So I figured if and what deals I find I should post them here.
Today Amazon is offering a great deal on Leap Frog Fridge Phonics Magnetic Alphabet Set $8.99
Restaurants.com- they sell $25 gift cards for $10 and use discount code SANTA for 80% off
Barnes and Noble safe 25% on one item coupon code P7P7Y9N
more to come as I find them
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Good and not so bad
So sorry I didn't update earlier, our weekend was crazy. After going to our appointment at 8 AM on Saturday after a 10 min car ride took almost an hour because of all of the snow and the lack of plowing so early. It took us an hour to get there, luckily I was smart and left early so I had enough time.
Before we left we had to put eye drops in Sean's eyes to dilate them, so I had to remember to bring the stroller because he wouldn't be able to walk very well and with all of the snow on the ground I didn't want him to fall.
So we arrived around 7:55 and I open Sean's door and he goes "mommy I don't walk in that, it is dirty". He has OCD and Sensory Issues and thinks snow is dirty and doesn't want to touch it and if it gets on him he screams and screams until it comes off or melts. (we are working on that, total different topic and post- Lets just say he had a meltdown because snow got on his boots earlier in the week and snow has been a nightmare since)
So I put him in the stroller and try to plow through the snow on the ground that has not been plowed and got in safely with not to much crying.
We got upstairs and waited our turn. We finally got called around 8:30 the nurse brought us back and started to show Sean some pictures on the screen and he didn't really want anything to do with what was going on. He didn't want to sit in the chair, stand on the chair, or be any where near the chair. He wobbled out of the room (he had a hard time walking from the dilated eyes)
She said lets go in the kids play room and see if we can do a few more tests. So we went to the play room and she put these funny glasses on Sean (I think 3-D) and he had to grab at the animals that were jumping out at him. Not sure if he understood how to do that? Then we went to a big bug and he immediately grabbed at the wings (like he was suppose to) so I was happy.
The nurse than told me that the doctor is running behind and is not even in the office yet but on her way and with the snow she will probably be running behind about an hour. So we put in the movie Duck Tales (cute but Sean was not that interested)
We watched the movie and than two dirty diapers later it was finally our turn. We went back in the room with the scary chair that Sean climbed into like a big boy. The doctor put the animals back on the screen and other objects. Sean started to name them off like hand, duck, cake, phone, etc. She said that he is doing good, his eyes are still the same as they were last time so they are not worse but not better.
She told us to keep an eye on him and his eyes because he is near sided, she also said she wants to wait a few more months and see if they get better. But if not we will need to do glasses and a patch but right now she wants to see if his eyes will correct themselves. That is great news but still something I have to worry about.
The worrying will never end:)
Before we left we had to put eye drops in Sean's eyes to dilate them, so I had to remember to bring the stroller because he wouldn't be able to walk very well and with all of the snow on the ground I didn't want him to fall.
So we arrived around 7:55 and I open Sean's door and he goes "mommy I don't walk in that, it is dirty". He has OCD and Sensory Issues and thinks snow is dirty and doesn't want to touch it and if it gets on him he screams and screams until it comes off or melts. (we are working on that, total different topic and post- Lets just say he had a meltdown because snow got on his boots earlier in the week and snow has been a nightmare since)
So I put him in the stroller and try to plow through the snow on the ground that has not been plowed and got in safely with not to much crying.
We got upstairs and waited our turn. We finally got called around 8:30 the nurse brought us back and started to show Sean some pictures on the screen and he didn't really want anything to do with what was going on. He didn't want to sit in the chair, stand on the chair, or be any where near the chair. He wobbled out of the room (he had a hard time walking from the dilated eyes)
She said lets go in the kids play room and see if we can do a few more tests. So we went to the play room and she put these funny glasses on Sean (I think 3-D) and he had to grab at the animals that were jumping out at him. Not sure if he understood how to do that? Then we went to a big bug and he immediately grabbed at the wings (like he was suppose to) so I was happy.
The nurse than told me that the doctor is running behind and is not even in the office yet but on her way and with the snow she will probably be running behind about an hour. So we put in the movie Duck Tales (cute but Sean was not that interested)
We watched the movie and than two dirty diapers later it was finally our turn. We went back in the room with the scary chair that Sean climbed into like a big boy. The doctor put the animals back on the screen and other objects. Sean started to name them off like hand, duck, cake, phone, etc. She said that he is doing good, his eyes are still the same as they were last time so they are not worse but not better.
She told us to keep an eye on him and his eyes because he is near sided, she also said she wants to wait a few more months and see if they get better. But if not we will need to do glasses and a patch but right now she wants to see if his eyes will correct themselves. That is great news but still something I have to worry about.
The worrying will never end:)
Friday, December 5, 2008
Eye Doctor Appt and other worries
So we have to take Sean to the pediatric eye doctor tomorrow morning. I am nervous because I have a feeling she is going to say we need to do the patch and glasses. I hope I am wrong because he has already had to go through and do enough already for a 2.5 year old. We have gone every six months to get his eyes checked. This past time they were a little better than the time before but still not where they need to be. Of course it is his right eye that is weaker, poor guy. 
Any ideas on how I can make wearing a patch fun? I plan on incorporating pirates some how and making it fun but not sure how he will be with it. Like I said I hope we don't need them but my mommy instinct is telling me different. However I hope it is wrong. I will update after tomorrow mornings appointment.
My next worry is from what happened at 2 am in the morning/night last night this morning. Sean went to bed like normal woke up at 2 am SCREAMING HIS HEAD OFF saying "Don't take my toys away" and "I want my little people house, don't take my toys away"
I am not sure where this is coming from. He was sweating, screaming, hitting, kicking, breathing heavy. Both Patrick and I went in to his room and he told Patrick not you not you and mommy stay here with me don't leave me.
Broke daddies heart and melted mine. I sent Patrick to get a sippy cup of water to help settle down by sucking which worked but he kept crying and hyperventilating until almost 2:30, finally back asleep by 3:00 and than mommy went back to her room to try and fall back asleep.
The only thing I can think of that made this happen is that Sean fell asleep early and we had a crazy night and forgot to give him his seizure medication. I know I am the worst mommy ever for forgetting but we have so much stress in our life right now it is crazy. Stress needs its own blog:)
Sunday, November 30, 2008
The letter L
So I was given the letter L from Lori so here it goes. I need to name 10 things that start with a letter L.
1. Lions- as my little lion
2. Lilies- one of my favorite flowers
3. Ladybugs- love them for luck
4. Ladders- which Sean wanted daddy to find the other night while we were at Portillos for dinner because he wanted a house down that was up on the shelf.
5. Little People (fisher price) Sean is obsessed with the little people
6. Lightening McQueen who as Sean would say is a REALLY FAST RACE CAR:)
7. Lucky- to have Sean and Patrick, the rest of my family, friends and all of you too
8. Live- learning to live each day to the fullest, not taking things for granted, and taking each day one day at a time
9. Love- being able to find someone to love and someone to be in love with
10. Laugh- learning to laugh, it is a great stress reliever that we all need help with, at least I do
Okay so that was harder than I thought and I am sure everyone else could think of other things or words that start with the letter L. Tell me about it. And/or if you are interested in playing let me know and I will send you a LETTER.
This was fun!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
I am thankful are you
So I know this is a few days late....but life is overwhelming and it does not stop.
I just wanted to say what I was thankful for.
I just wanted to say what I was thankful for.
I am thankful for many things in my life. This year has been a rough and emotional year. It started out with a bang and than we found out Sean suffered an in utero stroke, and once we were able to start to breathe again we found out that there is a whole in his brain, okay starting to breathe again and than we found out he is having seizures.
He has been through so much already being 7 weeks premature, having to go through tons of stuff after he came out but when we found out about the stroke he had been through a lot before he came out.
He is truly my hero and a survivor on many levels. I am thankful for every inch, kick, bite, kiss, hug, crying, temper tantrum, jumping, hitting, laughing, giggling, grinning, frowning, serious, sad, excited, overwhelmed, melt down, smiling, singing, humming, dancing, happy, mad, loving, caring, talking, running, screaming, learning, living, loving part of Sean...etc I think you get the idea. I love everything about him and thankful for everything he is. I am also thankful for my caring husband and all of the help and support he gives to me and to Sean.
No label that he has been givin- sensory issues, cerebral palsy, stroke, epilepsy, or medical diagnosis he has been giving is going to change any of it. I love him more and more every day.... and of course I am thankful for everything else in my life.
He has come a long way and will continue to succeed with the help of everyone around me and all of his therapies and therapists. PT, OT, Aquatic OT, SPT, DT.
Above is when he was first born and till now this is a true survivor and my hero.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Our first visit at the dentist
So today we went to see the dentist for the first time. I was way more nervous than Sean was and he did MUCH better than I thought he was going to do.
He didn't run away, cry, fight, or anything I expected him to do. He was a little social butterfly talking to all of the nurses, and charming them. Everyone loved him and couldn't believe he was 2 1/2.
They were shocked on how well he behaved. So his eye tooth and front tooth are bruised, we couldn't figure out why they were a different color, but those are the two teeth he chipped when he fell when he first started to walk.
All of his other teeth were great, and his two last molars on top are on there way in. I will be so happy once all of his teeth are finally in.
I told him that if he was a good boy we could go to target and pick out a toy. I was expected like a Disney car, or Thomas the train. No mommy I want a house.... the little people house. I told him I am not sure if they have any we will have to check.
Well we went and looked and he walked down every aisle until he found the little people house and once he did he said mommy I get this because I was good at dentist.
I said don't you want a train, or a car, no MOMMY, I WANT HOUSE. I said we don't yell or talk back. But mommy I talk back to you I talk to you. He was so confused he thought I was saying he can not talk back to me while we were talking. That is going to be an ongoing saga that is for sure.
Well we ended up getting the little people house and since we got he has not stopped playing with it. He loves the Little People and it is great for him to use his imagination and I find it so cute that he is so obsessed with playing with it.
So overall the dentist was a great experience for all of us and I am so happy it went the way it did. Now if the eye doctor goes the same way next week we will have to see...........
He didn't run away, cry, fight, or anything I expected him to do. He was a little social butterfly talking to all of the nurses, and charming them. Everyone loved him and couldn't believe he was 2 1/2.
They were shocked on how well he behaved. So his eye tooth and front tooth are bruised, we couldn't figure out why they were a different color, but those are the two teeth he chipped when he fell when he first started to walk.
All of his other teeth were great, and his two last molars on top are on there way in. I will be so happy once all of his teeth are finally in.
I told him that if he was a good boy we could go to target and pick out a toy. I was expected like a Disney car, or Thomas the train. No mommy I want a house.... the little people house. I told him I am not sure if they have any we will have to check.
Well we went and looked and he walked down every aisle until he found the little people house and once he did he said mommy I get this because I was good at dentist.
I said don't you want a train, or a car, no MOMMY, I WANT HOUSE. I said we don't yell or talk back. But mommy I talk back to you I talk to you. He was so confused he thought I was saying he can not talk back to me while we were talking. That is going to be an ongoing saga that is for sure.
Well we ended up getting the little people house and since we got he has not stopped playing with it. He loves the Little People and it is great for him to use his imagination and I find it so cute that he is so obsessed with playing with it.
So overall the dentist was a great experience for all of us and I am so happy it went the way it did. Now if the eye doctor goes the same way next week we will have to see...........
Thursday, November 20, 2008
the stroke- who is to blame?
Strokes And Children - The Top Ten Killer You Rarely Read About
I know this article was written earlier this year and maybe some of you have read it but I just found out. I thought it was very sad to read this, I feel Doctors should be able to recognize the symptoms and they should no age doesn't matter.
"Although strokes are among the top ten causes of death in childhood, family members and doctors often are slow to recognize the symptoms"
The guidelines are great however how do you know that they are being read, followed? He states "The guidelines will be the authoritative work on the management of pediatric strokes, and an "invaluable resource and educational tool for years to come," Biller said.
I hope he is true, but if we the family didn't know about stroke let alone an unborn child could have a stroke how do we know the doctors are thinking of it being a possibility?
Strokes can occur at any age -- even before birth. According to conservative estimates, about 3,200 strokes occur each year in youths under age 18. However where is the funding and education in trying to figure out why this is happening, why it is happening so often, and what is being done to stop it.
There is so much research on adult stroke but what about my child, other children who are having a stroke before they are born, shortly after or a few years after what is being done.
I know I am in a feisty mood today but this article isn't agreeing with me and what I am fighting for.
I know it is great that there is more news out about pediatric stroke but you can not put blame on parents not knowing the signs. Before any of us parents that found out our children had a stroke had NO CLUE it was possible. We are paying doctors to know these things.
I am thankful that we know Sean had a stroke and we can do everything in our power to help him. But what can be done to help families find out earlier because starting therapy early is key.
We started therapy at 6 months but we started because he wasn't doing things a 6 month old even though adjusted 4 months could do. We should have been sent for an MRI at that point he was not lifting his head, pushing up on his arms, and favored one side.
What we were told was he was a preemie, he needs more time to catch up, and oh he is going to be a lefty. Sean qualified for therapy thank GOD because with out we would not be where we are today.
Knowing what I know now I don't want anyone to have to go through what we are going through. How could he have gone two years of his life with out knowing he suffered a stroke?
Are doctors not wanting to think stroke? Or is it because the medical insurance is so against any type of medical procedure with out knowing why you need it. Who should the blame go to?
I personally feel it is the world we are in. I always followed my gut and mommy instinct of something was going on, I just thought it was because he was a preemie because that was what I always heard from everyone and it made sense for a little while since he did do all milestones even though they were all late. But I think to myself how could I have not done more so I could have found out earlier? Is this my fault? Is it the doctors for not being educated enough for us to have found out sooner?
Being a first time mom you always worry or at least I did, but people made me feel I was worrying to much maybe I did on some stuff but this is my child and when you feel something is wrong you need to push. I know it is anything that I caused to happen but it makes you wonder why? why did it happen to Sean? why is it happening so much? what is causing it?
Most people still don't know that you can have a stroke at any age and even before you are born because as we tell Sean's story people are still in shock. Something needs to be done anyone else want to figure out what and do it together?
I know this article was written earlier this year and maybe some of you have read it but I just found out. I thought it was very sad to read this, I feel Doctors should be able to recognize the symptoms and they should no age doesn't matter.
"Although strokes are among the top ten causes of death in childhood, family members and doctors often are slow to recognize the symptoms"
The guidelines are great however how do you know that they are being read, followed? He states "The guidelines will be the authoritative work on the management of pediatric strokes, and an "invaluable resource and educational tool for years to come," Biller said.
I hope he is true, but if we the family didn't know about stroke let alone an unborn child could have a stroke how do we know the doctors are thinking of it being a possibility?
Strokes can occur at any age -- even before birth. According to conservative estimates, about 3,200 strokes occur each year in youths under age 18. However where is the funding and education in trying to figure out why this is happening, why it is happening so often, and what is being done to stop it.
There is so much research on adult stroke but what about my child, other children who are having a stroke before they are born, shortly after or a few years after what is being done.
I know I am in a feisty mood today but this article isn't agreeing with me and what I am fighting for.
I know it is great that there is more news out about pediatric stroke but you can not put blame on parents not knowing the signs. Before any of us parents that found out our children had a stroke had NO CLUE it was possible. We are paying doctors to know these things.
I am thankful that we know Sean had a stroke and we can do everything in our power to help him. But what can be done to help families find out earlier because starting therapy early is key.
We started therapy at 6 months but we started because he wasn't doing things a 6 month old even though adjusted 4 months could do. We should have been sent for an MRI at that point he was not lifting his head, pushing up on his arms, and favored one side.
What we were told was he was a preemie, he needs more time to catch up, and oh he is going to be a lefty. Sean qualified for therapy thank GOD because with out we would not be where we are today.
Knowing what I know now I don't want anyone to have to go through what we are going through. How could he have gone two years of his life with out knowing he suffered a stroke?
Are doctors not wanting to think stroke? Or is it because the medical insurance is so against any type of medical procedure with out knowing why you need it. Who should the blame go to?
I personally feel it is the world we are in. I always followed my gut and mommy instinct of something was going on, I just thought it was because he was a preemie because that was what I always heard from everyone and it made sense for a little while since he did do all milestones even though they were all late. But I think to myself how could I have not done more so I could have found out earlier? Is this my fault? Is it the doctors for not being educated enough for us to have found out sooner?
Being a first time mom you always worry or at least I did, but people made me feel I was worrying to much maybe I did on some stuff but this is my child and when you feel something is wrong you need to push. I know it is anything that I caused to happen but it makes you wonder why? why did it happen to Sean? why is it happening so much? what is causing it?
Most people still don't know that you can have a stroke at any age and even before you are born because as we tell Sean's story people are still in shock. Something needs to be done anyone else want to figure out what and do it together?
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