Oh how I love the cooler weather. Warm enough to be outside, but cool enough to not pass out!

So I have a few projects all going at once. Hopefully I’ll get something finished, and get the place looking more tidy, it looks so yucky right now. My lemon tree is looking slightly better, found 3 more caterpillars on it, ggrrrr. Needless to say, they went bye-byes, and Mr Lemon Tree got a nice shower in Pyrethrum! Will re-do in 10days, and hopefully that kills all the critters off! Chasey and I weeded and mulched it, gave it a great big drink. Will have to water again in a few days, warmish weather and no rain, makes for an unhappy garden.

Weeded and mulched under my two nectarine trees, and up to the pear tree. Only heaps more to do. Apple, plum and fig. The grass drives me nuts, need to kill off the edges maybe.

So then I need to work out our veggie garden, and get it organised before winter hits. Make new planter boxes, move herbs and strawberries. Front garden is due for a weed soon too. eeekkk never ends.

Figs will be ripe soon. Dad gave me a net to cover them, protection from the birds. I managed to cover it myself. Amazing what a girl can do with a kids chair, a kids broom and a fence to climb! I’m sure the neighbour’s thought I was a looney!!

Okay, I’m off to bed. Maybe I’ll get more done tomorrow? Will take some pics to share. Before and after of our front lawn. Think I’d really like to poison the lot, and plant new seeds. Big, big job

So to motivate me to actually post, I thought I’d join a blog challenge.

‘what were your hopes for your firstborn when pregnant and how have you had to adjust them to reality.’

After trying to fall pregnant for 18 cycles, plus a miscarriage, you tend to forget your normal, everyday, common parent hopes and dreams. I remember being sick about the 18 week mark, totally convinced that I was losing our baby. Thankfully I wasn’t, and four months later he was born.

I’ve never been one to look too far into the future. When TTC, I was trying for a BABY, thinking of pregnancy, and a newborn. Not a lot more than that. Always only really looking a few months ahead. Looking to the birth, reading as much as I could, wanting a safe entry into the world.

Both of us being asthmatic sat in the back of our minds, but I guess not many people realise or understand the full impact of Asthma until they’re living it.

Adjusting to reality? I think I’m not quite there yet LOL

I had quite some experience prior to having my son, and went with the flow so to speak. I remember he was 6 months old when I looked around my house and realised the honeymoon was over, and I need to do some serious cleaning! He was an extremely easy baby, until about 14 months. I was already pregnant with his brother, and I remember my husband and I asking ourselves what we’d gotten ourselves in for!

So now I try to look more forward. Not just 6 months, but a year or two. While waiting for a diagnosis (which will cannot test for at least another 2 years) we have to look forward. We work with his teacher, and the school Principal. I wonder what he will be like this time next year. It has helped me with his younger brother too, as I know so much more how important it is to look forward. Yes it’s good to be in the ‘here and now’, and even in the short future, but what about 1-2 years time. Or highschool.

Thanks to madmother for the challenge

I opened up my emails, and was in shock! I have received my first blog award!!!! *gush*

Skipper has totally blown me out of the water with her kindness! Thanks sweets! This amazing woman does it all! I was thinking of you today, as Xander melted down (more to come on that) Oh and if anyone needs help with stains or household tips, Skip’s your gal!!!

Ok, confession time *blush* I have had this post in draft for a looong time. Believe it or not, I JUST saved it whent he server died. No, I didn’t kill it. Ok, ok, perhaps it was something I did, but I doubt it, Im blaming old age LOL

Now I’m supposed to pass this award on to others, but since I received it so long ago, I’m going to pass on that.

Another huge thanks to Skip, you’re a gorgeous woman with a wonderful family. Thanks for sharing your life with us all xx

They sould use school holidays as a form of torture I think!

I was so looking forward to having six, or seven blissful weeks with my ‘baby’ home before he starts big boy school! waah waah waah

It’s horrible though. Ok, not having to be out the door by 8.10 each morning is awesome, but the fighting, the mischief they get into. The mess, everywhere! aarrrgghhh

I haven’t been online much. Posting on FB etc from my iPhone, so been slacker in the blogging side of things. But, I doubt anyone reads anyways haha

Painting should be underway tomorrow! Start with getting the rooms ready, sorting, emptying, bogging (always makes me laugh), sanding and washing. All ready for the long weekend! The Geek has taken the 25th off, so we’ll have 4 full day! Hopefully we’ll get something done in that time!

Not much else going on. Things pretty quiet here. Took the boys to the pool with a friend and her son, they were crazy animals! Think I want to drag my sewing machine out. Need to get creative. Need energy.

Had to nap today. Whats with that? Can only think it’s from the crazy weather here of late, the heat stroke on Tuesday, and a whole lot of stress in the extended family. I don’t handle stress too well. Need some more tissue salts. sigh

Boys are ok, no appointments til next week. I think I’ve forgotten what it’s like having a million appointments! It’s great having everyone close down over summer/school holidays. Paed next week for CJ, and I’ll make an appointment for XJ when I get there. Just a touch base thing. What do I do with that child? He’s totally different to his brother. Does not sit still. I have no idea how he has learnt the things he has!!!

Okay, off to tidy the house. Boring. But today was a write-off, so need to catch up, or it will be worse tomorrow. Take some drugs. Need me some ADD meds. I know, I know. Been watching too much desperate housewives

When we moved, 20 months ago, we decided not to paint. The boys also, eventually decided to share a room.

Now I am a non-playroom mother. I HATE playrooms. Not so much for other people, that’s their business, but for us, well me. I know exactly what would happen. It would be the forgotten room. The one I walk into, think aarrgghh, walk out with the door firmly shut behind me. Hidden from guests. Too messy to share.

So now we have a ’spare room’. It’s not quite a bedroom, nor a playroom. More a junk room ROFL All, or most of the clothes the boys had outgrown had been bagged or boxed up, and stored in the ceiling above the garage. I got dad to get down ALL the clothes the last time he was up  there. I now have a wardrobe full of clothes, ranging from 0000 right through to 4’s, minus the 3’s and 5+’s LOL

Okay, so I have a point, promise. So now we (read I) have decided it’s finally time to paint. I am soooo sick of green. Yep, you read right, the whole house is green. Not a nice subtle mint either! Lets just say, the wall colour I would think is too dark for the trim, and the trim, well, I don’t even know why they make that colour, let alone how they sell it!!

The last few days I’ve been de-cluttering the ’spare room’. blergh so so boring! So all the board games, and puzzles have been sorted, checked for missing pieces, and transfered into the old dining room cupboard (that is now the sitting room LOL) Just a few more hundred hours of sorting! Front room is pretty much ready to go. Just need to move the bookshelf into the study. Then once we paint the front room, we can move a few other rooms around, leaving the back room empty, paint it, then we can sleep in there while we do the bedrooms, which will also get floating floor boards put down!

Now the geek has time off. Thurs, tomorrow, is his last day, until he goes back on the 4th Jan. I bet we get no painting done. We never do. Why?! It’s really frustrating! Hopefully we’ll get a game of golf in next week, and hopefully a trip to the theme park, a few bike rides etc Might get Chase his big boy bike! Right now I’d like to have a nap. It’s hot out there!

Oh and I almost forgot! Operation ‘get these boys to sleep’ started last monday. It’s a very slow progress, but progress non the least. Starting with getting them to settle themselves without us reading to them or sitting in the room. Then we’ll move to step two. Baby steps. Hopefully sleeping through the night by the end of the holidays (or sooner would be nice)

I was thinking of doing a post of photo’s of Chase, how his eczema has improved since birth.

I started to look at some on my website (have no older pics on the laptop) and feel sick. I see a photo and think, he’s wearing too many clothes, those scabs should be washed off, he’s too hot, he needs a cool compress, thats infected. How I wish I knew all this 3 years ago.

How I wish I could of eased his pain back then.

ECZEMA : (

This post has been a long time coming. For 3.5 years we have struggled with eczema. We have done the digging, the multiple trips to RCH, paeds, ER’s, GP’s etc Multiple doses of AB’s, sleepless nights, creams, lotions, potions, natural, chemical, you name it, we’ve tried it (or had sufficient reason not to try it) Our home looks like a pharmacy. Open a cupboard, drawer, or even the fridge, and you find the evidence of two eczema sufferers living there.

I have had requests for info, so Angela, Hayley and Sal, here’s the info I’ve been promising. Hopefully it helps you, your little ones, or the ones you look after. When I refer to eczema, it’s what I have found to help either myself (on my fingers) or Chase (whole body). I am not a doctor, please find yourself a great GP, and if it’s your child suffering, get a referal to Paediatrician! I should of done that years ago! Please also remember everyone is different, everyone reacts to things differently.

Good example is goats milk soap. All over the media of late, miracle cure for eczema *rolleyes* I do know it helps my hands slightly, but CJ is allergic to goats milk, which is quite common in a person with a cows milk allergy! If it helps you or your loved one though, great, awesome, I’m stoked!!

PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE!

Or so we’re led to believe. I on the other hand, disagree. Well when it comes to eczema, a cure would be wonderful. Life changing. Great. So no, prevention is not better than cure, it is however better than hospital. Better than wet dressings, cortisones, 4x daily moisturisers, meds, infections, AB’s.

Eczema Prevention:

Allergies. Food is a huge one for us. You can get this tested via a blood test (RAST) which isn’t overly accurate from what I’ve been told, but its step one. I guess that if it came back negative, it saves a skin prick test (SPT) The RAST tests for groups of allergies, like foods, animals, pollens etc CJ tested high in all areas, with two RAST.

The SPT is more selective. If I’m right, you can test pretty much anything on a SPT. Chase has been tested (SPT) for, and showed positive to cows milk protein (CMP, or dairy) soy, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, goats milk/cheese, dustmites, 3 types of grasses, dogs and cats. Hence we now know what to avoid, to keep his immune system up. It’s important to remember that eczema is not caused by allergies, but aggrivated by it. Not all eczema patients have allergies.

So we avoid ALL foods he’s allergic too (and also potato and pork which haven’t successfully been introduced yet) and after eating, everyone is to wash their hands. This protects CJ from touch contact, and cross contamination. Cooking is a nightmare, but thats for another day! LOL

Environmental allergies are just as hard. We have a dustmite prevention ‘procedure’ in place, which means more work for me! A room has to be dusted, then left for 15mins to settle, then vac’ed, then left for 20mins to settle, at least weekly. And the worse part? The allergy sufferer cannot be in the room until the end of the 20mins It is soooo hard to juggle. We use mattress protectors, and pillow protectors, washed weekly (along with the sheets lol) and mattresses vacuumed! Soft toys need washing a lot, and putting in a bag in the freezer to kill mites.

This is what I’m struggling with atm. TBH, I’m not doing enough : (

Then there’s the grasses. Hospital want me to take his clothes off (and put straight in the wash) and bath/shower him, after playing on grass. Yeah, shounds crazy, huh? Apparently the grass sticks to their clothes, and then is bought into the house/couch/bed etc

We have no pets. Dog was sent to mums. DH and I have allergies to cats, so that was never even a question!

Next is chemical allergies. Please check your laundry liquid. Im liking Earth Choice. It’s cheap, works reasonably well, and is gentle. You have to find one to suit your family though. Omo and cold power are big no-no’s in this house! Household cleaners too can annoy the skin, so try to use natural stuff, once again I use earth choice, but there’s also plain old vinegar, water and bi carb.

What about creams, lotions and potions? Lets start with bath products. Please no supermarket garbage. We, and others, have had trouble with QV flare up bath oil. Please be careful using this. I personally dont like the QV bath products, but we have found Dermaveen to work really well. The dermaveen bath and shower oil, you can buy it in a bulk pump pack, which helps the hip pocket too!!

Dermaveen Bath and Shower Oil

The RCH told us to avoid natural products. Anything made from a plant or animal product, feeds eczema. We have noticed even things like pawpaw cream to set off infections : ( This is the same for creams/moisturisers. Now it’s hard for me to become Dr Mad woman, but we were recommended to use moisturisers 4 times a day, with his last checkup slowly reducing to twice per day. I’d suggest 4 times per day, unless the skin is looking normal! We were using aqueous cream (from the prescription counter at the chemist, but you don’t need a script)

Comes in a large tub too

We found it didn’t sink into the skin as easily, and have recently switched to Dermeze or QV Kid Balm (the only QV product we use)

Chase love the ‘tweety and sylvester cream’, but it costs more, and is currently out of stock at RCH! We also use a strong cortisone cream, but please speak to your paediatrician about that. (and yes, see a paed not just your GP if your child has extreme eczema)

Next is to prevent your child becoming itchy. Things that non-eczema sufferers find ok, is not necessarily the same for the eczema person. Often anything non-cotton have irritate the skin. Wool is bad bad bad! I always hated wool as a child, and even now as an adult, most woolen products irritate me. We buy only cotton clothes and bedding for Chase. Occasionally something will have a cotton/poly blend. This is usually a vest etc thats not directly touching the skin. Don’t forget bedding too, cotton cellular blankets are great, and cotton sheets.

That moves into heat. You or your child needs to be cool, yes even in winter. No they wont catch a cold from being cold- old wives tale there. It is almost shocking to parents who don’t have eczema. We feel the heat. Take my word for it, we are hot, always! My brother, a terrible sufferer of Dermatitis as a child, would wear a t-shirt and shorts to the snow! Yes, thats how much we feel the heat! I’ve often been seen wearing a t-shirt all winter, with maybe just a cardigan LOL

So keep them cool. In the car, house, hospital, shopping centre etc they need ONE layer of clothing. A singlet IS a layer! If they overheat, which is easy, their eczema is most likely to play up. A jacket or jumper for outside when it is cold is enough. When their eczema is bad, wet dressings are needed to cool the skin (I’ll go into this more later) You can wet a singlet, wring it out, and put it on (yes it works, no it’s not cruel- please make sure you moisturise before and after doing it, so the skin doesn’t dry out) You can wet a bandana to use on their head (when wetting clothes etc make sure there’s a little bath oil in the water to moisturise the skin) You can spray them with water I guess, but I’d only do this if their skin is ok, when it’s bad the water will most likely sting Cold packs help with hands. Be careful with heaters and aircons, as the skin dries out more. We run a vapouriser when using heater or aircon, and you’d be surprised at how much it helps!

Only one blanket (cotton) on the bed, and light PJ’s. Yes, they get too hot otherwise.

LINKS (woohoo! I figured them out, Thanks Karen!):

RCH- Dermatology Dept

Knowing your childs eczema (REALLY in depth, take your time! and PLEASE watch the video!)

Clinics (the eczema workshop is the one that we found terribly helpful! Wish we went 3 years ago! There is a waiting time, so get your name down if you can, or go on cancellation list?)

Publications (these might have some help in your situation)

Contact Details for RCH derm dept

I was going to post info on wet dressings, but have since noticed how detailed the RCH website is! All the links come from there, under dermatology department. Step-by-step instructions for wet dressings, removing scabs, creams, etc Watch the video, and contact them, and ask to speak to the eczema nurse practitioners, or for them to call you back? Hopefully they can be helpful over the phone!!!

With the wet dressings, they have new ones, which I have posted about here, just scroll down past the Nonna stuff The tubifast is a super product, much much easier! I will post about it another time! When we’re not using tubifast, we do normal wet dressings. The RCH website says disposable paper I think, but you can use chux cloths (buy on a huge roll in bulk, throw away after one use) or if you can get your hands on some abdominal sponges (like they use in the hospital theatres) they work well! They use this when we’re on the ward!

If there is anything I have forgot to mention, or you have any questions, please let me know! I know how hard it is to go through this blinded, that’s why I’m here, long boring posts

To last nights post. LOL

I was rather tired, and not thinking so great, forgot bits!

To answer some questions.

Yes, he has had pineapple (in fact all of the fruit in the bowl) before. We do not give him anything he hasn’t eaten before, without doing either a home challenge, or to those shown positive on a SPT, a hospital challenge.

The Doctor’s, Wylie and myself discussed it at length, and believe it had to be an issue with cross contamination in the motel kitchen. We believe this is so, because he has no known allergy/has eaten the foods before, the fruit was totally separate from all other foods, and had their own serving spoons. There was 2 types of cereal in open bowls, the rest in individual boxes. The yogurt was in individual serves, with their lid intact. The fruit was on it’s own table, cereal on its own, bread on its own. It was a continental brekkie only, so no eggs etc Milk was in a jug with a lid.

I’m assuming that the board and/or knife were not clean when cutting the fruit. He eats pineapple A LOT. He does eat the tinned, over the fresh, but the only difference should be the acidity, which may irritate his skin/eczema, and maybe (??) give him hives, but I doubt it would cause swelling, red eyes etc

I’ve had someone tell me not to risk it anymore, and only give him food we have provided. This hurt, A LOT! I don’t think people, scrap that, SOME people understand the difficulty of that. It’s ok if you have access to a kitchen to prepare, and often cook a meal. We had left at 8am Thurs, and got to the motel around 4pm. I had taken lunch, snacks and dinner for Thurs night. We left the motel at 9am on the friday, and needed to catch trams with a 3 yr old, stroller and backpack. I had to carry fresh fish, and a freezer pack for his testing.

It’s okay for people to make that comment, and I honestly understand that people do not understand. I know that it’s very difficult to understand when you haven’t lived it etc  At the same time it’s very easy for people who do not have an allergy child, to make comments like that. It’s easy to say as you drive to the golden arches and buy your child a burger, or stop off and buy them sushi, a bucket of chips, or an ice cream. The only take away we have found that is ok, is corn from Red Rooster. And then we have the worry of cross contamination : (

How I am supposed to safely carry food for him is my biggest problem. I have been thinking about those microwave sachets of rice. Only problem would be that I would need to find a microwave, and be careful of cross contamination. hhhrrmm I’m hoping petrol stations would allow me to use their microwave. And then maybe fresh fruit? Or carry around a knife and chopping board, to cut carrots?

One day is ok, even half a day, dinner, overnight, and home by lunch is ok. But two full days or more is difficult : (

All idea’s welcomed!!!

So last week was another trip to Melbourne, to RCH.

Thursday was with the dermatology department, and I’m super pleased to report GOOD NEWS!!!! They were more than happy with his skin, and eczema, or lack thereof! She said we can slowly reduced his moisturisers to twice per day, keeping a close eye on it though! woot!!

She said we’d have to be more cautious when winter comes back around, and possibly up the moisturisers again, but thats no biggy!!

Then Friday. Oh where to begin. Sigh.

Our appointment was at 3pm, so CJ and I stayed with Wylie (at a motel, as he was in town for work) and would have a fun day in the city waiting for 3pm! So we got ready and headed downstairs for breakfast.

I surveyed the area quickly, and parked Chase at a ’safe-looking’ table. Went up to check out what they have, and saw fruit (separate from everything else) plus some cereals in little boxes. Great! I think, fruit and nutri grain! Grab myself a bowl of fruit, and the cereal for CJ, put it on the table and go get myself a coffee, only to come back to him eating the fruit.

Uh-oh I hear you say, nope, because all the fruit was safe, so I tipped some nutrigrain in the bowl too, and we shared it all! That’s when disaster struck. He was eating fresh pineapple when he started scratching his hands. No this alone is nothing strange for him, but then his eyes and the skin around it started going red and then the hives started showing up from his cheek running up to his forehead. Then his lips started swelling.

Crap! Long story short, I sculled my coffee (hey there’s a reason my blog is named so) picked him up and ran to the bathroom, washed his face and hands thoroughly, and cream. He was ok, my BP eventually went down, and we moved on with our day. Another long story short, we ended up at docklands, and found a Thomas train ride, which Chase HAD to go on! After leaving there he fell over and took a chunk out of his knee, which almost a week later still looks iffy. A very long trip to the Vic Markets, involving trams, mobile phone calls, and an irritated hubby, we finally met up, and made our way to the hospital … where they tell us he cannot have his SPT (for fish) due to his reaction that morning! aaarrrgghhh

Photo doesn’t really do it much justice, I guess. Take on my phone so I could show the Doctors. Poor poppet.

So we went to Ikea instead Man I love that place!!! Jackie and I are going when they get their place, yippee, spend someone else’s money!!!

GOOD NEWS!!!!  About time!

Well, he checked XJ’s prescription, and agreed with our local optometrist, that his lens is a bit weak for how bad his eyes are, but they under prescribe on purpose, better than over prescribing! He could see the astigmatisim.

He did a few tests on him (not sure what it checks actually) and said that he is definately lagging behind a bit. Mainly his visual perception (I think thats what he said) so has given us a heap of therapy to do, he seems to think that it should take us 6 weeks, and we should  notice a difference within that time frame.

I’ll post in detail once we start, but other than the set bookwork he’s given us, he needs to do LOTS of work with drawing, dot-to-dots, colouring in, making shapes with playdough, tracing shapes etc

So while it could of been better news, it could of been (and I was expecting) a whole lot worse!! So, finally, things are looking up! I see the light at the end of the tunnel, and no Hayley, it’s not the train today!!

she said doodle! *chuckle*

ROFL

Mum bought Chase a music CD a while back, and it got caught in the junk cupboard, and only found recently. We played it in the car today on the way home, and he asked to listen to it inside.

It was playing in the DVD player, XJ was quiet and I was on the computer. The next thing I hear is ‘oh I like this one, it’s the doodle song’. I’m thinking what on earth? Then it hits me … polly wolly doodle … hahahaha funny boy!

He cracks up laughing when he hears it, such a toilet humored boy like his big brother! All things doodles, poo and wee are funny atm!! *pullshairout*

For those of you following at home, here’s out results from RCH.

CJ's back after his latest SPT

Sorry about the quality of the photo, I took it on my phone.

So he reacted to dairy, egg, soy, nuts x3 or 4, sesame seeds, dogs, cats, and grasses x2. He also reacted to fish, but only 3mm.

Now this may all seem a bit and yes, it could be much better, but keeping with my positiveness, it could also been way worse! So fish (cod) is low enough for us to test further.

In two weeks we go back, with a sample of fish we eat at home. I’m thinking pink salmon, flathead tails, maybe some flake, or whiting etc They said not too many, but seemed happy with 3-4 types. They will then use these for another SPT. From this we can pinpoint, hopefully any allergy to a particular fish. IF he has no reaction (0mm, which I doubt will happen) then we MAY be able to challenge him (orally) to fish here at home. If he has a positive reaction under 3mm, then we will have an oral challenge, in hospital, at RCH.

Apparently looking for a reaction to a food challenge can be very tricky, and qualified professionals still miss things, and children still end up in ICU after an ANA attack!!!

So end result is to continue avoiding the foods we already do, do another SPT and possible food challenge with fish. Oh and the sesame was a new test, which was high (8mm?) so we have to avoid that too.

Okay, so bit of a vent to follow folks:

Stupid Doctor really started to irk me. She noticed the high reaction to the grasses and dustmite. She asked if I had any dustmite prevention strategies in place, which I understand her asking etc we do what needs to be done. Then she went on about the grasses. eekkk Apparently, after he plays out in/on the grass, I should bring him inside, throw his clothes straight in the machine, and shower/bathe him! I asked her how I’m supposed to do that so often, and how it will effect his eczema, she had no idea *rolleyes*

So I need a new routine, suggestions welcome. Eczema, creams 4 times per day, bath 1-2 times per day (with bleach 2-3 times per week) wet dressings when needed, zyrtec twice per day. Asthma, ventolin when needed, prednisilone when bad, O2 reader. Allergies, many meals per day, often 2-3 different dinners, shopping/reading every label, every time I buy it. Grasses, as above, dustmite, dust, wait 15mins, vac, wait 20mins (all with neither of the boys in the room) whole house, every week. Linen washed in hot water, sun dried at least once per week.

That’s what I remember off the top of my head. What about the Dr’s, GP’s, paeds, RCH, allergists, nurses, trips, cars, trains, blergh.

Oh and that’s not even adding in Xander’s issues, treatments and appointments! Crap! How am I going to juggle it? I need more hours in the day, please!

Just move away where no one knows me. Start afresh.

Why is there always something? Right now, if the geek had a job lined up, and we could organise decent treatment for the boys, I’d be gone, zapp, in a flash. I’d rent this place out til it sold.

But, I can’t. Logically, seriously, slap my face type of wake up call. It’s not possible. We need to be close/ish to Melbourne. Not further away. RCH has helped us so much, we need our paed, or mchn is even a lifeline for us. sigh. So I need to deal with this. Somehow. Someway. I just want it to go away. There’s too much on my plate right now. Too many appointments, too much driving, too many tests, too much of too much. All crammed into a short space. No fun, no life, no joy. Too much yelling, too tired, too bored.

It rained today, poured like a bucket. We got caught in it. I loved it. It was amazing. My garden loved it, the grass is keeping green, only just. Chase hated it! Both boys begged for a hoodie while walking in it. Chase screamed and buried into my shoulder when we were caught again without his jacket! But the smell, the relief from the heat, my wet shirt clinging to my back, was nice.

It doesn’t have to make sense, not much does these days.

Okay, so it’s taken a while for me to get my head around, so here is out latest update! I honestly cannot remember how much I’ve shared with you all, so please forgive me if I double up!

Xander: We had an assessment done at kinder, as his behaviour has always been full on, and the teacher had some concerns about his speech, and his ability to follow or listen to instructions (moreso outside, and more to do with him being told not to do something, only to turn around and do it again straight away)

Anyway, so the test results were ‘unusual’, I was left thinking the assessor was on crack, and the teacher wasn’t much better! Nothing seemed to add up. So we were referred to a speech pathologist. We had the appointment the other day/week, whenever it was. She did some testing with him. She wasn’t happy that the kinder assessor tested him as a 5 year old (he was still a month off being 5 at the time of testing, and 3 days short at the speechie) and she started the testing at 4, and said she keeps going until he gets a certain amount of questions wrong. He got to 6.5 years!

There were two test, which seemed similar to me (but hey, I’m no professional) and she sat there at the kiddy table (from Ikea LOL) adding up the scores. Then she said she just needed to go ask someone else, as she thought there was ‘another’ or perhaps she said ‘certain way’ to add it up. Hhrrmm weird.

She comes back and shows me the results, explaining that she thinks the assessor is correct, and that he has an auditory processing disorder. Basically, the two tests scores were in a column, side by side, with the columns classed into normal (pink) just below and just above normal (light pink) and then very much below and very much above normal (white). His score for one fell about borderline or just below normal (cant quite remember) and the second was at least midline in the light pink, above normal. She said that most children have both their scores in a similar area (eg both low, or both normal, or both high) but Xander’s scores had about 23 points (I think) between the two, which is apparently HUGE!

So next step, we see her again, I think next week. She noticed (had I) that he has a few letter pronunciation problems, and she will give us things to help with that, and with the possible auditory processing disorder (APD) over summer. She wanted him to see a psych and get an IQ test, which we can apparently organise through the school next year. I will discuss this with the speechie next week, and make sure it’s not going to be detrimental to Xander to wait until, possibly, next March, or maybe later? She’s hoping an IQ test will help give us some answers, and help us help him. He can continue with the private speechie, or have it done at school, or possibly both I guess. I’d prefer to know what we’re dealing with before we keep going back for appointments!

He needs to have a hearing test (also next week) and the audiologist will then assess him, and if they think he needs to be tested for APD, it will be 3-4 weeks after the original hearing test.

He also needs to see the behavioural optometrist sometime soon (end of month?) as the optometrist believes he’s still ‘centered’. Think of a baby, they don’t see things left to right, they look directly at it. They think XJ might be similar/not have outgrown this like most other children. It was explained to me that if he was shown the words  SAW and WAS next to eachother, like  SAW WAS that he would see them as the same thing, not reading them left to right. This could just be due to him having poor eyesight. He had his left lens strengthened not long ago, and within the month we noticed a huge difference in his writing, and drawing!

I think that’s it for him. I’ve possibly, most likely, missed something, but will come back and re-post if I have (I promise Hayley)

Chase: We had our appointment at RCH, which was great. It was wonderful having the Geek there to have a second pair of ears/eyes, to ask his questions, and to learn firsthand, rather than me relating it all, and missing parts! We got cheap products (which I think I mentioned already) and good tips for managing eczema. I have promised to do a huge write up on eczema, and add links, and that will come soon, I hope! He’s had a bit of a flare up, which meant to lots of two-three days of bandages, but we managed ok. And honestly, it was only 2-3 days, rather than the 5+ it usually is!

He is currently antihistamine-free, as we have another appointment on friday at RCH. This time with the allergy and immunology department. He will most likely have a skin prick test (I really need to work out how to link to old posts lol) and review of allergies etc I’m hoping to take some pork and some potato with me for them to test!

He has a followup appointment at RCH (dermatology) in a few weeks time, and paediatrician in Jan. I need to see the maternal and child health nurse (MCHN) tomorrow, for up to date weight and height measurements, ready for friday. XJ has another school transition day, from 2-3, so hopefully that will go well. He’s been saying lately that he doesn’t want to go. eeekkkk please don’t start this now!!!

Okay, so I think that’s it for now. I have a few other requests that I’ll get to, eventually!

It’s a funny word. I’m not sure why this sticks in my mind, all these years later, but remember that show Beauty and the Beast? The talk show with Stan Zemanek. Well, good ole Stan was debating about how there’s no such thing as stress. Well, I’d like for him to stand in some people’s shoes, just for a day!

Today, mainly tonight, I’ve been feeling stressed, tired, worried. Lots on my plate, but hey, should be used to it, eh? Yes Hayley, I’ll update about appointments soon, just need to find a good/right time to do so

Sometimes things effect us, things that we don’t expect to. Life experiences can bring up memories and feelings we had in the past. It’s crazy how our bodies work, I need to remind myself of this. Remind myself that while people may say or do things, they haven’t walked in my shoes, lived my life, understand my anxieties, and therefore I need to show empathy. Remind myself that we’re all imperfect people.

Then, after all that, remind myself of what Mum always told me (and still does at times :p )

There’s always someone worse off than yourself.

Reading up on some ‘things’ tonight bought that home for me. Yes I’m finding things hard right now, but at least I have my husband and children. Yes I wish my kids were healthy, but at least they can communicate. Yes it’s so exhausting caring for them both, but it’s not as much as some mothers and fathers go through. Yes it’s hard to drive to RCH, and have 12 appointments in 19 days, but at least my children aren’t in hospital.

I will go to bed tonight, thinking of those worse off than me. Hoping they get some sleep tonight, and that tomorrow is a brighter day for them.

Sorry if this post doesn’t make much sense, I have a few issues I’m dealing with, and won’t name names, good or bad.