Regular readers of my blog know that The Peanut Butter was diagnosed with a “seizure disorder” a little more than a year ago and was prescribed medication to combat it.
When she started kindergarten this year, HoMu and I, along with her teacher, noticed that at times she wasn’t paying attention in class, was easily distracted, seemed distant and un-interested and sometimes would act as though she didn’t know something even though she did the day or even hours before.
Like we did before she was put on the medication, we started researching the side-effects of her medication again and discovered that these were indeed side-effects of taking it. So at her bi-annual exam with her Neurologist, we discussed with the doctor and it was decided that we would wean her off of the medication and, for the last 8 weeks, we’ve been doing just that.
After being dropped from 4 doses a day to 2, she showed a drastic increase in her testing and schoolwork, scoring a 27 on a numbers test weeks before when she was under full dosage to an astounding 49 (out of 50) when her dosing was cut in half.
She is now totally off the meds and, knock on wood, has not had a seizure during that time… and today she starts her 48-hour, in-hospital EEG at the University of Chicago Hospital (also where they were born) to see if she is still having them (she was having them in her sleep, hence the 48-hour EEG).
This is significant for two reasons: First; hopefully we can find out if she has, as most children who develop this type of seizure disorder do, grown out of the seizures.
Second: this means that she and The Jelly will be separated… for 3 days/2 nights.
For those of you reading that don’t have twins, everything you’ve heard about the connections that twins have with each other is, for the most part, true… and in the past, their separations have not worked out very well.
So this time we’re trying something different.
I am teaching two ‘Introduction to Public Speaking’ classes this semester and this week are final exams and final speeches, so I can’t cancel class. HoMu will be staying with The PB in the hospital and I will be down here with The J. But since I teach tonight until 10:00, and in an attempt to make The J more at ease, one of my SIL’s graciously said that The J can stay with them… so rather than staying up late until I pick her up… and rather than staying with a set of grandparents, she will be with one of her Aunts and Uncles and three of her cousins…
Hopefully my nephews and niece will help The J get through this first night… my wife will help The PB get through her first night… and me? Well… in front of people I will be the strong father, stoic and solid. But when I get home tonight, with no one around, and when I start thinking about my wife and daughters and what one of them is going through at the hospital and the other is going through away from her sister… I’m sure I’ll sit down for a nice cry…
And I have no problem with that…
Monday, December 10, 2007
Time Apart
Monday, August 13, 2007
A Sign of Things to Come
“The female of the species is more deadly than the male.” - Rudyard Kipling
There were approximately 7300 people at the concert, with the breakdown something like this:
- Girls anywhere from ages 3-17; 6899
- Boys anywhere from ages 3-17; 100
- Mothers/grandmothers/etc; 291
- Fathers/grandfathers/etc; 10
Ok, there were probably more than 10 men there, but not a whole-lot more… I was definitely outnumbered and realize I could have been trampled and overpowered at any given moment, but that is part of being a good father. And when The PB & The J told me that I was the best Daddy in the world for taking them to the concert... well, my heart was bursting with pride and joy.
When the first act, Jordan Pruitt, came out the audience response was a succinct; meh.
When Drake Bell (of Nickelodeon’s Drake & Josh) came out… the audience roared with approval.
When Corbin came out, all I heard was the squealing of thousands of girls… something along the lines of "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"
That was immediately followed by a semi-constant ringing in my ears that went away… well, it really hasn’t yet…
The PB & The J enjoyed themselves immensely… and were dancing and singing with all the other girls in attendance.
The PB & The J are five… and we saw plenty of other girls around the same age… with their High School Musical or “I heart Corbin” t-shirts on… teeny-bopping around, screaming, and generally acting like a concert-goer.
But seeing all of this – seeing the throngs of girls in a tizzy ready to rip the eyes out of any other girl that made eyes at Corbin – made me realize one thing;
I am oh-so-screwed…
It’s gonna be me… HoMu… and The PB & The J… no other males in the house…
Me… and three females…
Pray for me…
In all seriousness though; Bell wasn’t bad. His musical influences are The Beatles, and you can definitely hear it in his music and also in his fashion with his publicty photo on the state fair’s website looking very early-Beatlesesque;
As far as Corbin goes, he’s been working out since “High School Musical.” Midway through his show he removed his shirt to reveal a tank top with a glittery peace sign, and his muscles were a’bulging with more than a few of the mother’s oooing and aahing… never mind the fact that he’s only 20…
And one other question; when the HELL did concert t-shirts get so ridiculously expensive? $30, are you kidding me?
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
40 Years and Counting…
My parent’s 40th Anniversary party went off without a hitch Saturday. Almost everyone who was invited came, including my mom’s Aunt (91 years young) and cousin who we have not seen in about five years, as well as friends of theirs from Peoria who they had not seen in about six years.
There was plenty of good food and good wine (we went through about 9 or 10 bottles of wine – my family are not a bunch of lushes, mind you, we just enjoy a good bottle of wine – that came from my Dad’s wine cellar).
Sidebar: my parents are really into wine and altered a walk-in closet in their basement into an ideal wine cellar. Life as retirees has its perks…
A wonderful time was had by all 55 people that attended.
Thier anniversary party serves as a nice segue into another story. A story that helps explains why I am the way I am when it comes to the little things.
Since they got married, my Dad has gotten my Mom roses on their anniversary – one for each year. This was their 40th anniversary, so when the doorbell rang Saturday morning and it was a delivery of flowers, no one was surprised.
The card read: "40 roses for 40 wonderful years"
Out of curiosity, I decided to count the roses… hmmm, only 28.
My mom counted and also found 28… hmmmmmmmm.
About 20 minutes go by and I tell my Dad that there are only 28 roses. He says to look again… I do… and now there’s a little red box in the flowers.
Aha...
I tell my Mom to count the flowers again, and she finds the box. In it, a heart-shaped pendant with 12 rubies (40th Anniversary stone) in the shape of… you guessed it… roses.
Forty years – and my Dad’s still got it.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
You tell me...
Is it wrong that I feel emasculated jealous that my parents got Honey Mustard the 80 gb iPod for Christmas... which makes my 60 gb feel inadequate small?
Granted, they got me one of THESE... but still... her iPod has 20 more gigs than mine does...
I am jealous... is that wrong?
