Cranky

Don't let her cuteness fool you.

Kendall is cranky. And I am cranky because she is cranky. Some days she is so stinking high maintenance. The past two days have been perfect examples of this. She has to be held, read to, swung, or her latest favorite...playing house with her baby doll, ALL the time. I wish that she would just watch TV or entertain herself in some way. Just playing on a blanket with toys and scootching around would give a much needed break to everyone. As soon as she's left alone, she screams. She reaches up and grabs her hair by her ears and then screams louder because she's pulling her hair. It is making me crazy. When she is in her chair, she's fine. Good posture, looking around, singing. But as soon as you stop. It's all over. Same thing in the car. She actually yells "go" when we are at a stop light. So I go, and she stops screaming. It is Kendall's world. We just live in it. But it is VERY exhausting!

Contact Disaster.

Halloween went well. Kendall knocked on some doors and received a bunch of candy that she can't eat. Before we went trick-or-treating, Daddy decided Kendall needed to learn how to be a witch. He zoomed her around the house on her broom, and she loved every minute of it!

Kendall was fitted for contacts today. Because she has thick corneas (instead of round...they are a little more flat) and has an astigmatism, she was unable to wear Silisoft lenses and we had to go with RGP. Hmh.

Everyone laughs whenever I bring up her wearing contacts. I don't wear contacts. But I figured it was the next best thing because she won't keep her glasses on. I also thought it may even be an option to split the difference. Making her wear both and have her glasses lighter and thinner. But that's not the way it worked out.

We spent an hour and a half trying to put them in and take them out. We did it. But they slide down off of her corneas and she screamed bloody murder the entire time. So, the Dr. took them off and we left with an appointment to go back next Monday to try again. I don't plan to give up because the things were extremely expensive. (we hit our insurance deductible back in February, so they are paid for) And I really want them to work. But it was very stressful.

And did I mention they are the size of a pencil eraser? Well, they are. They are tinted and marked for each separate eye, but still it will require lots and lots of practice. And if we lose them in the process, we will be responsible for paying for the replacement.

I intend on thinking this over for the remainder of the week. Is it worth it? I don't know. What I do know is that since the traumatizing experience at the office today, she hasn't taken her glasses off once. I think she's thinking they may not be so bad after all!

Dysfunctional.

We're a mess.

Kendall won't keep her glasses on.

Kamden is the only 10 year old I know who won't wear a costume for Halloween...other than this Karate Kid headband.

And as we were getting ready for a costume party on Friday night, my husband suggested we forgo our original costume ideas and instead I go as Fred and he Wilma (due to our height difference) Once I saw him in the dress, there was no turning back.

Hopefully tonight we can pull it together and have some resemblance of a normal family :) But I won't hold my breath. And Kendall's getting fitted for her contacts tomorrow!

Petting the Dog...

Here's a video of Kendall petting Cooper. This was actually taken the night she went into the hospital last weekend! As you can see, she seemed completely fine and was thoroughly enjoying herself petting Coop and being entertained by Nonna and Grandad :)

Kendall is recovering very well. She just has a little cough right now, but is back to being her energetic, high maintenance self. Pulling off her glasses has become her favorite past time, along with throwing toys off her tray. She is a stinker...but I'll take a healthy stinker any day :)

Strep

Well, thanks to my blog...and detailed documentation of Kendall's life and medical issues...I was able to diagnose her with strep!

Ok, well, the Dr. confirmed it with a swab today at the pediatrician's office.

She had a very rough afternoon yesterday. So much so that I actually had a bag packed to go back to the hospital. I caught the Dr. right before closing and he insisted we start her on another steroid. When I went to get the prescription filled and take Kamden to guitar, she started to sound better. She was breathing normally after a breathing treatment, so I never gave her the steroid.

She had trouble sleeping, just seemed really miserable. Then this morning I noticed that she had hives. All over. So I looked back in the blog and decided it was either the Xeoponex neb treatments or Strep. I called the Dr., got an appointment, and the swab in the office came back positive.

She's been running a low fever, had high sugars, croup, and has been extremely lethargic. Tonight she looks plain miserable.

And to top off our perfect day, we found out our Nursing hours have been cut. I knew nursing was never a guaranteed thing. I've always been thankful for whatever extra help we can get. I have also heard they are "cleaning house" and cutting a lot of hours back, particularly seizure kiddos, but the thing is, they said it was because she's not having seizures anymore....which....she actually is. So, whatever. We'll appeal and pray it all works out, and if not....well, I guess we'll just make due. What other choice do we have?!?

It's been a quiet week otherwise. We canceled all therapies and have stayed in our pj's.

Oh, and the good news is her Hemoglobin A1C came back as a 7.4 which is an average blood sugar of 160. In the hospital they did an electrolyte panel on her and everything looked good, but her potassium was a bit high. So, we are continuing with the wean of the diet. 2.75:1, so far so good.

Keep us in your prayers.