Soooo, it's been a few days a while a month forever. We've been okay, hanging in and trying to take things one day at a time. Things are just so overwhelming right now, and writing about them is sometimes just a little more than I can handle. But really, we are doing okay, we just have so much on our plates.
We've done some fun things in the past month - the Strides for Safe Kids walk was a good time and Aidan did surprisingly well in the crowd. After that event, Aidan got to go to a Shopkins trading event - which was *awesome* - he did such a great job talking to the other children and asking if they wanted to trade. No tears - I was so proud! We also attended the Autism Awareness event at the zoo a few weekends ago, which has grown into a really nice event with great attendance and helpful networking opportunities. I love that it's at our local zoo, which Aidan knows so well that it doesn't overwhelm him.
He's also been working hard on feeding skills, and has started feeding therapy. It's only twice a week, and due to scheduling stupidity, it works out to 3 times every two weeks, which is only slightly better than nothing. Luckily, he has a great team of people in his life, who continue to work with him and encourage him every day at school, and recently I happened to walk in on him actually nibbling at a rice flour pancake. Proud mama over here! He doesn't have much of a bite with his molars, especially on his left side, and getting anything bigger than a crumb in his mouth makes him gag - but he's getting there! Unfortunately, his swallow is questionable and needs to be more formally evaluated for airway safety later this month, so until then, we're not working on liquids.
October brought us the tiniest bit of drama - an urgent care visit, and eventually an ER visit for a yucky stoma. I really hate stoma problems, and we're always so lucky that his stoma is so beautiful and infection-free. But really kind of out of nowhere, it sprouted granulation tissue that got infected and painful, and things were just no fun for a while there. Right, as you would imagine, when I had no time to spend in the Urgent Care/ER all night long, because of course. But I'm thanking my lucky stars that's all it was, because as I sit here writing this, I'm watching some of the babies I love from afar go through ten kinds of hell inpatient, and I know how much worse everything could be. Aidan's been doing pretty well lately, and I don't take that for granted even for a minute.
We've had to stop Karate for now. Aidan's little body is just too tired. He just can't do it. And I can't keep forcing him to do something that's just too much.
Heis participating in soccer, which is super adorable. Although I might be using the word "participating" loosely, since he really likes to just sit on his ball and watch once he's tired, and without 1:1 coaching, he forgets what he's doing and wanders off. Don't care. Adorable. After soccer wraps up, he'll be taking a break from sports until we get his energy levels figured out, because I really think there's something awry here. I'm hopeful that either CHOP or CHP has some ideas for us.
The rest of the month is coming at us fast and furious - this week
we'll see Genetics (this one's kind of a big deal, since we're looking
for big answers here, or at least big ideas and a path forward) and the
dentist (not a scary one for us, but a rough one for Aidan). Next week,
the Complex Care/Diagnostic Center which is another big deal for us. I
don't even really know what to expect from that visit, I just know that
we need help, and we're hoping they can give it. The following week,
Aidan's swallow study, and then he's inpatient for a tube change.
Hopeful that he stays healthy and is discharged and feeling well enough
for Halloween fun.
We have forwarded his records along to Pittsburgh and are awaiting word onwhen we'll be traveling. I'm nervous - not knowing exactly when we'll go, and how I'll handle it with work, and whether it will even give us any answers - all if it makes me sick to my stomach, if I'm being honest. But these are all the right things to do, and the right steps forward, and I just have to trust that Aidan will find answers down one of these avenues.
We'll keep you posted as appointments happen and travel plans come together. Wish us luck!
We've done some fun things in the past month - the Strides for Safe Kids walk was a good time and Aidan did surprisingly well in the crowd. After that event, Aidan got to go to a Shopkins trading event - which was *awesome* - he did such a great job talking to the other children and asking if they wanted to trade. No tears - I was so proud! We also attended the Autism Awareness event at the zoo a few weekends ago, which has grown into a really nice event with great attendance and helpful networking opportunities. I love that it's at our local zoo, which Aidan knows so well that it doesn't overwhelm him.
He's also been working hard on feeding skills, and has started feeding therapy. It's only twice a week, and due to scheduling stupidity, it works out to 3 times every two weeks, which is only slightly better than nothing. Luckily, he has a great team of people in his life, who continue to work with him and encourage him every day at school, and recently I happened to walk in on him actually nibbling at a rice flour pancake. Proud mama over here! He doesn't have much of a bite with his molars, especially on his left side, and getting anything bigger than a crumb in his mouth makes him gag - but he's getting there! Unfortunately, his swallow is questionable and needs to be more formally evaluated for airway safety later this month, so until then, we're not working on liquids.
October brought us the tiniest bit of drama - an urgent care visit, and eventually an ER visit for a yucky stoma. I really hate stoma problems, and we're always so lucky that his stoma is so beautiful and infection-free. But really kind of out of nowhere, it sprouted granulation tissue that got infected and painful, and things were just no fun for a while there. Right, as you would imagine, when I had no time to spend in the Urgent Care/ER all night long, because of course. But I'm thanking my lucky stars that's all it was, because as I sit here writing this, I'm watching some of the babies I love from afar go through ten kinds of hell inpatient, and I know how much worse everything could be. Aidan's been doing pretty well lately, and I don't take that for granted even for a minute.
We've had to stop Karate for now. Aidan's little body is just too tired. He just can't do it. And I can't keep forcing him to do something that's just too much.
Heis participating in soccer, which is super adorable. Although I might be using the word "participating" loosely, since he really likes to just sit on his ball and watch once he's tired, and without 1:1 coaching, he forgets what he's doing and wanders off. Don't care. Adorable. After soccer wraps up, he'll be taking a break from sports until we get his energy levels figured out, because I really think there's something awry here. I'm hopeful that either CHOP or CHP has some ideas for us.
 |
| He's the dainty one, seated while everyone else plays. |
We have forwarded his records along to Pittsburgh and are awaiting word onwhen we'll be traveling. I'm nervous - not knowing exactly when we'll go, and how I'll handle it with work, and whether it will even give us any answers - all if it makes me sick to my stomach, if I'm being honest. But these are all the right things to do, and the right steps forward, and I just have to trust that Aidan will find answers down one of these avenues.
We'll keep you posted as appointments happen and travel plans come together. Wish us luck!
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