enjoyable to write? ‘The Inter-Terrestrial’, because that one is just the ultimate nerd fantasy, between the aliens and the kung fu and the geek getting the girl. Characters I am proud of and very satisfying.
3. Do you plan on making any more movies? I plan to make one or two book trailers to advertise my work on YouTube. And I had the idea to make a few short films that take place in the same universe as ‘The Tattler’ to advertise that book. But those plans are in the early stages.
4. A subject that is close to home for me is autism. My son was recently diagnosed. When did you discover that you have Asperger's? I discovered that a few years ago, when I was in my thirties. I researched the condition because I have a second cousin with a more severe case and I wanted to understand his challenges. Then, I started reading all of the symptoms and it filled in a lot of blanks going back into my childhood as to why I did/felt certain things. So, I went to a shrink and got diagnosed.
5. As an adult with Asperger's what are some of your biggest challenges? Social anxiety. Any kind of social interaction makes my brain more tired than it does for a normal person. And it has nothing to do with whether or not I like the person/people I am with. I could be with people I love to death and I still want to go home and lock myself in my office after a while. I am fortunate enough to have friends who understand these things, but growing up, I had people (teachers/family) pointing out things that I did well and saying “well, you’re so smart, why can’t you do this?” Like when I would get poor grades. That never made sense to me, even before I was diagnosed. “Why can’t people be good at one thing and stink at something else? You’re a smart teacher and you suck at being tactful.” (Aspies thrive on logic.) As far as advertising my books is concerned, publishing e-books has been a blessing in disguise because I couldn’t do book signings if I wanted to. It’s digital! Leave me a review on Amazon, though!
6. Your wife is gorgeous! Well, thank you!
7. What is your favorite cereal? Corn Pops. Side note: I am a snob when it comes to cereal. Any other product, I have no problem buying the generic version, even soda, which I love. But I want Kellogg's Corn Pops, not Corny Poofs.
8. Marvel or DC? I like Marvel better because the characters are far more relatable. Good versions of DC characters (The Flash TV show, Bruce Timm’s cartoons) borrow the ‘relatable secret identity’ thing that Marvel started and are better for it.
9. What are some upcoming projects you are working on? I am working on a sequel to my book ‘The Tattler’, called ‘The Tattler: Losing Time’. I just started on the rough draft, but it’s coming along very well.
10. What advice can you give to my son, and other children on the spectrum? Surround yourself with people who get you and do the best you can.
Sunday, August 21, 2016
Why so much hate for Suicide Squad?
I saw Suicide Squad with a good friend who is a Batman fan a few weekends ago. We both entered with no expectations. Her familiarity with Batman is essentially based on the cartoon that aired in the '90s. The cartoon is exceptional as has been noted many times by people much more eloquent and with more nerd cred than I, if you are not familiar with it, it can be viewed on Amazon. One of the more notable aspects of the show is it introduced Harleen Quinzel, better known as Harley Quinn. All Harley Quinn needs to make her happy is her Puddin'....the Joker. Their tempestuous love, and Harley Quinn's backstory were excellently explored in the Mad Love comic. What drives a woman in love crazy? How can a woman so smart enter such a self-destructive relationship? Dark themes for a comic story steeped in psychological storylines.
The only other member of Suicide Squad as portrayed in the movie was Killer Croc. I have to say I heaved a sigh of relief when I discovered his cannibalism would not be explored in this movie.
I was trepidatious of Will Smith as deadshot only because I was worried that he would be playing Will Smith, not Deadshot, but his over-the-top acting lends itself well to the character.
I have not read the Suicide Squad comic books so I don't have anything to relate to, but I enjoyed the story thoroughly. I walked in with no expectations other than Harley Quinn would be amazing. The reality was I left more in love with the Joker's main squeeze and I desire to read more books featuring Diablo. This Mexican gang-banger lost literally everything he loved because of his own doing. I felt unlike the other characters in the movie who embraced their dark sides (Deadshot saying "You know the dark places, too." comes to mind) he saw his strictly as a business. When he realized this other thing lived in him, it was too late. I like Harley Quinn because I identify with her self-destructive side. As someone who once hinged everything on the wrong guy, I totally get it. The draw of the uncertainty and the desire to tame the wildness sucks one into the madness of the wrong person. It is strongly implied that Harley Quinn suffered a miscarriage or according to comic book cannon, had a child she kept hidden from the Joker that she sent to be raised by her sister. The overwhelming guilt of either of those scenarios could easily make ones feel the only way to serve penance is to remain in a relationship that constantly punishes them.
Believe it or not, but my favorite part of the movie was the much panned soundtrack. It kept the movie going at a fast pace. Even if some of the songs are over used in other movies, again it is the over-the-topness that appealed to me. This is a movie based on a comic book series about the craziest of villains in the Batverse. They aren't underdogs, they aren't antiheroes, they are villains. They are villains with their lives literally on the line. If they go against the cutthroat Amanda Waller, its off with their heads. The theme of evil versus evil is explored to great success. The movie may have undergone edits to reduce run time, but the fast pace helped keep the feel of the movie being a comic book. Out of all the current DC movies, this was my favorite. Batman vs Superman was just too long and the action was far and in between. Superman felt like they were turning Supes into Batman.
The only criticism I have is I do not like the trend of these ensemble movies that multiple characters must be in one movie. It makes the movie claustrophobic to have that many characters in one movie at one time.
All in all though, this movie gets 10 stars. Does the movie deserve the negative press? Perhaps, but I feel it is worth a watch.
The only other member of Suicide Squad as portrayed in the movie was Killer Croc. I have to say I heaved a sigh of relief when I discovered his cannibalism would not be explored in this movie.
I was trepidatious of Will Smith as deadshot only because I was worried that he would be playing Will Smith, not Deadshot, but his over-the-top acting lends itself well to the character.
I have not read the Suicide Squad comic books so I don't have anything to relate to, but I enjoyed the story thoroughly. I walked in with no expectations other than Harley Quinn would be amazing. The reality was I left more in love with the Joker's main squeeze and I desire to read more books featuring Diablo. This Mexican gang-banger lost literally everything he loved because of his own doing. I felt unlike the other characters in the movie who embraced their dark sides (Deadshot saying "You know the dark places, too." comes to mind) he saw his strictly as a business. When he realized this other thing lived in him, it was too late. I like Harley Quinn because I identify with her self-destructive side. As someone who once hinged everything on the wrong guy, I totally get it. The draw of the uncertainty and the desire to tame the wildness sucks one into the madness of the wrong person. It is strongly implied that Harley Quinn suffered a miscarriage or according to comic book cannon, had a child she kept hidden from the Joker that she sent to be raised by her sister. The overwhelming guilt of either of those scenarios could easily make ones feel the only way to serve penance is to remain in a relationship that constantly punishes them.
Believe it or not, but my favorite part of the movie was the much panned soundtrack. It kept the movie going at a fast pace. Even if some of the songs are over used in other movies, again it is the over-the-topness that appealed to me. This is a movie based on a comic book series about the craziest of villains in the Batverse. They aren't underdogs, they aren't antiheroes, they are villains. They are villains with their lives literally on the line. If they go against the cutthroat Amanda Waller, its off with their heads. The theme of evil versus evil is explored to great success. The movie may have undergone edits to reduce run time, but the fast pace helped keep the feel of the movie being a comic book. Out of all the current DC movies, this was my favorite. Batman vs Superman was just too long and the action was far and in between. Superman felt like they were turning Supes into Batman.
The only criticism I have is I do not like the trend of these ensemble movies that multiple characters must be in one movie. It makes the movie claustrophobic to have that many characters in one movie at one time.
All in all though, this movie gets 10 stars. Does the movie deserve the negative press? Perhaps, but I feel it is worth a watch.
Great thing happened today piano lessons started! Also, chew tubes!
Good things are happening here!
Sorry for lack of posts lately. Life with an autistic three year old and four month old are crazy making times!
A. loves music. He has always had a special relationship with it. The husband of the woman who ran the daycare he went to would play acoustic guitar for him and he would hum along. When my son hears songs that he is familiar with he settles down rather quickly.
I have been trying to encourage this love of music. We have three different toy pianos, maracas, four different drums, two xylophones, a toy trumpet, and a toy flute. The instrument he gravitates to the most is his piano.
The piano was actually mine when I was his age. I kept it in the hopes my children, if I ever had any, would enjoy it.
M.P. is someone I have known for a few years now. She is extremely kind and warm hearted. I didn't know she taught piano, but I worked up the courage to ask her if she could be the Anne Sullivan to my son's Helen Keller. Taking on an autistic non-verbal toddler as a client cannot be an easy task. She told me she worked with children with ADHD so she knows some techniques to use to get a child to focus. We showed up at her house today with the kids, A. working on his new chew tube (more on that later). I got nervous because she has a beautiful home with lots of glass and shiney things that A. was more interested in than the piano. After M.P. demonstrated how the piano makes actual songs, A. was all in. He allowed her to use the hand over hand technique for finger placement to learn C,D,E and taught me and my husband how to do the proper hand placement so we can practice on our toy piano. The lessons will be short, but I feel that with time this will be helpful to A.
The newest adventure in life with autism is the chew tube! A. grinds his teeth incessantly and is constantly mouthing. The speech therapist at his school suggested chew tubes. Not having heard of them before I did some research. These silicone tubes come in different textures and can be attached to clothing using a strap or can be used on a necklace with a breakaway clasp. They come in different firmness and texture options and can be a little pricy depending on where purchased. I use Amazon and am an Amazon Prime subscriber because these things are lifesavers. He can chew on them until they show signs of wear, then they need to be replaced. This is a must have for an autistic/SPD child.
Coming soon: The long awaited Paul Bateman interview!!!
Sorry for lack of posts lately. Life with an autistic three year old and four month old are crazy making times!
A. loves music. He has always had a special relationship with it. The husband of the woman who ran the daycare he went to would play acoustic guitar for him and he would hum along. When my son hears songs that he is familiar with he settles down rather quickly.
I have been trying to encourage this love of music. We have three different toy pianos, maracas, four different drums, two xylophones, a toy trumpet, and a toy flute. The instrument he gravitates to the most is his piano.
The piano was actually mine when I was his age. I kept it in the hopes my children, if I ever had any, would enjoy it.
M.P. is someone I have known for a few years now. She is extremely kind and warm hearted. I didn't know she taught piano, but I worked up the courage to ask her if she could be the Anne Sullivan to my son's Helen Keller. Taking on an autistic non-verbal toddler as a client cannot be an easy task. She told me she worked with children with ADHD so she knows some techniques to use to get a child to focus. We showed up at her house today with the kids, A. working on his new chew tube (more on that later). I got nervous because she has a beautiful home with lots of glass and shiney things that A. was more interested in than the piano. After M.P. demonstrated how the piano makes actual songs, A. was all in. He allowed her to use the hand over hand technique for finger placement to learn C,D,E and taught me and my husband how to do the proper hand placement so we can practice on our toy piano. The lessons will be short, but I feel that with time this will be helpful to A.
The newest adventure in life with autism is the chew tube! A. grinds his teeth incessantly and is constantly mouthing. The speech therapist at his school suggested chew tubes. Not having heard of them before I did some research. These silicone tubes come in different textures and can be attached to clothing using a strap or can be used on a necklace with a breakaway clasp. They come in different firmness and texture options and can be a little pricy depending on where purchased. I use Amazon and am an Amazon Prime subscriber because these things are lifesavers. He can chew on them until they show signs of wear, then they need to be replaced. This is a must have for an autistic/SPD child.
Coming soon: The long awaited Paul Bateman interview!!!
Monday, August 31, 2015
Possible danger of Hyland's Teething Tablets
I am in a Facebook mom group with the woman who is in the above link. She watched her baby have seizures and shared with us the videos of the seizures. She shared with us taking her daughter to specialists to find the cause of the seizures. Please use caution when giving your children any OTC medication and share this video.
Saturday, August 29, 2015
Looking to buy Mary Kay? Look no further
http://www.marykay.com/lbanks2015
This is the link to my friend's Mary Kay website. This amazing young woman has accomplished more before 21 than most people do by 40. She is an LPN, and is currently working as a school nurse. She is down to earth and has a good head on her shoulders. In addition to allowing my developmentally delayed son be a ring bearer at her wedding, she babysits him from time to time which can be challenging. She has started selling Mary Kay and if you are looking for Mary Kay products, I have attached the link to her website at the top of this post.
This is the link to my friend's Mary Kay website. This amazing young woman has accomplished more before 21 than most people do by 40. She is an LPN, and is currently working as a school nurse. She is down to earth and has a good head on her shoulders. In addition to allowing my developmentally delayed son be a ring bearer at her wedding, she babysits him from time to time which can be challenging. She has started selling Mary Kay and if you are looking for Mary Kay products, I have attached the link to her website at the top of this post.
Friday, August 28, 2015
Star Trek Renegades news and some randomness
Star Trek Renegades will not be picked up as a series by CBS. My source on the production team discussed a little about what's going on and it is all red tape stuff. But, it will be a crowd sourced web series. Walter Keoning confirmed he would be back for at least two more episodes and then he would retire his iconic Russian character. Since I am pretty sure Russians invented the internet this makes sense that he would be on board. I will post the kickstarter information as soon as I have it.
I posted before that my son will be a ring bearer. I am going to the bridal shower tomorrow. So excited for the bride sn and groom.
This pregnancy has me unbelievably thirsty all the time. I am kind of nervous since I had Gestational Diabetes with my son. I also can't get over the vivid movie quality dreams I keep having. I forgot about those. The Midwife ordered prenatal vitamins for me last evening and I have to pick them up at the hospital's pharmacy.
Don't know if I mentioned it, but my new job is walking distance from my house. My last job was an hour away. Not only is it incredibly nice to be home by 3:40 everyday, but I have the added benefit of being able to walk home for lunch everyday. Life is good.
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Really personal news.
OK so I am using the blog mostly to discuss raising a developmentally delayed son and some nerdy things. But I wanted to share some news about me.
I have written in passing that my husband is losing his job in the fall. I found a new job and started on August 10th. I felt fine my first week of work and then on August 15 I went to my cousin's wife's baby shower. I felt a little bloaty so I wore a body shaper under my dress. Brunch was served and I ate two plates because it was the best food I ever ate. I also peed twice in two hours. I came home and I felt like I was going to vomit everything I ever ate in my life. Sunday I also felt really sick. For the next five days everyday after lunch I felt like I was dying. I almost asked my boss if I could go home early Friday afternoon because I wanted to vomit and then lay down and sleep for about ten years. On a whim I asked my husband if he could pick me up a pregnancy test.
Not sure how visible the result is but for the fourth time since 2011 I am pregnant. I had a miscarriage January 2012, and another January 2015. I am not prepared for this at all. Did I mention I just started a job? Like just started not even four weeks ago?
I cannot even enjoy this pregnancy. I am living in terror that I will miscarry again. The last miscarriage, I had the baby at home. I cannot handle that again.
I wanted to keep this a secret from my job, but sure enough my boss asked me first thing Monday morning if I was pregnant. I almost started crying. She assured me I would not be fired. The good news is I work for a hospital so if I need to run and have labs done, it won't really interfere with the work day that much.
I don't work in the hospital but in a business office across the street. I was able to meet today with a midwife who works in the suite over from where I work. She confirmed I am 4 weeks and 6 days pregnant. I had a C-section with my son and she stated the hospital does not offer VBACs at this time but she in campaigning to have them offered. Given that news, I do not know if I will stay with her for the next eight months because I don't really want another C-section if it can be avoided. I have an ultrasound September 8 to check size and viability.
I haven't told really anyone yet so to those of you who know me in real life, guess what? I didn't want to announce it this way, but I think maybe blogging through this journey, even if it involves the good the bad and the ugly might be therapeutic for me.
I really wanted another child, and I was hoping to foster (http://momlovesscifi.blogspot.com/2015/08/my-brief-venture-into-being-foster.html) but that didn't really pan out the way I wanted. I wanted to have another child but I don't want to experience the heartache of losing another baby.
I am a carrier for cystic fibrosis, my husband is not so no cf babies, and that increases chances of miscarriage while lowering fertility. I am hoping this baby sticks. So far no complications. I have had normal morning sickness and my belly really popped. Like I look about four months pregnant. That concerns me, but not the midwife as of today.
I had GD with my son so I am going to have the test early.
Hoping for a healthy baby in about eight or so months.........
I have written in passing that my husband is losing his job in the fall. I found a new job and started on August 10th. I felt fine my first week of work and then on August 15 I went to my cousin's wife's baby shower. I felt a little bloaty so I wore a body shaper under my dress. Brunch was served and I ate two plates because it was the best food I ever ate. I also peed twice in two hours. I came home and I felt like I was going to vomit everything I ever ate in my life. Sunday I also felt really sick. For the next five days everyday after lunch I felt like I was dying. I almost asked my boss if I could go home early Friday afternoon because I wanted to vomit and then lay down and sleep for about ten years. On a whim I asked my husband if he could pick me up a pregnancy test.
Not sure how visible the result is but for the fourth time since 2011 I am pregnant. I had a miscarriage January 2012, and another January 2015. I am not prepared for this at all. Did I mention I just started a job? Like just started not even four weeks ago?
I cannot even enjoy this pregnancy. I am living in terror that I will miscarry again. The last miscarriage, I had the baby at home. I cannot handle that again.
I wanted to keep this a secret from my job, but sure enough my boss asked me first thing Monday morning if I was pregnant. I almost started crying. She assured me I would not be fired. The good news is I work for a hospital so if I need to run and have labs done, it won't really interfere with the work day that much.
I don't work in the hospital but in a business office across the street. I was able to meet today with a midwife who works in the suite over from where I work. She confirmed I am 4 weeks and 6 days pregnant. I had a C-section with my son and she stated the hospital does not offer VBACs at this time but she in campaigning to have them offered. Given that news, I do not know if I will stay with her for the next eight months because I don't really want another C-section if it can be avoided. I have an ultrasound September 8 to check size and viability.
I haven't told really anyone yet so to those of you who know me in real life, guess what? I didn't want to announce it this way, but I think maybe blogging through this journey, even if it involves the good the bad and the ugly might be therapeutic for me.
I really wanted another child, and I was hoping to foster (http://momlovesscifi.blogspot.com/2015/08/my-brief-venture-into-being-foster.html) but that didn't really pan out the way I wanted. I wanted to have another child but I don't want to experience the heartache of losing another baby.
I am a carrier for cystic fibrosis, my husband is not so no cf babies, and that increases chances of miscarriage while lowering fertility. I am hoping this baby sticks. So far no complications. I have had normal morning sickness and my belly really popped. Like I look about four months pregnant. That concerns me, but not the midwife as of today.
I had GD with my son so I am going to have the test early.
Hoping for a healthy baby in about eight or so months.........
STAR TREK RENEGADES IS ON YOU TUBE! I am sharing the link with you all.
Have you seen Star Trek Renegades yet?
You can watch it here:Star Trek Renegades on YouTube
I saw Renegades and thoroughly enjoyed it. You can read my review here: http://momlovesscifi.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-secret-can-be-told-spoiler-free.html and if you want to know why I am so happy about Renegades, I talk about that here: http://momlovesscifi.blogspot.com/2015/06/why-i-am-so-excited-about-star-trek.html
You can watch it here:Star Trek Renegades on YouTube
I saw Renegades and thoroughly enjoyed it. You can read my review here: http://momlovesscifi.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-secret-can-be-told-spoiler-free.html and if you want to know why I am so happy about Renegades, I talk about that here: http://momlovesscifi.blogspot.com/2015/06/why-i-am-so-excited-about-star-trek.html
Update on my Son
My little guy is still non vocal. The good news is that at daycare he laughs with other children.
I posted before that he might need surgery for undescended testicles. Good news! He saw a urologist and all is good and no surgery needed.
He also saw an opthomologist. He might have an astigmatism. At least we have a good health plan.
He had his first haircut. He was really calm all things considered. His curls are more defined now.
This weekend he went to his first party. Apparently licking outdoor toys is more fun than splashing in a wading pool.
He is still slow, but does some things as a toddler would. Eating fruits and vegetables is slow torture. The terrible twos have hit with a vengeance. Bedtime is an almost impossible struggle. I love this phase because he is developing his own personality. He is also trying to test limits so I have to start being more firm. Watching him grow is exciting and I can't wait to see what comes next.
My Brief Venture into being a Foster Parent
Back in June it became known to me that someone I went to high school with had a baby in need of being fostered. I have posted that I have had miscarriages in the past and I desire to have another child. Having a child with developmental delays is stressful so I thought rather than having him and a newborn, having him and an eleven month old would work out.
The case worker came out to the apartment and said the foster child and my son would be perfect play companions and then I never heard from her again. I called repeatedly and finally I emailed her. The case had been transferred and she gave me the contact information of caseworker number two.
Number 2 took almost two months to return my calls. I left dozens of voicmails indicating that whatever paperwork needed to be done I would be more than happy to begin as soon as possible. We threw away furniture my son's room and donated some of his toys and clothes to make room for the foster child. We even got a bag of stuffed animals, clothes, and books for her to welcome her home. We had a friend who had a brand new crib and was just waiting to bring it by the house. Due to my husband getting laid off in October, I started looking for work and found a job. I had a start date and enrolled my son in daycare. Finally I got the call! The baby urgently needed to be placed. Could I enroll her in daycare ASAP, oh and no she can't go where my son is going because he is going to a daycare out of state ? I was on the case! I called over 100 daycares within a 10 mile radius. If the answered, either they were not licensed, the infant rooms were full, or the hours would not work. Finally I found a place that could take her 3 days a week. I found a friend that could watch her the other two days. My husband will be losing his job soon, and he is looking for a second or third shift job anyway so we don't have to keep our son in daycare. He could watch both kids. Well, turns out my friend didn't pass the background check. I called 100 plus more day cares, centers, and professional nannies. Oddly not one place passed a background check. I finally found a daycare that would take the baby. Oddly enough she could not enroll the baby without meeting the baby, per state regulations, but the caseworker would not us have the baby if we could not enroll her in daycare. Also, my mother who is an RN and routinely performs treatments on infants and toddlers could not pass a background check. I got a very brief email stating I do not qualify to be a foster parent.
I am still stunned. The EI coordinator several times she would vouch for me and my husband since EI is here several times a week. It is routinely seen in the news that foster children have been abused or neglected by their foster families. We have proven that we can raise a happy child and have been demonstrating this for over two years now. We would have loved to have had her in our home. Hopefully one day we can get approved. I am not saying the caseworker didn't do her job but I still can't understand how a RN who works with children cannot pass a background check.
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Apology
Sorry I haven't posted in forever. Life got very crazy. We might be fostering a child so we got very busy with organizing our tiny apartment and doing all the background checks and paperwork involved with that, my husband is losing his job, I have been interviewing like crazy. I finally found a job, but now I need a physical, high school diploma (from a school that closed in CA), immunization records from birth (my pediatrician died in the 80s), an valid driver's licence (mine expired and going to the DMV with a two year old for a day trip sounds so exciting I put it off way too long), and a physical. I also have about 80 pages of paper including a test on how to insert catheters to complete (I am going to be a patient account representative. I really, really hope they never have to rely on me to do sterile procedures, although I can change a colostomy bag). All this must be done Thursday at 10 am. I am also currently scrambling to find daycare to cover the overlap between the start of my new job, and the end of my husband's current job. I plan on doing a blog post to catch you all up on my son's development soon.
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Some progress
Yayy!
So today my son and I were snuggling on the couch after breakfast and I started tickling his feet through his socks. I took his socks off and started tickling his toes. He said "piggies!" through peals of giggles and started laughing really hard after he said it. So of course we had some very fun rounds of the popular tickle filled nursery rhyme.
So today my son and I were snuggling on the couch after breakfast and I started tickling his feet through his socks. I took his socks off and started tickling his toes. He said "piggies!" through peals of giggles and started laughing really hard after he said it. So of course we had some very fun rounds of the popular tickle filled nursery rhyme.
It was very nice to hear him make a connection. Any little bit of progress is something we celebrate.
Thursday, June 25, 2015
OT and Speech Therapy June 24, 2015
This was not the most productive visit by a long shot, but we got to talk a bit about the two year checkup. You can read about Monday's checkup here.
C. the COTA and M. the Speech Therapist came by and my son came to the door with me to greet them. The last few times he has an been very upset to see them. When I opened the door, he smiled broadly at C. and grabbed her hand. He was babbling to her and was super happy, until we came into the living room. As soon as we all sat down, he started crying and clutching at me. I got him some Annie's White Cheddar Bunnies and water as a snack and M. and C. observed him eating. He picked up his little snack bowl and tipped it into his mouth. M. stopped him from choking. My son countered by sticking his hand into the bowl and grabbing literally a fistful of bunnies and tried unsuccessfully to mash them all in his mouth. C. started rationing his bunnies one at a time.
As he ate, I told them about the Pediatrician's concerns about his weight. They both looked surprised and said he looks propionate and he has a pot belly. M. said both me and my husband are a compact little couple so we probably aren't going to have a large child. C. suggested giving my son Ensure as well as increasing the amount of milk he drinks from two cups to four, or more cups per day. M. suggested ranch dressing made with whole milk as a tasty condiment that also gives calories. C. suggested to use condiments and have him learn how to dip food in them so he slows down a bit while eating. M. said that the same thing happened with her child and she gave them a scoop of ice cream after lunch. She said kids this young don't have cholesterol issues so it isn't that bad to do. I told hem I bought sour cream and I was stirring that into his food, only about a spoonful, and also I add olive oil to most of his food as well. C. said we can use snack time as a way to connect. We can work on eye contact, and fine motor skills, as well as language skills. For example, I can make him ask for more using either sign language, or eventually words.
I also told them about the Autism screening. M. looked surprised and asked why I think that is a good thing. I told her if my son has Autism, it would be good to know so then we can start focus helping him instead of just giving general help for a delayed child, and if he doesn't have it, that is good to know too. C. said that I should not be very surprised if it takes more than one visit to the CNDC to get a diagnosis, or to confirm he doesn't have Autism.
When I told them about his potential upcoming surgery, M. said to let them know so all services can suspend until he is healed which takes about 2 days. They both said it is pretty routine, and more than likely it would be laproscopic.
By this time my son was done eating/mashing bunnies into the rug and was drinking his water. We took a quick time out for me to vacuum and finally, halfway through the visit his actual therapy could begin.
But my son was still not feeling it today. They used the sensory ball which he usually likes. Finally they were able to use the Melissa and Doug Peek a Boo Farm puzzle to get his attention.
We had some actual success today. My son usually just bounces on his legs but today he held my hands and actually jumped on the floor. He lifted his feet clear off the ground. They are going to tell T. the Physical Therapist about this.
My son showed C. and M. how his climbing is getting better by climbing up on the couch all the way up so he could look out the window.
I told M. that my son said "hug I love hug" to me and then hugged me Monday night. It melted my heart to hear that. I told C. how he paralleled played with three little girls that we know over the weekend. The girls range in age from 3 to 7 and they had a stuffed pig. My son watched them play with the pig and the four kids picked dandelions and shared them with each other. That went so well, we are going to try to make with the parents so the kids can play again.
I think that is all that happened this visit.
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
My brother gave a TED talk on black holes
My brother, David Neto, graduated from Rhode Island College with the highest gpa in physics since the school opened. He gave a TED talk on black holes, and other than his mutton chops, it is pretty good. I am attaching a link to the talk below.
My son's two year checkup, not as much progress as I had hoped.
Yesterday my son had his two year checkup. It was sort of late since he turned two in April, but we had scheduling conflicts.
Seeing how much progress he made in other areas,some of the visit was a shock to me.
We got a huge surprise when he got weighed. Somehow my eating machine is only 23.5 pounds and 33 inches. If you remember, we had nutritional services for a while because he wasn't gaining and growing in the past. The Pediatrician asked us what he eats. I told him that the day starts with fruit, goat yogurt and cereal, plus water and whole milk, or whole goat's milk; lunch is either leftovers or eggs and vegetables in a wrap, or peanut butter and banana sandwich, or quinoa and vegetables or something to that effect; supper is whatever I made for supper that night. He gets milk before bed, and when he is hungry he gets snacks. I also drizzle olive oil on his food so he gets more healthy fat. He needs to eat more snacks, and we have to go back to the Pediatric Gastroenterologist to check that everything is working ok. If you guys could see him eat, you would be impressed with how much this kid packs away. He has chubby cheeks, a huge pot belly, and very chubby legs. He certainly does not look underweight and he is solid as a brick. I would definitely love advice on what I can do to help him healthfully add weight.
She then asked if he is showing signs of potty training readiness which I think he is. He pulls off his diaper, he holds his bladder, he grabs his crotch when he is wet. Since he is nonverbal she said we would have to work out a strategy for him to signal when he needs to go, which we already did. OT suggested we take a picture of his potty and put it where he can see it and point to it and say "It is time to go to the bathroom." She said we can certainly go ahead with potty training, but since he is nonverbal, and has developmental delays she said to really not push too hard.
She then proceeded with examining him and when she got to his genitals, she looked concerned. She asked with a worried voice if we noticed his testicles in his scrotum when he takes a warm bath. My husband and I looked at each other and no we don't pay particular attention to our son's scrotum when he is in the bath. She then said his scrotum looks empty and asked if we noticed his testicles ever. I said I see them time to time when I change his diaper, but again, I don't pay particular attention to that region other than making sure it is clean and well, looks ok. She said he needs to have an ultrasound to make sure they are not twisted inside his body and he may need surgery to pull them down and pin them into his scrotum. I thought my husband was going to pass out when she said that. She said it is a routine procedure and there is always the chance they will drop before the surgery. For those medically inclined, here is the procedure that may be done: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/undescended-testicle/basics/definition/con-20037877
Finally we got to his developmental delays. She said A. the EI coordinator called the office and said my son has rigid behavior patterns, is nonverbal, had issues with gross and fine motor skills, has low muscle tone, and does not play as a twenty four month old child should be. She asked if I agree. She made a referral for him to get an Autism screening done. I told her that I am so happy that finally that is going to happen. If you remember, I wrote about concerns with Autism before. You can read past entries http://momlovesscifi.blogspot.com/2015/05/hearing-test-05182015.html and http://momlovesscifi.blogspot.com/2015/03/thoughts-on-this-weekends-trip.html that sum up more or less how I feel he might have Autism. We can handle this, and I wanted to get a diagnosis for a while now because then we will know how to better support him and help him succeed. This isn't his journey, or my journey, it is our journey. I need to learn how to be a good mom and support to him, and he needs to learn how to comfort himself, how to adapt, and how to play up his strengths. I am reading Temple Grandin's right now and have taken books on Autism out of the library. This screening is going to benefit all of us and I frankly cannot wait to go.
We have a full week ahead with OT, going to Sensation Station and meeting with a mother of an Autistic child later this week. I will keep up with my blog about our journey as I have been doing.
Seeing how much progress he made in other areas,some of the visit was a shock to me.
We got a huge surprise when he got weighed. Somehow my eating machine is only 23.5 pounds and 33 inches. If you remember, we had nutritional services for a while because he wasn't gaining and growing in the past. The Pediatrician asked us what he eats. I told him that the day starts with fruit, goat yogurt and cereal, plus water and whole milk, or whole goat's milk; lunch is either leftovers or eggs and vegetables in a wrap, or peanut butter and banana sandwich, or quinoa and vegetables or something to that effect; supper is whatever I made for supper that night. He gets milk before bed, and when he is hungry he gets snacks. I also drizzle olive oil on his food so he gets more healthy fat. He needs to eat more snacks, and we have to go back to the Pediatric Gastroenterologist to check that everything is working ok. If you guys could see him eat, you would be impressed with how much this kid packs away. He has chubby cheeks, a huge pot belly, and very chubby legs. He certainly does not look underweight and he is solid as a brick. I would definitely love advice on what I can do to help him healthfully add weight.
She then asked if he is showing signs of potty training readiness which I think he is. He pulls off his diaper, he holds his bladder, he grabs his crotch when he is wet. Since he is nonverbal she said we would have to work out a strategy for him to signal when he needs to go, which we already did. OT suggested we take a picture of his potty and put it where he can see it and point to it and say "It is time to go to the bathroom." She said we can certainly go ahead with potty training, but since he is nonverbal, and has developmental delays she said to really not push too hard.
She then proceeded with examining him and when she got to his genitals, she looked concerned. She asked with a worried voice if we noticed his testicles in his scrotum when he takes a warm bath. My husband and I looked at each other and no we don't pay particular attention to our son's scrotum when he is in the bath. She then said his scrotum looks empty and asked if we noticed his testicles ever. I said I see them time to time when I change his diaper, but again, I don't pay particular attention to that region other than making sure it is clean and well, looks ok. She said he needs to have an ultrasound to make sure they are not twisted inside his body and he may need surgery to pull them down and pin them into his scrotum. I thought my husband was going to pass out when she said that. She said it is a routine procedure and there is always the chance they will drop before the surgery. For those medically inclined, here is the procedure that may be done: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/undescended-testicle/basics/definition/con-20037877
Finally we got to his developmental delays. She said A. the EI coordinator called the office and said my son has rigid behavior patterns, is nonverbal, had issues with gross and fine motor skills, has low muscle tone, and does not play as a twenty four month old child should be. She asked if I agree. She made a referral for him to get an Autism screening done. I told her that I am so happy that finally that is going to happen. If you remember, I wrote about concerns with Autism before. You can read past entries http://momlovesscifi.blogspot.com/2015/05/hearing-test-05182015.html and http://momlovesscifi.blogspot.com/2015/03/thoughts-on-this-weekends-trip.html that sum up more or less how I feel he might have Autism. We can handle this, and I wanted to get a diagnosis for a while now because then we will know how to better support him and help him succeed. This isn't his journey, or my journey, it is our journey. I need to learn how to be a good mom and support to him, and he needs to learn how to comfort himself, how to adapt, and how to play up his strengths. I am reading Temple Grandin's right now and have taken books on Autism out of the library. This screening is going to benefit all of us and I frankly cannot wait to go.
We have a full week ahead with OT, going to Sensation Station and meeting with a mother of an Autistic child later this week. I will keep up with my blog about our journey as I have been doing.
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Star Trek Renegades North America Premire
From Star Trek Renegades official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/STRtheSeries
The production team is in talks to rent a very large theater so cast, crew, and fans can all meet together to watch the pilot/film. It looks like the showing will be in Los Angeles, California on Saturday, August 1st. Based on what is on Facebook at this time, there are not any firm plans for YouTube or DVD releases. It also looks at this time, it is not known when the general public can see Renegades.
You can get more up to date news on their website www.startrekrenegades.com
Renegades really is good. This fan truly hopes we haven't seen the last of Star Trek Renegades.
The production team is in talks to rent a very large theater so cast, crew, and fans can all meet together to watch the pilot/film. It looks like the showing will be in Los Angeles, California on Saturday, August 1st. Based on what is on Facebook at this time, there are not any firm plans for YouTube or DVD releases. It also looks at this time, it is not known when the general public can see Renegades.
You can get more up to date news on their website www.startrekrenegades.com
Renegades really is good. This fan truly hopes we haven't seen the last of Star Trek Renegades.
Star Trek Blog
I was looking through my Google Analytics information for this week and I saw one of my referring sites was http://startrekreviewed.blogspot.com/ This is a very cool blog. It is links to Star Trek fan films and news from around the internets. I spent way too long checking out all the information on the blog. If you have the chance, I would suggest taking a look at it.
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