Ethan had a regularly scheduled ophthalmology followup at Children's yesterday. The doctor was very pleased with how his eye looks (it's been about 8 months since the dermoid was removed) and how the cornea has healed up since then.
The basic eye exam was very good in that it revealed that both eyes are currently working at about the same level and there are absolutely no signs that amblyopia has begun. Because Ethan has astigmatism due to the (now removed) dermoid, this will eventually set in at some future point unless preventative action (patching and glasses) is taken. Given there is no sign of it beginning to set in, he felt that glasses and patching could be postponed for another 6-9 months. This works well as given Ethan's personality, he currently would not do well with either.
We are scheduled to go back in February-ish of 2012 for another followup and to start patching and glasses.
- bob
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Thoughts From Mother's Day
I am so blessed to have such wonderful boys and a wonderful husband! This Mother's Day has had me thinking a lot lately about how blessed I really am. Maybe it was something that one of Jonathan's teachers said at the Mother's Day program at his school that got me thinking. The comment was made that God chose "you" specifically to be the mom of your specific children. It may sound strange, but I feel honored that God chose me to be the mom of Jonathan and honored that He specifically chose me to be mom to Ethan who would need extra special attention. I guess that means God trusts me to take care of a special needs child and he knows I can handle it. I hope I can raise these boys in a godly manner and that they would grow up to respect me and the decisions that Bob and I make for them and grow up to be men of God.
-Dina
Monday, May 16, 2011
Allergy Testing
Ethan had some allergy testing today at Northwest Asthma and Allergy in Redmond.
This is what his back looked like while the testing was happening. He was tested for peanuts and many other tree nuts as well as dairy. They also tested him with salt water which no one is allergic to and he reacted, telling us that Ethan has very sensitive skin. When the test was complete, any bumps that occured were measured. The peanut allergy is the only real reaction that occurred. He did react to some other nuts, but those bumps were the same size or less than the control salt water bump, so those reactions are considered a wash. For now it is believed that Ethan can be around people that ate a peanut and inhale it, but he cannot ingest any peanuts at all. If Jonathan, or anyone else for that matter, eats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, he will now need to do a good job washing his hands, face, and brushing his teeth before he comes in contact with Ethan. We also will have to check labels from now on and not give Ethan anything with peanuts. Any product that was made in the same factory with nuts or other such warnings will have to be tested on Ethan before we know if they are safe. Giving him a small piece of the food and watching for a reaction will determine this. We also now have to carry an epipen with us. He has to go back in a year. There is a 25% chance he will outgrow this allergy.
-Dina
This is what his back looked like while the testing was happening. He was tested for peanuts and many other tree nuts as well as dairy. They also tested him with salt water which no one is allergic to and he reacted, telling us that Ethan has very sensitive skin. When the test was complete, any bumps that occured were measured. The peanut allergy is the only real reaction that occurred. He did react to some other nuts, but those bumps were the same size or less than the control salt water bump, so those reactions are considered a wash. For now it is believed that Ethan can be around people that ate a peanut and inhale it, but he cannot ingest any peanuts at all. If Jonathan, or anyone else for that matter, eats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, he will now need to do a good job washing his hands, face, and brushing his teeth before he comes in contact with Ethan. We also will have to check labels from now on and not give Ethan anything with peanuts. Any product that was made in the same factory with nuts or other such warnings will have to be tested on Ethan before we know if they are safe. Giving him a small piece of the food and watching for a reaction will determine this. We also now have to carry an epipen with us. He has to go back in a year. There is a 25% chance he will outgrow this allergy.
-Dina
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Thoughts From Mother's Day
I am so blessed to have such wonderful boys and a wonderful husband! This Mother's Day has had me thinking a lot lately about how blessed I really am. Maybe it was something that one of Jonathan's teachers said at the Mother's Day program at his school that got me thinking. The comment was made that God chose "you" specifically to be the mom of your specific children. It may sound strange, but I feel honored that God chose me to be the mom of Jonathan and honored that He specifically chose me to be mom to Ethan who would need extra special attention. I guess that means God trusts me to take care of a special needs child and he knows I can handle it. I hope I can raise these boys in a godly manner and that they would grow up to respect me and be men of God.
-Dina
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Ethan's 911 Adventure
A couple of days ago Ethan got into Jonathan's peanut butter sandwich. Ethan seemed fine and only developed two small hives on his face. Dina called it into his pediatrician's office and they said he was probably fine and to give him peanut butter after 24 hours had passed to double check that he in fact did not have a peanut allergy.
So today, Ethan got some peanut butter at lunch. And within 30 minutes, he had broken out in hives all over his face. Within the hour, his whole face was red and puffy and his eyes were almost swollen shut. His breathing was fine and Ethan was actually acting normally walking around talking and playing. He only got upset when he rubbed his eyes which must have itched and most likely itched even more when he rubbed them. A call to the doctor's office resulted in us being directed to call 911. Dina asked if we could just take him to the hospital and we were instructed not to in case something would happen to him en route to the hospital (as in go into anaphylactic shock).
Amazingly, the paramedics arrived before Dina had even gotten off the phone with the 911 operator (no complaints about how my tax dollars are being spent there!). The paramedics assessed the situation and called for a backup team that was more experienced and more equipped to deal with toddlers (which arrived within 1 minute of them telling us that). They informed us that he should be taken to the hospital for a full evaluation. So after a quick gathering of shoes, Dina and Ethan were taken to the hospital by the paramedics while I stayed home with Jonathan.
After about 2-3 hours, Dina called me to inform me that the standard protocol was to keep him over night for observation as there was a possibility that he could have another allergic reaction once the drugs they gave him wore off (he was given benadryl and epinephrine).
Jonathan and I went to visit them later that night. Ethan looked much better. Almost all the puffiness and the redness was almost entirely gone (except a little around the eyes). He was acting fine and we fully expect to be discharged tomorrow.
So on top of all of Ethan's issues, we find he has a peanut allergy (which is odd because as I am typing this, I recall that Ethan had gotten into some peanut M&Ms about 6 months ago and was fine). We will be told tomorrow what our next steps are (i.e. when he should be taken in for allergy testing, if we need to carry an EpiPen, etc.). We also now must pay very close attention to the ingredients labels of all foods and be very vigilant about watching Ethan when Jonathan wants anything that has nuts in it (as he is quite fond of peanut butter sandwiches now).
- bob
So today, Ethan got some peanut butter at lunch. And within 30 minutes, he had broken out in hives all over his face. Within the hour, his whole face was red and puffy and his eyes were almost swollen shut. His breathing was fine and Ethan was actually acting normally walking around talking and playing. He only got upset when he rubbed his eyes which must have itched and most likely itched even more when he rubbed them. A call to the doctor's office resulted in us being directed to call 911. Dina asked if we could just take him to the hospital and we were instructed not to in case something would happen to him en route to the hospital (as in go into anaphylactic shock).
Amazingly, the paramedics arrived before Dina had even gotten off the phone with the 911 operator (no complaints about how my tax dollars are being spent there!). The paramedics assessed the situation and called for a backup team that was more experienced and more equipped to deal with toddlers (which arrived within 1 minute of them telling us that). They informed us that he should be taken to the hospital for a full evaluation. So after a quick gathering of shoes, Dina and Ethan were taken to the hospital by the paramedics while I stayed home with Jonathan.
After about 2-3 hours, Dina called me to inform me that the standard protocol was to keep him over night for observation as there was a possibility that he could have another allergic reaction once the drugs they gave him wore off (he was given benadryl and epinephrine).
Jonathan and I went to visit them later that night. Ethan looked much better. Almost all the puffiness and the redness was almost entirely gone (except a little around the eyes). He was acting fine and we fully expect to be discharged tomorrow.
So on top of all of Ethan's issues, we find he has a peanut allergy (which is odd because as I am typing this, I recall that Ethan had gotten into some peanut M&Ms about 6 months ago and was fine). We will be told tomorrow what our next steps are (i.e. when he should be taken in for allergy testing, if we need to carry an EpiPen, etc.). We also now must pay very close attention to the ingredients labels of all foods and be very vigilant about watching Ethan when Jonathan wants anything that has nuts in it (as he is quite fond of peanut butter sandwiches now).
- bob
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Mom's Day at Preschool
Today was Mom's Day in Jonathan's class. I got to come and spend the first hour with him doing projects like planting and playing in dramatic play. I also watched him play with letters and trains at the train table.
Smile!
Planting Together
Look at me mommie! I can count. Notice that the 5 is missing so he substitued an E.
Tea Party
What should we eat first mommie?
After our time together, all the moms went out in the foyer where the teachers had tables set up. Each child made a placemat for their mother and that is where we sat. Then after a brief introduction, the children sang several songs for us along with doing hand motions. It was SSOOOO sweet. Then after I got a hug, Jonathan joined his classmates in his classroom where he continued on his day with Teacher Enessa. All the moms then got some pastry and tea and listened to Teacher Kerri read us some scriptures and Teacher Susie (the lead teacher in the other 3's class) read us a heartwarming story, which she cried half way through and said she did that every year. It was a very sweet morning.
-Dina
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Easter 2011
What a weekend it has been! After all is said and done, the Easter weekend festivities included a Good Friday Service, 4 Easter egg hunts, church service, lunch with friends, and a family dinner. Wow!
Easter egg hunt #1. We went to visit Haley's house who we met at Evergreen Parent Baby Class.
Easter egg hunt at Evergreen Hospital for employees and volunteers. Since I serve on the Advisory Board for Children's Services, we got to go!
The boys were really into the hunt this year, though Jonathan was still a little selective on which eggs he wanted.
Below is the final egg hunt at grandma's house with Uncle Ryan, Auntie Tayla, and AJ.
-Dina
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