tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11783231215752049472024-03-11T07:21:08.890-05:00Elliot’s ExpeditionsDespite his young age, our charismatic baby boy, Elliot James, has an unyielding passion for life. He embraces new things with wholehearted pleasure, and freely gives his love and affection, usually to the people who need it the very most. Dear Elliot was blessed with an extra chromosome, commonly referred to as Down syndrome. I dedicate this place to him...and to his loving sissy, Nora Lucille and new baby brother, Isaac Joseph. Do enjoy Elliot's Expeditions!Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.comBlogger331125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-3505603098571371852010-07-08T17:36:00.001-05:002010-07-08T17:36:57.686-05:00Dolls/Bees National Competition at OneTrueMedia.com<div><embed src="http://www.onetruemedia.com/share_view_player?p=b5191a8d23f3a46f3778d2" quality="high" scale="noscale" width="600" height="526" wmode="transparent" name="FLVPlayer" salign="LT" flashvars="&p=b5191a8d23f3a46f3778d2&skin_id=601&host=http://www.onetruemedia.com" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed><div style="margin:0px;font:12px/13px verdana,arial,sans-serif;line-height:20px;padding-bottom:15px;width:600px;text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.onetruemedia.com/landing?&utm_source=emplay&utm_medium=txt2" target="_blank" style="text-decoration:none;">Photo and video editing at <span style="text-decoration:underline;">www.OneTrueMedia.com</span></a></div></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-11522510331293445002010-07-07T15:57:00.000-05:002010-07-07T15:57:26.769-05:00Independence Day - In AWE of the fireworks!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7YW5cbJ3QwQCj2FEcbFF9qmsr1z0F7XpQ6rFcPPX63lnkxVpsvkXp49MM6PmfoYx997YObQUrDiK9GwO207FH8KdFk612sxngO6jdbW5dIHIjRInO_HnuWIJka7Gj8xlVuqMGk72Dvm4/s1600/Elliot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7YW5cbJ3QwQCj2FEcbFF9qmsr1z0F7XpQ6rFcPPX63lnkxVpsvkXp49MM6PmfoYx997YObQUrDiK9GwO207FH8KdFk612sxngO6jdbW5dIHIjRInO_HnuWIJka7Gj8xlVuqMGk72Dvm4/s640/Elliot.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-44941838682198206732010-03-20T21:42:00.001-05:002010-03-20T21:55:00.486-05:00Wholeness of LifeAs noted on the <a href="http://www.wouldyouhelp.org/">MOSAIC website</a>:<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">"In one study, respondents ranked supporting people with intellectual disabilities as a low priority – even below helping animals."</span></strong><br />
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My dear friend, and creative advertising genius, Marty, created videos found in the above mentioned link in support of an organization that provides persons with intellectual disabilities with much needed help. As they utter in their mission statement:<br />
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"In partnership with people who have disabilities, Mosaic provides supports and advocates that all may realize God's gift of wholeness of life."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBUuSpzecXkpBriq-P66m0555p279uJjnL_KHapOk594zuCqIAIJF7s9llqt5Ci7LwjHbc2GRVAgZ0OMcNh6zrqUrYF_hk90linMvYVbUs-NgpRIaxMgS-R8LUlu30-5jHQCUEKrs12OI/s1600-h/a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBUuSpzecXkpBriq-P66m0555p279uJjnL_KHapOk594zuCqIAIJF7s9llqt5Ci7LwjHbc2GRVAgZ0OMcNh6zrqUrYF_hk90linMvYVbUs-NgpRIaxMgS-R8LUlu30-5jHQCUEKrs12OI/s320/a.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div>Indeed, ‘wholeness of life.’ A wholeness that I cannot state that I ‘truly’ experienced until after the birth of our beloved Elliot who proudly sports an extra 21st chromosome. Ironic. I was not whole until he entered my life. He has given me that gift, and sadly, many like him are not able to experience this exact wholeness themselves.<br />
<br />
Please spread the word with regard to my friend’s work in support of <a href="http://www.wouldyouhelp.org/">this campaign</a>. And yes, the video creation is very poignant and I assume was created on a pro bono basis. God bless, Marty! Thank you for working toward serving people with intellectual disabilities. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-70117659657564714102010-02-26T08:54:00.001-06:002010-02-26T08:56:42.965-06:00Am I at fault?A <a href="http://www.prayingforparker.com/deep-dark-secrets-special-needs-style/">dear friend</a> posed the question, “What are your areas of weakness in raising a kid with special needs?”<br />
<br />
Me? Weaknesses galore. I can certainly admit it. I suppose my primary fault is over-protectiveness. Case in point: Elliot came down with a cold three weeks ago – and when Wee E gets a cold, it is nothing to shake a stick at. But, what do I do? I immediately pull him from school and he’s now been vacant from said classroom for THREE WEEKS. It will invariably turn into an upper respiratory infection or a horrible pneumonia (as it always has in the past) if he is further worn down by 4 hours per day, 5 days per week. We’ve had the therapies in house…we’ve toyed with OT and PT and ST here at home, but really, have accomplished nothing. I spend more time chatting with said therapists (as I rarely have adult interaction) and they leave. So, to school he goes and <strong>wow, do they work him</strong>! It’s fantastic. <br />
<br />
But, fantastic is only fantastic if my fragile boy is healthy. He goes, he becomes sick and he’s out for a month! I have now received the district supervisor call, “Um, Michelle, Elliot has been at school for 10 or so days this last semester…do you want to reinitiate in-home services?” <br />
<br />
“Well, no…if Elliot is sick, I really don’t want people in my house anyway!” I only pull him out when he’s sick, or when he has a surgery scheduled and needs to remain healthy prior to the procedure. It has been a really hard winter from a health standpoint.<br />
<br />
I don’t think the general public understands just how sick a child with Elliot’s needs becomes with a common cold, with a silly gastrointestinal flu that put him in-house at two hospitals for a MRI and an EEG…vomiting for 8 days solid. After that was said and done, it turned out to 'only' be the flu and his brain (although his brain has other issues) was okay. He weighs 23 pounds. He has a feeding tube to help with an additional diagnosis; he has no gallbladder; his liver has fought fibrosis; his spine has been corrected. And sadly, he cannot speak; he cannot walk and he’s pushing four years of age. <br />
<br />
So yes, overprotective. If I cannot speak for Elliot, who will? But, do I take things to the extreme? You bet…and really, I just wish that I could step back and let him enjoy life just a little bit. I wish that I could take Elliot to the grocery store (he has a special affection for the grocery store, although he won’t eat solid food); I wish that I could have accepted the birthday party invitation on his behalf, taken him and let him enjoy the party; I wish that he could realistically be in a school setting 4 hours per day, 5 days per week… <br />
<br />
But Elliot, a 32-week preemie…a boy that has undergone multiple surgeries, a boy with little to no immune system, needs to be protected. <br />
<br />
So, we’ll alter the IEP. We’ll send dear Elliot to school three days per week and see how he rolls. He is far, far behind from a cognitive standpoint – from a gross motor standpoint, and Wee E needs to be in school – if only for three days. And what will I do? Well, momma bear will worry her little head off each and every day that he is there. I’m trying to find a happy medium. <br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-59956594698484565822010-01-13T08:10:00.000-06:002010-01-13T08:10:34.753-06:002010 - thus far...Happy New Year? Well, I’m trying to look at the bright side of things. But, multiple illnesses have kind of sent me over the edge. My poor blog – not updated since Halloween! <br />
<br />
We started the year off with a bang. Sir Isaac took a trip to the ER on New Year’s Eve. He was diagnosed with a bilateral ear infection the previous Wednesday. Prescribed antibiotic produced an allergic reaction and needless to say, according to two ER physicians, he did not have an ear infection…no strep, no Influenza…just a high fever; a silly fever that lasted for three days, sitting around 104. Then, the rash – a horrible rash. He had Roseola – very common, and not very serious unless the fever goes untreated or unless your name is ‘Elliot’ and you really don’t do well fighting viruses. Elliot is currently fever free - for now!<br />
<br />
My Nora was in Kansas City for her first dance competition of the year (with my husband and mother, not me, no less) over that particular weekend. I missed the entire thing. She was fabulous I was told, but came home and immediately began vomiting (at school) the following Monday. Three days of puke!<br />
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Staph infection also set in – Elliot twice on his new g-tube. Wee E has been on antibiotic for over a month! <br />
<br />
Yesterday, Isaac began to vomit. Just in the morning, so that particular symptom bothered me quite a lot. Please vomit all day of you are going to vomit…otherwise, momma will think the worst. Momma knows too much! He’s had episodes of one puke here, one puke there before, so I worry. I do suppose that he is just a child that has a weak tummy, gets car sick, etcetera, but you know me…read between the lines. <br />
<br />
This morning – sick husband, lying in bed…not moving with a high fever. I have yet to approach the boy’s bedroom. I’m scared.<br />
<br />
Me?<br />
<br />
I cannot get sick. I never have been allowed. But today, I will head to the endodontist to have a root canal (gone bad) retreated. Will I complain? Hell no! Will it hurt? Most certainly, yes.<br />
<br />
But, as all of the fellow mommas know, our ills are in our head. Never more.<br />
<br />
My Happy New Year will commence on February 1. That’s the plan. Does someone want to bring me a bottle to ring it in appropriately? <br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-84574782130696916242009-10-30T16:35:00.004-05:002009-10-30T16:51:27.566-05:0031 for 21 – Why?<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/09/3rd-annual-31-for-21-blog-challenge.html"><img alt="Get It Down; 31 for 21" src="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/31for21button.jpg" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; width: 125px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<strong><em>“A 2002 literature review of elective abortion rates found that 91–93% of pregnancies in the United States with a diagnosis of Down syndrome were terminated. Data from the National Down Syndrome Cytogenetic Register in the United Kingdom indicates that from 1989 to 2006 the proportion of women choosing to terminate a pregnancy following prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome has remained constant at around 92%.”</em></strong> And the stats, in 2009 thus far, remain consistent.<br />
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All life is sacred. The life of an individual whose body contains an extra chromosome on the 21st pair is sacred. Said life may be imposed with a different set of challenges, but sacred nevertheless. <br />
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I am not one to judge. The 91-93% of women who choose to terminate have their individual reasons for doing so and possess the individual right as well. But frankly, I think that the termination rate remains high because mothers (and fathers too) are not educated. I use the term “educated” in ambiguous terms though. They may very well be educated in the typical sense, but they do not understand, notwithstanding the challenges, just how very much love and how very much life a person with Down syndrome can possess and bestow upon those around him or her. Otherwise, why terminate? <br />
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Our family was made aware of Elliot’s enhancement following his grand entrance into the world at 32-weeks gestation. I had the typical tests. The ultrasounds (many ultrasounds) showed no markers. My obstetrician still to this day indicates that he did not see the traits even upon birth. Elliot was whisked away so exceedingly quickly to the NICU across town. The neonatologist made the call; the call which changed our lives; the call which changed our lives for the better. <br />
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I refused tests when I became pregnant with Isaac (Elliot was just a few months old). I knew better and to me, it did not matter.<br />
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Down syndrome is beauty in a very raw form. Pure beauty.<br />
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Cliché to those who are blessed to have a child with Down syndrome, but to others, a death sentence. A palpable death sentence, otherwise why terminate? <br />
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Mothers and fathers, and sisters and brothers, and anyone who knows well, a child or an adult with Down syndrome would agree: they are magnificent, enlightened human beings, brought to this terrain with a purpose. They see only beauty on earth, and through their sight we are free-thinking, we are more open-minded, we are loved and we love. <br />
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But to those who know nothing of the extra chromosome, the potential life is lost…lost in 91-93% of cases. <br />
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I know that the majority of the individuals who read this blog have a child or a relative with Down syndrome.<br />
<br />
But, for those who do not, I have once again tried to write 31 posts. Unfortunately, this year, I have failed. Simple life got in the way. <br />
<br />
October is Down syndrome Awareness Month. And every October, really every day, I try to educate. <br />
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I would like to believe that we live in a society that no longer practices Eugenics (through abortion). Maybe I should not go there, but does the biologist who founded the movement so many years ago still have influence? Why else was the 2007 recommendation made: “All pregnant women, regardless of their age, should be offered screening for Down syndrome, according to the Practice Bulletin issued by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).” <br />
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What really is a desirable trait and what really is a defect? <br />
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In my estimation, it is not for us to say. But what I do know is that if given the chance to take my Elliot’s extra chromosome away, I would not do so. <br />
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Life for my dear boy has not been easy from a medical standpoint. And really, it never will be. But yet, he pushes through. He smiles. His courage is unwavering. He does not complain. And he loves, so very unconditionally. Every day I learn something new. Every day I love a little more. My path is more beautiful than I ever imagined…<br />
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Thanks <br />
<br />
To<br />
<br />
Elliot.<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><br />
</div></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-19996020257540028772009-10-27T15:35:00.002-05:002009-10-27T15:40:34.606-05:0031 for 21 – Down syndrome Births Drop in UK<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/09/3rd-annual-31-for-21-blog-challenge.html"><img alt="Get It Down; 31 for 21" src="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/31for21button.jpg" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; width: 125px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMoodNews/downs-syndrome-births-drop-uk/Story?id=8925638&page=1">More accurate screening and an increase in the number of younger mothers being screened for Down's syndrome may have forestalled an expected increase in the number of babies born with the condition in the United Kingdom, a study shows.</a> <br />
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More accurate screening of moms in the U.K. meant fewer Down's syndrome births, according to new research released this week.<br />
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From 1989 to 2008 in the number confirmed prenatal or postnatal diagnoses of Down's syndrome in England and Wales increased by 71 percent -- from 1,075 to 1,843 -- according to Dr. Joan Morris and Dr. Eva Alberman of Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry. <br />
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However, the number of babies born with Down's syndrome remained relatively steady despite an increase the age of mothers -- there were 752 in 1989 and 743 in 2008 -- because of terminations following prenatal diagnoses, they reported online in the British Medical Journal. The termination rate remained unchanged.<br />
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Dr. James Goldberg of San Francisco Perinatal Associates, past chair of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' Committee on Genetics, said he didn't know whether there was a similar trend in the United States or in other countries. <br />
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He said he believes the situation would be much the same here, although at least one small study has shown an increase in the number of live Down's syndrome births over time in women older than 35. <br />
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A spokesperson for ACOG noted that there are no national U.S. data on the number of women who receive prenatal screening for Down's syndrome or reliable data on the number babies born with the disorder. <br />
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Morris and Alberman examined data from the U.K.'s National Down Syndrome Cytogenetic Register, which includes about 93 percent of all diagnoses of Down's syndrome in England and Wales. <br />
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The database included information on diagnoses in live births and stillbirths, as well as antenatal diagnoses and subsequent terminations, fetal losses, and a small number babies brought to term. <br />
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Over the 20-year study period, the large increase in diagnoses occurred even though the overall number of births remained constant. <br />
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Starting in about the mid-1990s, the researchers said, screening for Down's syndrome has been improved through new methods and technologies. <br />
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Aside from the slightly different ages at which pregnant women were previously recommended for screening in the U.K. and U.S., Goldberg said, screening in the two countries is similar. <br />
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Now, in both countries, it is recommended that all pregnant women receive an offer of screening with a discussion of the pros and cons. <br />
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Without these improvements in screening, Morris and Alberman said, the number of babies born with Down's syndrome would have increased by an estimated 48 percent -- from 959 to 1,422 -- as a result of women waiting until later in life to have children. <br />
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A 40-year-old has about 16 times the risk of having a baby with Down's syndrome as a 25-year-old, they said. During the study period, the proportion of women younger than 37 who underwent screening increased from 3 percent to 43 percent. <br />
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The proportion of women 37 and older who underwent screening, on the other hand, remained constant at about 70 percent. <br />
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Morris and Alberman said additional studies to determine why more older women don't receive screening for Down's syndrome would be valuable. <br />
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"To ascertain whether the decision is an informed one and, if not, to address the lack of information, is important," they said. <br />
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During the study, the percentage of pregnant women who received diagnoses of Down's syndrome and went on to have the pregnancy terminated remained steady at about 92 percent. <br />
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Goldberg said that in California, data indicate that this proportion is closer to 60 percent. <br />
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But he noted that a large database of all Down's syndrome diagnoses does not exist in the U.S., and the figure is likely to vary widely throughout the country. <br />
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The ACOG spokesperson said that it's unclear how many terminations result from learning of a Down's syndrome diagnosis, because "[neither] the CDC nor anyone else collects data on the indications for pregnancy terminations." <br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><br />
</div></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-82740576860184132672009-10-22T20:39:00.001-05:002009-10-22T20:41:56.059-05:0031 for 21 – or not<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/09/3rd-annual-31-for-21-blog-challenge.html"><img alt="Get It Down; 31 for 21" src="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/31for21button.jpg" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; width: 125px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
I’m a horrible 31 for 21 blogger this year. Must be in a funk. There are multiple things to say and multiple ways to say them, but no words. I’m scared. I’m horror-struck and afraid that Elliot is going to get hit very, very hard with H1N1 and there won’t be a damned thing that I can do about it. The city is flooded with sick children, sick adults, sick everyone. I know what an upper respiratory infection does to his system; I know what basic illness does…I do not know yet what this will do. We get stuck in a hospital bed for a week with a cold because of the refusal of fluid. We’ve done pneumonia; we’ve done RSV; we’ve done Influenza A twice. We have not done this and momma is scared. <br />
<br />
Many typical children that I know are out for a week. A friend said like a puddle on the couch with tears and tummy aches and fevers spiking at 104+. My E will be in the hospital. It’s a given. I know – there are others like him and many, many other friends whose children will be hit harder than hard. E is not alone. Let’s all pray that it goes away soon. <br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><br />
</div></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-48562081748402865172009-10-18T09:31:00.000-05:002009-10-18T09:31:21.761-05:0031 for 21 – October 18 – All decked out<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqGo66Qac7bj8uvNcad_XUduWgGwUXt3Lov24eoZpyNq11v5CuGcxfQ342KpQSx1Kg-iHXAOtgV8Ix_AaFZarax2z6e3vjLdzntMiBODAxogZbVKP9moTPe0qpZW3v6MokDVw5_flqfM8/s1600-h/halloween+crashed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqGo66Qac7bj8uvNcad_XUduWgGwUXt3Lov24eoZpyNq11v5CuGcxfQ342KpQSx1Kg-iHXAOtgV8Ix_AaFZarax2z6e3vjLdzntMiBODAxogZbVKP9moTPe0qpZW3v6MokDVw5_flqfM8/s320/halloween+crashed.jpg" vr="true" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPUDYKQi5kSxoeeipWqf9-R2TvDuz1fWqyt9fQaWuIgMsc_CJELBUxOLKUkfH3rvL-VVzYvmn23xDRuDjc7Cp3dLYeUI6ObTXwrCPOb7GafIAVCXU049AS8NlKrJ59xV28G4LuDIi5cE/s1600-h/Halloween+Tiger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPUDYKQi5kSxoeeipWqf9-R2TvDuz1fWqyt9fQaWuIgMsc_CJELBUxOLKUkfH3rvL-VVzYvmn23xDRuDjc7Cp3dLYeUI6ObTXwrCPOb7GafIAVCXU049AS8NlKrJ59xV28G4LuDIi5cE/s320/Halloween+Tiger.jpg" vr="true" /></a><br />
</div><a href="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/09/3rd-annual-31-for-21-blog-challenge.html"><img alt="Get It Down; 31 for 21" src="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/31for21button.jpg" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; width: 125px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">I loved this costume. It actually came from our dear friends, <a href="http://www.theflockofbirds.blogspot.com/">Rhett and Pam</a>.<br />
<br />
Elliot crashed hard after an eventful Halloween a few years ago! <br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><br />
</div></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-53059967583227715862009-10-17T10:55:00.001-05:002009-10-17T10:56:52.858-05:0031 for 21 – October 17 – Parenting<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/09/3rd-annual-31-for-21-blog-challenge.html"><img alt="Get It Down; 31 for 21" src="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/31for21button.jpg" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; width: 125px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
Worth reposting - go <a href="http://www.parenting.com/gallery/Baby/A-Special-Joy-Babies-With-Down-Syndrome/20/">Parenting</a> Magazine! Do check out the 2009 entries as well.<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><br />
</div></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-61116491582867810612009-10-12T09:13:00.000-05:002009-10-12T09:13:45.463-05:0031 for 21 – October 12 – Wee E<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/09/3rd-annual-31-for-21-blog-challenge.html"><img alt="Get It Down; 31 for 21" src="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/31for21button.jpg" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; width: 125px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Such a little pumpkin – Wee E weighed in at a whopping 5 pounds in October of 2006. Still my little man, he now sits at 24 pounds at three years old. He’ll always be my baby! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAjLtnTg3rgmgDmqDaKidOed2virMqp00ow9mohaCOuipjgE3Bf7_ZleChVWSl7T43kAbUzAavxerCGKxaEpI-fz-3rVSgLTCUMRGg5B2PGdpB81BcGtCJAMbTtqvbyvQMpvMqHJR6yvc/s1600-h/pumpkin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAjLtnTg3rgmgDmqDaKidOed2virMqp00ow9mohaCOuipjgE3Bf7_ZleChVWSl7T43kAbUzAavxerCGKxaEpI-fz-3rVSgLTCUMRGg5B2PGdpB81BcGtCJAMbTtqvbyvQMpvMqHJR6yvc/s320/pumpkin.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><br />
</div></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-88656499856177822392009-10-09T20:25:00.000-05:002009-10-09T20:25:03.552-05:0031 for 21 – October 9 – A blessing and a curse<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/09/3rd-annual-31-for-21-blog-challenge.html"><img alt="Get It Down; 31 for 21" src="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/31for21button.jpg" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; width: 125px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
Sorry, no Elliot photo today - today took a turn.<br />
___________<br />
I suppose one could say that I am savvy from a medical standpoint. A mother learns quickly when multiple organs and multiple specialists are involved; when prematurity is involved; when home health, home medical equipment; when the masses<br />
<br />
are <br />
<br />
involved.<br />
<br />
Indeed, the extra chromosome, beloved as it may be, has thrown many a momma a hell of a curve ball.<br />
<br />
If momma is not involved, does not learn quickly, does not ask the right questions to the right specialists at the right times, things fall through the cracks and babe suffers.<br />
<br />
My babe has not suffered. He is armed, and both fortunately, and unfortunately, so am I. <br />
<br />
But still, with all of the information in my head, I tend to read between the lines a little bit too much. And sometimes, it’s not a good place – between the lines.<br />
<br />
Case in point – today.<br />
<br />
I know leukemia, not personally, but I know many a mother who has dealt with the wretched disease (they are rocks and they are smart and their kids receive the best care known to man). I know that Elliot has a higher probability than others who are not chromosomally enhanced. I know what to look for.<br />
<br />
But today, it was Isaac. The groin nodules, the bruises, and thank heavens, no petechiae. Yah, he’s two and is a crash and burn kind of kid, hence the bruises, but then I see a big one on his lower back. <br />
<br />
I <br />
<br />
AM<br />
<br />
A <br />
<br />
MESS.<br />
<br />
Call to pedi; immediate appointment today (GOD love her); blood work STAT; and no, she indicated that I was not really that crazy. Said she runs CBCs all the time to rule things out on her own kiddos. Well, we ran it all, and she did not question me.<br />
<br />
“I know; you and Elliot have been through a lot; his surgeries; his ‘stuff.’”<br />
<br />
“It’s okay, lets run it all stat and you can breathe over the weekend.”<br />
<br />
She calls me – ‘herself’ (you all know – pretty damn rare unless they are good). <br />
<br />
“Michelle, it’s normal – we are waiting on the SED rate, but the majority is normal.”<br />
<br />
I am breathing. My husband wants to cut my head off, but I am breathing. Isaac was probably poked for nothing, but I am breathing…I am armed and my kids are armed.<br />
<br />
So yah, a blessing and a curse. The knowledge. But, when the rubber meets the road (often in our household) it’s more of a blessing. It’s better to know and treat if need be…and it is better to breathe. <br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><br />
</div></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-22061139077627112322009-10-08T14:28:00.001-05:002009-10-08T14:29:47.989-05:0031 for 21 – October 8 – School Boy<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvCa2vvsXKOsmt4qf2lFoDdMVAHR7Ni0sFeNnO7Xmh6HCU93lyU0Ikp-909eWB6TdSQNWm0JShEz_NzzirjHALxthmLOiEPSXvAmy9Y1dCEeMM2hCFUW8eSEXLPsCecOOrILDHQEhNoYI/s1600-h/school+boy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvCa2vvsXKOsmt4qf2lFoDdMVAHR7Ni0sFeNnO7Xmh6HCU93lyU0Ikp-909eWB6TdSQNWm0JShEz_NzzirjHALxthmLOiEPSXvAmy9Y1dCEeMM2hCFUW8eSEXLPsCecOOrILDHQEhNoYI/s320/school+boy.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><a href="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/09/3rd-annual-31-for-21-blog-challenge.html"><img alt="Get It Down; 31 for 21" src="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/31for21button.jpg" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; width: 125px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
A little bit out of succession, but this is too cute not to post now. Elliot loves school, especially when he gets to play in shaving cream with his buddies! I tried for the life of me to fiqure out what he smelled like when he came home that particular day...<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><br />
</div></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-58095053447900056132009-10-07T06:53:00.001-05:002009-10-07T06:55:42.197-05:0031 for 21 – October 7 – Those Eyes<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/09/3rd-annual-31-for-21-blog-challenge.html"><img alt="Get It Down; 31 for 21" src="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/31for21button.jpg" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; width: 125px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
Sometimes the day turns into night and I don’t even know what happened. Like yesterday, when I neglected to get my 6th post up. It was a crummy day with no rest for the weary and getting up at 4:30 a.m. to get a few things done before the rest of the family awoke did not seem to help. <br />
<br />
And sometimes, I just need to learn how to let things go. There is always going to be the person who rubs me the wrong way. There is always going to be the bitter driver who turns right in front of me and uses a horn when really it was MY turn to use it. There will always be situations that I cannot change or attitudes that I cannot alter. Yesterday was a day full of people and circumstances like that. But last night, after one hell of a day, I looked at my Elliot – full of smiles and eyes bursting with his special fairy dust. The kid has the most incredible eyes – one look and you see right into his soul. Many children with Down syndrome are blessed with gorgeous Brushfield's spots: beautiful speckled irises. The little white spots occur in many ‘typical’ children, but are far more frequent in kiddos with Trisomy 21. They were described in 1924 by Thomas Brushfield and are due to aggregation of a normal iris element (connective tissue). Truly beautiful is what they are. One look and nothing else matters. Elliot is, beyond doubt, a gift from God. If you click on the photo below, you'll see what I am talking about! ;)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56mbu2YAERCtTxfod0Q0DbF-vuSk6mD2jmbXkFJ9lswMtIULwjpHoMcMCRyG-GEEaoywl0Uat6gsbDaVnMBriUyHugbl_mhKSZbsAkXX0qge-UFwvJGiSXBbKU6fBEgYDPgpq_k6mFY4/s1600-h/eyes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56mbu2YAERCtTxfod0Q0DbF-vuSk6mD2jmbXkFJ9lswMtIULwjpHoMcMCRyG-GEEaoywl0Uat6gsbDaVnMBriUyHugbl_mhKSZbsAkXX0qge-UFwvJGiSXBbKU6fBEgYDPgpq_k6mFY4/s320/eyes.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><br />
<br />
</div></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-39749236357228249242009-10-05T06:52:00.000-05:002009-10-05T06:52:32.655-05:0031 for 21 – October 5 – Big Sis!<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/09/3rd-annual-31-for-21-blog-challenge.html"><img alt="Get It Down; 31 for 21" src="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/31for21button.jpg" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; width: 125px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLzWrrlfjXm31LieYagM06uimtBvGxyRz2XeDQ4ZsUw0lZ1H-RRW2KEt3_453ciVidjDgdexuXVPVy8aDj8LBNjJx2_jSe_-qwWdSnNc_WQz32lTp8-GrSwxdtJgAonNZovgkCp9oOq_w/s1600-h/Nora+and+E.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLzWrrlfjXm31LieYagM06uimtBvGxyRz2XeDQ4ZsUw0lZ1H-RRW2KEt3_453ciVidjDgdexuXVPVy8aDj8LBNjJx2_jSe_-qwWdSnNc_WQz32lTp8-GrSwxdtJgAonNZovgkCp9oOq_w/s320/Nora+and+E.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>Elliot will forever have his sister wrapped around his finger. Nora, at the age of 4, had seen more from a medical standpoint than most people see in a lifetime. She’s such a strong little lady because of it. She’s really Elliot’s biggest cheerleader and does more than her fair share of advocating. I am so proud of her. Down syndrome changes a family dynamic. The real meaning of life and love is always prominent. <br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><br />
</div></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-75317399703339227822009-10-04T08:33:00.000-05:002009-10-04T08:33:40.608-05:0031 for 21 – October 4 – I got people!<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-Ruh_Saj-4DAF3qbzAELxXK0gOQVmsb8-erlbSuPpMQ-scL-d_5mrupe-kXkMNK53CTazC1sdA5qTGyW3p-yI1EeFOz5OMp9z532-UaCUu8YfZFcCL1ZdFlUSo8nWglN2boSconoSM4/s1600-h/Sheryl_Elliot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-Ruh_Saj-4DAF3qbzAELxXK0gOQVmsb8-erlbSuPpMQ-scL-d_5mrupe-kXkMNK53CTazC1sdA5qTGyW3p-yI1EeFOz5OMp9z532-UaCUu8YfZFcCL1ZdFlUSo8nWglN2boSconoSM4/s320/Sheryl_Elliot.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><a href="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/09/3rd-annual-31-for-21-blog-challenge.html"><img alt="Get It Down; 31 for 21" src="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/31for21button.jpg" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; width: 125px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
Down syndrome brings you close to so many wonderful people. In this photograph, Elliot is being held by his primary NICU nurse. I love this woman. Love her so much in fact that she is Elliot’s Godmother. She stepped up to the plate and volunteered to take care of Elliot while in-house at one of our local NICUs. I do believe that many of the other nurses has a bit of trepidation – not necessarily because Elliot was a challenge – yes, he was facing some ‘stuff’ at this point (more, much more, later), but primarily because I am sometimes a nightmare to deal with. My ‘momma advocation mode’ came out really early! <br />
<br />
Needless to say, because of Elliot, we have been touched my many angels. Some of my best friends are men and women who either have a child with Down syndrome, or work with kiddos who have been blessed with an extra chromosome, or people like Sheryl in the photo – she just has a big, big heart. Because of Elliot, we have people, and they are some of the best people in the world! <br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><br />
</div></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-37537505572550624052009-10-03T09:10:00.000-05:002009-10-03T09:10:45.205-05:0031 for 21 – October 3 – “Hey, It’s me; Elliot!”<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavhql19qYvpnDuLM19hkk8OATyQn0vDkjaWD5C0SKN-uY1tSKzresmwbdcNLty5-XOfGmArlVOx25PAHl-7el9kCjiUmd4f9lUD69gwHnp4PkXJ_xMWKGhy9f_Ir5M_qcQvnca4MT874/s1600-h/Birth+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavhql19qYvpnDuLM19hkk8OATyQn0vDkjaWD5C0SKN-uY1tSKzresmwbdcNLty5-XOfGmArlVOx25PAHl-7el9kCjiUmd4f9lUD69gwHnp4PkXJ_xMWKGhy9f_Ir5M_qcQvnca4MT874/s320/Birth+4.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><a href="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/09/3rd-annual-31-for-21-blog-challenge.html"><img alt="Get It Down; 31 for 21" src="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/31for21button.jpg" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; width: 125px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Mr. mighty he was! As a 32-week preemie, Elliot spent a total of a mere 12 days in the NICU. Said ‘bye bye’ to the O2 in house at 12 hours! And really, based upon his gestational age, he should have weighed a lot less than 4 pounds! He really made his presence known at the hospital, and had his favorites too. Screamed whenever a particular neonatologist came into the room. I knew why! <br />
<br />
“Look out world – Elliot had arrived.” <br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><br />
</div></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-80603577057841500232009-10-02T05:14:00.001-05:002009-10-02T05:17:29.863-05:0031 for 21 - Oct. 2 - Hello Baby!<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/09/3rd-annual-31-for-21-blog-challenge.html"><img alt="Get It Down; 31 for 21" src="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/31for21button.jpg" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; width: 125px;" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrzFMRrUnZBaXfFA4XNZzVEy1PMkg-117g7x5AnU2-pU7vu00pwICJ8AnxyhS24lUJH_gnF74DZnkm_6whuIdNTUCrs6qZZ9iC-rj7IZVTi7totwRFMaiW7dDyQSoJzscC2hRN0IH7Whs/s1600-h/31for21_two.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img $r="true" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrzFMRrUnZBaXfFA4XNZzVEy1PMkg-117g7x5AnU2-pU7vu00pwICJ8AnxyhS24lUJH_gnF74DZnkm_6whuIdNTUCrs6qZZ9iC-rj7IZVTi7totwRFMaiW7dDyQSoJzscC2hRN0IH7Whs/s320/31for21_two.jpg" /></a><br />
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New arrival! Love those tiny, tiny feet.<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><br />
</div></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-72368126996656479282009-10-01T06:46:00.000-05:002009-10-01T06:46:42.126-05:0031 for 21 – October is Down syndrome awareness month<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/09/3rd-annual-31-for-21-blog-challenge.html"><img alt="Get It Down; 31 for 21" src="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/31for21button.jpg" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; width: 125px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">And in conjunction with the celebration, I am again going to participate in <a href="http://unringingthebell.typepad.com/my_weblog/">Tricia’s annual 31 for 21 challenge</a>. This year, I will chronicle Elliot’s life in photos. What a wonderful life it is.<br />
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Here he is still in utero, awaiting arrival at a mere 32 weeks gestation. We were in for a surprise. Albeit a shock at first, nothing but a miracle directly thereafter.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguXCLUk_v-G3k7PvLRygOstJd10zANZTUNWYeUJXzDf4XJy1l6aULTEmbWFBYWzslgBolMkxozRwQQAdyZfSK5Swwsd4jBpp4UGNOajR8s-jnjRpTij99PzjaWsCc4XfEwNHVcxMx9ufw/s1600-h/Birth+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" iq="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguXCLUk_v-G3k7PvLRygOstJd10zANZTUNWYeUJXzDf4XJy1l6aULTEmbWFBYWzslgBolMkxozRwQQAdyZfSK5Swwsd4jBpp4UGNOajR8s-jnjRpTij99PzjaWsCc4XfEwNHVcxMx9ufw/s320/Birth+2.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><br />
</div></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-68334701570353240132009-09-17T06:39:00.002-05:002009-09-17T06:43:38.825-05:00Government-Run Health Care Would Ration Care for Disabled Children, Parents and Lawmakers WarnWednesday, September 16, 2009<br />By Penny Starr, Senior Staff Writer<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/54104">(CNSNews.com)</a> – Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) on Tuesday shared a personal story that shows why he is passionate about protecting the most vulnerable in society -- and why a government-run health care program would not only fail to offer that protection, but could end up rationing care for some people, including children with disabilities.<br /><br />At a Capitol Hill press conference, Franks said the parents who brought their special needs children to Washington, D.C., had the most compelling stories to share.<br /><br />“But I would cite just one (story) that has a personal connection to me,” Franks said. The story involved an “old man” and his firstborn son, who was born with deformities of the mouth – a “missing pallet” and other issues, Franks said.<br /><br />“And the doctors at that time in the small hospital said, ‘Well you can’t breast feed this child, you can’t feed him. So the best thing to do is to do away with him in a merciful manner.’<br /><br />“Well, the man said ‘No, this is my first child, we’re going to take him home and do the best we can. We’ll make a machine to feed him.’<br /><br />“The machine turned out to be an eyedropper and a pill cup,” Franks said. “And the child grew up to be big and strong. And of course I’m thankful to that old man, because he was my dad.”<br /><br />Franks said he had 11 surgeries before he was 9 years old.<br /><br />Franks was flanked by more than a dozen parents, some with their disabled children in tow and others carrying photographs of their children, including children who died from complications related to their disability.<br /><br />“I don’t want to draw attention to myself,” Franks said. “I want to draw attention to all these people and remind each of us, no matter who we are – I’ll quote a Democrat. He said that a society is measured by how it treats those in the dawn of life, those in the shadows of life and those in the twilight of life,” Franks said, referring to Hubert Humphrey.<br /><br />Kristan Hawkins, whose son Gunner was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at two months old, said her research on her son’s condition led her to discover that government health insurance in Canada and some European countries don’t cover the special medication he needs.<br /><br />Hawkins started a Web site, healthcareforgunner.com, and coordinated a group of parents from around the country who share her concerns. She said she came to Washington to lobby against government-run health care.<br /><br />“I want my family and my doctor to control my son’s health-care decisions, not a government-appointed committee,” Hawkins said.<br /><br />Barb Farlow said her daughter, who had a devastating genetic condition, died 80 days after she was born and 24 hours after she was taken to a Canadian hospital for surgery.<br /><br />“We later discovered that no diagnostic tests had been done and a ‘do not resuscitate order’ was written before we had provided consent,” Farlow said. “The discovery that our fundamental parental rights had been violated in such a manner without cause left us shocked and devastated.<br /><br />“Sadly, we believe that to our (Canadian) medical system, Annie was not a child but a label with associated statistics and a price tag,” Farlow said. “We will never know Annie’s potential, and so we grieve her death and the life she might have had.”<br /><br />Mary Kellett said she was glad she could fight for treatment for her 4-year-old son, Peter, who was born with a chromosomal abnormality.<br /><br />“We were told to wrap him in a blanket and let him die,” Kellett said. “We were told there were no survivors with Trisomy 18 beyond two weeks.<br /><br />“We fought to give Peter the ordinary care our other children would be given, and we thank God every day this precious little boy is here blessing our family,” Kellett said.<br /><br />Marty McCaffrey, a neonatologist and the father of a 9-year-old daughter with Down Syndrome, said he sees problems with Democrats’ vision of health care reform:<br /><br />“We have been assured that government restructuring of health care will not require rationing, affect current services, create distribution panels, nor subsidize abortion,” McCaffrey said. “Even a neonatologist knows that if you increase demand for services, the cost will rise. If the health services budget is drastically cut while larger numbers of patients are added to the roles, rationing is unavoidable.”<br /><br />McCaffrey said 90 percent of women who are diagnosed as carrying a baby with Down syndrome terminate the pregnancy – a number he said could grow even larger under currently proposed health care reform.<br /><br />“Many will never meet a child with Down Syndrome,” McCaffrey said as he held his daughter Shea’s hand.<br /><br />Erica Kelley’s two-year-old son also has cystic fibrosis. She said he is doing well because of the outstanding care he receives through her husband’s employer-provided insurance.<br /><br />“The people of the U.S. have access to the best medical care in the world,” Kelley said.<br /><br />Eileen Benthal’s daughter, Johanna, has congenital brain malformations. Johanna has had 70 surgeries, mostly on her brain, in her 13 years of life. Her condition causes stroke-like symptoms, cognitive and motor delays and seizures.<br /><br />Benthal said Medicare is her daughter’s secondary insurance and that treatments and medications are regularly denied. “I shudder to think of how we would fare with (Medicaid) as primary (insurance),” Benthal said.<br /><br />Rep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (R-Wash.) also attended the conference and said she shares the parents’ concerns about a government-run health care program.<br /><br />“We wanted to just give you a perspective of a community of people who are watching health care reform very closely and want to make sure that the reform that ultimately passes Congress doesn’t leave a very important population behind,” McMorris-Rodgers said. “These are people that are dealing with health care on a daily, if not an hourly basis -- and I know this because of my own experience.<br /><br />“I have a son who is two years old,” McMorris-Rodgers said. “He has Down Syndrome and it means we are in the doctor’s office a lot.”<br /><br />Franks said the community would be harmed by a government-run health care plan.<br /><br /><strong>“I truly believe with all my heart that government-run health care will diminish all of those people, those in the dawn of life, the unborn,” Franks said. “This will be the largest expansion of abortion since Roe versus Wade.</strong><br /><br />“Regardless of the debate that has occurred, we’re taking the lives of 4,000 children every day, and if that’s the administration’s health care plan for the unborn, I don’t think that’s a good one,” Franks said.<br /><br />The parents distributed a white paper at the press conference detailing the effects of health care rationing. They also sent a letter to President Barack Obama and leadership in the House and Senate expressing their opposition to a government-run health care plan.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" /></a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-686701470449810602009-09-09T06:50:00.002-05:002009-09-09T06:54:03.924-05:00Special Exposure Wednesday - Glee<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmD1LRsN8K97o4TtZ9R7SGNbrmveUGSOGQyLQvcIiYxnKPaYoPPM7Ti5z5cVVmS8g4FyAPI5V5AX476IS0jvtYqTFNOtElMr0Xr_bCAUI7vmSILo-adbxDowRXPJCJZ_2Mv4EhcHQ0yE/s1600-h/specialexposurewednesday.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 178px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379434539842440434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmD1LRsN8K97o4TtZ9R7SGNbrmveUGSOGQyLQvcIiYxnKPaYoPPM7Ti5z5cVVmS8g4FyAPI5V5AX476IS0jvtYqTFNOtElMr0Xr_bCAUI7vmSILo-adbxDowRXPJCJZ_2Mv4EhcHQ0yE/s200/specialexposurewednesday.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSRl_6_QrmArCH6T8Obiki4jGpPLSWHWxLWtP51otNBiEM8MdJEE9FA9WZB_2iyEq3TH-vQRS97_yfTQlHItmZ6L1dH0Fi_0GvaePriIJG1YxnSlmqV3TH2rt7_bBuNwoaZT9TW7rPKFM/s1600-h/Glee.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379434196851616946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSRl_6_QrmArCH6T8Obiki4jGpPLSWHWxLWtP51otNBiEM8MdJEE9FA9WZB_2iyEq3TH-vQRS97_yfTQlHItmZ6L1dH0Fi_0GvaePriIJG1YxnSlmqV3TH2rt7_bBuNwoaZT9TW7rPKFM/s400/Glee.jpg" /></a><br />For more, go <a href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/">here</a>.<br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" /></a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-12736721925518268682009-09-06T15:17:00.006-05:002009-09-06T15:24:12.120-05:00Happy birthday, baby boy!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhiNDh44Lh0AXR1x6EfV9XRWznVdB_aW9sXuwvDpJAQgTrhLrY7n5cNz76s9x2dJTemOm6vGH4qcDxIJ2vGQ5d6S8aX98S93mGB9de2shbQ2adMELTCNLhiv2Sjd4lhXF-IEzDaOtBPY/s1600-h/Almost+2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378452052751504210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhiNDh44Lh0AXR1x6EfV9XRWznVdB_aW9sXuwvDpJAQgTrhLrY7n5cNz76s9x2dJTemOm6vGH4qcDxIJ2vGQ5d6S8aX98S93mGB9de2shbQ2adMELTCNLhiv2Sjd4lhXF-IEzDaOtBPY/s400/Almost+2.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnogUTI4uow1OLT0Hya_lKUy2jMBFxhrRCiSZ9Txn5HWVrQIZEESYFQaSs99OZucMu5640p8MmVH4C4xftxbpbetgFiCIMVujhW022dPTVRDYVD8XYNll3YuAzyWeuCdVsKkABNSZPWg/s1600-h/First+Birthday.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378451947424462658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnogUTI4uow1OLT0Hya_lKUy2jMBFxhrRCiSZ9Txn5HWVrQIZEESYFQaSs99OZucMu5640p8MmVH4C4xftxbpbetgFiCIMVujhW022dPTVRDYVD8XYNll3YuAzyWeuCdVsKkABNSZPWg/s400/First+Birthday.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtaXITkYPLOEvQLc83onnsNHso1706shja4l_Plgc6B81Z7sVPtea8Uw3c67MACTlOb6PS0ORGFTJSD0PsvIRzLaIQzQdFukunOV9bwEYioG7UXxiZobGMoV3UOkV9c6yJibzCgSeNa0g/s1600-h/Isaac+and+Elliot.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378451850570997650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtaXITkYPLOEvQLc83onnsNHso1706shja4l_Plgc6B81Z7sVPtea8Uw3c67MACTlOb6PS0ORGFTJSD0PsvIRzLaIQzQdFukunOV9bwEYioG7UXxiZobGMoV3UOkV9c6yJibzCgSeNa0g/s400/Isaac+and+Elliot.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19ltBTiR8oyjfkEAW42_NFO3flMk0U0QkChxcEBASdMVCSadKiilTGAiIl7MYDKfZGvquQAjWSOSglYmMC-wLaosoofB3Gx81bV7oWvmq24SpcMpkySwbL3ApskGIAqOe-NdHO3TKZR0/s1600-h/Isaac+and+Nora.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378451771409311762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19ltBTiR8oyjfkEAW42_NFO3flMk0U0QkChxcEBASdMVCSadKiilTGAiIl7MYDKfZGvquQAjWSOSglYmMC-wLaosoofB3Gx81bV7oWvmq24SpcMpkySwbL3ApskGIAqOe-NdHO3TKZR0/s400/Isaac+and+Nora.jpg" /></a><br />Isaac is a jovial, vigorous and very energetic two-year old. And, after two years of his rambunctious nature, I’m still kicking…and so is Jeff.<br /><br />Our boy is in love with cars, Elmo (of course), balls and the phone – cellular phones, the home devices, play phones, etc. He has taken it upon himself to throw my mobile in the trash on more than one occasion. His language skills are really above average and he spends a great deal of time engaging in his own special conversations on the phone. It is quite comical.<br /><br />Isaac especially enjoys his brother, Elliot. The two are really starting to play well together, and while I had a horrible premonition regarding Elliot’s needs being pushed to the sidelines after Isaac arrived, the situation is quite the contrary. Indeed, it is hard to witness Elliot’s younger sibling surpass him in all areas, but Isaac’s achievements only make me appreciate Elliot’s all the more. I literally forgot just how quickly things transpire with a typical child. He crawled, walked and ran in no time flat. He masters a multitude of fine motor skills. He is teaching Elliot sign language due to the absolute brilliance of Rachel Coleman. He eats like a horse and really does not dislike much of anything he can shove in. But what he does best is motivate sweet Elliot. Charming is an understatement.<br /><br />Isaac too is an angel…an angel of typical chromosomal make-up, but a gift from God as well. I remember all too well how the physicians tried to impress upon me the unqualified value of an amniocentesis while pregnant with Isaac. Of course, I refused. And, Isaac was born just as typical as typical gets…all boy and all Isaac.<br /><br />God bless you my two-year old, my baby boy with angelic curls who now does so much more than toddle! Happy second birthday (September 7, 2009)!<br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" /></a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-88125017633866065092009-09-03T20:19:00.001-05:002009-09-03T20:22:36.172-05:00Kindness<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixL-2p8xIC9npfh8GUE_mdnRSK8vetDCVDfryqqoMbeMYDabhtG7jK6HXw2RTQ0dVXpMgTWDN3H90NY06hoVeSDbA-XT8IlSH4LDjA9xEKJNMJBk8blmDYzg1znPIu7kl9h-WCY5fL0A/s1600-h/Elliot_Poster.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377416128774420898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixL-2p8xIC9npfh8GUE_mdnRSK8vetDCVDfryqqoMbeMYDabhtG7jK6HXw2RTQ0dVXpMgTWDN3H90NY06hoVeSDbA-XT8IlSH4LDjA9xEKJNMJBk8blmDYzg1znPIu7kl9h-WCY5fL0A/s400/Elliot_Poster.jpg" /></a>I have neglected to blog about Elliot’s most recent setback; of course, it is much easier to post quickly on Facebook and the hospital’s server is slow. But, he’s in house with terrible H1N1 symptoms. Not confirmed as it is hard to confirm with the simple Influenza A/B test, but he refuses liquid and becomes dehydrated quickly when ill. In to the ER on Tuesday night and still in house. On IV and getting meds as well.<br /><br />Needless to say, his wonderful teacher had a special project for his peers today. They designed this poster for his room and delivered it. To say that I was touched would be an understatement!<br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" /></a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-46806313644004905652009-08-29T07:55:00.002-05:002009-08-29T08:00:48.764-05:00Elliot-Superstar!Elliot’s IEP review went very well. Of course, I had a lot of apprehension about it, and I was wondering just why we were reviewing a mere one week into school. Turns out that it was simply a formality and his abilities were not documented since he was an infant. It was simply part of the Federal guidelines.<br /><br />I have also had a great deal of trepidation regarding school in general terms. But Elliot is a rock star. His specialists are phenomenal and his peers are adorable. I have seen a marked improvement in Elliot’s overall demeanor in barely one week! <br /><br />The vice principal in charge of the program is simply an angel. I thank him over and over and he keeps telling me that I pay taxes and these services are provided as part of the ‘plan,’ mandated in fact. But really, the program would be squandered if these wonderful people were not in place to implement it. <br /><br />The school has ordered an adapted swing for the playground for Elliot and only Elliot. The swing is as sturdy as it could ever be. They were worried that Elliot could not participate with the others during outdoor activities, so they ordered the swing to have in place right away. <br /><br />Elliot has a special chair so he can eat (or rather drink his Pediasure) with the rest of the class during meal times.<br /><br />Elliot has an “Elliot shelf” in the classroom that his toys are kept upon – away from the germs of the toys that are kept on the floor. <br /><br />Elliot has a one-on-one special education instructor, a speech therapist, an occupational therapist, a physical therapist and a special person that will be brought in to work with him on adaptive communication strategy. What’s more, they all love my boy.<br /><br />The IEP review brought nothing but rave responses about Elliot’s social skills and desire to participate and learn. Yes, we all know that he is behind, and also behind others his age with Down syndrome, but these people don’t bother with that. Elliot will be at Elliot’s full potential, and these people would have it no other way. I could not be more impressed. <br /><br />They have invited Isaac and me to lunch anytime we wish to visit. They have kept things just as sanitary as humanly possible. They are even helping with potty training. They have agreed to bring in the help of our personal developmental psychologist regarding Elliot’s oral aversions. Simply stated, they have never said “no” to anything that I have brought to the table.<br /><br />Yesterday when I dropped Elliot off at school (I walk him to the door and his wheelchair is waiting), the children all came running to him.<br /><br />“Look, its Elliot!” <br /><br />“Hi Elliot!”<br /><br />“Can I play with Elliot today?”<br /><br />They too love my boy! They see little to no difference. What a brilliant program – one that will both help my boy as well as let his little peers know that “normal is not always normal,” that “difference is good,” and that we are all created by one God. Of course, religion is not brought into the public school system, but I saw nothing but God’s little angels surrounding my Wee E. <br /><br />Elliot is a superstar and momma could not be happier! <br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" /></a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1178323121575204947.post-403637659246028642009-08-21T21:17:00.004-05:002009-08-21T21:25:09.085-05:00It's okay.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCQH9DjL0x6i4QwpIDouveM6ws8VEn2qEf3F0VPAZnvUzSP3dfbfbDWRtsKNUBKujUcKBg2kJCyW1Cg9Yuxpi0ZknU8ZDUUDecQv4KaoR7TeElXJCFuVuJ3KZ9EK5xG_vWbpQtMYVMuY/s1600-h/E+at+Open+House.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372606657686504962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCQH9DjL0x6i4QwpIDouveM6ws8VEn2qEf3F0VPAZnvUzSP3dfbfbDWRtsKNUBKujUcKBg2kJCyW1Cg9Yuxpi0ZknU8ZDUUDecQv4KaoR7TeElXJCFuVuJ3KZ9EK5xG_vWbpQtMYVMuY/s400/E+at+Open+House.jpg" /></a>There really has never been anything <em>definitive</em> to hold on to, so I simply hold on to him…Elliot that is. He is definitive, but his abilities are not. But, it’s okay. Now it is time to let him go, speaking figuratively of course.<br /><br />Elliot’s school vice principal phoned this morning. It seems that it is also time to have him reevaluated.<br /><br />“We have not had a formal evaluation completed since 2006.”<br /><br />Sure, that’s when the geneticist defined his enhancement in writing. That was definitive; nothing was left open to consideration. Elliot is definitive, but again, his abilities are not.<br /><br /><em>Somewhere between the lines</em>…I’ve said it before. That’s where we are. And sometimes things are better left unspoken (and not defined in black and white). It is easier that way. I will forever defend his intentions, although he generally fails in the minds of most. It is okay.<br /><br />The vice principal in charge of the special education program at the grade school wants to define. Of course, the federal government mandates it. It’s part of the deal.<br /><br />We will call in all of the specialists: occupational and physical therapy, speech language pathology, the audiologist, the school psychologist, the feeding specialist…the masses. Of course, Elliot’s goals have been delineated formally in his Individual Education Plan, but we need to go one step further according to the school vice principal.<br /><br />I was a bit taken aback that this meeting was to take place so hurriedly. But, I understand and I certainly take no offence whatsoever.<br /><br />It is what it is and it will be what it will be. I know that it will be hard to read, but I need to let go.<br /><br />I indicated that I wanted to look at obtaining a walker for Elliot. I revealed that it took over a year to obtain his wheelchair. The school vice principal said, “Michelle, we take it upon ourselves to do everything we can to help him so he no longer <em>needs</em> the wheelchair.”<br /><br />“We will do everything in our power to help your son succeed…to learn, to grow.”<br /><br />I understand; this is what the meetings and the evaluations are for. It is all for the best.<br /><br />Undeniably, our school system is in place to help our son. The school vice principal understands that Elliot is the only child in class with needs a bit greater than the others who have been defined as having said needs.<br /><br />I do have to let him go. He will be in good hands (and hearts), and yes, the previously undefined will be defined (at least to the best of the school system’s ability). And, it is all okay.<br /><br />Wish our dear boy luck on Monday.<br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/117/C7A0502191F2FC7E4E56EBBA51B0A63E.png" /></a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16762718199277338901noreply@blogger.com0