Opthamology Visit

We had waited for what seemed like ages for this appointment. When the week was finally upon us, a dear friend asked who we were seeing and I wasn't quite sure. She said she hoped Samuel was seeing a certain opthamologist because she knows his family well and he is fantastic. I came home to discover that he was who we were scheduled to see the next day!

Samuel and I headed to Vanderbilt on Tuesday, May 12th, for his appointment. They began with several tests, checking his vision. I was so impressed at how much he recognized at such a distance! They then started with a PIP 24 palette test, checking his ability to recognize colors. I was amazed at this point. Not only could he distinguish between the colors, he was recognizing numbers that are higher than we have learned.

It was here that the assistant said that most children with optic swelling have difficulty distinguishing colors and have a hard time with that particular test. Samuel did not!

We then had to have drops put into his eyes for dilation. It was awful, but we finished and waited until they were ready for the next check of his eyes. Twenty minutes later, the fantastic doctor came in! He checked Samuel and made his diagnosis very clear...

Samuel does NOT have papillodema (optic swelling)!

Praising God that this is all in HIS hands!

He was asked to wear some cool sunglasses home, but he wasn't keen on the idea... until he realized how bright it was outside!  All in all, it was a great day, and we are incredibly grateful for all of the prayers being lifted on Samuel's behalf.

* We will revisit the neurosurgeon in June, but until then, we are doing okay. 

Yesterday

Written April 29, 2015

Yesterday was harder than I want to admit. It's probably going to be a day I will always remember. Samuel struggled, and as his mom, I will admit that I struggled too. I cried out to God (and to Brian) a lot more yesterday than I have before, and I made more phone calls to doctors than I have in the past.

It seemed like a normal day when we woke yesterday. We went to the homeschool/classroom, but Samuel was moving very slowly with his blanket in tow. His eyes were dark, and it was almost as if he hadn't slept 9 hours the night before. This child of mine who loves school and learning didn't go to his green desk; instead, he went to the corner of the room, laid down in the floor, and put his blanket over his head.

The rest of the day went slowly. It involved a lot of falling asleep, waking up only to get sick, moaning, very little speaking, and falling asleep again. Yesterday... it was scary for me. I waited on phone calls from the neurologist and from our pediatrician, but I couldn't help but notice how tired and how different he seemed from just a few days before.

In God's sovereign grace and provision, He cared for Samuel yesterday when I was frightened and unsure of what to do. He seemed to lifeless to me, but God was sustaining him and knew exactly what to do when I didn't. How grateful I am for my Heavenly Father! His care is so much greater than mine for both me and the children that He's entrusted me with.

Today... oh, TODAY.

Today, Samuel is filled with laughter and smiles, and he is gladly sitting on the couch, doing his school work because he realized he missed it yesterday. I am typing this through tears of thankfulness because joy truly does come in the morning. Friends of ours are going through trials that I cannot fathom. Their children are facing battles that shouldn't be comprehended by little ones at their ages. 

Yet, I see God. I see him working it all together for good. Romans 8:28. Even through the hard, disappointing, sad, unfair situations, I see that God has a greater purpose that I cannot truly understand at this time. I have to be willing to trust His plans and know that His will is going to be done in each of them... because yesterday, oh yesterday, I had no control. God had it all.

I don't know what tomorrow holds or what next week brings, but I know God already has it planned. I want to be willing and able to trust Him whatever it looks like...

The doctors believe Samuel was having an adverse reaction to his new medication. The dosage will be lowered and monitored for a short time.

Daniel is SIX!

I cannot believe I am even typing those words... he has been such an amazing joy and work of grace in our lives, and it feels like only yesterday that Daniel was born! He has had a HUGE year, and God has done great things for him in it.

Because our three boys have birthdays so close together, we usually combine them and celebrate with one large party. We, however, take special care in creating a day for each boy on his actual birthday where he chooses, within reason, where we eat and what dessert we are having. It is fun!

Daniel was pretty adamant about his April 20th birthday this year. He wanted Cracker Barrel for supper and frozen yogurt for dessert. However, we have no frozen yogurt places in our town, and I knew he would love cake just as much.

I walked into Walmart after eating supper and found the perfect cake for Daniel! He will tell you he doesn't really have a favorite color... because he loves them all. Sometimes, he will say his favorite color is a rainbow color. :) Walmart had a rainbow blast cake premade, and the excitement on his face when we cut into it was precious!

I think my favorite moments from his 6th birthday were when he actually prayed over his own birthday dinner at Cracker Barrel and the joyful expressions on his face as he opened his gifts! He is just so excited and happy about most things... it is contagious.

We are so blessed by this rambunctious ball of energy! I am thankful God has entrusted us with him for a season. I couldn't be more excited to see what is in store for Daniel.

Allergy Testing Revisited

We knew it would have to be done at some point, and since Elias has struggled some with runny nose and a cough since his adenoids and tonsils were removed in January, his pulmonologist felt now, April 22nd, was the time. He is one month away from turning three, and he handled this testing so much better than he did at 16 months old.

I kept him busy by playing with my phone and watching YouTube videos of Paw Patrol. The fifteen minutes flew by! He didn't cry or scratch at all, and that is probably because he isn't allergic anymore and hasn't added any new ones! Praising God for this great news!

Elias Escapades

He really is quite the child. He has turned out to be the most rambunctious, energetic, and hilarious of our three sons, and not a day goes by that he doesn't drive me crazy. However, he can make me laugh more than anyone in the world.  

Just recently, for instance, this little bit:

* decided to pour a gallon of water all over the bathroom floor.

* has taken a liking to dressing himself in the most fascinating ways. Clothes are often inside out, socks are gloves, coats are acceptable in the spring, and anything goes.

* shovels food in his mouth.

* thinks he can avoid bedtime if he's pretending to potty train, which he clearly isn't interested in attempting or accomplishing yet.

* likes pretending to be the bad "die", which is guy, and runs at us with a water gun.

* figured out how to unbuckle his car seat, get really quiet, then fall asleep while we're on the interstate. Oh, yes, he did.

* ate both of his brothers' leftover pieces of birthday cake. Both of theirs.

* likes to have crazy hair... at his sleep study, they put this gel on the electrodes to keep them on his head. When they came off, his hair was everywhere, but he just laughed!