tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59156920379140693072024-03-05T20:49:12.916-05:00Tommy's EyesWe started this blog after our son was diagnosed with congenital cataracts. After searching for ANYTHING on this disorder without success, we decided to chronicle our experience with it to potentially help other parents. This was also a good way to keep our family and friends up to date with Tommy's progress.Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-88068575265039562112017-03-01T19:25:00.001-05:002017-03-01T19:25:06.072-05:00Oh the things I can do!If any of you are finding this blog for the first time- I want to tell you that it gets better. All the fears and worries that you are having right now... I promise- it gets better.<br />
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6 years ago (almost to the day!) I worried so much about all the things Tommy would NOT be able to do.<br />
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Here is a short list of the things he CAN do:<br />
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He can ride a bike (still on training wheels, but that has nothing to do with his eye!)<br />
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He can ski downhill! (We are going on 3 years of skiing now!)<br />
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He can read!! (Ok, he's learning)<br />
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Even when patched!<br />
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He can explore in the woods:<br />
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He can do so many things. <br />
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The list of things he can't (right now) is short. He doesn't love roller coasters (but is that his eye or his common sense?), he does take time to get used to new sets of stairs, and he still hates his patch. <br />
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This EYE that was so much of a part of my worry when he was little- has not held him back at all.Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-39565475505895004652017-03-01T19:07:00.000-05:002017-03-01T19:07:30.215-05:00I'm a big kid now!Tommy has grown and changed in so many ways over the years. As I keep repeating, I am continually amazed at how little of a role "the eye" plays into our every day lives. As he has gotten bigger, he has been more and more interested in taking care of his contacts by himself! This past summer, when he was 5 years old, he started learning to take his contact out. Here are some of his first tries at self care!<br />
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We have also started trying to have him put them in.... we aren't quite as successful there! (Please excuse the crazy mama in the background!)<br />
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<br />Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-10617513772498046542015-04-26T23:30:00.001-04:002015-04-26T23:30:51.820-04:00Strabismus Surgery in a 3 year old It has been almost a year since Tommy had his eye surgery. It was a much easier recovery than I expected and overall it went very well. It just has taken me this long to re-visit it. I tried to take a lot of pictures of each phase- just in case anyone wants to see the gruesome details. It was much less scary than I anticipated.<br />
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The before: Headed to the hospital at 6:30am. Based on recommendations from the child-life specialist, we did not share a lot of details. Tommy knew he was going to the doctor and knew they were going to fix his eye, but he didn't ask too many questions. We thought it was best to just not make a big deal out of it. (We are very happy with this decision)</div>
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Check-in 7am- it was a busy morning, so my best laid plans of meeting with child-life was not happening. But, we brought toys and just hung out.</div>
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They take us back around 7:45 am to do general vitals and get him ready. This wasn't scary for Tommy, he's been to the ER a time or two. He just liked having both mommy and daddy's attention!</div>
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My biggest fear was that this surgery would make patching and contact and drops and eye exams... much more difficult. Tommy is extraordinarily tolerant and compliant with all of his eye stuff. I was paranoid that this would change all that. They assured us that they would give him medicine that would keep him comfortable- and make him forget. This is Tommy right after midazolam.</div>
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He just got silly, a little slurred, and completely relaxed.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note: The black dot is standard procedure to mark the eye that is to undergo surgery</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Medicine is in full effect- life is good for this boy</td></tr>
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8:36 am: And then things got real. Totally zoned out. Of note, we also asked for anti-nausea medication. I had eye surgery as a kid, and can still remember the awful nausea. I did not want that for him. That added to the drowsiness.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PgLAv5SfZ1w/VT2VysGpoLI/AAAAAAAA3KQ/lXVs_8IUMNs/s1600/IMG_4248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PgLAv5SfZ1w/VT2VysGpoLI/AAAAAAAA3KQ/lXVs_8IUMNs/s1600/IMG_4248.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This photo breaks my heart a little- totally out of it. Necessary, but sad.</td></tr>
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Next came the waiting. It felt like 3 million hours, but it was closer to 1.5 hours. <br />
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9:45 am: We get word that things went well and we can see him soon. We can breathe again<br />
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10:00 am: We get to hold our little boy. Completely out of it, crying off and on, not seeming to be aware that we are there. But feels oh so good to have him in our arms.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1VSWNsZBBa0/VT2VyvvN4II/AAAAAAAA3KQ/FgbEqNdSBSQ/s1600/IMG_4251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1VSWNsZBBa0/VT2VyvvN4II/AAAAAAAA3KQ/FgbEqNdSBSQ/s1600/IMG_4251.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eye is puffy and red, but he hasn't opened it yet<br /></td></tr>
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Bloody tears: We were told to expect this, which I am glad. It is a little strange to see (and a little scary)<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pmnvT6ANB6k/VT2VysJlpEI/AAAAAAAA3L4/AOjzuLGBWyc/s1600/IMG_4253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pmnvT6ANB6k/VT2VysJlpEI/AAAAAAAA3L4/AOjzuLGBWyc/s1600/IMG_4253.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up. Single bloody tear.</td></tr>
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Tommy had given up his pacifier by this time, but was very uncomfortable. I had one in my purse and we offered it to him for comfort. He didn't really suck on it, but it did seem to calm him a bit. The next 45 minutes or so were tough- he seemed very uncomfortable, but had not completely come out of anesthesia. Cycles of moaning and discomfort and restless sleep.<br />
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The medicine worked- no vomiting. The recovery room was full. At one point they said he would be there for a little while, then what seemed like minutes later they were packing us up to go home. Packed with washcloths (for the bloody tears) and crackers, we were on our way home!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NIOM5xYPVNg/VT2VytpdwiI/AAAAAAAA3L0/ZV18AeQmIrY/s1600/IMG_4256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NIOM5xYPVNg/VT2VytpdwiI/AAAAAAAA3L0/ZV18AeQmIrY/s1600/IMG_4256.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks a little roughed up</td></tr>
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11:59 am: In the car- on our way home! (I had thought we would be there until 3pm, so this was a nice change of events!)<br />
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12:37pm: All smiles at home!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ipad time! Life is good.</td></tr>
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The rest of the day was uneventful. Tommy acted like any other day. I was amazed.<br />
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Day 1 post-op:<br />
6:31 am: A little more puffy<br />
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The rest of the day was life as usual. It was a little hard to keep him quiet, but all was well.<br />
8am: After getting up and moving, a little less puffy<br />
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10am: Eye opens a little more- definitely bloody.</div>
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7pm: More open, more visual proof of the surgery</div>
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Day 2 post-op: What surgery?</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">crazy kid</td></tr>
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8pm: Each day it opens a little more. The doctor had said "a day or two" to put the contact in. There is no way I'm trying it today.</div>
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Day 4 post-op: Eye open, very red, still not putting contact in- he's been through enough!</div>
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Day 6 post-op: Contact and patch! Back to 100% normal!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still red sclera, but he claims he can see and is not bothered by contact.</td></tr>
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1 week later: No one would be the wiser. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It took a few more days for the eye alignment to show- but here we are 10 months later, and he still has great alignment. We've got new prescriptions in our glasses and contacts and a new drop to help control his pressure, but are very lucky!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">10 months after surgery- what a grin!</td></tr>
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Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-48592726339710157862015-01-06T21:43:00.001-05:002015-01-06T21:43:40.752-05:00No bad news doesn't mean GOOD news<br />
This blog has been neglected- I apologize. In reality, Tommy's eye is just such a small part of any given day that I don't have anything to share. I have plans to post his story about the surgery- but I'm still processing that (yes, it has been 6 months!)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patch pics even made the Christmas card this year!</td></tr>
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We change his contact every day so that the timolol drops don't destroy the contact lens any faster than normal. (the preservative in the drops can damage the contact- those babies are too expensive to risk it!) When I first started- weekly changes felt like a huge burden, now daily insertion/removal seems like nothing. (There's hope for you new parents out there- I promise it gets a little easier!)<br />
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We patch 4-6 hours every day- we now use only 1 patch per day. This seems like such a far cry from when he was about 1 year when we went through 10-12 patches... sometimes in one hour! (More hope for you newbies!)<br />
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Tommy wears bifocals- he doesn't love his glasses, but he generally keeps them on.<br />
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One thing hasn't changed- I still wish people had more tact. Our latest interaction came at our local library. A little girl (the youngest of 9 children- she's probably ~2 years old) came up to Tommy and pointed at his patch and said "Get that off your face RIGHT NOW!" It was probably cute, but it irritated me. Made me sad for what Tommy has yet to face with his peers. Still want to scream when someone points it our rudely. (yes, I know she is little, but to Tommy, it's still sad!)<br />
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So- basically no news.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQIerl04p1tLTIeOINDWoJQTn5vuVXtKibp0U-JphHFqcH1ttHv4qnAcG7X80YhgmY-PbTiSlDkm_z-p1ooRLgXu4wd-lXXXk-7sO4sb6l8wSq9YNIWEWpBzyC9BkeVLp_7eDBZIL8kSTO/s1600/IMG_5581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQIerl04p1tLTIeOINDWoJQTn5vuVXtKibp0U-JphHFqcH1ttHv4qnAcG7X80YhgmY-PbTiSlDkm_z-p1ooRLgXu4wd-lXXXk-7sO4sb6l8wSq9YNIWEWpBzyC9BkeVLp_7eDBZIL8kSTO/s1600/IMG_5581.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He loves the play structure at the ophthalmologist!</td></tr>
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Today we saw his ophthalmologist. I could complain about the doctor-in-training who didn't know much about Tommy's history (hello, please read the chart just a little- basic medical school principle!) But, what hit me the hardest is that Tommy will have to have a corrective lens in his GOOD eye. I've been counting on that GOOD eye to carry us through his life. His good eye was supposed to be the one that will allow him to read easily, to see the chalk-board at school, to drive normally. All this work on his "BAD eye" was just supposed to be for "back up". However, he is only seeing 20/25 in the good eye, and it should be better. Much of me wants to protest- to say that he just didn't recognize those stupid pictures, he's shy, you didn't ask him enough, he's playing.... but deep down I know it's needed. I also know that this isn't a death sentence for the eye- a small corrective lens in glasses he already wears will not change our life. I know that lots of kids (with out cataracts) need corrective lenses and can still read, see the chalk-board, drive... I just don't want it. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdqrATj87xfZ-6Ty4hUBPduzEX1yMk56owX7TMYLIF7ldclHdSrkNEAXtTcgiJUufExZuACxqqbUXSUDNpUi-wJtwilEzowlhcurk0cX5U-gWdaqJuUn8gjuHLciLgqW8Fm1tCCX2I0we/s1600/IMG_5582+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdqrATj87xfZ-6Ty4hUBPduzEX1yMk56owX7TMYLIF7ldclHdSrkNEAXtTcgiJUufExZuACxqqbUXSUDNpUi-wJtwilEzowlhcurk0cX5U-gWdaqJuUn8gjuHLciLgqW8Fm1tCCX2I0we/s1600/IMG_5582+(1).JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dilated eyes- eye appointment craziness!</td></tr>
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What I know most deeply, however, is that for Tommy- he will take his cues from me. I cannot show him disappointment. I cannot show him that glasses or contacts or patching is anything but us working to make his eye as strong as we can. None of this is about ME. Tommy is the only one who deserves any kind of pity party- and so far, he is one of the strongest, happiest kids I know. While he complains about wearing the patch or that he doesn't want a contact- his complaints never last more than a few seconds. For this, I am eternally grateful. <br />
<br />Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-63230545816860064342014-06-12T22:29:00.002-04:002014-06-12T22:29:30.921-04:00Another Eye SurgeryWe had a PO appointment. Clearly we haven't seen health care practitioners enough in the last month or so... head wound (very minor), asthma exacerbation (ER), fever for 4 days (MD appointment)... we are on about an every 2 week visit to someone!<br />
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This visit was scheduled. This visit, I expected that they would tell me that the timolol eye drops weren't working, Tommy's pressures were high, and they wanted to change him back to the study drug he had been on, travaprost. I was wrong. (I hate being wrong) I was ecstatic that they told me his pressure in his bad eye was 18. Yay! Timolol is working! <br />
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The appointment didn't start out well. Tommy wasn't cooperating with the eye tests... or so I thought. He wouldn't tell the new resident what the pictures were. I thought he was being a pipsqueak- he couldn't even see the pics at 20/200. Then she asked him to take his patch off... and he could name every picture down to 20/20. Good news? His vision in his right eye is 20/20. Bad news? His eyesight is changing- getting more nearsighted. He needs new glasses. Again.<br />
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That wasn't the real bad news. At this visit they told us that it was time to do the muscle surgery to correct his esotropia. This shouldn't have been a surprise- I knew his eye turned in (and a little up). I know the doc's been keeping an eye on it. I knew it was coming. It still hit me hard. Tommy is still so little- but big enough now that he <em>gets it</em>. He won't understand WHY he will feel like crap or puke his guts out or WHY his eye is red and will have red tears and probably hurts. But he can tell me. He'll know that I drove him to the hospital and gave him to the nurse. Don't get me wrong. I know he needs this, I know it is in his best interest, and I don't have second thoughts. I firmly believe in doing everything we can to save his sight. I just wish he didn't have to go through it.<br />
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I had these surgeries when I was little (just regular strabismus type stuff- no cataract). I had multiple (I think my mom says I had 7 between the 2 eyes). I had them back in the day when it wasn't out patient, back before they had good anti-nausea medications. I remember some of them I remember feeling sick and throwing up over and over. I remember not being able to swim for weeks- and it was ALWAYS in summer. (I was older when I had the last ones done- my last was at 9 or 10 years old) I know things have changed. The medical community has focused a lot on preventing nausea and vomiting for this type of surgery. It's now outpatient. I know it is a standard procedure. But I want to know more. I want to know when he will feel normal. I want to know how I should tell him and when. I want to know how to make his 3 older sisters not freak out when they see him with bloody tears for the first time. I want to know exactly how many surgeries it will take. <br />
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These questions can't really be answered. I'll do my best to focus the next post on what it is really like- and I will post pictures so you all know what to expect if you ever go through it.<br />
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<span id="goog_1923390595"></span><span id="goog_1923390596"></span><br />Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-72662646875155811082014-06-01T22:31:00.002-04:002014-06-01T22:36:35.538-04:00Another Chapter- and a question for all iMomsTommy is now 3- and has his own thoughts, feelings, ideas, personality... as a mom, that's both awesome and sad all at the same time. I love seeing him become a real person- I love watching all the kids develop, but with each new turn, it's one step towards peeling away from me.<br />
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Tommy has a more willful personality than his sisters- sometimes I think it's because he is a boy, or because he is spoiled, or because he's the 4th, or maybe even because he's got this little "eye thing". I'll probably never know. What I know is that he has been the kid who has wanted to dress himself earlier, pick out his own clothes earlier, and has definite opinions on everything Tommy. It's been a blast.<br />
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This new little person has feelings, too. I've described how he is ready and willing to tell people about why he wears a patch- in fact, I have prematurely patted myself on the back quite a few times for how "maturely" he handles questions. His daycare provider told me the other day that another little boy asked Tommy why he wore a patch, and Tommy simply explained it. (Ah, proud mom, we're doing good!) We are out and about and someone calls him a pirate and I refrain from punching them. (Yay! Good job mom, show Tommy that none of this matters!)<br />
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But- this celebrating may all have been premature. I admit that I dread the day he leaves the cocoon of our home daycare. It's small, great provider, great families. I do see kids stare and ask questions of their parents. I do know that kids are <strike>honest </strike>cruel, sometimes unintentionally. I do remember what it feels like to be picked on for being different. I dread that Tommy will have to face all of that and there will be nothing I can do.<br />
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I just never expected Tommy to care so soon. We were in our small(ish) town at the local bakery. We walk in and a little girl shouts "Hey, you look like a PIRATE!" This isn't the first time, won't be the last. I look at Tommy and say "Say Arrrgh, Tommy!" He hides. This kid who can talk anyone's ear off, hides between my legs. The girl didn't stop. Her parents even joined in to say "Is he wearing a costume, how silly!" (They said this to the little girl, I presume they knew that a polo shirt and a patch do not equal pirate costume) Another lady in the shop seemingly tried to cover up and talk about her son's eye issue and how her little boy would have loved a patch. But the family didn't stop- more pirate talk. I honestly didn't know what to do. I usually encourage Tommy to laugh it off or play along, but he was clearly... different about it this time. I stayed silent myself- I found myself wanting to tell them he wears a patch for a reason- to make his eye stronger. I wanted to defend him, I wanted to get my donuts and get out. When we left, the girl shouts "Bye pirate!"<br />
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We get out the door and Tommy says "I NOT a pirate!"<br />
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Heart sinks. Heart breaks just a little.<br />
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I ask if the little girl made him feel say. He nods. Heart shatters.<br />
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We talked about ways he could control the situation. (Sounds big- but really I just told him that if someone says something like that to him, he could just say "I'm not a pirate, I'm TOMMY!") We practiced this for a few minutes and he cheered up. I showed him the #camopatchkids on instagram- to show him that there are lots of kids like him who wear patches and glasses. Austin's pic made his day. (I love social media!)<br />
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But fellow iMom readers- what have you done? What have you seen? How have you handled the moments when kids realize that other kids think they are different?<br />
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How can I make this cute little face never be sad about that again?<br />
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<br />Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-8475648581415446222014-03-14T23:37:00.004-04:002014-03-14T23:38:11.153-04:00Study PatientI enrolled Tommy in an ophthalmology study a few weeks ago when he first developed high ocular pressures. Tommy is exceptionally patient with eye exams and all other matters of poking and prodding. (I think this is related to the fact that he is kid #4 and has endured countless hours of poking and prodding from his 3 older sisters) Our doctor said the study was low on kids under 3 years old, since most are not super-compliant with eye exams, so he'd really like Tommy to be a part of the study.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New glaucoma suspect- pressure of 23</td></tr>
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This particular study is designed to compare 2 different eye drops in children. Neither of them carries an FDA approval for use in children, however, due to extensive experience with one (timolol), over time, it has become standard therapy for pediatric glaucoma. This is sponsored by another company hoping to gain FDA approval in pediatric patients for their drug. (I'm intentionally not mentioning the other drug) Most studies offer their subjects some type of compensation for study visits, usually a nominal amount of money for gas or a gift card. This study has a generous compensation, however, the real reason we decided to enroll Tommy is that we get to keep a really close eye on his pressures. There are 4 study visits (baseline, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks). At each study visit there is a complete eye exam (with pressure checks and measurements), blood pressure, and heart rate measurements. At baseline and 12 week visits there is also an EKG measurement. The EKG, blood pressure, and heart rate checks are likely due to the effects that timolol can have on the heart if it gets systemically absorbed. Each study subject is randomized to get timolol or this other drug. Since I know that both drugs are proven to work in glaucoma (even if it is in adult patients), I felt comfortable. I would not have joined a placebo controlled study, I was paranoid enough about this new diagnosis! We had to instill drops into his eye twice daily- at set times 12 hours apart. That part is more challenging that I thought!<br />
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Eye drop technique is important in these drops, a significant amount can be absorbed if it isn't administered correctly. I was surprised that the study coordinator did not go over this with us extensively. In fact, we had no instruction at all! Tommy's dad and I are both pharmacists, so we know the proper way. You need to create a pocket with the lower lid, put a drop in, then put pressure on the corner of the eye where it meets the nose for ~30 seconds to 1 minute to minimize absorption. We had this down, but I do wish this was more widely circulated. (I'm thinking about creating a video for another post)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pressure is 34- yuck!</td></tr>
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I love knowing the eye pressures so frequently. I'm happy to report that Tommy's pressure is down to 16 mmHg in the eye that has glaucoma. Awesome news- since his baseline was ~17. I watched it steadily decrease, and felt a small victory each time it was a little lower. Since he received the diagnosis at a pressure of 23, and the baseline pressure was 32, I am thrilled. The only thing I don't love is that our PO is a little more focused on completing all the study paperwork. There are a lot more boxes to check, t's to cross, and i's to dot than our normal visits. He spends a little more time staring at the computer than usual (side note, this is a problem happening in all of medicine that has nothing to do with study visits, but that is for another blog!) We still love him, but I will be a little glad to get back to a more Tommy-centric visit. Tommy is a champ- but these visits take a little longer than usual, and he is a little antsy by the time it is all over. His backpack full of tricks only lasts so long.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pressure is 24!</td></tr>
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Before we started the study, Tommy was put on timolol, 1 drop twice daily. He was only on it for a few weeks, but it didn't appear to be working. His initial "bad" pressure was 23, our PO's low threshold for treating. At the baseline study visit, Tommy's pressure was 34 mmHg. I was panicking- and when the PO didn't mention it, I was just a little more than stressed out. When I asked him about it, he really and truly was not worried. Apparently, the amount of cooperation from a child really matters in these pressure readings. If you squint at all, the pressure increases. Even good patients have difficulty with this. By the second study visit, Tommy and I had a trick. If I got him to focus on an object at the back of the room (our PO has movies playing) then he was so busy trying to spot what I spotted, he didn't squint, and the pressures were better. By the 2nd visit, pressure was down to 24, and I don't know if this is study drug effect or good technique. At the 3rd study visit, it was down to 16- and I don't really care if it is study drug or technique- it's better!!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy day! Eye pressure down to 16!</td></tr>
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Yay for good pressure readings! But now is the next dilemma- which study drug is he on? He had started on timolol, but the pressures increased. That leads me to believe that it could be the other drug. I asked if the study would be un-blinded at the end (and since the company reached enrollment, the study is now closed). The study coordinator is looking into it. I'm thinking he is on "the other drug". That drug is usually given only at night. While we have a bottle for morning drops and a bottle for evening drops, Tommy only complains about the evening drops "it hurts". (Those have to be some of the saddest words your child can say to you as you are doing your best to help him). Hopefully they will un-blind it so we can continue on this drug that is working!<br />
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What is it really like though? I wish I could ask Tommy. He really doesn't seem to mind the visits- he gets a lot of attention from the assistants and the study coordinator. The love him, and he loves to show off for them. Last time he drew them all pictures, which made them melt. I'm as proud as I can be- he tolerates all of this so much better than I could ever hope for. Every morning and every night I poke in his eye to get the contact in or out, put drops in, patch him... and all he ever really says is "it's uncomforbull" or "it's gonna hurt!", occasionally, "no, mommy, no" But no tears, no screaming. Little trouper. While I do realize that a lot of kids are going through a lot more, it is still never easy to see your baby go through any discomfort.<br />
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The following are just some random cute pics!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5v7TR-WgtwQrI0D9CwFsx3vnFJVUzFiU6ckU3Q4SEF-iaK7oAb7yaKNs-46E_YJHZX2yrXaKfdAhwQZBfLS_dwpstR0u5b2eEycsIdpDIBXj-LLW-4hLK7iZ4Qy-QoBg7EmrMwgM46Ca9/s1600/IMG_3541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5v7TR-WgtwQrI0D9CwFsx3vnFJVUzFiU6ckU3Q4SEF-iaK7oAb7yaKNs-46E_YJHZX2yrXaKfdAhwQZBfLS_dwpstR0u5b2eEycsIdpDIBXj-LLW-4hLK7iZ4Qy-QoBg7EmrMwgM46Ca9/s1600/IMG_3541.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ring bearer Tommy! (or as he said, "I not ring bear, I ring BOY"</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Partied out.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tommy selfie</td></tr>
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Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-91725502768688884742013-12-17T23:18:00.001-05:002013-12-17T23:18:19.462-05:00Catracks, Concacks, and Eye DropsTommy is almost 3 now. He talks non-stop. Since he is the youngest of 4, he talks LOUDLY non-stop. He has become incredibly attentive to things I say. I first started noticing this when he started, ahem, shouting at the cars to "go fatter" and "get outta da way" and "learn to drive dot!" I have NO idea where he hear any of that. I'm blaming his dad. <br />
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He has also heard me explain his story a few times lately. Apparently we've been getting out a bit more and seeing new people, since I've had more "What's up with his eye?" lately. Or "What's up with the patch?" I still have a hard time not answering some smart aleck response like "oh, it's just a sticker" or "What?! What is wrong with his eye?" But I don't. Lately, Tommy has been starting the conversation with older people. It goes something like this!<br />
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Older person: "Hello there little man, how are you?"<br />
Tommy: "I wear glasses! I have a catrack when I was borned. I wear a concack and glasses and patch. I have 3 sitsters. I have a dog named Riley. He peed on the floor. This is my mommmmmeeee." (I could go on, he does- but I will spare you)<br />
Older person: "What?!"<br />
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Older people have forgotten toddler speak, so I need to repeat it. It makes me laugh every time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmgPUOHE8TzTuAo3NqBQsEfmRJbQqNSrd0f9rfgz4wN7AHru7OkjeDvZ_z3X95k09wgMxZbG8m0r0cvrOvT-R1hzQkauzewqvCCCQsoG7zzUpsPouEdPuu0wUUwaM79wW9vfpD9ozX1qW7/s1600/IMG_2697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmgPUOHE8TzTuAo3NqBQsEfmRJbQqNSrd0f9rfgz4wN7AHru7OkjeDvZ_z3X95k09wgMxZbG8m0r0cvrOvT-R1hzQkauzewqvCCCQsoG7zzUpsPouEdPuu0wUUwaM79wW9vfpD9ozX1qW7/s320/IMG_2697.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cataracts suck!</td></tr>
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Eye update. We had finally made it to 6 months between eye appointment visits. I was woefully naive in thinking that we were in the clear. Smooth sailing from here on out... you know, regular visits just to see if he needed new prescriptions, decrease patching, easy peasy lemon squeezy. Wishful thinking, I know. I just was on this high of no news for so long. Reality check. Tommy was born with PHPV. In general, this just sucks. The vision screen was a joke. Tommy was pleasant, but thought it hilarious that he called every picture a car (the old fashioned phone- a CAR!, the house- a CAR! all while grinning at the technician). She had the gall to call his vision 20/300. Really? He wasn't even looking at the screen people! Not to mention the fact that the pictures are pixelated pictures of things like a car, a house, a duck, an old fashioned car, and a dial telephone. I'm not entirely sure my 6 year old could recognize these things! But- we all know the vision screening at this age is just a stalling technique while we wait for the doctor.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I just love this shark hat.</td></tr>
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We go to a teaching institution, so we see an ophthalmology resident first. She does lots of things to Tommy's eye. This wasn't to be a dilation visit, so it was going pretty quick. She tests his pressures with a tonometer pen- "23" she says, "great!" Umm, no, not great. So I say "Really? That is higher than his usual- he runs about 17." She says, "oh, we've been having trouble with that tonometer all day, let me get another one." Second test, "23". She says, "oh, it's higher, but not crazy high." I swallow the scream in my throat..."yes, but it is higher, that is concerning." (Mind you, I'm not upset with her, just screaming in my head that this couldn't be true!) So, she gets another tonometer- same result. She then gets another tonometer- this one needs eye numbing drops. Same result. 23. It's official, the pressure is high. Now she is more concerned and dilates his eye, and sends us back to the waiting room to let the drops work. Can I just brag that Tommy was a rock star through all this?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjkOX7knFjp3b4gmzaAAMAHd4jaRPuAAZY63asXPF42hMui0Md7ONfDOsZO0yNezQs9PG_iGDAu4hz5ymY0j94NuzyqA-mLaDRuyhDf9FpQ2uIHuwP8UCG3Nr0rtyqSD5aPfoHNSY1PwDz/s1600/13+-+5" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjkOX7knFjp3b4gmzaAAMAHd4jaRPuAAZY63asXPF42hMui0Md7ONfDOsZO0yNezQs9PG_iGDAu4hz5ymY0j94NuzyqA-mLaDRuyhDf9FpQ2uIHuwP8UCG3Nr0rtyqSD5aPfoHNSY1PwDz/s320/13+-+5" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can we go home?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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4 different teonometers, 4 different pressure checks, 2 different eye drops, contacts in, contacts out, 3 different people poking and prodding... and not one tear out of the little man. Towards the end he kept asking to leave, but overall, much better behaved than me! We also learned that his eye is drifting more than before, but we will still "keep an eye on it". Those have to be some of the most frustrating words strung together that make little sense for his obsessive iMom. I keep an eye on his eye EVERY DAY. I obsess EVERY DAY. To say it is getting worse and that we are just going to watch it is KILLING ME. I guess I have something new to obsess over. <br />
<br />
So- we begin a new adventure. His diagnosis is "Glaucoma Suspect" (this is a real medical term!). Which makes me chuckle- I picture some villain lurking around (think Scooby-Doo Villain). We started drops last night so he doesn't become a "glaucoma convict". Heehee. We will be starting a study medicine in a few weeks- we agreed that he would join this study, mostly because it means frequent eye visits. I can watch this pressure like a hawk! (I looked, they don't sell home tonometers) <br />
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He is a trouper- I cried the first time I put the timolol drops in. I want to kick and scream and yell about how unfair this all is. He simply says "drops all done!" I stress out about the side effects of the drops- he is happy that he gets his contacts out every night. I'm mad at cataracts and PHPV- He happily tells people about his catracks and concacks. Who knows, now he may even tell them about his eye drops. I need to adopt his attitude towards all this. I know it could be worse, I know, I know, I know.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVPGfAgVjdfpO3uXfVD6GW0yfR1AdmeMlUKTh01qPd41vK7dgWUYxGw42i7D5cng_VK1yrMCa2_U0tP_1KOXjG6M-ce6QItHO4FYiLBIe9JfVfsSGvVgBnxrHF3k65bn86GqIA1E6oHhM/s1600/13+-+14" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVPGfAgVjdfpO3uXfVD6GW0yfR1AdmeMlUKTh01qPd41vK7dgWUYxGw42i7D5cng_VK1yrMCa2_U0tP_1KOXjG6M-ce6QItHO4FYiLBIe9JfVfsSGvVgBnxrHF3k65bn86GqIA1E6oHhM/s320/13+-+14" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My little superhero.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-88180322592706578912013-08-08T22:04:00.002-04:002013-08-08T22:23:11.015-04:00Dear Adoring FansI love all the "Dear XYZ" posts I've seen. I'm jumping on board!<br />
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Dear adoring fans,<br />
Hello! Yes, I wear an eyepatch, isn't it cool? My favorite one is the one with dinosaurs, I like to roar like a dinosaur. Guess what? I can see you, even with an eye patch. These glasses? Yes, they are real, yes, they work, and no, they aren't broken, it's called a bifocal. Oh, and I can also hear you, so can my mommy.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvvDeHwqjjMW70aqLDfj4onsodK6E9EoUl1L1I3kD5LRLH2JCLM_QpwVYpWdveISXiXbOsC9VeGxvpkD0EszbR0E9r95KYoRxdR-K_U-_vq0Ycw7H-y9S9BTEr7LjPKa2xxI2g63kkwdj8/s1600/56B0CADD-D05A-4F50-BC65-7EC4C24AF096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvvDeHwqjjMW70aqLDfj4onsodK6E9EoUl1L1I3kD5LRLH2JCLM_QpwVYpWdveISXiXbOsC9VeGxvpkD0EszbR0E9r95KYoRxdR-K_U-_vq0Ycw7H-y9S9BTEr7LjPKa2xxI2g63kkwdj8/s320/56B0CADD-D05A-4F50-BC65-7EC4C24AF096.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out my cool shirt from Eye Power kidswear!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
When you point and stare, I don't really mind, I know I'm cute, you can't help but stare. I love all of the attention. If you are a grownup, mommy thinks you are being mean or rude and she says it hurts her heart every time. Sometimes she says not nice things about you... she forgets that I can hear sometimes, too.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2bDcAxtDvln6DzdYDp0u3vpTk6M4PDXGNxUXkiUHHSDDwjurvsT66cQFnFnBPxSMV3FsAPm5prAkO0rLmrevf9jA89jlHu9QVY02EiPbfD81kM8yoYTuw5GALBlqaG8qp0jcZ_BdF_3wd/s1600/IMG_2205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2bDcAxtDvln6DzdYDp0u3vpTk6M4PDXGNxUXkiUHHSDDwjurvsT66cQFnFnBPxSMV3FsAPm5prAkO0rLmrevf9jA89jlHu9QVY02EiPbfD81kM8yoYTuw5GALBlqaG8qp0jcZ_BdF_3wd/s320/IMG_2205.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't make my mommy sad!</td></tr>
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She likes it when you ask what happened, she knows everyone is curious. She doesn't even care how you ask, although she really doesn't like it if you asked if I lost my eye. She has a story all lined up, it's almost the same every time. If I cared enough, I could tell you the story word for word. But, I'd rather roar at you or sing or laugh or cause trouble. My sisters know the story and often add things if mom skips a part. Here is how it usually goes:<br />
<em>Adoring public:</em> "Oh, did he hurt his eye?"<br />
<em>Mommy:</em> "No, he had a cataract when he was born. It's just like people get when they are old, but he was lucky enough to have it when he was born. It's really rare. Since you have to learn to see at birth, we have to make him use that eye, which he'd rather not use. You are seeing the "bad eye" and we patch the good one to make him use the bad eye."<br />
Now- mommy is from Vermont and she talks REALLY fast, so she ALWAYS gets this part out. Sometimes your eyes glaze over. That makes her mad, if you asked a question, you'd better listen. I hear that a lot in our house "you need to listen!" Apparently you all have not been taught that by your mommies. Lucky. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdd2NGPLxVpA-yjXx9bJD-qinPfRmbORMdLkkWnX2eYZmrwtglTFhEP1eMlZlQ2Sw3sUAhrM8zZnPgyIZmTRAJw79sHW-70c3ZMN374bb1KuBueoautLE_tLd_GPpjHLLF_st4tCMc6IVl/s1600/IMG_2190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdd2NGPLxVpA-yjXx9bJD-qinPfRmbORMdLkkWnX2eYZmrwtglTFhEP1eMlZlQ2Sw3sUAhrM8zZnPgyIZmTRAJw79sHW-70c3ZMN374bb1KuBueoautLE_tLd_GPpjHLLF_st4tCMc6IVl/s320/IMG_2190.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At least PRETEND to listen!</td></tr>
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Some of you ask more questions. This is good, you listened (you must have had good mommies and daddies!) and you make my mommy feel like she did OK by me. She will answer anything- and seems to like to talk about it. (borrringg!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz6PEX4DUIo7AU1JJGEwKzXD1EXjVTn4SBrc0rjiqxsVSW7tv5TxSOK_OqcTNTG7zZ6re4VIHLoeOfP4IFQmEdAbyHbSeiGiTrLEsbFU1cXRLNiaFvTIxxHLrYBPSED07XPae53rISpdZs/s1600/BB01D378-0E9C-48F0-B507-D10CAE1B9C10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz6PEX4DUIo7AU1JJGEwKzXD1EXjVTn4SBrc0rjiqxsVSW7tv5TxSOK_OqcTNTG7zZ6re4VIHLoeOfP4IFQmEdAbyHbSeiGiTrLEsbFU1cXRLNiaFvTIxxHLrYBPSED07XPae53rISpdZs/s320/BB01D378-0E9C-48F0-B507-D10CAE1B9C10.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Borrriinnngg!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
What makes her really really mad and sad and say not nice things, is when you forget we can hear. Lots of you try to explain to your children that I have a boo-boo on my eye. This really makes her mad when we've seen you around town and have exchanged waves or small talk. Please, just ask my mom. She will be happy to explain (see above!) She's also pretty good with kids, she has 4 of them, she will happily explain things to your kids. She also has some experience explaining things to people, she did that in her job for a while. Do you really think it's better for your kids to think I have no eye or a bloody eye behind my patch? Think people, think! That is scary stuff! My story is much more benign.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAQEMzpdar8ijsvUN1JnUV9TCADD6FOlPWGqCePMwoXepoianySj8V52i96Ask0YOhalYZgHbVDOqo952MSbpNaadx0pjbJNr5cG6oUhTlGIUks9lSDTe1iUdTKLtpZ7MBVpevzG6TNBt/s1600/ECE6893B-ABE9-478D-8F4B-619E35B115B6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAQEMzpdar8ijsvUN1JnUV9TCADD6FOlPWGqCePMwoXepoianySj8V52i96Ask0YOhalYZgHbVDOqo952MSbpNaadx0pjbJNr5cG6oUhTlGIUks9lSDTe1iUdTKLtpZ7MBVpevzG6TNBt/s320/ECE6893B-ABE9-478D-8F4B-619E35B115B6.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also scary stuff</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Oh, and my mom doesn't really like it when you pretend you know what she is talking about when she knows you don't. When you tell your kids (or spouse or friend) that I probably have a lazy eye, she is annoyed. I agree! I am not lazy! Ask my mom! I don't like to sleep AT ALL! However, my mommy will politely listen as you tell her about your sister/cousin/nephew/great-aunt twice removed and how she had a lazy eye and is JUST FINE NOW. First of all, I am already fine. F.I.N.E. Second, in many cases she just explained what was wrong with me, and lazy was not a part of it. My mommy usually smiles and nods (and mumbles under her breath after you leave). Again, that listening thing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimK6gLZeT72_QgPAxefVi60P4Mea_GC201HmwlLunaOg3Le_V_9dsMYQobYZBbiaEmdOwoL8V75fKJ9b5_VfRWWw9GhVHyB451kYJTlxY40czG9p0RjxGHBzy_GT8fBwNjC5ZarQUlU1oK/s1600/IMG_2386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimK6gLZeT72_QgPAxefVi60P4Mea_GC201HmwlLunaOg3Le_V_9dsMYQobYZBbiaEmdOwoL8V75fKJ9b5_VfRWWw9GhVHyB451kYJTlxY40czG9p0RjxGHBzy_GT8fBwNjC5ZarQUlU1oK/s320/IMG_2386.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best horse ever.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5_wsbWIf1gWeddzssid_WXH9QvlAJIp_IGCrA5Yqmra0_6rzO5y-chdOqhA0b43Q5Qtk6dVMBp5i7GkQBk4_YfGzEoi_AmVzUeU_oE6N-5gNBe7iAlbGUabJqWvdh2n79ctW0GLRQs4T/s1600/IMG_9133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
Don't worry if your kids say silly things, that doesn't bother mommy. Usually your adoring children point and say "look mommy, he has a sticker on his eye!" Really, I know you are just finding any excuse to point out how ridiculously cute I am. Admit it, you are also a little jealous that I get to wear a sticker every day. Do your parents let you wear a sticker on your face in public? Ha! Didn't think so! Kid questions make my mommy smile. Especially when your mommy acts mortified and rushes away to another aisle in the supermarket. Mommy knows you can't control what comes out of kids mouths.... and be honest, you were thinking the exact same thing! If you are within earshot (before your mommy rushes away), mommy will tell you that I patch my good eye to make me use my bad eye. She may say it loudly so your mom can hear as she is running away. The last time it happened, we saw you and your mommy in every aisle. Good job mortifying your mom, we heard you say something new each time!! My mom actually laughed out loud a few times. (I think this is passive aggressive behavior, she should really work on that!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwihVGy99FTBaDnNddie7xZ7Wy8Em6kQfNb7OHL25-YifXuwGpNW7f4BF3YIPEs8ES2QYkIWjqbRiyxtKN1hSjNhEzN4kvSH1qbmiCuCozpEPSpG70nBkSbvAR4j-JfnMmr2N9KXTP5CK1/s1600/996BA2F1-7AFD-4733-973F-BA370B988035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwihVGy99FTBaDnNddie7xZ7Wy8Em6kQfNb7OHL25-YifXuwGpNW7f4BF3YIPEs8ES2QYkIWjqbRiyxtKN1hSjNhEzN4kvSH1qbmiCuCozpEPSpG70nBkSbvAR4j-JfnMmr2N9KXTP5CK1/s320/996BA2F1-7AFD-4733-973F-BA370B988035.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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So that is my story. I hate my patch and hate my glasses, but mommy says I have to wear them. I will have to wear them until I am 8 or 9, she says. That is old, but not as old as my mommy. So please, just ask, don't point, don't stare, and for Pete's sake, LISTEN if you do ask!<br />
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Love,<br />
Tommy<br />
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P.S. Could someone please tell my mommy that it is completely OK to live on Hostess Donettes? Why does she insist I eat anything else?Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-8856256513910336702013-06-05T22:39:00.001-04:002013-06-05T22:39:25.001-04:00Some Resources for Congenital Cataracts, infant contacts, glasses, and patching!I've been getting requests for ways to "plug in" to other people going through the same thing. I remember scouring the internet for any snippet of information I could find, so here is a compilation of things that helped me through!<br />
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<h2>
Parent Blogs: </h2>
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In general, these tell about family life surrounding having a child with cataracts. Many talk about day to day struggles with patching, contacts, glasses, and also about family fun! These blogs help me survive the ups and downs of what we go through.</div>
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Here are the ones I follow regularly (forgive me if I missed any, I'm sure there are more!)</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://thegloverfamilyblog.blogspot.com/" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="post"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">A boy. His brother. The mischief they find</span>.</a> </span><a href="http://thegloverfamilyblog.blogspot.com/">http://thegloverfamilyblog.blogspot.com/</a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://3kids1wish.blogspot.com/" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="post"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Epis, Patches, Inhalers... Oh My!</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><a href="http://3kids1wish.blogspot.com/">http://3kids1wish.blogspot.com/</a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://ounceofluck.blogspot.com/" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="post"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">An Ounce of Luck and a Pound of Faith</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><a href="http://ounceofluck.blogspot.com/">http://ounceofluck.blogspot.com/</a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://visionisagift.blogspot.com/" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="post"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Vision is a Gif</span>t</a> </span></span><a href="http://visionisagift.blogspot.com/">http://visionisagift.blogspot.com/</a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://seethedistance.blogspot.com/" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="post"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">See the Distance</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><a href="http://seethedistance.blogspot.com/">http://seethedistance.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://patchesandcamo.blogspot.com/" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="post"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Patches, camo and other random thoughts</span></a></span> <a href="http://patchesandcamo.blogspot.com/">http://patchesandcamo.blogspot.com/</a></div>
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There are many more beautifully written blogs out there by moms who have children going through similar issues. I omitted a few who have either not blogged recently, or those who have changed the focus of their blog away from congential cataracts (etc) and more towards family life or interests. You can find a few more in my profile and I do urge you to check them out!<br />
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Websites:</h2>
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Little Four Eyes: This covers issues with any kid in glasses. <a href="http://littlefoureyes.com/">http://littlefoureyes.com/</a></div>
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*They have a great post about other blogs: <a href="http://littlefoureyes.com/2012/01/16/new-page-blogs-about-childrens-vision/">http://littlefoureyes.com/2012/01/16/new-page-blogs-about-childrens-vision/</a></div>
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*They also have a Facebook page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/littlefoureyes/">https://www.facebook.com/groups/littlefoureyes/</a></div>
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Child Cataract Network (UK site) <a href="http://www.childhoodcataracts.org.uk/index.html">http://www.childhoodcataracts.org.uk/index.html</a><br />
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Bausch & Lomb: I included this, because if you have Silsoft lenses, you will contact them at some point! <a href="http://www.bausch.com/en/Our-Products/Contact-Lenses">http://www.bausch.com/en/Our-Products/Contact-Lenses</a><br />
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Boston Children's Hospital: Not where we go, but they have a GREAT video on how to put in contacts... I watched this a million times when we first started! <a href="http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site666/mainpageS666P1.html">http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site666/mainpageS666P1.html</a><br />
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Simulation of vision: Really cool site. <a href="http://www.billauer.co.il/simulator.html">http://www.billauer.co.il/simulator.html</a></div>
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<h2>
Facebook Pages: </h2>
<h3>
Closed groups: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">You need to request access, which is easily granted, but this makes it a little more private.</span></h3>
People with Persistent Hyperplastic Primary Vitreous (PHPV) Unite! <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/58073768937/">https://www.facebook.com/groups/58073768937/</a><br />
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Aphakic kids: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/139232330344/">https://www.facebook.com/groups/139232330344/</a><br />
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Aphakia Group: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aphakia-group/121745891227537">https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aphakia-group/121745891227537</a><br />
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<h3>
Fun Sites (Mostly promotional):</h3>
Peeps Eyewear: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/peepseyewear?fref=ts">https://www.facebook.com/peepseyewear?fref=ts</a><br />
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Eye Power Kids Wear: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/eyepowerkidswear?hc_location=stream">https://www.facebook.com/eyepowerkidswear?hc_location=stream</a><br />
*They also have a non-facebook website: <a href="http://eyepowerkidswear.com/">http://eyepowerkidswear.com/</a><br />
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Little Four Eyes Marketplace <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/359677530776131/?fref=ts">https://www.facebook.com/groups/359677530776131/?fref=ts</a><br />
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<h2>
Instagram:</h2>
Check out #Camopatch kids! Many parents (and some siblings!) will post pictures of their kiddos in patches on Sunday. Camo patch if you have any!</div>
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<h2>
Patches:</h2>
See earlier post: <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5915692037914069307#editor/target=post;postID=7968964257595684796;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=44;src=postname">Fun Eye Patches</a><br />
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Support Groups:</h2>
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5915692037914069307#editor/target=post;postID=7968964257595684796;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=44;src=postname">Yahoo Aphakic Support Group</a>. You'll need to request access, but this is a great resource. You can post questions, answer questions, or simply read about what others are going through.<br />
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Little Tommy (just because I can't post without at least one picture!)<br />
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Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-39515227285667074262013-05-22T11:24:00.001-04:002013-05-22T11:24:35.138-04:00Allergies and Contacts do not mixLife just isn't fair. As if poor Tommy (and any iKid) didn't have enough to deal with- we apparently have added seasonal allergies to his list of medical drama. Not great when you live in a house on 2.5 acres of land, 1 acre of which is just trees and weeds (umm, wildflowers?). <div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Again? At the doctor again?</td></tr>
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After my last post- I didn't stop worrying. Each morning I wiped his eyes and hoped that one more day of no contact, no patching wouldn't do long term damage. Then- on the way into day care I hear "Mommy, eye hurt!" and crying from the back seat. I am forcing myself not to panic. I called the eye doctor, well, the receptionist, who basically said "go ahead and panic". Maybe her words were, "Since he is aphakic, we really should see him right away, come on in." You all hear her underlying meaning, right? No doctor's office ever says "come on in" as breezily as if we were old pals. So, I proceeded to panic until we got there. What if's played over and over in my head.</div>
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We get there, and there was much less fanfare. We had to wait in the waiting room just like everyone else (never thought THAT would be a relief!) We saw a technician, who did so many more eye tests than he has ever had- that I was just plain confused. I finally saw the vision cards that all iMoms talk about! Tommy could identify the telephone (thank-you Blue's Clues!) but thought that the airplane was a dolphin. (?) The bird he called a "ducky" but I was OK with that. Then she FINALLY gets to the pressures- and they were F.I.N.E. fine. Breathe. Ok. Then the fellow came in with an ER-Doc-in-training. Tommy was a rock star! They used lots of different ways to look in his eyes- he let the fellow do it, then let the other doctor test him. So sad that he lets people poke around his eyes like it is any normal day.</div>
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But- he is fine. Pressures fine, no infection. Just plain unlucky. A week later we are still dealing with copious amounts of boogers from eyes and nose- but no infection. I'm using antihistamines, but also worry that those will impact the pressure in his eye. It is a fine balance between long term damage vs long term strengthening of his eye. It is a fine balance between making him wear the contact and patch for a little bit- and letting him have some comfort. I'm learning to juggle- and balance- and try to just let go sometimes!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the few days of patching time!</td></tr>
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Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-40591856045633677732013-05-08T14:56:00.001-04:002013-05-08T14:56:38.043-04:00Does the worrying ever really stop?I like to pretend that I'm all zen with this eye thing. Or, maybe it is that I'm mostly settled with it all if I don't think about it too hard. I'm still bothered when someone new asks me something stupid, but those questions get fewer as he gets older. I'm sure the next step is figuring out how to handle kids teasing. But, if I don't think about it, life is good.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDBfBv0l1dNicoZm04Y8PI_dxTZxgDxl9Yk5BVHwI5gkq4XiYitUURWB6zXYWF0YiWk15oaEFrvsa8ymrp1QqN8ejAHcPilR5cYpmSIb-G6hdzIQk3WvamIymhFkLox_Nl16lRu357OZq/s1600/IMG_1828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" mwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDBfBv0l1dNicoZm04Y8PI_dxTZxgDxl9Yk5BVHwI5gkq4XiYitUURWB6zXYWF0YiWk15oaEFrvsa8ymrp1QqN8ejAHcPilR5cYpmSIb-G6hdzIQk3WvamIymhFkLox_Nl16lRu357OZq/s320/IMG_1828.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This just makes me laugh and pretty much sums up his personality.</td></tr>
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But there are days when the reality of it all comes crashing into my consciousness. Maybe I'm being too dramatic. But I got a call to come get him at daycare because he looked like this:<br />

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xbr9qHlzW9Q/UYqcCNTbe8I/AAAAAAAAoWI/RKQ0c91-4wk/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" mwa="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xbr9qHlzW9Q/UYqcCNTbe8I/AAAAAAAAoWI/RKQ0c91-4wk/s200/13+-+1" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">His left eye is the eye with the contact.</td></tr>
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Yikes! What is that. An allergy? Is he sick? I don't know- still don't know. I take his contact out, we gave him Benadryl and he was fine within 30 minutes. Tommy is allergic to hummus, my daycare provider had eaten Tahini sauce earlier in the day- we kinda just assumed he had gotten some on him. No problems. 
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zgh0RwDD-9k/UYqcwxRBClI/AAAAAAAAob4/UooQgSrA17E/s1600/2F80F6FE-FDA3-4E15-B65E-B497D603DB97.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" mwa="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zgh0RwDD-9k/UYqcwxRBClI/AAAAAAAAob4/UooQgSrA17E/s200/2F80F6FE-FDA3-4E15-B65E-B497D603DB97.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little puffy, but not so bad. </td></tr>
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The next two days he had a fever and was cranky. Ok, a virus, right? I'm still quelling this tendency to freak out. Sunday- fine, no worries. Phew.<br />
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Monday, fine, slight rash. I send him to daycare. He's cranky, my daycare provider is wonderful and deals with it. I pick him up and he's puffy and cranky. More Benadryl. More worry. Don't know.<br />
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Tuesday he wakes up looking like this:<br />

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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who is this??</td></tr>
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More panic- he can breathe fine (no asthma) so I give him more Benadryl (which, by the way, does NOT make my boy sleep!) and make an appointment with the doctor. (By the way, his contact is OUT)<br />
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At the doctor's office- he looks slightly rashy, but normal. No puffy eyes. No swollen face. AUGH! I'm not even sure she believed me! (I did show her photos- she likely thinks I'm crazy). She says it's probably Strep. Really? He also happens to have a double ear infection (oops, he wasn't complaining of that!) Good mom award for me (not!) Augmentin here we go.<br />
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Today (Wednesday) he is fine. Slight rash. No puffiness. In the back of my mind, I worry. What if it's his contact? Is he allergic to it? What if it's glaucoma (not saying I'm rational here)? What if it is....?? Who knows what.<br />
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I swear I didn't worry this much with my other 3....<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back to normal! (Last night- lucky kid is getting a break from contact and patching while I calm myself)</td></tr>
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Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-25838905884761227382013-04-10T13:57:00.000-04:002013-04-10T13:57:07.105-04:00Crumbs and EggsI can vividly remember days when I cried and cried wondering if Tommy would ever be able to see out of his eye- heck, I remember wondering if he'd LOSE his eye. (I'm not pretending these were rational thoughts). I continually wonder just how much he will see. He's two- he can't really tell me what he can see, how much he can see, how clearly he can see, and I'm pretty sure that the tests the docs do in the office are not detailed enough for my paranoid mind. <br />
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But, then, I knew.<br />
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While patched (with glasses) Tommy picked up a crumb from his highchair tray. A toast crumb, a little, tiny crumb! He picked it up and said "What's Dat?" (Which is favorite phrase right now) OK, and so at this point I also have to admit it was lunch-time and the crumb was leftover from breakfast, but the point is, HE CAN SEE!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a "reenactment" that I made him pose for (after I cleaned up his tray)</td></tr>
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He can see out of "the eye". This eye that has consumed so much of my worry, so much of my thoughts of him. It works! Sure, we still have the patching and the bifocals and the 'life is not fair for me' to deal with (or at least, I am anticipating the life is not fair part). But, it works, IT WORKS!<br />
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The "eggs" portion has nothing to do with the eye- but has everything to do with making me smile. We went to an Easter Egg hunt in town, where you could hunt for 10 eggs, then trade them in for a prize. Tommy LOVED hunting for eggs- he didn't even care to look in them- just loved collecting them. But, the poor little guy threw a serious screaming tantrum when we had to turn them in. Since he is kid #4, this is funny stuff. Embarrassing, sure, but since he had the patch on, I'm pretty sure people just looked the other way!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Egg hunting is serious business!</td></tr>
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On Easter Sunday (the next day) we had an egg hunt at home... Again, didn't care to look in them (these had candy!) just loved collecting them.<br />
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<br />Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-15025572162513528032013-03-22T15:11:00.002-04:002013-04-17T12:39:06.783-04:00Ramblings of a delinquent imomPhew- what a break! We've had a crazy few months at our house, none of it relating to the eye... or even Tommy for that matter, so I will not bore you with details.<br />
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I often am jealous of my fellow imom bloggers- everyone has such an amazing way with words, I am continually impressed with all of them (you!). I admit, sometimes that holds me back from writing any more on our journey. I bring this up now, because everyone else has seemed to have had at least one "awesome encounter" with some person who was touched, in some way, by a cataract or patching. I have one, but be fore-warned, it isn't eloquent or beautifully written! My husband was pushing Tommy in a stroller at Disney World and ran into someone who came up to him to tell him, "good job with patching, keep it up, my parents didn't and now that eye is all messed up". Really, that is all I know. When he told me (hours later) I asked "what did he look like", "what was wrong with his eye", "how old was he?", "did he seem happy, successful, normal?" And, as you all may guess, each answer was "I don't know!" So for this one, I blame it on the fact that the story occurred between two men, and no details were to be had. Disappointing, I know, but it is the closest encounter I have had! Regardless, he was sorry he wasn't patched more. Rock on imoms who struggle through patching! They may never fully appreciate it, but they will blame you if you don't!!!<br />
<em> Imoms- if you will, please share your encounters (or link to the post) in the comments, I'd like to remember them all!</em><br />
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For the most part, Tommy's eye has just been on a steady road. We are on a relatively easy patch road (much more economical than before!) and are struggling with keeping glasses on (insert mom-guilt here). Every once in a while I get a sucker-punch from someone who calls attention to the patch in a way that just hits the wrong chord. The other day it was a little boy in the church nursery. He was only ~3, so I know it wasn't intentional, but when he shouted "Hey, what's wrong with his eye!?" it hit me. Hard. Tommy will have to deal with that the rest of his life.... or at least until age 9, then who knows?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMAMzlqqaNYPf1lKRVCc_zjOT7yoUydh5SNYoELWBXy9O9zN5cc7dZrPsF7QGmD5i1d6NDu6CyauBx_1BlWmSO3XTX5IF5TpSvYqDl281Jgdpzz-1tjReWaZQMHx9MFJkqFuzK2DHDGD9/s1600/IMG_4638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMAMzlqqaNYPf1lKRVCc_zjOT7yoUydh5SNYoELWBXy9O9zN5cc7dZrPsF7QGmD5i1d6NDu6CyauBx_1BlWmSO3XTX5IF5TpSvYqDl281Jgdpzz-1tjReWaZQMHx9MFJkqFuzK2DHDGD9/s320/IMG_4638.jpg" ssa="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boy can pose like no other...</td></tr>
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Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-10290303218600533802012-11-30T09:34:00.001-05:002012-11-30T09:34:14.688-05:00Stationery card<div class="sflyProductPreviewWidget" style="width:425px; height:494px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetTop" style="height:6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/top.gif);"></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetCenter" style="height:482px; padding: 0 6px 0 6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bg.gif); background-repeat:repeat-y;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewLogo" style="width: 105px; height: 34px; padding: 14px 0 0 14px;"><img src="http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/logo.gif" style="padding: 0; background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none;"></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewContainer" style="height:350px; text-align:center; padding: 0;"><a href="http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=1YctmzNuxfm&cid=SFLYOCWIDGET&eid=115"><img src="http://images-community.shutterfly.com/prs/v1/1YctmzNux8/1YctmzNux92E/p/67b0de21b3127d902548/JPEG/1354286045000/0/" style="padding: 0; background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none;"></a></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewMessageContainer" style="height:55px; background-color:#f4f4e9; text-align:center; padding: 15px 0 15px 0; line-height: 19px;"><div class="sflyProductPreviewTitle" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 15px; color: #333333; font-weight: bold;"><span>Classically Yours Christmas Card</span></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewSEOText" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 13px; color: #333333;"><span>Personalize your holiday card this Christmas with <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards" style="color: #6666cc;">Shutterfly</a>.</span></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewViewCollection" style="font-family: arial, sans-seris; font-size: 13px; color: #333333;"><span>View the entire <a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery" style="color: #6666cc;">collection</a> of cards.</span></div><img width="1" height="1" border="0" style="padding: 0; background: #ffffff; border: none; box-shadow: none;" src="https://os.shutterfly.com/b/ss/sflyshareprod/1/H.15/111?pageName=sharekey&c1=msc&c2=blogger" /></div></div><div class="sflyProductPreviewWidgetBottom" style="height:6px; background-image:url(http://cdn.staticsfly.com/img_/share/preview/msc/widget/bottom.gif);"></div></div>Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-46778262108018982842012-11-16T13:45:00.002-05:002012-11-16T13:45:46.673-05:00Baby Bifocals<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5zUX4j10KGZUYs7wHz5hYxot0bm3vV4n657HSTw4suLLAChgNbhal93NXVqDji2R1xf-PH6PDZmNto6J8exjueIJrGbO1AGxBAfXI89j-DvU9EF82fGcpCnBPwxR1cUpeNwslidOkJP2S/s1600/IMG_1186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5zUX4j10KGZUYs7wHz5hYxot0bm3vV4n657HSTw4suLLAChgNbhal93NXVqDji2R1xf-PH6PDZmNto6J8exjueIJrGbO1AGxBAfXI89j-DvU9EF82fGcpCnBPwxR1cUpeNwslidOkJP2S/s400/IMG_1186.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I rock these glasses!</td></tr>
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I'm coming to terms with Tommy having glasses. I'm not sure Tommy is getting any more comfortable with them, though! I obsess about them much more than Tommy wears them, but it is progressing. Sometimes I think he even forgets he is wearing them!<br />
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I think the hardest part for me now is that Tommy's glasses are <i>different</i>. He has one clear side (no prescription) and one bifocal. A old-person, big line-in the middle bifocal lens. But just on one side. I had someone ask me the other day "Oh, did he crack them already?" Um, NO! And if he did, do you <i>REALLY</i> think I'd let him wear them? Or maybe you didn't think I noticed the big crack in the middle and you felt the need to point it out? Um no.<br />
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Back when I couldn't wait for Tommy to get glasses, I never imagined this bifocal line. From what I understand, children do better with the visible bifocal lens compared to progressive lenses because the difference in vision is drastic enough to help them learn the right place to look. You need to learn where to look to optimize the utility of the lens.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEKPyajZdHC4ar8HpUJySNN9e6vJHp5MTC2BwgU8paP1EdAP_n-OfrM_Yn-VPNfpDqH3gS1Rj2yhspsoKz5nLDrmr8oRfmXTG-qk1OdJnpVtNy2TEaL5GDz9IwoWQWcQEnckfcU0kurySL/s1600/IMG_1101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEKPyajZdHC4ar8HpUJySNN9e6vJHp5MTC2BwgU8paP1EdAP_n-OfrM_Yn-VPNfpDqH3gS1Rj2yhspsoKz5nLDrmr8oRfmXTG-qk1OdJnpVtNy2TEaL5GDz9IwoWQWcQEnckfcU0kurySL/s320/IMG_1101.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kid loves to pose!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CiMbWQNQKoBPW_h0XYPuAoeYmuy_E0zMQ2NU3SYiIGqEzkn9nYZybNyMk9LIIXNsEtxbVI9YEJw-tGHxNoZHPBPpmMop3dk9nfAngA-4XFRySdLeKFhrhUIhkz5bUgFDQFgMGpB-5XF1/s1600/IMG_1090.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CiMbWQNQKoBPW_h0XYPuAoeYmuy_E0zMQ2NU3SYiIGqEzkn9nYZybNyMk9LIIXNsEtxbVI9YEJw-tGHxNoZHPBPpmMop3dk9nfAngA-4XFRySdLeKFhrhUIhkz5bUgFDQFgMGpB-5XF1/s320/IMG_1090.jpg" width="240" /></a>When I first picked up Tommy's glasses, they had made them wrong. They had put bifocals in both lenses. It took me asking why for the optomotry assistant to notice. We sent them back and they were corrected, but I was still unsettled. I was skeptical that anything was right once we got them. So when I (with my normal vision) looked through the glasses, I was convinced they had done them wrong. The bottom part of the lens is for close-up vision. When I look through Tommy's, it magnifies thing. This made sense. However, when I looked though the top part, which is supposed to correct for distance, it made things smaller. I was convinced that there was an error. In my mind, I thought, "no WONDER he won't wear them!" I was wrong. I still can't explain it, but I did a lot of research to try. I was hoping to read up and study and post an earth-shattering educational session on baby-glasses. Well, I read up, I studied... but in the midst of that, I stumbled upon this. <a href="http://littlefoureyes.com/2010/01/25/understanding-your-childs-glasses-prescription/">Little Four Eyes "Understanding your Child's Glasses Prescription"</a>. Super cool site, super-cool post. Maybe you'll just be impressed at my research skills. Or more likely, you read that post before you found mine. I do hope you read this post... and really hope that you check out this link: <a href="http://www.billauer.co.il/simulator.html">What your child's vision might look like without correction</a><br />
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I haven't figured out this glasses thing. We are still working on it. I will tell you that it takes a lot of work to get cream cheese out of the bifcal lens line. I suggest removing glasses before serving anything messy. I look forward to the day when he chooses to wear them... when they help him see.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tommy and his big sis!</td></tr>
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<br />Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-28696742270202037892012-10-18T21:58:00.000-04:002012-10-18T21:58:49.811-04:00Tommy gets glassesTommy got glasses. They came. <br />
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He hates them.<br />
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I hate them.<br />
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He needs them.<br />
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I know he needs them.<br />
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I hate them.<br />
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He looks adorable.<br />
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People tell me how cute he is. People notice. They notice the glasses. The look questioningly at why only one has a bifocal. They don't ask, but they notice. I haven't created my spiel yet. I will. But I'm still digesting. Still processing this latest edition of the eye chronicles.<br />
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I think he looks like the kid from Jerry McGuire. I haven't been able to get "You had me at hello" out of my head. It's kind of fitting. He did have me at... well, not hello, but more like "waaaahhhhh". Same difference.Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-54370829476861104912012-09-24T22:25:00.001-04:002012-09-24T22:25:31.331-04:00Eye doctors, ambulances, advice, and labels.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Tommy has had an eventful week. Which means I had a <strike>eventful</strike> stressful week!<br />
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On Tuesday we saw the ophthalmologist. The appointment went well, the ophthalmologist gave us a good report. Tommy appears to use both eyes together- and that always gives me a glimmer of hope. I still remember the day that Tommy had his cataract removed and the doctor could not guarantee he would ever be able to see out of that eye. (Yay, it works!) He said patching appears to be working- and continue to patch 4-6 hours per day (boo to patching!) He said pressures "look good" (they are 16 in bad eye and 13 in good eye). He said- time to order glasses. The news I've been hoping for and dreading for some time. I'm hopeful that he will be able to see better, but somehow the glasses make all of this so <i>real</i>. I know that doesn't make sense- we patch, we deal with contacts, all that is very real, but glasses seem like such a statement to the world. It just makes my heart feel a little sad.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the waiting room!</td></tr>
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The real excitement has nothing to do with Tommy's eyes. Tommy got the "back to school virus" and it hit him hard. He woke up on Wednesday with a runny nose and terrible fussiness. Me, being the good working mom that I am, gave him albuterol to fend off any breathing problems. He was afebrile, but I fully planned on sending him to daycare. His breathing wasn't BAD, just congested. An hour later it wasn't better, so I gave him another dose (still no wheezing even with a stethoscope). On my way to daycare, I decide that we should see the doctor that day- just in case- and because I knew our favorite doctor wasn't in the office the next day. I get the first available appointment, which was in 2 hours. Not enough time to go to work, but in plenty of time to go to Target! (We needed a few last minute things for Tommy's sister's birthday). We leave Target, get to the doctor a few minutes early, and Tommy has progressed to serious respiratory distress (grunting, breathing fast etc). He gets a few treatments in the office, gets some oxygen, doesn't get better.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doctor's office (poor baby)</td></tr>
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The doctor is concerned enough to make us go to the ER... via ambulance. Which may make one think that we were immediately whisked away to the hospital (~10 minute drive with traffic). Ahhh, no. The ambulance took 15-20 minutes to arrive, much to the doctor's dismay. Next, the EMTs decide that Tommy needs a CARSEAT to ride to the hospital in. (No disrespect to any EMT professionals, but, seriously?) Ok, so we get to the ambulance, DRIVE to my car in the parking lot, 2 EMTs and a security guard attempt to get the seat out of my car. Did I mention that all 3 of these guys were men in their 50s? Yep, it was actually funny to watch them try to finagle it out. They wouldn't let me let go of Tommy since he would scream. It took them 10 minutes. Then they couldn't figure out how to attach it to the stretcher. Genius. Tommy's dad, who missed my initial texts and was 20 minutes away, beat us to the hospital by a LONG shot.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJiPZEkHewSwWRRByHi7syxmXBgiR1_E4DCAXERTQvG2RcJJQRYygRNoutbo17iwmy1oDzuH3XeiJ5ChX3XLqI36B-_c9_zTaA3BFdp_DVbvUVQWYrW4ZVBA_Ft4Lp_zHrhnffkRwI5CAR/s1600/IMG_0968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJiPZEkHewSwWRRByHi7syxmXBgiR1_E4DCAXERTQvG2RcJJQRYygRNoutbo17iwmy1oDzuH3XeiJ5ChX3XLqI36B-_c9_zTaA3BFdp_DVbvUVQWYrW4ZVBA_Ft4Lp_zHrhnffkRwI5CAR/s320/IMG_0968.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tommy strapped in a carseat and strapped to a stretcher. (huh?)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAHUMrOfPC40EWo4A62We60tPzgeCi8NkAVTNLYM0m3SxzKQGdWiMZN_EV8EWC3brP21CjBBK_PbwzJTuLOA2xbpqHIC6txy-fqoHZDWlBkXFXqJUcka5wQewGqu5tcv9pOUvYVdWEM6tc/s1600/IMG_0974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAHUMrOfPC40EWo4A62We60tPzgeCi8NkAVTNLYM0m3SxzKQGdWiMZN_EV8EWC3brP21CjBBK_PbwzJTuLOA2xbpqHIC6txy-fqoHZDWlBkXFXqJUcka5wQewGqu5tcv9pOUvYVdWEM6tc/s320/IMG_0974.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I totally rock the monitor!</td></tr>
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We finally get to the hospital, get admitted, and spend the night.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAlsGuVy8SEN7y-wrnWYO3Watsat106MXfelv8w_-xNBOPEwnaaX5spMuGX_td8BmGQU3GOADt_Kp0EDLJ2q7yATiS2QvK2sZLbi9fl4P6QgnS2C7JWD0rqtQ320eQhBtviWjYnmicKUb/s1600/IMG_0977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAlsGuVy8SEN7y-wrnWYO3Watsat106MXfelv8w_-xNBOPEwnaaX5spMuGX_td8BmGQU3GOADt_Kp0EDLJ2q7yATiS2QvK2sZLbi9fl4P6QgnS2C7JWD0rqtQ320eQhBtviWjYnmicKUb/s200/IMG_0977.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet sleeping angel</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKh2u6_M0B99F4V1yGOhQ3Qeu8It2F-t8FAM_fputUv7VfCErbhHKdBsbueFUO15nTL_Olsm0SYo5F7K9sn6BXb7PkNy_3G948mg1RJhoX5-ZQIlBQwkvp7bKGLl5NbZNZpCF2jx6tuAp/s1600/IMG_0984.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKh2u6_M0B99F4V1yGOhQ3Qeu8It2F-t8FAM_fputUv7VfCErbhHKdBsbueFUO15nTL_Olsm0SYo5F7K9sn6BXb7PkNy_3G948mg1RJhoX5-ZQIlBQwkvp7bKGLl5NbZNZpCF2jx6tuAp/s320/IMG_0984.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm feeling better!</td></tr>
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Poor Tommy. We were discharged and have another new experience under our belts.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzyNOArZDEjSucazCycY0zp5dFgWDxlYW7T7KVGHWPQN85tc_IvkEtCFYgrB5qyciI4Ck1zN7jd7kf9CKSUAy4X32xjUKNbqvRU9iiCBgi6M_ka_uYhV2yh25k9f4DlBM_lC1M9o5hjILL/s1600/IMG_0983.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzyNOArZDEjSucazCycY0zp5dFgWDxlYW7T7KVGHWPQN85tc_IvkEtCFYgrB5qyciI4Ck1zN7jd7kf9CKSUAy4X32xjUKNbqvRU9iiCBgi6M_ka_uYhV2yh25k9f4DlBM_lC1M9o5hjILL/s320/IMG_0983.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hello Doctor? Let me go home!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLjO8_f8B-TBGTRgCRHdLAivMkNUMoszRJzNqgicrCEIZlHa8-bKEw3IVeoEHjFpi1f6EdW-qoALfdIZAb7uOhH5cF8-ynBY6QV4jnZdxeYw24lp50KThPSy2bljr9cLwcR6aTOTCrmQv/s1600/IMG_0988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLjO8_f8B-TBGTRgCRHdLAivMkNUMoszRJzNqgicrCEIZlHa8-bKEw3IVeoEHjFpi1f6EdW-qoALfdIZAb7uOhH5cF8-ynBY6QV4jnZdxeYw24lp50KThPSy2bljr9cLwcR6aTOTCrmQv/s320/IMG_0988.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am outta here!!</td></tr>
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I learned that I am really good at telling people what to do, how to take their medicine, why they need to etc etc etc. But I am really bad about taking my own advice. I know he needs medicine, I know why, I know how, I just don't want to. (I am, don't worry, I am, just doing it reluctantly) <br />
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My problem with all of this- is that it is just another LABEL. Tommy had a cataract. Tommy wears a contact. Tommy wears a patch. Tommy wears glasses. Tommy has asthma. <br />
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I don't want Tommy to be defined by any of these labels. I don't want people to think of him as "that asthmatic kid with glasses and the small eye". I don't want people to make judgements that people make when they see my baby. I guess this is a good learning experience for me, too. Judging is easy and often makes you feel better about your own situation. But judging is never good- and is rarely reflective of the whole picture.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja2bIi_gzkj0S90J6Hqc5Y8jwNdtXeCRhKgWzdGOQsKHBd86S2hZnvqenf4_vBUyLii6GRq_7zrJKAIXviqFyYpnAzINObgpOP4BoxB7EDfxucnD7oZ5kl-DmV5a00O7rGRehPxSsxnzyr/s1600/IMG_1002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja2bIi_gzkj0S90J6Hqc5Y8jwNdtXeCRhKgWzdGOQsKHBd86S2hZnvqenf4_vBUyLii6GRq_7zrJKAIXviqFyYpnAzINObgpOP4BoxB7EDfxucnD7oZ5kl-DmV5a00O7rGRehPxSsxnzyr/s400/IMG_1002.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THIS is Tommy.</td></tr>
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Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-67723999439430835702012-09-17T21:43:00.002-04:002012-09-17T21:44:48.885-04:00Surprise AnxietyIt has been a while since I've been so... so anxious about "the eye" as I am right now. I'm not even sure I understand fully what I'm feeling.<br />
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I've mentioned that we are currently having a war in our house. Tommy versus The Patch. He's become quite skilled at making sure that I cannot re-use any patch he gets his hands on, which means we are back to a 9-10 patch a day habit. But that is Tommy. That is normal. That cannot be the source of my stress.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh10RAzN0FDIYkhOz9jL6-ts66LS5DYH_attt4NwbJoZhb2Mg0nOphwb9nhBpIO9A-xK6ZP9N9jWnOESyBh6aBeCflMKtJIxrDAJLlxSLqLGueF1ZabOR00qIkoR-6OPgpxO55Q71rd1YVq/s1600/IMG_8516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh10RAzN0FDIYkhOz9jL6-ts66LS5DYH_attt4NwbJoZhb2Mg0nOphwb9nhBpIO9A-xK6ZP9N9jWnOESyBh6aBeCflMKtJIxrDAJLlxSLqLGueF1ZabOR00qIkoR-6OPgpxO55Q71rd1YVq/s320/IMG_8516.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Contact vacation!</td></tr>
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Tommy's contact is currently on back order. I'm fairly convinced it is because they made an entire lot that wasn't really the correct size. We were sent 3 contacts from Bausch and Lomb to replace the multiple contacts we lost in such a short period of time. I finally broke into one- and it was ~3/4 the size of the contact he had in his eye (despite all the numbers on the bottle matching). Only a seasoned iMom would notice that. So I'm pretty sure they had to re-make and re-send quite a few! We discovered this after losing the last contact that was correct. Tommy has been on a contact vacation since Thursday. Poor guy, we found it today (5 days later) on the floor of the garage. Two disinfecting routine's later, I think it may still work. Again, this is pretty normal stuff.<br />
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I think the big issue is that we see his eye doctor tomorrow. I'm always a little nervous- but this seems like a big visit. We've been told all along that he'd get glasses at 18 months. I don't know if I'm ready. It brings back all these strange feelings of remorse for him. It hit me that he will wear these glasses... probably forever. He will patch for the next 7 years, which will feel like forever. It means the loss of some things- he'll never be a pilot (you need depth perception), he'll never be a baseball star (again, poor depth perception), his left eye will always be smaller... I don't know why this matters now, today, when nothing has changed. He still is Tommy with a killer grin, an infectious laugh, and the cutest little face I could ever imagine. While he has this "eye thing" he isn't any different than his friends in daycare in the things that matter. But still I'm still in a state of unrest. I'm hoping that it isn't a predictor of things to come.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFQniJwvlEyTI_UVwjkkC533_Kf1SErNbGTGE41g3kHP0G8PQ_FhttFPrz-YJcKcuOzrqoKcPEb1RUzznT1S-w-EICgkFb_p_Rk5M7xxFcwZcbOAV5n-xsFQbGVnGVf7n-WF6BqwkIULqe/s1600/IMG_3747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFQniJwvlEyTI_UVwjkkC533_Kf1SErNbGTGE41g3kHP0G8PQ_FhttFPrz-YJcKcuOzrqoKcPEb1RUzznT1S-w-EICgkFb_p_Rk5M7xxFcwZcbOAV5n-xsFQbGVnGVf7n-WF6BqwkIULqe/s320/IMG_3747.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-393363806121287342012-09-06T08:56:00.002-04:002012-09-06T08:58:56.389-04:00Summer crazyWe have had quite a busy summer here- we packed a LOT in! (I'm going to use that as my excuse for limited posts!)<br />
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May: Eye appointment- no major news, no contact change, no glasses (Still!) and we spent as much time as we could outside (including a backyard campout!!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifmJJb07ZWcQp0TWMCf4MbF1Ppu9NmgZVPniaZV3mc-se5GoZ-v87f_ZwF_SSjh9PKuGVRulIjp16sCfwCQST08JoJiAIQ1C4Cqnl1wqgYjGndQxhCrBh8IRgjnm9mSGckVQfxow5xnJHt/s1600/IMG_3230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifmJJb07ZWcQp0TWMCf4MbF1Ppu9NmgZVPniaZV3mc-se5GoZ-v87f_ZwF_SSjh9PKuGVRulIjp16sCfwCQST08JoJiAIQ1C4Cqnl1wqgYjGndQxhCrBh8IRgjnm9mSGckVQfxow5xnJHt/s320/IMG_3230.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love it outside!</td></tr>
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June: School is out! We had a dance recital (ok, Tommy's sisters did, but it affected him!), and the wedding of a family/friend<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7sjkzuL1HG6ABc6HJFi_7dFKWPgrzblc5Gf-5I1iE1Gj1asac6TG1II7xt9zNx6mFXTMkXyNHM7PjanVt22IkRai3lLgKUNZt2Jq3KMiei3W1D5RyBugIcGeXNt2yf6qbB3xra3dbjhuy/s1600/IMG_8093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7sjkzuL1HG6ABc6HJFi_7dFKWPgrzblc5Gf-5I1iE1Gj1asac6TG1II7xt9zNx6mFXTMkXyNHM7PjanVt22IkRai3lLgKUNZt2Jq3KMiei3W1D5RyBugIcGeXNt2yf6qbB3xra3dbjhuy/s320/IMG_8093.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I rock a tux!</td></tr>
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July: Fourth of July, first haircut, vacation, and Cedar Point trip!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXrj1Ox_OdCVVLHoEfZAezvVfB-W-kGRFHR2PrYJ6v-krNRFqCukbwDqrAlTiyrYFPPXKmpKGMcut-ewTrsE8VRLH0pbIVhLWVIFDlpgv90wgGqGX3J26z5KpmX2gwCgND7S9y63GM4Rl/s1600/IMG_3384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXrj1Ox_OdCVVLHoEfZAezvVfB-W-kGRFHR2PrYJ6v-krNRFqCukbwDqrAlTiyrYFPPXKmpKGMcut-ewTrsE8VRLH0pbIVhLWVIFDlpgv90wgGqGX3J26z5KpmX2gwCgND7S9y63GM4Rl/s320/IMG_3384.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first haircut!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPKVsBhkwghDmXh-v1UO3rC4F062ZUAAaEae4utnHXhu0CQznOmWXAD3_eCPdbzaHxs604HaKL_y9N2_DSBoVIXyChf9AbelHBLu38WM9YP9fzMhSd5FIe1V9w0FbCnkLLwecNGi8TIKcP/s1600/IMG_3486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPKVsBhkwghDmXh-v1UO3rC4F062ZUAAaEae4utnHXhu0CQznOmWXAD3_eCPdbzaHxs604HaKL_y9N2_DSBoVIXyChf9AbelHBLu38WM9YP9fzMhSd5FIe1V9w0FbCnkLLwecNGi8TIKcP/s320/IMG_3486.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm famous in Portland, Maine!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2FkVEVxL3k-t9QF0DGd6ehrZSfwIXYurlFOzwUAgvK70XK4571-csdOy9WEEcDLHL0VAHnVI1sGI5oOd8TdJWhk2Evhsv-m2t5ANHGmb2mZbsyECSnDpJ8MmUWgUQdZshPhZdbf_qySdq/s1600/IMG_8253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2FkVEVxL3k-t9QF0DGd6ehrZSfwIXYurlFOzwUAgvK70XK4571-csdOy9WEEcDLHL0VAHnVI1sGI5oOd8TdJWhk2Evhsv-m2t5ANHGmb2mZbsyECSnDpJ8MmUWgUQdZshPhZdbf_qySdq/s320/IMG_8253.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northern Atlantic Ocean is COLD!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPlyu55O3jyS4TM1uAl9LMweGHmzlgkvl7aZ5xXK8zm8ejVh2WT49G00-JBZ1U5kwcw9P4WE4oTJDTmK0AepLBs6E-ywsF3KyansvJG_37QC3DUfS9Y_A0neynqjL6FaSOmAwwZFxvkpa/s1600/IMG_3620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIPlyu55O3jyS4TM1uAl9LMweGHmzlgkvl7aZ5xXK8zm8ejVh2WT49G00-JBZ1U5kwcw9P4WE4oTJDTmK0AepLBs6E-ywsF3KyansvJG_37QC3DUfS9Y_A0neynqjL6FaSOmAwwZFxvkpa/s320/IMG_3620.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben and Jerry sure know how to make ice cream!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhARmAI6vX_-6amt4JsG5kWYUVCw1-F5z3II1H1nEVRHxL-1Kz5KroqiozIqb7xF8DCViU7rXWo2waZpTfWg1s4whptMikuIanbwyxWmkD0okz1ihXaFfwYQ9v9EVvDwA_b7B9mW8oiUz55/s1600/IMG_3674.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhARmAI6vX_-6amt4JsG5kWYUVCw1-F5z3II1H1nEVRHxL-1Kz5KroqiozIqb7xF8DCViU7rXWo2waZpTfWg1s4whptMikuIanbwyxWmkD0okz1ihXaFfwYQ9v9EVvDwA_b7B9mW8oiUz55/s320/IMG_3674.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We ONLY use REAL maple syrup</td></tr>
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August: Real camp-out (a little nerve wracking with open fire and open water with a curious toddler!), more time outside, and trip to the Zoo (which was really in September, but I'm counting as end of summer)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2HUS3KSoVJqHWYdvfyzCysmwzkzvOSXusXU73ZeelWPZ2kkXZNI3JCvsK27v0rpneRyL7OG_YpuEg1EKeoOHztJs5-_TDWdrSWJZO_hqBjGXHA3kGyuBr2HUsqAOv-iE9AER4pXPZjrx/s1600/IMG_0789.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2HUS3KSoVJqHWYdvfyzCysmwzkzvOSXusXU73ZeelWPZ2kkXZNI3JCvsK27v0rpneRyL7OG_YpuEg1EKeoOHztJs5-_TDWdrSWJZO_hqBjGXHA3kGyuBr2HUsqAOv-iE9AER4pXPZjrx/s320/IMG_0789.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have to protect myself from the paparazzi (AKA mom)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieACdyt2zcgVSoFH7FGuWYFdqtdJ-noJ-NeEcXtf6LhPMrMAyYrduwjXxXAM4thds9Kch0DMdEE-tUrXGGi4Fsj7qUr_-U3lseEKB4eqkpVQjt1McBBuyEk1KL-XREPvumw-P37e5mNHKe/s1600/IMG_0800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieACdyt2zcgVSoFH7FGuWYFdqtdJ-noJ-NeEcXtf6LhPMrMAyYrduwjXxXAM4thds9Kch0DMdEE-tUrXGGi4Fsj7qUr_-U3lseEKB4eqkpVQjt1McBBuyEk1KL-XREPvumw-P37e5mNHKe/s320/IMG_0800.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Landscape project brings cool trucks!!</td></tr>
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September: Zoo trip and first day of school for sisters- and just another day for me. Tommy was late to walk, but is apparently over-eager to hit the "terrible-twos" stage. This is compounded by another round of 'Tommy vs Patch'. He is also learning to take his contact out himself- a skill I wouldn't care if he never learned.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPb2nRZ1TuqeXWXkcVfQEYXhdJ9dt3sD41KGMiscDWy8JlWfdF9FIcYbwn7HI0uHUY-ezBF-KHy5wRIGEvsvd-8P_7ms0E6Ts7NWzoBvFUsmgZHv4UwnUKvTRw7q2aD61LywjHyrDhRu-5/s1600/IMG_3835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPb2nRZ1TuqeXWXkcVfQEYXhdJ9dt3sD41KGMiscDWy8JlWfdF9FIcYbwn7HI0uHUY-ezBF-KHy5wRIGEvsvd-8P_7ms0E6Ts7NWzoBvFUsmgZHv4UwnUKvTRw7q2aD61LywjHyrDhRu-5/s320/IMG_3835.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ROAR!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil-7MQbjNmVzTryMBNWLTzp9kt3TqlB3ZUTNtfdrXplzf6sKLl4gLAJTk4j_tHnFy7-UkqVqY_z9J-emc7kaJDPO1oMLkwc7e0Zrq1FO9sepGTrw9l6ye1Fn1trBV5EDORgqXtlIwPTR-Q/s1600/IMG_8466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil-7MQbjNmVzTryMBNWLTzp9kt3TqlB3ZUTNtfdrXplzf6sKLl4gLAJTk4j_tHnFy7-UkqVqY_z9J-emc7kaJDPO1oMLkwc7e0Zrq1FO9sepGTrw9l6ye1Fn1trBV5EDORgqXtlIwPTR-Q/s320/IMG_8466.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sisters started new schools and mommy made signs, (note patch on backwards as he ripped it off 3 times by 7am)</td></tr>
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As you can see- "The eye" hasn't taken over our lives. (it takes over my thoughts a lot of the time still!) Tommy is like any other typical 4th kid- dragged here, there, and everywhere! He wears a contact, he wears a patch, but he's just another 18 month old who is spoiled rotten, naughty, sweet as sugar, and more fun than I every could have expected!</div>
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Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-50216452669970668262012-07-19T10:33:00.001-04:002012-07-19T10:34:44.672-04:00It's tough to get mad...Remember how I said patching was going well? That was short-lived. Tommy regularly rips it off and we are back to spending a fortune in patches!<br />
What is funny is... The older he gets, the more he understands. He KNOWS it is wrong, but does it anyway. He has started to pull it off, bring me the patch and say "HIiiiii!!!!" and give me the sweetest little smile, as if to say "I'm so cute, you aren't mad, right?". And it's true, this always makes me laugh. I still get a new patch, but I do it with a smile!<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizF4Cs_Ij1nHFjuvthpbbFqIc5V-IuLOWU15yerULlh8KvMgB_perKGmkgG4-P2R6XRXH__OszDw-CQA2zw8bC137-vyFtnBQj471wDXirldMe8zm4SsFN5A-LNlTqIPSV6pC0rP9MFGDr/s640/blogger-image-703767378.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizF4Cs_Ij1nHFjuvthpbbFqIc5V-IuLOWU15yerULlh8KvMgB_perKGmkgG4-P2R6XRXH__OszDw-CQA2zw8bC137-vyFtnBQj471wDXirldMe8zm4SsFN5A-LNlTqIPSV6pC0rP9MFGDr/s640/blogger-image-703767378.jpg" /></a></div>Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-55448544155124451862012-07-11T22:03:00.002-04:002012-07-11T22:03:59.244-04:00No news is good newsI've been very lax at keeping this blog up. There are many reasons why: I have 4 kids, I work full time, I like to sleep, just to name a few. However, the main reason I haven't posted.... is that I have nothing to say! Life has been pretty calm in the eye world for us: <br />
We did have a r<strike>ecent</strike> ahh appointment 2 months ago. No news (which is GOOD news!). They checked pressures for the first time, they are fine (YAY!) and Tommy didn't mind the test (yay again- no EUA!). No new vision tests (no cards or anything, I'm jealous! See <a href="http://seethedistance.blogspot.com/2012/06/eye-chart-pics.html">Eye Charts from "See the Distance"</a>). No glasses (and I've been waiting and waiting for those!) This appointment was just after our long series of contact losses where I nearly lost my mind... and perhaps shared that <strike>politely</strike> ummm, dramatically, with the optical technicians on the phone. I guess they make note of such outbursts in medical charts. Our PO asked how it was going and said oh-so-nonchalantly that if he kept losing them, we could consider surgery. YIKES. Hello wake-up call. We really hadn't thought it was THAT extreme. I guess inability to tolerate a lens is grounds for surgery. Luckily, that has settled out a bit.<br />
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Knock on wood, cross my heart, pray for me, or whatever else will work... but we are in a relatively good place. Patching isn't going horribly and we haven't lost a contact in over a month. I'm trying not to expect badness... and am trying to enjoy this moment of peace. I know it won't last forever, so I'm enjoying while I can!<br />
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Eye-wise, life is pretty boring!<br />
In other news:<br />
We attended the wedding of a really good friend:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJhQUeKX6twZxPADQO8qs8PczqRkxG_LLS1KYdaYcqkBtL8OgfONcKF-JWb-HqfRTH_hNsB5zluHen0Oj5Gy7DResIM2oswVdRbdQ2WLPxqb1zAouhdcvaYKqisn-oTanLilUKFCO-5_h/s1600/IMG_8171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJhQUeKX6twZxPADQO8qs8PczqRkxG_LLS1KYdaYcqkBtL8OgfONcKF-JWb-HqfRTH_hNsB5zluHen0Oj5Gy7DResIM2oswVdRbdQ2WLPxqb1zAouhdcvaYKqisn-oTanLilUKFCO-5_h/s320/IMG_8171.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tommy wearing the tux in action.<br />GQ has already called.</td></tr>
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And little man got a haircut! (It was time- Tommy spent some time in the ER for trouble breathing... and the nurse thought he was a GIRL!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoAqdU9VxQFiBn4znwsjG4bHyuGmgTMNZigQXA9_Eov9YKTsce1_hdRWRAHrB2udxoFQK3bbP3_xJqXhuKwjeJ1shhWPNVInzyowme0tfnZkH9QXThuyI2gn8fSuIqsagbWjfB-kv0B__O/s1600/314716_10151017409717528_1009447242_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoAqdU9VxQFiBn4znwsjG4bHyuGmgTMNZigQXA9_Eov9YKTsce1_hdRWRAHrB2udxoFQK3bbP3_xJqXhuKwjeJ1shhWPNVInzyowme0tfnZkH9QXThuyI2gn8fSuIqsagbWjfB-kv0B__O/s320/314716_10151017409717528_1009447242_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Before</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3DQmelJdxwdF1GGlGDimM_mWErks_rdYr4WEAmR8Z1Un3dzvIbjryXAH16xuDN2UeASKXrVVQGBpvtbF02nk8Pjj7CQ0W6NcqhEe3T3AWkFnJ2cMQUfNKj8Md7itrDV3deS_gvIUCZx6/s1600/205229_10151017624557528_1115326176_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3DQmelJdxwdF1GGlGDimM_mWErks_rdYr4WEAmR8Z1Un3dzvIbjryXAH16xuDN2UeASKXrVVQGBpvtbF02nk8Pjj7CQ0W6NcqhEe3T3AWkFnJ2cMQUfNKj8Md7itrDV3deS_gvIUCZx6/s320/205229_10151017624557528_1115326176_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The AFTER</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-75560417079046677702012-06-25T22:16:00.000-04:002012-06-25T22:16:33.397-04:00Now THAT is customer service!Ok, so I am blatantly going to rave about Bausch and Lomb right now. As you may have read in previous posts, Tommy just went through a period of losing contacts at an amazingly fast pace. He lost 4 within the span of 3.5 weeks. What didn't ever settle with me is that his old contact (different prescription) stayed in... and it got plenty of use during the time we lost so many! Also, we got another contact that has lasted quite a long time. <br />
I save all the contact bottles (who knows why... maybe it's an iMom thing). I looked at the bottles of the contacts we lost... and the all had similar lot numbers. In all, there were 2 lot numbers (4 contacts) and it was only the last 4 digits that differed between those lots. I was convinced that something was wrong with them. (My husband, for the record, thought I was CRAZY! And, I do admit, that losing that many did nearly put me over the edge...) <br />
Anyway. I finally was home during business hours last week, so I decided to call the company. My true plan was just to let them know. Heck, we lost them, I really didn't figure they could to anything for me.<br />
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BUT GUESS WHAT? They were thrilled to get feedback... ok, so maybe not <em>THRILLED</em> thrilled, but they were so nice and really listened to me. But better than that? They sent me 3 replacement contacts! It is like I won the lottery! (And truly, since I'm happy to win a dollar with a scratch-off lottery ticket, imagine my delight at this $750 package in the mail!)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMuxVCAJzqsgfSlRx2juMkV6dI0WzD3tKPUG_nsM7Zqjt_YVx6yGL6FwYJw814uwvHI2UgNJCdjF-U8s7_AMOZFzZtebl-CuNgP2cVH6o_EX6rn0MMx7I7BSqO0GPqQOlKT50ctqeWoydk/s1600/IMG_0529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMuxVCAJzqsgfSlRx2juMkV6dI0WzD3tKPUG_nsM7Zqjt_YVx6yGL6FwYJw814uwvHI2UgNJCdjF-U8s7_AMOZFzZtebl-CuNgP2cVH6o_EX6rn0MMx7I7BSqO0GPqQOlKT50ctqeWoydk/s320/IMG_0529.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've got to hide from the paparazzi.</td></tr>
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<br />Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-4542070014995384282012-06-08T22:40:00.004-04:002012-06-08T22:40:50.084-04:00"Babies wearing contact lenses"I found this on a random search... and it made me smile. It is a good public service announcement... but still funny! It makes me want to show this to every medical student and medical resident I work with. Anytime they talk about "delaying the eye exam" I tell them my story and how early detection of cataracts... blah blah blah, you all know the rest. I'm like a broken record, but it is my little way of trying to prevent someone from going through ANY time of horrible uncertainty. (See <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5915692037914069307#editor/target=post;postID=5526591306228093915">And so it begins...</a>and <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5915692037914069307#editor/target=post;postID=629419559515060207">Red eye reflex</a>). Next time I'll just send them to this!<br />
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<a href="http://youtu.be/SLNUWc1Z1-w">Babies Wearing Contact Lenses</a><br />
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Hope makes someone else out there smile!Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5915692037914069307.post-4342509449505982822012-05-06T22:24:00.003-04:002012-05-06T22:24:35.685-04:00Just breatheI can finally breathe. Things are still hard... that never goes away, but it is never impossible. <br />
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I've got a beautiful little boy who has really good days:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNYy_57mPhPdeIWXpo5Sa4wZMqKBPAk0-CunjqB6b8vVYcJvui5bTr5Dk11n7wY1aeurQLhOEZVRRJzIWUbc1yfcSRdEHPJA9stj7NGWlJoSuZhTZWG8KGO27wfOE0IAa9Ggs3c7UxUgf/s1600/IMG_0314.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNYy_57mPhPdeIWXpo5Sa4wZMqKBPAk0-CunjqB6b8vVYcJvui5bTr5Dk11n7wY1aeurQLhOEZVRRJzIWUbc1yfcSRdEHPJA9stj7NGWlJoSuZhTZWG8KGO27wfOE0IAa9Ggs3c7UxUgf/s320/IMG_0314.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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And a few bad moments:<br />
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Just like any other little boy!<br />
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I feel the need to share that things really are mostly fine. If you are new in this crazy journey and you read my posts, I'd hate to leave you thinking that things are always terrible. They really aren't. We've finally had a contact that lasted a whole week! A record for this strength/size. I've got a great group of "iMoms" who help me realize that none of us are alone, and we all are headed in the right direction. Someday we will look back on these days... and miss all that they encompass. <br />
(Ok, it would be preferable to have the memories not laced with patches, but I'm trying to be poetic here!)<br />
I should make sure that I put a patch in the baby book....Em Sid Ad and Toms momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00327943474203169546noreply@blogger.com2