Thank
You
For
Your
Prayers..!
We need them, we feel them, and we are so blessed by them.
Judah is finished private therapy for his neck: PRAISE THE LORD! It was a very packed 6 weeks of driving back and forth to Surrey every other day for intensive 45 minute sessions, but hallelujah!--We are done! And even better than that... Judah's neck is WAY better! Way stronger! Way straighter! It was all worth it.
We are continuing to do maintenance physio at home and see a public health therapist every few weeks, but that's small potatoes compared to what it was like. Huzzah! God is good, all the time!
Judah's next helmet appointment is on Wednesday... and here's hoping that his head grows by then. Haha. How long has it been? Five months? He packs away food like a hibernating bear (and grunts like one too), but it's obviously not making it's way up to expand his head circumference. He has another appointment on the 30th... so he could be Helmut free for Halloween (which doesn't really matter because we're not big into that event.. but we are going to a super awesome neighbourhood harvest party on the 31st, so we will dress him up and let him totter through the festivities).
So on that note, I need some toddler-friendly costume ideas that incorporates Helmut! :) David wants him to be Megaman (I had to google this... I am so so so much younger than my handsome husband ;)) and I think he would make a pretty awesome gladiator. Nothing with a mask (Ironman, etc) as I don't think Hawk will tolerate that very much!
Feel free to leave your costume suggestions beneath the link on Facebook :).
Happy Fall!
xx
Friday, October 04, 2013
Thursday, August 22, 2013
When my baby doesn't sleep, Mama smiles
The past few weeks Judah has decided that he doesn't need to go to bed at 7 pm. Or 7:30. Or 8:30. Heck, why not stay up and happily play and explore until 9:55 pm?
Okay, so that only happened once, but it was a crazy enough "once" to mention. If I recall correctly, David and I were sprawled across the living room in our pyjamas in a nearly passed out state as we watched Judah crawl and climb from couch to mini trampoline to cat to Daddy to banister to cat to chair to toy bin to cat to Mummy to door to fridge to cat... and repeat. After numerous attempts to put him down, tire him out, wind him down, and every other tactic we could think of, we eventually lay him in his crib, kissed him for the umpteenth time, and collapsed into our own bed while we listened to him giggling on the monitor.
You know, I act exasperated... but truthfully? I love it.
Call me crazy but I L.O.V.E this new stage of crawling and climbing and exploring. I love that he hasn't figured out how to fit under the couch to retrieve his ball but will repeatedly attempt to master this feat. I love how he motors towards the dishwasher every time I open it. I love that he pulls out all the craft drawers and reorganizes the paintbrushes and markers (he's his father's son, that boy). I honestly love that he makes messes and eats sand and hides food in his diaper and has learned how to dump our water bottles all over the carpet.
Because in these moments he is doing and becoming everything a healthy, happy little boy should be doing...
...Unlike his physiotherapy, which reduces him to a screaming, flailing, gasping, hyperventilating, nineteen pound bundle of noise and tears.
And that's not even mentioning the full range of emotions that it puts David and me through.
To be honest, I haven't blogged in a couple of months because there hasn't been much to say. Or at least, not much to say that has been positive. I really hate the idea of this turning into a venting corner, and that's really not my style anyway, so I tend to avoid writing the woe-is-me-my-life-is-a-gong-show posts. But to catch you up to speed (warning: brutal honesty ahead)...
1. Helmut has been little more than a sweaty fashion statement over the summer, seeing as how Hawk's head hasn't grown in size since May. Helmut functions as a mold for Hawk's head to grow into, as opposed to applying direct force on the skull to somehow force it into becoming the appropriate shape. Picture the practice of growing a square watermelon in a box versus shaping a lump of dough into a ball using your hands: the former is a passive boundary whereas the latter is an active force. Simply put, if Judah's head isn't growing, Helmut isn't doing anything, so these past three months haven't resulted in any improvement. However, up until May Helmut was doing exactly what it was supposed to be doing in proportion to Judah's rapidly growing head, and since then his head has looked great--almost "normal"! The orthotists are convinced that there's a growth spurt right around the corner, and prayerfully that will be the final push that is needed for Judah to have a proportioned head--and be Helmut free! Please pray that this happens soon. Helmut doesn't aid in happy physio exercises, so the sooner it's off the better :).
2. We hit a huge wall with physiotherapy (read: no improvement in spite of 5 months of treatment and persistently doing the exercises at home multiple times daily), so we were advised to seek private treatment. This new therapist believes that one, maybe two, months of aggressive treatment should have a significant effect on Judah's head tilt (please pray that it's only one month!), so we are now attending 45+ minute sessions three times a week in Surrey, and doing three exercise sessions at home each day, roughly 25 minutes each time.
Let's just say there is a lot of crying involved. And not all of the tears belong to Judah.
Nitin, our physiotherapist, is incredible and patient and has genius ideas for helping Judah, and he's TRAINED in working with babies who are having meltdowns... but even he needs to take a smoke break after Judah's treatments. Yeah. I feel guilty about that too.
Some of our friends and family have seen us perform the neck stretches on Judah, but we have not been able to bring ourselves to do his strengthening exercises in public... mostly because it's brutal to watch and in spite of its necessity, we feel guilty putting Judah through this. Definitely not something that we'd like an audience for.
Sometimes, if we're feeling that extra strength coming our way, David and I are able to work together to do his afternoon/evening sessions. One of us acts as the distractor, jumping and twirling, waving pretty-shiny-noisy-obnoxious things, singing and dancing and generally applauding and giving as much verbal encouragement to Judah as possible. I bet it's hilarious to watch, but it really only serves to counteract the "we feel dead inside" emotions. However, more recently David and I haven't been able to handle the scream fests, so we spell each other off as needed, which is amazing and for which I'm SO grateful. Honey, if you're reading this, you're a total gem and I love you.
Timing his sessions takes the skill of an organizational wizard (whom I am not). Catching those windows of opportunity three times a day where he's not hungry-not tired-not sleeping is actually harder than it seems--but nothing is harder than saying, "Yay, you're well rested, well fed, and playing so nicely and learning how to explore the world; have fun! Just kidding, it's time for you to get to work! It's been almost two hours since Mummy made you cry bloody murder. Goodie!"
So even though Judah's new being up late streak has started to throw our evening habits into a bit of a tizzy, I really don't mind it at all. Because there's a great rule in our house and it's "No Physio After 7". So you stay up, kiddo, and you play to your heart's content! And we'll play with you and we promise we won't touch your neck or dangle you in awkward positions that would make any yoga fanatic green with envy. We will play and read you books and chase you around the house and forget just for a little while that we "should" be using this time to squeeze in an extra strengthening session. These late night frenzies have honestly been the highlight of my days.
... And after all that, tonight he was in bed and snoozing at 6:54 pm. Wonders never cease! Sleep well, tiny love, and may these words be etched forever on your heart:
Okay, so that only happened once, but it was a crazy enough "once" to mention. If I recall correctly, David and I were sprawled across the living room in our pyjamas in a nearly passed out state as we watched Judah crawl and climb from couch to mini trampoline to cat to Daddy to banister to cat to chair to toy bin to cat to Mummy to door to fridge to cat... and repeat. After numerous attempts to put him down, tire him out, wind him down, and every other tactic we could think of, we eventually lay him in his crib, kissed him for the umpteenth time, and collapsed into our own bed while we listened to him giggling on the monitor.
You know, I act exasperated... but truthfully? I love it.
Call me crazy but I L.O.V.E this new stage of crawling and climbing and exploring. I love that he hasn't figured out how to fit under the couch to retrieve his ball but will repeatedly attempt to master this feat. I love how he motors towards the dishwasher every time I open it. I love that he pulls out all the craft drawers and reorganizes the paintbrushes and markers (he's his father's son, that boy). I honestly love that he makes messes and eats sand and hides food in his diaper and has learned how to dump our water bottles all over the carpet.
Because in these moments he is doing and becoming everything a healthy, happy little boy should be doing...
...Unlike his physiotherapy, which reduces him to a screaming, flailing, gasping, hyperventilating, nineteen pound bundle of noise and tears.
And that's not even mentioning the full range of emotions that it puts David and me through.
To be honest, I haven't blogged in a couple of months because there hasn't been much to say. Or at least, not much to say that has been positive. I really hate the idea of this turning into a venting corner, and that's really not my style anyway, so I tend to avoid writing the woe-is-me-my-life-is-a-gong-show posts. But to catch you up to speed (warning: brutal honesty ahead)...
1. Helmut has been little more than a sweaty fashion statement over the summer, seeing as how Hawk's head hasn't grown in size since May. Helmut functions as a mold for Hawk's head to grow into, as opposed to applying direct force on the skull to somehow force it into becoming the appropriate shape. Picture the practice of growing a square watermelon in a box versus shaping a lump of dough into a ball using your hands: the former is a passive boundary whereas the latter is an active force. Simply put, if Judah's head isn't growing, Helmut isn't doing anything, so these past three months haven't resulted in any improvement. However, up until May Helmut was doing exactly what it was supposed to be doing in proportion to Judah's rapidly growing head, and since then his head has looked great--almost "normal"! The orthotists are convinced that there's a growth spurt right around the corner, and prayerfully that will be the final push that is needed for Judah to have a proportioned head--and be Helmut free! Please pray that this happens soon. Helmut doesn't aid in happy physio exercises, so the sooner it's off the better :).
2. We hit a huge wall with physiotherapy (read: no improvement in spite of 5 months of treatment and persistently doing the exercises at home multiple times daily), so we were advised to seek private treatment. This new therapist believes that one, maybe two, months of aggressive treatment should have a significant effect on Judah's head tilt (please pray that it's only one month!), so we are now attending 45+ minute sessions three times a week in Surrey, and doing three exercise sessions at home each day, roughly 25 minutes each time.
Let's just say there is a lot of crying involved. And not all of the tears belong to Judah.
Nitin, our physiotherapist, is incredible and patient and has genius ideas for helping Judah, and he's TRAINED in working with babies who are having meltdowns... but even he needs to take a smoke break after Judah's treatments. Yeah. I feel guilty about that too.
Some of our friends and family have seen us perform the neck stretches on Judah, but we have not been able to bring ourselves to do his strengthening exercises in public... mostly because it's brutal to watch and in spite of its necessity, we feel guilty putting Judah through this. Definitely not something that we'd like an audience for.
Sometimes, if we're feeling that extra strength coming our way, David and I are able to work together to do his afternoon/evening sessions. One of us acts as the distractor, jumping and twirling, waving pretty-shiny-noisy-obnoxious things, singing and dancing and generally applauding and giving as much verbal encouragement to Judah as possible. I bet it's hilarious to watch, but it really only serves to counteract the "we feel dead inside" emotions. However, more recently David and I haven't been able to handle the scream fests, so we spell each other off as needed, which is amazing and for which I'm SO grateful. Honey, if you're reading this, you're a total gem and I love you.
Timing his sessions takes the skill of an organizational wizard (whom I am not). Catching those windows of opportunity three times a day where he's not hungry-not tired-not sleeping is actually harder than it seems--but nothing is harder than saying, "Yay, you're well rested, well fed, and playing so nicely and learning how to explore the world; have fun! Just kidding, it's time for you to get to work! It's been almost two hours since Mummy made you cry bloody murder. Goodie!"
So even though Judah's new being up late streak has started to throw our evening habits into a bit of a tizzy, I really don't mind it at all. Because there's a great rule in our house and it's "No Physio After 7". So you stay up, kiddo, and you play to your heart's content! And we'll play with you and we promise we won't touch your neck or dangle you in awkward positions that would make any yoga fanatic green with envy. We will play and read you books and chase you around the house and forget just for a little while that we "should" be using this time to squeeze in an extra strengthening session. These late night frenzies have honestly been the highlight of my days.
... And after all that, tonight he was in bed and snoozing at 6:54 pm. Wonders never cease! Sleep well, tiny love, and may these words be etched forever on your heart:
"For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be."
Psalm 139:13-16
Friday, June 28, 2013
June!
Happy summer! ...where did May and June go?? These last couple months have flown by! Judah is 10 months old! He's quite the adorable little boy, if I do say so myself. He does a very quirky "say cheese" face, gets from point A to B by propelling himself backwards and diagonally on his tummy, pulls himself up on *some* things, is starting to cruise furniture and push things around the room... And is still blonde! He gives high fives, claps with vigour and is very enthusiastic about most things - except Merlot, our new chick (whose name was inspired by her breed, Silver Laced Wyandott, and not a drinking habit ;)), who is overly friendly and tries to climb all over Judah with her sharp little feet. We're working on their relationship though because heaven forbid Judah have a negative animal experience..!
As for Judah's neck and head... Ugh. It's been a discouraging couple of months. He's been sick or teething since May (he's had about a week of being back to his normal self, yay!) which is evidenced by the exaggerated tilt of his head; he just didn't have the strength to hold it straight or to do his exercises. We've been a bit disappointed with physio because even though we've been working on the same two exercises for months, we've seen very little progress. Barti the physiotherapist reassures us that this is normal during teething/illness, but it's difficult for us to not see any change.
Because Judah had been so sick with fever, and he was sporting a nice goose egg from smashing his head against the stroller bar when he was sans Helmut (he doesn't realize yet that his head is soft underneath that perma-hat), he has been Helmut free for most of the month - or it's been on-again-off-again at best. Currently Helmut is off because the goose egg has returned randomly, after his head was healed and happy for two weeks! I spoke with the orthotist this afternoon and he's stumped too. Unfortunately when we were at ortho earlier this month the measurements showed that Judah's head, which had progressed at an amazing rate and was showing great improvement, had regressed. The measurements from the previous appointment displayed that Hawk's head was only 5 mm off the ideal shape, which is within the normal range! However, last appointment it was back to 6 mm... Just outside "normal". We've seen significant improvement but the double set back with his neck AND head have been a little rough on my mama heart. I just want him to be free of all these appointments, stretches, fittings, exercises, rashes... Hopefully by September! Please pray with us! Specifically we are praying for his fluid-filled bump on his head that is a mystery to us all. Our doctor is on holiday so I might end up taking him to the clinic for a professional opinion.
If you haven't seen Judah recently you really are missing out! He's such a joyful, funny little monkey. He talks to himself and looks royally embarassed when I catch him in the act; he yells at his food; he calls all animals and vehicles "car!"; he throws his head back when he laughs and sometimes falls over in the process; he tries to play the harmonica by shouting into it; he walks himself up and down the window, banging on the glass like a chimp; he gives slobbery, open-mouth kisses; he practically explodes with glee when he sees his buddy, Nathaniel; he licks the cat (I DO try to prevent this); he eats sand and rubs it in his hair; and (TMI warning) he has discovered his boy parts and is utterly perplexed that his wiener doesn't detach from his body.
Boys are great :).
As for Judah's neck and head... Ugh. It's been a discouraging couple of months. He's been sick or teething since May (he's had about a week of being back to his normal self, yay!) which is evidenced by the exaggerated tilt of his head; he just didn't have the strength to hold it straight or to do his exercises. We've been a bit disappointed with physio because even though we've been working on the same two exercises for months, we've seen very little progress. Barti the physiotherapist reassures us that this is normal during teething/illness, but it's difficult for us to not see any change.
Because Judah had been so sick with fever, and he was sporting a nice goose egg from smashing his head against the stroller bar when he was sans Helmut (he doesn't realize yet that his head is soft underneath that perma-hat), he has been Helmut free for most of the month - or it's been on-again-off-again at best. Currently Helmut is off because the goose egg has returned randomly, after his head was healed and happy for two weeks! I spoke with the orthotist this afternoon and he's stumped too. Unfortunately when we were at ortho earlier this month the measurements showed that Judah's head, which had progressed at an amazing rate and was showing great improvement, had regressed. The measurements from the previous appointment displayed that Hawk's head was only 5 mm off the ideal shape, which is within the normal range! However, last appointment it was back to 6 mm... Just outside "normal". We've seen significant improvement but the double set back with his neck AND head have been a little rough on my mama heart. I just want him to be free of all these appointments, stretches, fittings, exercises, rashes... Hopefully by September! Please pray with us! Specifically we are praying for his fluid-filled bump on his head that is a mystery to us all. Our doctor is on holiday so I might end up taking him to the clinic for a professional opinion.
If you haven't seen Judah recently you really are missing out! He's such a joyful, funny little monkey. He talks to himself and looks royally embarassed when I catch him in the act; he yells at his food; he calls all animals and vehicles "car!"; he throws his head back when he laughs and sometimes falls over in the process; he tries to play the harmonica by shouting into it; he walks himself up and down the window, banging on the glass like a chimp; he gives slobbery, open-mouth kisses; he practically explodes with glee when he sees his buddy, Nathaniel; he licks the cat (I DO try to prevent this); he eats sand and rubs it in his hair; and (TMI warning) he has discovered his boy parts and is utterly perplexed that his wiener doesn't detach from his body.
Boys are great :).
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Judah: "praise; thankfulness"
Your presence is not welcome here and I demand that
you leave for good. I banish you to neighbouring pigs.
Is that sacreligious? I hope not. I mean no disrespect, Lord!
This month has been an on-again-off-again rash-fest... meaning Helmut has literally been on-again-off-again.
Boo.
Upside? Getting those lovely baby snuggles without Helmut acting as a barricade between my cheek and Hawk's spiky blonde fuzz.
Barti, our physiotherapist has told us in no uncertain terms that Judah really needs to get his butt in gear and start crawling and cruising in order to build his neck strength. As such, he is officially out of cloth diapers for the time being (I apologize, Environment... I'll return to more you-friendly means as soon as I can. For now, gotta do what's best for my little man). The oh-so-cute cloth diapers are quite bulky and as such, result in Judah being pretty high centred when he's on his tummy. He's gotten pretty good at pivoting like an adorable sundial on his diaper axis, but any forward (or even backyard) momentum is absorbed by the bulk. His mobility is surprisingly much greater when he's in disposables, so for now this is how we roll. (Or how he rolls, I should say. He much prefers rolling to tummy time.)
Upside? Less laundry, baby! And less leaks!... which also equals less laundry, baby!
Back to physio. It seems as though Judah's neck tilt was getting significantly better but is now reverting to a pretty noticeable slant. He has also starting screaming through his stretching and strengthening exercises, gets himself all worked up, and totally surrenders his body into the limp noodle stage. I don't know where he gets this overdramatic flair from but I'm sure my parents call it karma.
When the temperature spikes Judah breaks out in a heat rash that tends to last a few days, and off comes Helmut during that time. No only are we concerned that this is extending his treatment time farther and farther into the fall, but once the summer hits we question just how effective Helmut will be if we need to take it off this regularly. If a few days of 20 degree heat has caused this kind of reaction, what will weeks of possibly 25+ degrees result in?
Upside?
Upside?!!
Prayer.
Yeah, it sounds that cheesy. But seriously? There's been a heckuva lotta prayer happening in this household and it is good. Good for my anxious mama heart that cannotstopworrying about every spot of rash, every missed milestone, every minute that I'm choosing to do something that isn't directly affecting Judah's strength and development. In my frenzied spirit the Lord is revealing to me one incredible aspect of his character: peace.
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27
"I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way." 2 Thessalonians 3:16
These words, and many others in the Word, are constant reminders of how little I control. Yes, most certainly Judah will crawl. And walk. And run. And play all matter of games and sports. All with a strong neck and and well-shaped head. The things I worry about today will seem so frivolous in the days to come. So wasteful, really. They speak of a faithless child who doesn't trust her Father in heaven.
One day when Judah asks about his helmut I don't want to tell him that I spent months worrying about him; I want to tell him that I spent months praying for him - because I love him, I love Jesus, and prayer trumps it all.
"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?... Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:27, 34
So when I pray for Judah I am consciously handing him over to the Lord, once again (and again... and again...). I am trusting him to his Father and remembering God's faithfulness in our lives. The response is an abundance of peace (see? Jesus keeps his word!) and abundant praise.
Ah, praise.
Judah: our little gift of praise and thankfulness. There is so much meaning in his name. Literally not a day goes by without us telling Judah why we gave him his name - because we are thankful. We are blessed. And we praise the Lord for it all!
Double upside in all of this?
You guys. And your prayers.
We have been overwhelmed by the people that have made a point in emailing, calling, texting, commenting online and seeking us out in person just to let us know that they have been praying for Judah's head and neck. What a gift you all are to us! We are so touched by your prayers, and hesitant to ask for more... but we love you and feel your love in return... so can we request that while you pray for our little Hawk and his physical development that you also pray for his little soul? That our son will grow into a man who loves his God and loves his neighbours... who prays and is filled with joy and peace, and encourages and strengthens those around him, who seeks to bring justice to the oppressed and bring the good news of the Gospel to the world.
Because really, that's all that matters.
It truly is a peace that surpasses all understanding.
Friday, May 03, 2013
Floral foam Judah head... are you my brother?
Over the river, across the bridge, to ortho in Surrey we go...
It's been three weeks since our last Helmut appointment - and three very uneventful (thankfully) weeks with Helmut! It has been doing its job well and Hawk has been utterly unfazed by the whole thing. Amazing!
Alan was very pleased with Judah's head shape! There's one angle they don't want to see shift, and that angle has stayed virtually unchanged in spite of his head's continuous growth - yay! The other angle has already changed drastically! Alan admitted to me on Tuesday that Judah's head shape is the hardest to work with. Many babies with plagiocephaly have a flat spot only; Judah had a flat spot and a big swoop. The difficulty comes in trying to shift his entire left side at the back around to the right. For comparison Alan brought out the mannequin-like head that was the exact representation of Judah's head when we started this process. It's actually unbelievable how much change can be seen already!
He had also told us previously that there was little that Helmut could do to adjust the position of Judah's ears, which were initially off by almost 3 inches. However, at this last appointment Alan was thrilled to point out how much closer to the center line they now sit. Another hurray! God is good! We've noticed these changes but have been cautious to say much as unprofessionals; it was very relieving to have Alan confirm what we had hoped to be true!
I optimistically asked if Helmut's relationship with my son would be shortened from their initial six month estimation, but Alan wisely pointed out that as long as Helmut was continuing to result in this kind of improvement we would stick to the original September-off plan. He even tossed in there that Judah may need to wear it longer than six months... so we continuing to pray for speedy results!
We're so encouraged to have our friends and family continually reminding us that we're in their (your!) prayers! Thank you for journeying with us. We will be having a "hats off to you!" party to celebrate the end of Helmut therapy and you are ALL invited! :)
Love to all,
Janelle and the boyz
It's been three weeks since our last Helmut appointment - and three very uneventful (thankfully) weeks with Helmut! It has been doing its job well and Hawk has been utterly unfazed by the whole thing. Amazing!
Alan was very pleased with Judah's head shape! There's one angle they don't want to see shift, and that angle has stayed virtually unchanged in spite of his head's continuous growth - yay! The other angle has already changed drastically! Alan admitted to me on Tuesday that Judah's head shape is the hardest to work with. Many babies with plagiocephaly have a flat spot only; Judah had a flat spot and a big swoop. The difficulty comes in trying to shift his entire left side at the back around to the right. For comparison Alan brought out the mannequin-like head that was the exact representation of Judah's head when we started this process. It's actually unbelievable how much change can be seen already!
 |
| Judah was extremely fascinated with the model of his head! Alan says he thinks some babies recognize themselves... is that even possible?? |
 |
| The material feels a lot like those green floral foam blocks. Judah tried to eat the head but I was worried he would leave imprints so I didn't get a picture. |
He had also told us previously that there was little that Helmut could do to adjust the position of Judah's ears, which were initially off by almost 3 inches. However, at this last appointment Alan was thrilled to point out how much closer to the center line they now sit. Another hurray! God is good! We've noticed these changes but have been cautious to say much as unprofessionals; it was very relieving to have Alan confirm what we had hoped to be true!
I optimistically asked if Helmut's relationship with my son would be shortened from their initial six month estimation, but Alan wisely pointed out that as long as Helmut was continuing to result in this kind of improvement we would stick to the original September-off plan. He even tossed in there that Judah may need to wear it longer than six months... so we continuing to pray for speedy results!
We're so encouraged to have our friends and family continually reminding us that we're in their (your!) prayers! Thank you for journeying with us. We will be having a "hats off to you!" party to celebrate the end of Helmut therapy and you are ALL invited! :)
Love to all,
Janelle and the boyz
 |
| All tuckered out! Every little boy needs a pony, eh? :) |
Saturday, April 13, 2013
And the winner is...
... original Helmut!!! Hurray!
From the beginning...
This week we had the orthotist appointment where Judah was to be fitted for his new, hypoallergenic helmet. As you may recall from a previous post we had prayed about whether or not to proceed with a new helmet, and because Judah's rash was still prevalent, proceed we did.
However, in the two weeks between the scan and when we were to go for the fitting, the rash disappeared--as did the sweating. I mean, there has been ZERO sweating on Hawk's head, even that weekend when temperatures were in the 20s! Within a few hours of the daily cleaning routine, both Judah's head and Helmut used to reek like old, sweaty hockey pads (I have memories of terrible awful smells emitting from one of my brother's duffel bags when his sports gear wasn't washed or even properly aired out... for the love of Pete, take that bag and burn it!). But in the last couple weeks when I've taken Helmut off Hawk's head still smelled like yesterday's shampoo and Helmut is clean and odourless! Amazing!
But the new helmet was already in the process of being made...
So the plan was to go to the appointment and see what the orthotist said. Before we left I discussed my concerns and uncertainties about accepting the new helmet with a wonderful friend of mine. I told her that we had just been praying that the Lord's will would be done, and that we would be convinced what his will was once speaking to the orthotist. She encouraged me to ask the Lord that his will would be spoken to us through the orthotist: we would trust that his advice was the right path to take. She prayed for us and on our commute I continued to pray specifically for the orthotist's words to be our confirmation of what would be best for Judah.
Once we arrived at our appointment Alan came into the room with the new helmet. He asked me how Helmut was working out, and I told him that it had performed perfectly: no rashes and not even any sweating! I sheepishly expressed that I felt a bit silly for going to the trouble of having Judah scanned for the new helmet. Without missing a beat, Alan piped in, "You don't need to get the new helmet if you don't want to." I was shocked and thrilled! He then proceeded to remind me of what a hassle the new helmet would be:
More sweating...
More difficult to fit...
More complicated to work with because of the softer material...
A much less pleasant experience for Judah...
Alan removed Helmut and thoroughly examined Hawk's head. He spend a good few minutes taking measurements of his head and comparing them to past numbers. He summarized that a) Judah's head had indeed completely healed from the rash; and b) his head shape had improved! Helmut was doing its job beautifully! Praise God!
Alan took Helmut to his workshop to make a few adjustments. As Judah's head grows and shifts Alan will sand down certain points to encourage and inhibit the shape so that it forms as symmetrically as possible. He adds patches inside - a moleskin material of sorts - to "fill in" sections, and takes a sander to other angles. It must be quite the precise art to form this hat!
So needless to say, we are absolutely thrilled to be able to continue using original Helmut! We are hopeful that by the end of his treatment the abnormalities of Hawk's head will be nearly unnoticeable. Our biggest prayer right now is that his physiotherapy would succeed in strengthening his neck and correcting his head tilt. For the most part it seems like his tilt has improved, but when Judah is tired he holds it at an even more exaggerated angle than ever. This is normal, but not good. We continue to stretch his neck and do his strengthening exercises a number of times per day and we can only pray that this is doing the trick. He tends to cry when we do the stretches :(. I used to sing the "A, B, Cs" to Judah while doing the stretches, but I've recently started to sing whatever song is in my head so that he doesn't have a total meltdown in a few years whenever the alphabet song comes on like some sort of twisted Pavlov's dog theory.
So that's the good news of the week! Whew! Amen! It feels like life has been a bit of a whirlwind recently. David and I would like to thank all of you for your kind words, support, cards of sympathy and prayers over these past few weeks. Linda's memorial service was beautiful; David, Don and Sean, and the rest of Linda's family and friends did an incredible job of honouring her life. We're doing well. Tired, but well. Life is carrying on and we are discovering what it means to grieve, process and reflect amidst the day-to-day of ordinary living. Thank you for loving on us!!!
Until next time,
Janelle and the boyz
From the beginning...
This week we had the orthotist appointment where Judah was to be fitted for his new, hypoallergenic helmet. As you may recall from a previous post we had prayed about whether or not to proceed with a new helmet, and because Judah's rash was still prevalent, proceed we did.
However, in the two weeks between the scan and when we were to go for the fitting, the rash disappeared--as did the sweating. I mean, there has been ZERO sweating on Hawk's head, even that weekend when temperatures were in the 20s! Within a few hours of the daily cleaning routine, both Judah's head and Helmut used to reek like old, sweaty hockey pads (I have memories of terrible awful smells emitting from one of my brother's duffel bags when his sports gear wasn't washed or even properly aired out... for the love of Pete, take that bag and burn it!). But in the last couple weeks when I've taken Helmut off Hawk's head still smelled like yesterday's shampoo and Helmut is clean and odourless! Amazing!
But the new helmet was already in the process of being made...
So the plan was to go to the appointment and see what the orthotist said. Before we left I discussed my concerns and uncertainties about accepting the new helmet with a wonderful friend of mine. I told her that we had just been praying that the Lord's will would be done, and that we would be convinced what his will was once speaking to the orthotist. She encouraged me to ask the Lord that his will would be spoken to us through the orthotist: we would trust that his advice was the right path to take. She prayed for us and on our commute I continued to pray specifically for the orthotist's words to be our confirmation of what would be best for Judah.
Once we arrived at our appointment Alan came into the room with the new helmet. He asked me how Helmut was working out, and I told him that it had performed perfectly: no rashes and not even any sweating! I sheepishly expressed that I felt a bit silly for going to the trouble of having Judah scanned for the new helmet. Without missing a beat, Alan piped in, "You don't need to get the new helmet if you don't want to." I was shocked and thrilled! He then proceeded to remind me of what a hassle the new helmet would be:
More sweating...
More difficult to fit...
More complicated to work with because of the softer material...
A much less pleasant experience for Judah...
Alan removed Helmut and thoroughly examined Hawk's head. He spend a good few minutes taking measurements of his head and comparing them to past numbers. He summarized that a) Judah's head had indeed completely healed from the rash; and b) his head shape had improved! Helmut was doing its job beautifully! Praise God!
Alan took Helmut to his workshop to make a few adjustments. As Judah's head grows and shifts Alan will sand down certain points to encourage and inhibit the shape so that it forms as symmetrically as possible. He adds patches inside - a moleskin material of sorts - to "fill in" sections, and takes a sander to other angles. It must be quite the precise art to form this hat!
So needless to say, we are absolutely thrilled to be able to continue using original Helmut! We are hopeful that by the end of his treatment the abnormalities of Hawk's head will be nearly unnoticeable. Our biggest prayer right now is that his physiotherapy would succeed in strengthening his neck and correcting his head tilt. For the most part it seems like his tilt has improved, but when Judah is tired he holds it at an even more exaggerated angle than ever. This is normal, but not good. We continue to stretch his neck and do his strengthening exercises a number of times per day and we can only pray that this is doing the trick. He tends to cry when we do the stretches :(. I used to sing the "A, B, Cs" to Judah while doing the stretches, but I've recently started to sing whatever song is in my head so that he doesn't have a total meltdown in a few years whenever the alphabet song comes on like some sort of twisted Pavlov's dog theory.
So that's the good news of the week! Whew! Amen! It feels like life has been a bit of a whirlwind recently. David and I would like to thank all of you for your kind words, support, cards of sympathy and prayers over these past few weeks. Linda's memorial service was beautiful; David, Don and Sean, and the rest of Linda's family and friends did an incredible job of honouring her life. We're doing well. Tired, but well. Life is carrying on and we are discovering what it means to grieve, process and reflect amidst the day-to-day of ordinary living. Thank you for loving on us!!!
Until next time,
Janelle and the boyz
 |
| In the waiting room |
 |
| I'm not sure what he was doing... |
 |
| He must be praying. Good lad! |
 |
| He LOVES standing! He can't get there on his own yet... but when he's up, he's UP for a while! Today he particularly enjoyed playing with the blinds :) |
 |
| New helmet on the right... and back to Florida it goes! |
 |
| Mr. Bacon is the best teething toy! |
Saturday, March 30, 2013
And she will be called "Beautiful, Tender, Soft."
On Tuesday, March 27th, my dear mother-in-law passed from this life and into the arms of her Heavenly Father after a lengthy battle with cancer. Words really cannot express the void in our lives now that David's incredible mother is with the Lord.
I knew Linda for only seven years; I can only imagine the sorrows of those who knew her for their whole lives and for her whole life. She leaves behind her husband, her two sons, a grandson, a daughter-in-law, five older sisters and an older brother and their spouses, many nephews, nieces, cousins, and countless friends.
Her husband Don embodied the vow "in sickness and in health" and personified faithfulness to his wife as she weakened over the years. He very literally loved and served her until her dying breath, and in doing so he honoured his wife and brought glory to God--and set a beautiful example before his children.
Her two sons, David and Sean, are both mighty men of God who have inherited Linda's passion for her King and her gentle spirit. These men are courageous spiritual leaders who are strong in their convictions, raising the sword of justice to defend the weak and encourage the lost; and yet their hearts are tender. They have understood that Christ is both Lion and Lamb, and they strive to exemplify his character in all that they do. Linda was so pleased with her boys! She never ceased to remind them that she was praying for them and she was quick to tell them how much she loved them.
Her grandson, Judah Hawk, will remember his dear Grandma through pictures and stories. During his last visit with Linda he sat and played quietly on her bed for over an hour without a single fuss. When she picked him up to give him a goodbye kiss, Judah latched onto her cheek for dear life and gave her the biggest, gummiest baby kiss he could. It was perfect, wonderful... unforgettable.
I did not think it possible for a woman to be blessed with an incredible mother and incredible mother-in-law... but the Lord delights in giving good gifts to his children! In the seven years I knew Linda, never once did I ever feel like the daughter in law. In fact, Linda always addressed cards to me as her daughter, thanking God for bringing me into her life. I was always so humbled by how quickly she opened her arms to accept me as one of her own children. I was always made to feel special in her presence! It didn't take much for me to realize that Linda saw each person as a beloved child of God; she in turn loved everyone more fervently and enthusiastically than anyone I have ever known.
Linda was a generous and joyful giver of gifts. She never sent me home empty-handed: whether it was a batch of cookies, a plant she chose from her garden with me in mind, a trinket she saw while shopping that reminded her of me, or even just a little packet of chocolates ("I know how much you like these!"), she always had a way of making me feel like a princess. To top it off, each of her gifts were always carefully wrapped in beautiful paper, and she would watch in eager anticipation to see my reaction to my special surprise. Truly she knew the verse "It is more blessed to give than to receive" for she delighted in showering me with gifts of all kinds.
Linda also knew how to serve whole-heartedly - and always with a joyful heart! Even "simple" family meals showed evidence of the time and care she put into preparations. From the adorable little place settings, to the special salt and pepper shakers, to the whimsical napkin holders, the flowers, the linens, the china... no matter what was served we always enjoyed an extravagant feast of love! Even long after her stomach allowed her to enjoy certain meals and delicacies, she continued to selflessly prepare the dishes her family loved and those she had established as holiday traditions over the years.
Linda loved her garden, organic coffee, Mennonite foods, "Survivor" and "Dancing with the Stars", baking, reading, going for walks, and relaxing in the sunshine... but most of all she loved people. She loved visiting her family and friends, engaging in delightful conversation over coffee, tea, fruit-filled or caramel-y desserts, and a good board game. I could never come close to beating her at a game of Scrabble! :) Some of my favourite memories of just Linda and I involve going to farm markets, visiting fields of flowers, picking fruit, spending a weekend away watching movies, walking in the sun, having picnics, going to Starbucks, and making strawberry jam. Our birthday gatherings were always filled with so much happiness! Speaking of birthdays, Linda enjoyed the longest birthday celebrations of anyone I have ever known... they lasted days, if not weeks! What a testament it is to how many friends and loved ones you have if you need to enlist multiple venues and parties just to be sure everyone feels like they had the opportunity to spoil you and lavish you with blessings! (And imagine all that cake... yum!)
Linda's faith in the Lord was strong and steady throughout her physical decline. Even when she knew she was unlikely to have much time left on earth, she remained in cheerful, hopeful spirits. When I would call to ask her about her day and remind her that we were praying ceaselessly for her, she would rarely let the conversation rest long on her struggles, but always was keen to enquire about our lives and about how she could be praying for me. Her strength will forever be an inspiration to me, especially during times of hardship.
The name Linda means "beautiful, tender, soft." Has anyone ever fit a name so perfectly? Indeed she was beautiful! Looking through the multitudes of pictures of Linda I realized there were very few where she wasn't beaming the biggest, most joyful and beautiful smile! Her exuberance for her Lord and for life shone through her, and she was a clear example of the godly woman spoken about in 1 Peter 3:3-4:
"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight."
Seven years is a very short time to know someone, and my heart is grieved that I won't be making anymore jam with her on this side of heaven; but Linda left a lasting legacy that will not be forgotten, and I pray that I might grow to be such a servant-hearted, tender, gentle and loving woman of God--just like she was.
I love you, Mom. I miss you dearly already and I wish you didn't have to leave us so soon. I am excited to dance with you in Heaven one day and for you to show me your favourite fields of flowers! Thank you for raising such a wonderful son who would in turn become the best husband and father to your dear little grandson. I will miss you forever, but whenever I think of you my heart will be filled with joy and thankfulness that the Lord allowed me seven years with you.
Your daughter,
Janelle
Monday, March 25, 2013
The Littlest Sheep
Judah has started to do this new thing. It is awesome. WAY better than what he used to do.
He used to roar like a dinosaur. And not even in a cute way. In a really loud, really forceful, really assertive kind of way. He did it when we were in the library last week, and it was SO LOUD that we got a few good stares. I was embarassed and felt the need to do... well, something. So I leaned towards Judah in his stroller and said, "Judah! You are being rude!" while shaking my head and wagging my finger. I secretly hoped that people would assume I was speaking to a toddler and not a seven month old.
In turn, Judah looked at me blankly and growled again. And grinned like a maniac and drooled everywhere. Because he's a baby. A baby that sounds like a full-sized Tyrannosaurus rex.
Sometimes his growling is cute though. But the really loud ones? They usually happen in church while the pastor is praying, when I'm on an important phone call, while guest speakers at the ladies group I attend are sharing their heart-wrenching stories, or when I'm leading bible study. Cute for a bit, but definitely distracting.
So when Judah started to make this new sound we were delighted. It kind of sounds like a little lamb learning how to bleat crossed with a fish gently smacking its lips together.
Ok, worst description ever.
Imagine a quiet "buh bup bah" repeated over and over. It's actually adorable and a welcome reprieve from the yelling.
I lie. It's really stinkin' cute.
It reminds me of the analogy Jesus used about the good shepherd and his sheep... "The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice...I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me." (John 10:3,4,14) Maybe Judah is just talking to Jesus in his own little voice :). So this morning when I had to rouse Judah an hour and a half before his usual wake up time in order to make the rush-hour commute to BC Children's Hospital for his helmet re-scan, I cannot describe just how cute it was to watch him open his eyes, smile up at me and start his little sheep babble! I was tickled to listen to him "bap buh baa"-ing for the entire drive. I wasn't even upset that he wasn't sleeping!
And the rest of the day was just as delightful! I can tell you were praying--thank you! Neil was the orthotist who did the scan and the entire process was quick, seamless and (most importantly) painless for Hawk. Neil even commented on how impressed he was with Judah's progress. His head is already showing improvement, in spite of only being Helmut-ed for a couple weeks! Praise God!
We went from Children's to Eagle Ridge Hospital for Judah's physio, where our therapist expressed how impressed she was with the flexibility and range of motion Hawk's neck is showing since Friday! Again, praise the Lord and thank you for praying!
New Helmut arrives in a couple weeks, and as long as Hawk's rash remains stifled then we can keep him in current Helmut to allow for a seamless transition to the new headgear.
It was a gorgeous spring day so we spent some time in the grass and in the sun. There's something about a warm, sunny afternoon that makes things seem one hundred times better :).
All in all, the day went great! We're currently praying for an all-over rash that has broken out across Judah's legs, tummy, back, neck and face. It could be anything from eczema to an allergy... Both of which do NOT run in David's or my family--so I'm at a loss as to what to do or expect. My doctor wasn't much help, unfortunately. I've ordered a hazelwood necklace because I've heard they're meant to be helpful for rashes and eczema. If any of you lovely readers have any suggestions feel free to post them in the comments or message me on Facebook. Thank you! We'll get through this too :). Thank you also to all of you who have been praying for David's mom and our family. She is ready to meet Jesus... Please pray He would bring her home soon. Love to you all!
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Layin' out the fleece
"Here goes."
Those words tumbled through my head this evening at 7 pm, mere seconds before removing Helmut for the final rash check--which would determine whether or not we would be going back to Children's tomorrow for a re-scan to get a NEW Helmut.
David brought Hawk into the kitchen (where I was mopping up "Hulk Punch" that I had spilled from a small Avengers party we had for David's birthday this afternoon) and we prayed once again for his rash.
This morning I "laid out a fleece" before the Lord. This phrase comes from the book of Judges where Gideon was seeking to determine God's will for him in regards to going to battle...
"36 Then Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said,
37 behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said."
38 And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water.
39 Then Gideon said to God, "Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew."
40 And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew."
Our "fleece" was that if Judah's rash wasn't completely cleared up by 7 pm then I would take him in tomorrow.
So we took off Helmut. And Rash was dim... But still present.
So in we go. And we trust this is God's plan for our little Hawk :)
"36 Then Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said,
37 behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said."
38 And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water.
39 Then Gideon said to God, "Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew."
40 And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew."
Our "fleece" was that if Judah's rash wasn't completely cleared up by 7 pm then I would take him in tomorrow.
So we took off Helmut. And Rash was dim... But still present.
So in we go. And we trust this is God's plan for our little Hawk :)
Thursday, March 21, 2013
And Now I Count My Blessings
We saw Alan the orthotist again today for the new rash that has developed under Helmut. He removed Helmut, made a few more ventilation holes (speed holes for crawling, right, Hawk? :)), and checked the fit once again. Alan popped Helmut on but removed it immediately because it wasn't sitting centered on Judah's head. During that seven second action a large, red welt appeared on Judah's forehead. Alan looked at me with raised eyebrows and commented, "Wow, he sure does mark up quick."
It's true. Judah often has red cheeks (well, he seems to be perpetually teething) and one thirty second bout of crying leaves him with big splotchy blotches of red that hover across his face and head. David and I don't have skin sensitivity, eczema, asthma or allergies--all which are hereditary. We're not sure why Judah tends to have really sensitive skin and is prone to rashes and eczema... but I'm inclined to blame Monsanto.
All to say, Alan suggests that we have Hawk re-scanned at Children's Hospital and fitted for a NEW Helmut. This one will be made of softer material which, according to OrthoAmerica, causes less skin irritation. However, it's thicker and denser... which leads to excessive sweating.
Hey, this kid is gonna be naked this summer. Accept that.
So Alan made us an appointment next week at Children's for the scan. BUT! We have until Sunday night to decide whether or not we actually go. If Judah's rash clears up by then we will not need a new Helmut. Please join us as we pray for God's will to be done and for grace to accept his plan!
Now for the goodness...
Life. It IS good. Sure, there are crappy moments. Some really crappy moments at the moment. But overall? We're BLESSED. In fact, the blessings far outweigh the trials. Let's see...
1). We are so loved by our King!
2). For the most part we are all healthy, strong and filled with joy
3). I am married to the most loving, kind, funny, caring, protective, honest, hard-working, servant-hearted man of God - and he just happens to be the handsomest man on earth!
4). We've been blessed with a bouncing, bubbly little Hawk who brings us joy every second of every day
5). We're surrounded by compassionate, helpful, loving family and friends
6). We're a part of a vibrant, Christ-centre church community
7). David has a great job and I get to stay home and care for Judah
8). We live in a safe, beautiful country
9). We have the opportunity to learn, grow, explore and delight in the great outdoors
10). We have a funny little hunter cat and delightful clucky hens (and a wee fishy)
So all in all, we're doing fine--heck, better than fine! For
"22Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
It's true. Judah often has red cheeks (well, he seems to be perpetually teething) and one thirty second bout of crying leaves him with big splotchy blotches of red that hover across his face and head. David and I don't have skin sensitivity, eczema, asthma or allergies--all which are hereditary. We're not sure why Judah tends to have really sensitive skin and is prone to rashes and eczema... but I'm inclined to blame Monsanto.
All to say, Alan suggests that we have Hawk re-scanned at Children's Hospital and fitted for a NEW Helmut. This one will be made of softer material which, according to OrthoAmerica, causes less skin irritation. However, it's thicker and denser... which leads to excessive sweating.
Hey, this kid is gonna be naked this summer. Accept that.
So Alan made us an appointment next week at Children's for the scan. BUT! We have until Sunday night to decide whether or not we actually go. If Judah's rash clears up by then we will not need a new Helmut. Please join us as we pray for God's will to be done and for grace to accept his plan!
Now for the goodness...
Life. It IS good. Sure, there are crappy moments. Some really crappy moments at the moment. But overall? We're BLESSED. In fact, the blessings far outweigh the trials. Let's see...
1). We are so loved by our King!
2). For the most part we are all healthy, strong and filled with joy
3). I am married to the most loving, kind, funny, caring, protective, honest, hard-working, servant-hearted man of God - and he just happens to be the handsomest man on earth!
4). We've been blessed with a bouncing, bubbly little Hawk who brings us joy every second of every day
5). We're surrounded by compassionate, helpful, loving family and friends
6). We're a part of a vibrant, Christ-centre church community
7). David has a great job and I get to stay home and care for Judah
8). We live in a safe, beautiful country
9). We have the opportunity to learn, grow, explore and delight in the great outdoors
10). We have a funny little hunter cat and delightful clucky hens (and a wee fishy)
So all in all, we're doing fine--heck, better than fine! For
"22Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”
25The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
26it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord."
(Lamentations 3:22-26)
Amen!
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Helmut: The Sequel
It
has
been
a
long
week.
.... And it's only Wednesday.
But! We're hanging in there, we can feel that people are praying for us, and God has been loving on us in spite of some stormy weather.
Monday:
I took Judah for his 6 month check-up (a month late...) but mostly wanted to discuss Judah's skin rash that first appeared about 6 weeks ago. My doctor says it's eczema and she told me to pick up some Glaxal Base for it - something my dear friend Anne already suggested but I had yet to actually purchase. I haven't had too much success with it yet, but I really don't love using cortisone cream, so I'll give this a good try!
(For those of you who are interested in stats... Judah is just over 7 months, weighs 16 lbs 8 ounces and is 26.5 inches long. He's on his own little [literally] curve, falling between the 5th-10th percentile for both height and weight. But he's got cute little fats! :) )
Later that day we went to the orthotist to have Helmut adjusted. Alan the orthotist suspected that Judah's infection was actually the result of an allergic flare up. After making the appropriate adjustments, we left the clinic, Helmut firmly in place, with instructions to monitor Judah's carefully in next few days for a reaction. But here's the kicker: IF Judah's rash were to return we would need to head back to Children's Hospital for another head scan, another two week wait, and a brand new helmet crafted from a different material. This new helmet would be softer and denser - resulting in a helmet that is more difficult to work with, causes worse sweating and has the potential to be less effective than the regular Starbands.
So off we went, praying that his rash from last time was just a fluke and not a predisposition.
We arrived to find David home very early and packing his overnight bag. His dear mom has been battling cancer for a few years and it looks like she'll only be with us a few more days. David, being the wonderful son he is, decided to go to Abbotsford to stay with his parents and spend precious final moments with his mom before she heads home to Jesus her Lord. We are so grateful for the family and friends that have prayed, encouraged and supported us during this sad and difficult time - thank you!
That same afternoon it was evident that Rash was returning. Rash is not our friend. He is sneaky and fiendish and downright cruel. I sent a few pictures to Mel and Alan at Valley Orthocare, and received a call almost immediately. Alan wants to see Judah again on Thursday of this week - and we're supposed to leave Helmut on as long as possible to see to what extent Rash peaks. That... Well, it seems somewhat like child abuse to me! I've been taking Hawk's temperature frequently and removing Helmut to check for abrasions. So far it's not nearly as bad as when the infection set it, but a persistent Rash it surely be.
On top of that we've been told that Judah's monthly physio appointments may not be aggressive enough to witness any significant progress on Judah's neck strength. So I'm waiting for a call back from a children's physiotherapist who specializes in torticollis cases. Hopefully we'll be able to tell after the initial appointment whether or not her methods are superior to our current treatment.
Babies are great for your prayer life, eh? And I seriously don't know how people get through life without Jesus.
You hear? If you're not living for the Lord then go get your butt in gear in gear! Life is fragile, finite, and uncertain. God is real, loving, merciful and offers the only hope humanity has ever known.
Rant over. Wanna talk more? Call me.
Grateful for your prayers :).
Heading to bed.
Will update soon.
"The Lord grants sleep to those he loves." Psalm 127:2
has
been
a
long
week.
.... And it's only Wednesday.
But! We're hanging in there, we can feel that people are praying for us, and God has been loving on us in spite of some stormy weather.
Monday:
I took Judah for his 6 month check-up (a month late...) but mostly wanted to discuss Judah's skin rash that first appeared about 6 weeks ago. My doctor says it's eczema and she told me to pick up some Glaxal Base for it - something my dear friend Anne already suggested but I had yet to actually purchase. I haven't had too much success with it yet, but I really don't love using cortisone cream, so I'll give this a good try!
(For those of you who are interested in stats... Judah is just over 7 months, weighs 16 lbs 8 ounces and is 26.5 inches long. He's on his own little [literally] curve, falling between the 5th-10th percentile for both height and weight. But he's got cute little fats! :) )
Later that day we went to the orthotist to have Helmut adjusted. Alan the orthotist suspected that Judah's infection was actually the result of an allergic flare up. After making the appropriate adjustments, we left the clinic, Helmut firmly in place, with instructions to monitor Judah's carefully in next few days for a reaction. But here's the kicker: IF Judah's rash were to return we would need to head back to Children's Hospital for another head scan, another two week wait, and a brand new helmet crafted from a different material. This new helmet would be softer and denser - resulting in a helmet that is more difficult to work with, causes worse sweating and has the potential to be less effective than the regular Starbands.
So off we went, praying that his rash from last time was just a fluke and not a predisposition.
We arrived to find David home very early and packing his overnight bag. His dear mom has been battling cancer for a few years and it looks like she'll only be with us a few more days. David, being the wonderful son he is, decided to go to Abbotsford to stay with his parents and spend precious final moments with his mom before she heads home to Jesus her Lord. We are so grateful for the family and friends that have prayed, encouraged and supported us during this sad and difficult time - thank you!
That same afternoon it was evident that Rash was returning. Rash is not our friend. He is sneaky and fiendish and downright cruel. I sent a few pictures to Mel and Alan at Valley Orthocare, and received a call almost immediately. Alan wants to see Judah again on Thursday of this week - and we're supposed to leave Helmut on as long as possible to see to what extent Rash peaks. That... Well, it seems somewhat like child abuse to me! I've been taking Hawk's temperature frequently and removing Helmut to check for abrasions. So far it's not nearly as bad as when the infection set it, but a persistent Rash it surely be.
On top of that we've been told that Judah's monthly physio appointments may not be aggressive enough to witness any significant progress on Judah's neck strength. So I'm waiting for a call back from a children's physiotherapist who specializes in torticollis cases. Hopefully we'll be able to tell after the initial appointment whether or not her methods are superior to our current treatment.
Babies are great for your prayer life, eh? And I seriously don't know how people get through life without Jesus.
You hear? If you're not living for the Lord then go get your butt in gear in gear! Life is fragile, finite, and uncertain. God is real, loving, merciful and offers the only hope humanity has ever known.
Rant over. Wanna talk more? Call me.
Grateful for your prayers :).
Heading to bed.
Will update soon.
"The Lord grants sleep to those he loves." Psalm 127:2
Thursday, March 07, 2013
INFECTED: Helmut fail. Jesus win!
So! We made it through the five days of slowing acclimating Judah to wearing the helmet for 23 hours per day. He did so well! No fussing! And it didn't even keep him from doing the same ol' 6 month type things like rolling, sitting, assisted standing, etc. Proud mama!
(Addendum: I'm tired of calling it "the helmet" or "the Starband". I christen it HELMUT, pronounced "Hel-moot" which is a popular German name meaning "spirited helmet." Fitting. Also, Judah looks a bit like a German soldier in the helmet. Thus, Helmut it is!)
Tuesday was the first 23 hour day. I didn't think it would be absolutely necessary to bathe Judah's head EVERY SINGLE DAY (he has a dry scalp, after all), but after Helmut has been on for 23 hours, WOOOO-EEEE, does his head SMELL! His hair gets all slimy and curly and reminds me of what he looked like à la fresh from my womb-io. Cute on a newborn. Kind of nasty on a 6 month old.
Anyway, so Tuesday went well! We noticed a couple of red patches when we took Helmut off, but they faded pretty quickly back to his normal skin pigmentation. The orthotist warned us that this would be a natural response to the pressure caused by Helmut. However, he did caution us to keep him informed if he broke out in a rash, if the skin was broken in any way, or if there was any redness that didn't subside after Helmut had been off for an hour. But because Judah had no indication of irritation, we popped Helmut back on and put him to bed.
When he woke up Wednesday morning his head REEKED. I don't mean old-sweaty-hockey-pads kind of stench... I mean... something smelled like it was rotting. Even though we weren't close to the 23 hour mark yet, I knew I had to take that baby off! I had ladies coming that morning for a prayer gathering and I was pretty sure they would be able to smell Hawk's head from across the room..! So I bathed him, bathed Helmut, let them both air dry and popped it back on. During that "naked time" I noticed that those same two red patches from the day before were present, and a bit more angry looking. There was also a bit of matted hair, which seemed a bit "oozy", but it washed out and he didn't seem bothered when I touched it. Within half and hour, the marks faded, so back on Helmut went.
The ladies came around 9:00 to pray while Judah napped (*sidenote: Yes, he's up early enough that he needs a nap by 8:30 or 9 am. That is why it's nearly impossible to get a hold of me after 9 pm. A girl has got to sleep!*). He roused at about 10:00 and right away I could smell his head again. It was a strangely familiar smell...
When my little brother, Paul, was a toddler he was prone to ear infections. I remember the smell of the fluid that would seep out of his ears when he was battling an infection. THAT was the EXACT smell of Judah's head.
So off Helmut came, and this time I could tell that it wasn't going back on any time soon. His left side of his head was red and he had an abrasion above his ear that was oozing this smelly stuff... and he was burning up.
I got my friend to hold him while I took pictures of the redness and rubbed skin so that I could email them to the orthotist. At this point I wasn't sure if the fever was due to him coming down with a virus or actually related to Helmut. It happened SO fast that I couldn't see how Helmut and the symptoms of infection were connected. But within about an hour he went from a low grade fever to being completely red-faced, swollen, having a temperature of 103, and discharge that continually leaked from his abrasion. He was so tired and lethargic that he actually passed out on my shoulder twice - something that he's never done before.
So off to the clinic we went! When we walked in the receptionist looked up, took one look at Judah's extremely red head and immediately asked, "How high is his temperature?" He was clearly burning up!
He sat very quietly for 45 minutes while we waited to see the doctor. No fussing, no squirming, no problems. I let him pet a fuzzy book and then he watched the ceiling fan for a while. Ah, the joys of being a baby :).
The doctor checked Judah's throat, ears, lungs and declared them all to be clear. He concluded that Helmut must have aggravated his head enough to cause broken skin, bacteria sprinted in, and infection settled in for a long winter's nap. Poor little Hawk!!
So it's ten days of strong antibiotics - so strong, in fact, that the pharmacist was reluctant to fill my prescription before checking references and making a few calls... that always sets a mother's mind at ease. He needs them 4 times at day, which means waking him twice at night. Boo! Just as he's on a happy nappy sleepy time schedule I am charged to wake him to squirt sugar juice down his throat? Let's just say that he did NOT like the procedure last night... and in the morning he had a good dollop of bubblegum coloured sticky liquid next to his head..!
Also, I sent the pictures to the orthotist who called and told me to keep Helmut off for two weeks. He will see us again once the antibiotics are finished and hopefully he can adjust it so that this doesn't happen again!
I'm certainly disappointed in the setback... two weeks seems like forever.
I have a love-hate relationship with Helmut. I love that it is helping Judah's head be symmetrical. I hate that it is causing my son infections! And other griefs. And that Judah even needs to wear it in the first place.
I dislike that this could mean that Helmut sticks around into the Fall. The FALL.
I almost titled this post "Expect Delays". But then I realized how defeatist that sounded!
Join me as I pray that Judah and Helmut would part ways by his birthday (August 16th) - earlier than we've been told to expect.
(Addendum: I'm tired of calling it "the helmet" or "the Starband". I christen it HELMUT, pronounced "Hel-moot" which is a popular German name meaning "spirited helmet." Fitting. Also, Judah looks a bit like a German soldier in the helmet. Thus, Helmut it is!)
Tuesday was the first 23 hour day. I didn't think it would be absolutely necessary to bathe Judah's head EVERY SINGLE DAY (he has a dry scalp, after all), but after Helmut has been on for 23 hours, WOOOO-EEEE, does his head SMELL! His hair gets all slimy and curly and reminds me of what he looked like à la fresh from my womb-io. Cute on a newborn. Kind of nasty on a 6 month old.
Anyway, so Tuesday went well! We noticed a couple of red patches when we took Helmut off, but they faded pretty quickly back to his normal skin pigmentation. The orthotist warned us that this would be a natural response to the pressure caused by Helmut. However, he did caution us to keep him informed if he broke out in a rash, if the skin was broken in any way, or if there was any redness that didn't subside after Helmut had been off for an hour. But because Judah had no indication of irritation, we popped Helmut back on and put him to bed.
When he woke up Wednesday morning his head REEKED. I don't mean old-sweaty-hockey-pads kind of stench... I mean... something smelled like it was rotting. Even though we weren't close to the 23 hour mark yet, I knew I had to take that baby off! I had ladies coming that morning for a prayer gathering and I was pretty sure they would be able to smell Hawk's head from across the room..! So I bathed him, bathed Helmut, let them both air dry and popped it back on. During that "naked time" I noticed that those same two red patches from the day before were present, and a bit more angry looking. There was also a bit of matted hair, which seemed a bit "oozy", but it washed out and he didn't seem bothered when I touched it. Within half and hour, the marks faded, so back on Helmut went.
The ladies came around 9:00 to pray while Judah napped (*sidenote: Yes, he's up early enough that he needs a nap by 8:30 or 9 am. That is why it's nearly impossible to get a hold of me after 9 pm. A girl has got to sleep!*). He roused at about 10:00 and right away I could smell his head again. It was a strangely familiar smell...
When my little brother, Paul, was a toddler he was prone to ear infections. I remember the smell of the fluid that would seep out of his ears when he was battling an infection. THAT was the EXACT smell of Judah's head.
So off Helmut came, and this time I could tell that it wasn't going back on any time soon. His left side of his head was red and he had an abrasion above his ear that was oozing this smelly stuff... and he was burning up.
I got my friend to hold him while I took pictures of the redness and rubbed skin so that I could email them to the orthotist. At this point I wasn't sure if the fever was due to him coming down with a virus or actually related to Helmut. It happened SO fast that I couldn't see how Helmut and the symptoms of infection were connected. But within about an hour he went from a low grade fever to being completely red-faced, swollen, having a temperature of 103, and discharge that continually leaked from his abrasion. He was so tired and lethargic that he actually passed out on my shoulder twice - something that he's never done before.
So off to the clinic we went! When we walked in the receptionist looked up, took one look at Judah's extremely red head and immediately asked, "How high is his temperature?" He was clearly burning up!
He sat very quietly for 45 minutes while we waited to see the doctor. No fussing, no squirming, no problems. I let him pet a fuzzy book and then he watched the ceiling fan for a while. Ah, the joys of being a baby :).
The doctor checked Judah's throat, ears, lungs and declared them all to be clear. He concluded that Helmut must have aggravated his head enough to cause broken skin, bacteria sprinted in, and infection settled in for a long winter's nap. Poor little Hawk!!
So it's ten days of strong antibiotics - so strong, in fact, that the pharmacist was reluctant to fill my prescription before checking references and making a few calls... that always sets a mother's mind at ease. He needs them 4 times at day, which means waking him twice at night. Boo! Just as he's on a happy nappy sleepy time schedule I am charged to wake him to squirt sugar juice down his throat? Let's just say that he did NOT like the procedure last night... and in the morning he had a good dollop of bubblegum coloured sticky liquid next to his head..!
Also, I sent the pictures to the orthotist who called and told me to keep Helmut off for two weeks. He will see us again once the antibiotics are finished and hopefully he can adjust it so that this doesn't happen again!
I'm certainly disappointed in the setback... two weeks seems like forever.
I have a love-hate relationship with Helmut. I love that it is helping Judah's head be symmetrical. I hate that it is causing my son infections! And other griefs. And that Judah even needs to wear it in the first place.
I dislike that this could mean that Helmut sticks around into the Fall. The FALL.
I almost titled this post "Expect Delays". But then I realized how defeatist that sounded!
Expect delays? Expect delays?? EXPECT bad, negative things to transpire?
No. Way.
That's not what I believe! That's not the kind of God I serve! Where's the faith in that?!
Just because Helmut is being uncooperative, that doesn't mean squat. In fact, this just leaves more opportunity for the Lord to swoop in and astound us! If God cares about the sparrows how much more does he care about my little Hawk? So much more!
So will you join me?
Join me as I brush off the disappointment that has settled like dust.
Join me as I turn to praise the Father for his great love for my son.
Join me as I confess my lack of faith...
Join me as I recall the words of Jesus: "Everything is possible for one who believes."
Join me as I declare, like the father whose son needed healing, "I do believe; help me with my unbelief!" (Mark 9:23&24)
Join me as I ask him for the impossible - a completely, miraculously healed head for Judah Hawk!
The Lord has been teaching me a lot about prayer. He's been encouraging me to pray continuously and fervently and passionately. And we in turn have been utterly blessed by the prayers coming our way! If you are not yet convinced of the power of prayer, then I am convinced that you are not praying! Our Father delights in hearing our prayers and giving us good gifts! So let us be a generation that seeks His face! May prayer reign in our lives, our homes, our workplaces.
We will be praying for you. THANK YOU for praying for us!
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:7-11)
Monday, March 04, 2013
The One With Too Many Pictures
Spoiler Alert: There are a LOT of photos in this post. I will recall the day's events via captions (with a few interspersed explanations :)).
On Friday we drove to Valley Orthocare in Surrey to get Judah's helmet. We were seen by Doug, who spent the majority of the appointment putting the helmet on Judah, listening to him scream while measurements were taken, removing the helmet, cutting, snipping, trimming, shaving the helmet, putting the helmet on Judah, listening to him scream while measurements were taken, removing the helmet, cutting, snipping, trimming... etc. For TWO HOURS! That's a LONG appointment for a 6 month old (and his mama!). During the parts where Doug was making adjustments in the Starband, Judah and I ate and read.
I have some experience training horses.
I have very little experience training babies.
If I were to introduce a horse to a new contraption that he had previously had a negative experience with, I would let the horse sniff and play with the item for a bit.
It couldn't hurt to try it the same way with Hawk, right?
The playing went super well! At the appointment he was getting so worked up that when Doug would come back into the room after making a size adjustment, Judah would scream.
After he and the helmet "played" I figured it was time to try it on.
And...
... HE DID AWESOME! He didn't care at all!
Thank you for your prayers! The transition has so far been 200% better than we could have hoped for! Our God is so so so good :).
HELMET DAY!
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| In the waiting room with Sophie le Girafe |
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| Pureed zucchini! We were given a Baby Bullet (the baby food making version of the Magic Bullet) and it's THE BEST! I mean, the blender itself is pretty cool and really it's just a green version of the original MB, but THE CONTAINERS are so neat! And the recipe booklet! And the freezer tray! I particularly love that you can adjust the dial on each mini container to display the date which the food was made. That's cute organization, friends! And doesn't that little face make you so happy? Judah recognizes these containers already and goes bananas when I pull them out of the fridge :). |
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| This picture is the result of me attempting to take a picture during lunch time. "Priorities, Mum!" |
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| There were lots of "Wear and Care" instructions for me to read |
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| Judah's reading was more fun than mine... he was enthralled with this National Geographic! Note how he gently "pets" the bear on the page, and then pets Moose. He's so cute! |
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| He learned all about the Calgary Stampeded |
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| "Wait..." |
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| "...This seems interesting." |
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| His "teethy" cheek - it regularly gets rosy and then goes away |
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| This Mickey Mouse toy also lives in the occupational therapy department at BC Children's Hospital. When you squeeze Micky's hand the phalanges on his head whir and spin and light up in an obnoxious but very distracting way - it's the perfect thing to keep a baby's attention on you! |
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| The Micky toy only worked a bit on Judah. He was more interested in putting the phalanges in his mouth. After this point there was a lot of crying... |
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| At the very end of the appointment! We're done, Little Man! He had cried for a looong time. Now it was time to go home and try wearing the helmet. After the meltdowns that ensued every time Doug placed the helmet on Hawk's head I was convinced this was going to be very, very difficult. |
I have very little experience training babies.
If I were to introduce a horse to a new contraption that he had previously had a negative experience with, I would let the horse sniff and play with the item for a bit.
It couldn't hurt to try it the same way with Hawk, right?
 |
| "Hmm.. |
 |
| "But can I eat it?!" |
The playing went super well! At the appointment he was getting so worked up that when Doug would come back into the room after making a size adjustment, Judah would scream.
After he and the helmet "played" I figured it was time to try it on.
And...
... HE DID AWESOME! He didn't care at all!
 |
| I put him on his tummy to take a picture, but he was too fast for me and rolled right over! |
 |
| Finishing up his roll! Not even an issue! |
So we did more playing! Tummy time, sitting, jumping... it was all a breeze! And he didn't once seem perturbed about his new Starband. Praise God! :)
For the first 5 days we follow an on-off rotation with the helmet to check for rashes, rubs and general irritation. So far his head is looking fine and his demeanour is just as jolly as ever!
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| David thinks Judah now looks like Mega Man! |
Here's what our little Hawk has been up to since getting his helmet...
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| This is Sophie! Judah "rode" her in utero for months while I worked at the ranch. She's super sweet and totally safe :). |
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| My little cowboy! |
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| Helping select the best produce |
What an adorable little trooper!
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