EEG Results and More - The Walnut Acre Daily July 22, 2013

WORDS TO LIVE BY

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

Psalm 91:1-2

WORKING, LEARNING AND PLAYING TOGETHER

IN THE KITCHEN

Breakfast this morning was simple -  cereal with milk, and juice. Austin fixed Pizza, fries and lima beans (his favorite vegetable) for lunch. For dinner I made chicken chow mein over rice and we had peas and fresh peaches with it. 

OTHER

Last week Michael had a 24 hour EEG. We decided to do this because I am seeing a lot of things at night while he's asleep that don't look right to me. We went to the hospital Wednesday afternoon and had it put on and then were able to come home and let it record during his normal routine. Then on Thursday afternoon we went back and had it taken off.  

This afternoon the neurologist called with the results. She said she didn't see any seizures during that 24 hour recording but that it was abnormal, showing "spike discharges coming from the right side." I'm still trying to figure out exactly what that means. From what I understand that area of his brain is "irritable" and prone to seizures and is probably where the seizures that we have seen are coming from. These spikes occur night and day although there are more of them at night. Since he is maxed out on the medication he is taking now (Zonisamide) for seizures and we are still seeing activity she wants to add a new medication (Trileptal) and see if it helps any. I am willing to try it but if it doesn't work I am not hesitant to take him back off of it. The neurologist said to give the medicine least three weeks, maybe a few more to see if it will work because we are going to start out on a low dose and slowly increase to the target dosage over three weeks. I don't really like adding another medication to the cocktail of meds he already takes, but my hope is that if we successfully treat the true underlying problem maybe some of the other medications can be taken away. Here's hoping!

ON MY MIND

I know that I wrote these Walnut Acre Daily posts before and then quit because of the time they took, but each time I quit I really, really miss writing them. There's just something special to me about the way the little details of each day weave together to create a full life. And writing this each day helps me to see all those things. So here I am again, writing the Walnut Acre Daily posts. It feels really good!

TODAY'S QUOTE

Dreams are free, so free your dreams. ~ Terri Guillemets

The Walnut Acre Daily - Michael's Geneticist Visit and Seeds for the Garden

Words to Live By

Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness. Proverbs 14:22

Preschool and Kindergarten Homeschool Fun

Because Michael had a doctor's appointment this morning the only "school" activity I did with the younger kids was storytime.

Storytime

Austin and Amanda's Homeschool Assignments

Bible - Proverbs 28; Literature - No Woman So Fair; Math - Conversions Part 1; Science - Respiratory System Questions and Answers

Out and About

Michael had his appointment with his Geneticist today. I love this doctor. She takes the time to really explain what she's thinking and the reasons behind the things she recommends. A year ago we were there and she did some testing for several different things. Most of these were completely ruled out but the Tuberous Sclerosis test basically came back inconclusive. There was an abnormality on one of the genes that is involved with Tuberous Sclerosis but at this point there is not enough scientific evidence to know if this particular abnormality can be a cause of TS. Michael does have some symptoms that could point to TS (the masses/tumors he was born with, seizures, other physical features, etc) but not enough to give a definite diagnosis since a lot of these symptoms could be a part of other things as well. So, at this point we're basically left with wait and see. Wait and see if any more symptoms develop (they often do as a child with TS gets older), wait and see if a better genetic test becomes available, wait and see if it everything just stays the same or gets better. She did schedule a renal ultrasound just to be safe since tumors on the kidney's can be a problem with TS. I was disappointed that there are still no clear answers, but at the same time I feel at peace knowing that God has brought him this far and that He loves him more than I ever could. I've said it before but it bears repeating - Michael is a miracle from God. As a baby doctors said that if he survived the severe health problems he was born with he would probably never walk, talk, see or hear. He not only walks, he runs. He talks constantly! His vision is excellent and since we had tubes put in his ears so is his hearing. I know God didn't bring him this far for nothing.

We passed the time waiting for the doctor to come in this morning by taking pictures and playing with a few toys that were in the room. He did a wonderful job being patient while we talked and cooperated wonderfully with the doctor. I was very proud of him. 

Other Notes and News

Our weekend flew by! One of my favorite parts of the weekend was buying these seeds and supplies for the garden. 

CJ and Michael caught my excitement and bought some too. CJ's are on the left and Michael's on the right. 

Doug spent a quite a bit of his weekend working on vehicles. He put brake pads on our friend's minivan and patched a tire that had a nail in it one of our vehicles. 

Reading Around the Web

5 Ways to Worry Less About Your Husband's Safety

Today's Quote

Anticipate the day as if it was your birthday and you are turning six again. ~ Mike Dolan

Daily Deals

Why I Write the Walnut Acre Daily

Linking Here
No Ordinary Blog Hop

The Walnut Acre Daily - Thursday, February 21, 2013

Words to Live By

And this is His command: to believe in the Name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us. 1 John 3:23

Preschool and Kindergarten Homeschool Fun

Bible

This morning we started with prayer, our memory verse, and our theme song for this month. Then we talked some more about the promises God has made to us in the Bible, focusing especially on how Jesus said if two if His children on earth agree together in prayer He will hear and answer. We sang along with Every Promise in the Book is Mine, read Matthew 18:19, watched this video about how several friends agreed together to ask Jesus for help for their friend - A Hole in the Roof.

Phonics and Reading

We did the letter Nn lesson on Starfall and completed the Letter Nn Writing Worksheets. We also played a memory game with the "am" word family cards.

Math

Our math lesson this morning was simple - we watched and sang along to Count to 20!!!!!!!

Wild Bird Unit

The activities for our Wild Bird Unit Study were also simple this morning. We read Brady Bird

and watched Birds for Kids

Other Books We Enjoyed Today

These are the books I read with CJ and Michael tonight before they went to bed.

In the Kitchen

Breakfast - Cereal w/Milk, Bananas

Lunch and Dinner - Vegetable Soup, Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches, Grapes. On Wednesday evenings we eat at church and sometimes when there are leftovers some get sent home with us because we always have plenty of people here to eat it.We were blessed yesterday with a big container of vegetable soup and several bags of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. So that's what we're eating today. 

This morning I fixed this plate of fresh vegetables and kiwi slices for snacking on. I had already eaten several of the radishes when I took this picture. This helps to keep me from reaching for some not so healthy snacks when I get the munchies and the kids also find themselves wanting some too when they see it out and ready to eat. Michael especially likes the cucumbers. 

Around the House

I cleaned up the kitchen after dinner and took care of the chickens and our outside dog this evening.

Austin took care of the chickens and our outside dog this morning and took the dog for a walk. He also cleaned the kitchen after lunch and did the evening cleanup in the living room, playroom and upstairs bathroom.

Amanda did some laundry, did the evening cleanup in the mudroom and downstairs bathroom, and vacuumed the upstairs hallways and the stairs.

Out and About

Taking Lauren to preschool and stopping by the pharmacy was the extent of my going out today. This evening Austin and Amanda went to my parents' and sister's house for the evening. 

Just Having Fun Together

CJ loves to get out his papers and craft supplies and do things with the younger kids when he gets home from school. Here he was having them draw shapes and practice counting to 9.

Other Notes and News

Yesterday I had the worst fatigue and just felt spacey all day. I couldn't understand why I was struggling so hard to keep up but I just felt awful. Then this morning I woke up with a mild stomach bug so I guess that explains it. I don't feel as tired or spacey though and I'm so glad! I've just tried to keep things simple today - which is why we didn't do as much schoolwork and I kept the meals super simple. 

Doug worked in the garage awhile this evening on a rack he's building to hold our bins of animal food. He's almost finished with it and it will make storing and getting to the food so much easier. 

After a little over a week of no seizures (at least not that I saw) Michael had another one tonight. Thankfully just a short one, approximately 45 seconds, just after he fell asleep. 

Reading Around the Web

39 Character Strategies for Kids to Learn

Today's Quote

Every smile makes you a day younger. ~ Chinese Proverb

Why I Write the Walnut Acre Daily

~ Linking Here ~ 

No Ordinary Blog Hop

The Walnut Acre Daily - Beginning A Bird Unit Study, Weekend Fun and More

Words to Live By

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Matthew 5:43-45

Preschool and Kindergarten Homeschool Fun

Bible

This morning it turned out Michael was the only one doing lessons with me but we had fun. We had our prayer time, reviewed our memory verse and sang our theme song. We also talked about how God has promises for us and one of those promises is protection for His children. We enjoyed the song Every Promise in the Book is Mine and then watched this video of the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

Phonics and Reading

We did the Starfall lesson for the letter Kk and completed a letter Kk writing worksheet. . . 

. . . and we played an "am" and "ag" word family memory game.

Math

We love this Let's Get Fit Count to 100 song and video so exercised along with it and then did this Bird Number Puzzle.  Michael really enjoyed it and since I laminated it we can use it over and over again.

Wild Bird Unit

This week we're starting a new unit focusing on wild birds. We began by reading A Nest Full of Eggs. 

We also enjoyed this Picture Dictionary - Birds video on Youtube. 

But the best part was these bird themed Beginning Sound Cards. Michael just loved these and once again, since they're laminated we can use them over and over again. I'm so glad I bought my little laminator. 

Austin and Amanda's Homeschool Assignments and Independent Learning

Bible - Proverbs 26; Literature - No Woman So Fair; Math - Place Value Part 1, Science - The Respiratory System

Austin watched some of his favorite shows today - American Picker and Pawn Stars. He loves learning about antiques and collectibles and gets a healthy dose of American History in the process. 

In the Kitchen

Since there were no daycare children here the first part of the day it was a cereal and sandwich kind of day. This evening for dinner we had pancakes and sausage gravy, potatoes and I fixed a plate of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Around the House

I cleaned up the kitchen after breakfast and did some laundry. 

Austin cleaned up the kitchen after lunch and did the morning pick up in the living room and playroom. This morning he let the chickens out of the coop and gave them food and water and also took care of our outside dog.

Amanda cleaned up the kitchen after dinner, did some laundry, washed down the kitchen cabinet fronts, reorganized the shelf over the stove in the kitchen and did the evening cleaning in the mudroom and downstairs bathroom. This evening Amanda put the chickens back in their coop and gave them food and water and also took care of our outside dog, making sure she had refills of food and water.

Outdoor Fun

Our morning and early afternoon were really quiet but this afternoon several kids were here. Amanda took Mykalin, Madalyn and Michael for a walk and then stayed out with them while they played in the yard awhile.

Out and About

Austin and Doug, along with a group of other people, helped a lady from church move today. A man from church picked up Austin around 2:30 this afternoon and then after Doug got off from work he met the rest of the group. They got home around 6:45 this evening. Austin was excited because he was given quite a few old tools and a few other odds and ends. 

Just Having Fun Together

I thought Michael would be really bored today because he didn't have any other kids to play with but he spent a large part of the day in the playroom driving toy cars from one end of the room to the other as he acted out lots of different scenes - broken down cars, trips to the store, going to a party, etc. He gave me one of the toy phones and we had many phone conversations, mostly of the "Hi, how are you, I'm fine" variety. But it really was fun and I loved seeing him use his imagination and keep himself happily occupied. 

Other Notes and News

Saturday evening was the Boy Scouts Blue and Gold Banquet. The theme this year was outer space. They served a spaghetti dinner and it was delicious. 

There was a magic show after the dinner that the kids just loved.

And for dessert there were cakes baked and decorated by many of the Scouts and their families. I had to get pictures of these cool cakes - so much imagination and creativity on display here. 

Another highlight from the weekend was going out to lunch with a friend. We went to a Chinese restaurant and spent hours just talking. It was one of the best afternoons I've had in a long time. 

Last week kind of kicked my behind. I kept up with our schoolwork, activities and other things but somehow posting here fell way behind. I think when I really started having trouble was when Michael had two seizures again on Wednesday. I just had trouble getting my thoughts back together after that. He had been doing well since we raised his medication Jan 22nd. His neurologist said she can raise it one more time after this and if he continues to have breakthrough seizures she would consider admitting him for 5-10 days for constant EEG monitoring to see if we can get any more information on why he's having these seizures. The two he had Wednesday were fairly short, compared to some he's had. The first one was Wednesday morning when he just blanked out on us. He was sitting on the couch but not responding, totally blanked out, and then when he did began responding again he said his stomach hurt and he didn't want the breakfast he had just been begging for a few minutes earlier. The second one was a tonic clonic after he went to sleep Wednesday night. It only lasted about 30 seconds which was much better than the 5 - 20 minute ones he has had in the past. And I haven't seen any since Wednesday which is awesome.

Reading Around the Web

The Camel Mother - I am the camel and he is the straw and I am broken. 

What Mama Did: The Storytelling

3 Ideas for Cultivating a Fruitful, Satisfying Life

Today's Quote

A smile confuses an approaching frown. ~ Author Unknown

Daily Deals

Why I Write the Walnut Acre Daily

~ Linking Here ~

No Ordinary Blog Hop Monday - Made By Little Hands, 

The Walnut Acre Daily - Michael's Neurology Appointment

Words to Live By

James 1:19-20

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 

Homeschool Fun and Independent Learning

As usual we practiced out memory verse this morning and sang our song. Then we watched the following four videos - The Parable of the Lost Coin, A Wise Old Owl, Adding for Toddlers, Preschool and Kindergarten Children, and the Letter V Song. 

Parable of the Lost Coin Coloring Page, Wise Old Owl Coloring Page, Adding Worksheet, Color By Word Worksheet (-ad word family). 

Austin and Amanda continued to study the digestive system today covering Digestive Enzymes. We also read Proverbs 17. 

Books We Enjoyed Today

The first book I read with Austin and Amanda this evening and the second two I read with CJ and Michael.

In the Kitchen

Amanda made dinner this evening because I had to take Michael to Charlottesville for a neurologist appointment.

We Are Going

Michael's appointment with neurologist pretty much confirmed what I had been thinking. I went with a whole list of notes describing the things we've been seeing. I've done a lot of research and was pretty sure I knew what these little episodes are but I wanted to hear her professional opinion so I was careful not to let on what my ideas were. She feels like the times when he hears things that aren't there or sees things like the walls moving are simple partial seizures. These could also explain some of the seemingly random mood changes where he's suddenly sad and can't tell me what's wrong. The times when I see him stare into space, sometimes with lip movements and sometimes with a strange fixed expression on his face are likely absence seizures. Thankfully in the last few months we haven't seen any long tonic-clonic seizures although I did witness two very short ones while he was asleep. She's raising his seizure medication a little and we'll see if that helps. If it doesn't we may go into the hospital for several days for monitoring to see if they can any more information about what's going on. She also sent us over to the lab for a urinalysis because he has been having very cloudy urine. She's testing for protein in the urine. I don't know what that would mean but we should get the result back for that in the next day or two and if there is a problem we'll go from there.

Today's  Quote

One kind word can warm three winter months. ~ Japanese Proverb

Why I Write the Walnut Acre Daily

The Walnut Acre Daily - Long Night, Afternoon Ramble, Sweet Potato Pie and Enchilada Casserole

Words to Live By

Psalm 95:1-2

Come let us sing for joy unto the Lord; let us shout aloud to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song.

Long Night

Last night was a rough night for Michael. I wish I knew what causes him to have nights like this. He just couldn't seem to sleep soundly although he didn't really seem to wake up all the way either. At times his whole body would suddenly jerk, with his arm and legs flying out the sides. Other times he would cry out in his sleep or make a sound like he's suddenly had the air knocked out of his lungs. I had let him sleep on the couch (he loves to sleep on the couch and since CJ was already asleep by the time Michael got home from Scouts I let him) and I slept on the  other couch in the living room to be near him in case he needed something. I just don't know what to make of it - if it's some kind of seizure activity, or just restlessness, or something else. He finally settled down early this morning and then slept until 9:30. After CJ and Holly left for school, the two little kids (Christopher and Damien) both went back to sleep so I slept awhile too while it was quiet. That meant we got a late start to the day but it was worth it. 

We Are Learning

Since our day was off track I didn't get out usual PreK/K lessons done this morning. Michael, Damien and Christopher played in the playroom and also went outside with Austin and played for awhile. 

Amanda and Austin watched their Science and Algebra video assignments for today. This evening we read pages 214 - 236 from Heart of Lion by Gilbert Morris (English/Literature) and Proverbs 3.

In the Kitchen

This evening for dinner I tried two new recipes - Enchilada Casserole and Sweet Potato Pie. Both were hits and recipes will be coming soon. 

Outdoor Fun

After Damien and Christopher went to sleep at naptime this afternoon, Michael and I went for a walk. Amanda and Austin were  available if either of the little boys woke up and needed anything. Michael and I love our rambles and this time we took Ronnie, our big sweet dog, with us. Michael tried to make her go where he wanted her to go but she didn't listen very well, so most of the time he was following her. 

We Are Going

We didn't have to go anywhere today. It was really nice just staying home all day long. 

Today's Quote

Economic advance is not the same thing as human progress. ~ John Clapham

Books We Enjoyed Today