Random Updates

I thought it might be a good idea to give updates on several things I've posted about in the past, rather than just leaving you all hanging. If there's anything I missed that you were wondering about an update on, post in the comments and I'll probably add an update about it.

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* For anyone who was waiting for me to follow up on the abortion discussion, there's a thread over on Mark's blog where we're having quite an interesting discussion about it.

Feel free to hop over and read it. You can leave comments there or here if you'd like to add to the conversation. There are links in that thread to a couple of my older posts on the topic as well.

* I am still occasionally making small progress on the Terri Schiavo research, but that isn't going much of anywhere at the moment--I just don't have the time and energy to devote to it, and other things are demanding my attention.

* Baby E, obviously, has passed the danger of botulism poisoning with no ill-effects. We were praying that either the honey she ate wouldn't have botulism spores in it or her system would be strong enough to handle them. Apparently one or the other of those was the case.

Needless worry? Maybe. But I now know lots of interesting facts about botulism poisoning and why infants shouldn't eat honey. As a friend said to me, "Somebody needs to take your computer away!"

* I'm not pregnant, even though we thought I might be for several weeks. Apparently it is possible to get nursing-induced amennorhea after 3 months of regularity following the birth of a baby. Even when AF arrived like clockwork after all three children.

The only thing I'm really doing differently is that I'm probably taking a little better care of myself this time around. Better self-care may or may not have anything to do with it, but it's a good thing anyway.

* AJ does not have to have the invasive, expensive test which involves shooting her bladder with high levels of radiation.

After her pain cleared up on its own the day after we saw the doctor, I called the office again. I asked if she still needed to take the medication, and why she needed the VCUG test.

The doctor we had seen (who was actually a physician's assistant and not a doctor) wasn't in, so the advice nurse asked another doctor about the medicine. He looked at the test results and said that because of the type and number of bacteria present in her urine, she really should take the antibiotics.

As for the VCUG, the nurse just told me they couldn't help me with that since the person who prescribed it wasn't there.

We gave AJ the antibiotics along with acidophilus to help counteract side effects, and that worked out fine.

When a nurse called the next week to give me a number I should call to schedule the test, I stopped her. I said that I didn't want to schedule the test before I talked to the doctor about what the test was for and why he was recommending it. She said that I could talk to her about it and she could answer my questions. Her explanation of the test fit with what I'd discovered in my research.

When I asked the nurse why AJ needed this test, she said, "Well, it's to check for reflux of the bladder. I'm assuming she's had recurrent urinary tract infections?"

"No," I said, "she hasn't. This is her first one." I explained that she has had several incidents of anxiety about potty accidents that we and the doctor decided were stress-induced. The last one was about 6 months ago. She's always tested negative for a UTI before. Since she had just had several days of sever diarrhea and being in a pull-up after 10 days in Mexico, it seemed more logical to me to assume that this UTI was from that rather than from a chronic issue.

"Oh," said the nurse. "That's strange. You're right; she doesn't fit into the group of kids we would normally send for this test. I'll talk to the doctor about it and ask why he's recommending it. If I don't call you back, it's all okay and she doesn't need the test after all."

She never called back.

So I guess "it's all okay." Except that it's so not. If I hadn't been insistent about getting some answers, my child would have been subjected to a completely unnecessary test.

It's a good thing I ask questions.

* On a related note, I still haven't found a good pediatrician yet. I've made a number of phone calls, searched the internet, and asked friends, but with no success so far. We did switch back to our family practice doctor after trying the new doctor we didn't like, but we'd like to find an excellent pediatrician for the kids (although I'll stay with our family practice Dr).

I want to find a doctor that likes and is good with kids, and sees preventive maintenance as important to health. One that has a balanced approach between necessary medical intervention and keeping things as non-invasive as possible. One who isn't turned off by the fact that I research and ask questions, but who will take my concerns seriously.

I need to find someone who is willing to give Baby E her vaccinations one at a time, a month apart. Someone who is good at dealing with family history of allergies and our other health issues.

Preferably, I'd like to find a doctor who treats me with respect as though a mother of three might actually know something about raising kids, and about what is or isn't normal for her kids. That would be nice.

I did find out that the doctor who was my pediatrician when I was a kid is still practicing, and still taking patients. I plan to call his office and ask some questions.

* I finally get the uneven filling on my front tooth fixed a couple of weeks ago. The dentist had the grace not to charge me for it. They wanted to schedule me for more dental work. Since DH's dental coverage just changed (for the better), I told them that I was going to try to switch to the dentist my parents and sisters use. That's the dentist I really wanted all along, and I think our new insurance will cover it.

I am ashamed to say that when she acted hurt and surprised that I was (*gasp*) switching to another dentist, I told the dental assistant that it was because the other office is so much closer to my house (5-10 minutes as opposed to 15-20). Of course, then she had to tell me about all the patients who travel from halfway across the continent and even from other countries, not to mention a long list of other states, just to get dental care there.

I didn't feel like telling her that the reason I was switching was because I was unhappy with the dental care I'd gotten.

Now I'm wondering if I should call or write a note to tell them the real reason I don't want to let that dentist work on my teeth again. But I really, really would rather not. I emphatically do not enjoy confrontation.

* My grandfather finally had hip surgery this week. He's still in the hospital, and my MIL kindly went with me Thursday evening to watch the kids so I could visit with him.

He'll be in the hospital for a few days yet, and we're praying for a quick and complete recovery for him. I hope this will make a big difference in his pain and mobility levels.

Incidentally, he refused the general anesthesia and the spinal block during surgery. That's my grandpa for you.

* Baby C, the little boy born early to our friends from church, finally got to go home from the hospital this week. 41 days was a long wait for his parents to get to take him home, and we're so happy for them.

* Annika, at falling down is also a gift, is still home from the hospital even though she has had another bleed already. She's working on gaining strength to prepare for another liver transplant.

It looks like January's bills may be covered by their insurance company after all, but they're leaving Annika's Internet Insurance Policy open to prepare for the inevitable future needs.

I am making a crocheted throw to donate. I'm almost a third of the way finished with it and I like the way it's turning out. It's yellow with flowers and a butterfly in filet crochet panels. I will, of course, post pictures when it's done. When I finish it, I'll have to ask Annika's parents if they'd rather have it sold as a fundraiser, or if they'd just like it for Annika to cuddle under. I wonder which they'll choose?

* Baby E has been sleeping better and life has been more manageable for about a week now. Hooray! She is also emphatically wanting DOWN to play on the floor most of the time, and eating more solids than I would have thought possible. In the last day or two she added the N sound and the word "ah-dew" (water) to her vocabulary.

* After being sporadic at best, we've finally started officially doing school again this week.

AJ is reading constantly, so now I'm having to work with her on understanding why she can't walk around with a book open in front of her nose all day and night. Books she's read recently include The Boxcar Children, Haffertee Hamster Diamond, Just Mrs. Goose, and Smokey the Well-Loved Kitten--all chapter books.

She's also learning her 2 and 3 addition tables with a music tape so she can practice doing math mentally (she's fairly proficient now with fingers or objects to count), and is enjoying her first grade math workbook, too. She's working on improving her writing skills, and when she can write the entire upper- and lower-case alphabet and numbers 1-10 clearly and without help she will earn a prize.

MM is sounding out simple words, adding on her fingers, and doing a kindergarten match skills workbook. She's listening to the 1 addition table on the music tape, and doing some writing exercises also. She still really enjoys hands-on, tactile activities, but she's very excited about her workbooks right now and is asking to work in them. She's improved immensely in attention span and in following directions.

Both girls are learning to cut and paste, pick up their toys, clear and set the table, and put away their clothes. They love to play outside and run around the house, have tea parties, play imaginary games, and entertain Baby E. They like doing art projects and putting together puzzles.

* I'm still working to catch up on housework but am making really good progress. My goal isn't perfection, but consistent progress sure is nice.

* We've added various foods gradually back into our diet, and now we're avoiding only soy and most dairy products. We're still limiting refined sugars and eating lots of whole grains and fresh produce. I'm using the crock pot a lot, which makes life easier.

* No, I haven't cut or dyed my hair yet. But I plan to do that and renew my prescription for contact lenses soon.