Nostalgia is Fun

Can you tell which one is which? (Hint: one is Alex and one is Troy, around the same age..)

So Troy isn't Left Out....

Here's a comparison of Troy one year ago:

September 2010:

September 2011:

Alex Has Come So FAR!

A couple weeks ago Alex went to give his dad a high-five, and OPENED HIS LEFTY FINGERS FIRST!!!! This is seriously amazing stuff! The therapists all wanted to see this happen within the first 6 months of his stroke, so to see it happen a full year afterward is just unbelievable! When we told the OT the other day she really pointed out how big a deal that this is - it usually doesn't happen.

I find myself comparing to this time last year so often lately and tearing up. I am just so proud of my little man, and so thankful to God for leaving him here with us. We had a dance party at the end of a movie the other day and I took a quick video of him dancing, swinging his arms. I don't want to post it because he's in his pj's but will show you in private one day if you come over, I promise!

September 13, 2010, at the Glenrose Hospital. He is puffy from the medications and his left eye won't look straight:

June 2011, Posing for Mom and the camera...refusing to look at me

(I think there was a squirrel that was more interesting)

And here he is just a few weeks ago, making a face and just finished playing with neighbourhood kids.



New Adventures for Dad

I've often been quite proud of my 'potty-record' with Alex and Troy. I've never had a mishap - you know, peeing in my face or poo smeared everywhere... until today.

I now have a Poo Story.

I gave Alex a bath this morning, then when he was finished, I had my shower and decided to take Troy in with me - he needed to get the breakfast off. :) After we were done, I saw Alex playing with his tools downstairs and decided to let Troy play in his room while I shaved. I also thought he could use some bare-bum time, so left him without a diaper - he'd just peed in the shower, so I figured I was safe.
As I'm wrapping up my shave, I think, "Boy, Troy sure is playing well - not a peep!" WELL...!

I go in, and there it is - POO! And, it stank! Thankfully, there were only 2 piles and he'd only just discovered one when I got in. But, that first fist full went right to the mouth! AAAAAGGGGHHHH!
I quickly grabbed his hand and ran him back to the bathtub. I turned on the water and just started wiping! All I could figure was get as much of that shit out of his mouth as possible! Then I could take care of the rest on his hands, arm, shoulder, legs and bum.
Of course this whole time Alex wants to help. I'm telling him that he should just go play in his room or downstairs, but of course there's nothing more interesting that Poo!
Once I get Troy hosed down and dressed (while being adamant with Alex not to step in the poo), I toss him into his crib so I can get dressed and deal with the poo smears on the floor. Alex then asks me if he can join Troy in the crib, and I think it's a wonderful idea - keeps both kids out of my way! After using the baby wipes to scoop the crap up, I have to find a way to get rid of the stains...
The in-laws have a steam cleaner - I'll be borrowing that tonight! But, in the mean time, I run down to the basement to get that bottle of Club Soda that's been sitting around since our last tequila binge. It does the trick on the 2 smaller stains (yep, I found another one!), but the bigger spot is still noticeably... discolored.

The boys are now both clean and lunched. Troy hasn't puked, so I'm guessing the small amount of poo that he did injest hasn't caused much harm. He's now sleeping, and I think my stomach has settled enough for me to go eat.

Good times!

Seizures

Last week Jason took Alex for his third (or fourth?) EEG and another meeting with the neurologist. While Alex once again did not have one of his episodes during the EEG the neurologist did say that they saw some midline activity, whatever that means. The good news is that while Jason and Doc were talking Alex had one of his dizzies right in front of the Doc's nurse. She confirmed that he has been having seizures and the Doc has put Alex on some anti-seizure meds.

I am so thrilled to report that since day two of only HALF the dose of his new meds Alex has not had any more dizzies!!! So for about 9 days now he has not needed any new bandaids on his head!

Thanks to all of you for your support again, we are still working on his left hand which is at about 5-10% functionality. This is just going to take some time.

Hello New Home!

We moved this week and the house is looking better and better (especially when I close my eyes!) Thank you to all of you who pitched in, I think this was the most time pressured move we've ever had and I'm not likely to repeat it!!!

March - and another new chapter

At the end of this month we will be moving back to Sherwood Park. I know, Jason said he never would, but we have been thinking about where Alex will be going to school and we believe that the supports just may be better there, so off we go. And they REMOVE the snow there! For all you Edmontonians, you realize how valuable this is, and for all you who have attempted to visit us this winter you realize just how much more amazing it will be for us to live somewhere where visitors will be able to park!

Alex started a new therapy with an organization funded by Alberta Learning back in early February, the woman comes four days a week for 3.5 hours and works one on one with Alex. She even picks him up and takes him to preschool and swimming lessons, following him while he plays and interacts with the other kids, enacting the prescribed actions that the therapists have advised. I asked her about what the other kids think and she said that they just accept that she's there and haven't bugged Alex about it at all; it makes me really grateful that Alex is so young.

We are noticing some improvement with his left hand! He is able to very lightly grab onto something if you place it in his hand and then let it go on command, we are extremely excited about it!

Troy has started crawling and is picking up speed and has also begun to 'furniture walk'. He has also discovered the joys of toilet paper and the mysterious 'water bowl' in the bathroom that he can now reach and splash (yuck!). Needless to say we keep the bathroom door closed now!

Thanks, and Good-bye

Yesterday was our last session at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital. I quite honestly, don't know where we - as a family - would be without the help of Ryan, Sarah and Kristen, and all the support staff. They have been such an encouragement to Alex and to Jenn & I. I have never really been a huge fan of "traditional medicine" but these people have been such a HUGE blessing in our life. I would not trade the last 5 months there for anything in the world. If any of you guys read this, you have made a world of difference - you have picked the best time in history to be in your field, if only to improve the life of one family.

I hope to see you all again. I want you guys to witness the path you've put Alex on, as he continues to improve, recover, and become the Little Man he is meant to be. Without you guys, none of it could be possible!

Playschool

This week Alex has taken another step in growing up - he has officially started playschool. Since these only run once per week we have enrolled him in two classes, once on Tuesday and once on Thursday for the next 8 weeks. He absolutely loves it! Apparently the conversation on the way to school on Tuesday went something like this:

Jason: "today is your first day of new school"
Alex: "is this school with other kids?"
Jason: "yes"
Alex: "are you going to stay or are you going to go?"
Jason: "would you like me to stay or should I go?"
Alex: "you can go"

But apparently Alex was the first to GO! He was into absolutely everything before J had time to finish the paperwork: jumping in the squares on the floor, play-doh, etc etc.

The Thursday program introduces the kids to science, all sorts of kid-friendly experiments (not sure who thought this one up, they're only three!) that they get to bring home later (eek?!?)

I went back to work last Monday and while I don't really miss the daily routine too much I sure am sad that I'm missing the first days of real school. Good thing Jason is there to record these moments!

"Sieze the fat one!"

Alex LOVES Disney's "Robin Hood", more specifically, he loves the scene at then end of the archery tourney when the Rhinos try to catch the Chicken. We watch it just about every day and he just howls with laughter! Then he'll run around the house pretending to be the Chicken bowling over the Rhinos. It's awesome!

The last 2 times I watched it with him, I teared up. That part of the movie has come to represent Alex's own victory over what he's had to deal with. No matter what comes his way, he keeps his smile! My son is an overcomer and has a great deal to teach us all!

Goodbye 2010!

I must admit - I'm not sad to see 2010 end, yet I am also not bitter about it. Someone asked Jason and I recently how we were dealing with all that happened to Alex without being bitter. Honestly, I don't know. Perhaps it's the 'peace that passes all understanding'; perhaps it is the prayers of others; perhaps it is a bit of redirected angst. For a while there I found it extremely frustrating to drive and try to find parking in the Glenrose's underground parkade, much more frustrating than watching my son try to make his left hand move without success. It just doesn't make sense.

Alex's EEG was inconclusive. Half the symptoms indicate seizures, half indicate muscles spasm, the docs really have no idea. They want to run another EEG and try to figure it out. As for Alex, he has started to be able to feel the 'dizzies' come on and can either fling himself onto the couch, hold onto something to steady himself or, the latest development - he has even managed to remain on his feet throughout the spasm without holding onto anything!

All the while, all throughout, Alex remains himself - inquisitive, loving and happy. Some kids cry and scream when they see the occupational therapist coming, but not Alex. He 'hides' and then pops out and runs to give him a hug! The physical therapists have constantly rearranged their schedules in order to keep Alex as a patient, and he absolutely adores them! He told me the other day that he wants to marry those two girls (didn't have the heart to tell him that they're taken).

I'm aware that some of you who read this are not Christian, or are not religious, while some of you are church friends and share our faith. Whichever the situation I appreciate your support and love and hope that you have been blessed by our story. While we would never choose to relive these past experiences we are also astonished by the highs and lows that have accompanied the journey. I never thought that watching a kid run could bring so much joy!!!

God bless you all and Happy New Year!