Autumn Calvert

Category: Uncategorized

  • 12 Day of Christmas Wish

    I guess my priorities have changed a bit over the years.  Here is my twelve days of Christmas wish list.   (It helps to hum the tune as you read this)

     

    On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

    He did all the laundry.

     

    On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

    A kitchen thats all clean

    And he did all the laundry.

     

    On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

    A nice warm meal

    A kitchen that is clean

    and he did all the laundry.

     

    On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

    Bathrooms all shiny

    A nice warm meal

    A kitchen that is clean

    and he did all the laundry.

     

    On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

    Floors sparkling!

    bathrooms shiny

    a nice warm meal

    a kitchen that is clean

    and he did all the laundry.

     

    On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

    A day all by myself

    floors sparkling

    bathrooms Shiny

    a nice warm meal

    a kitchen that is clean

    and he did all the laundry

     

    On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

    He bought the groceries

    a day all by myself

    floors sparkling

    bathrooms shiny

    a nice warm meal

    a kitchen that is clean

    and he did all the laundry

     

    On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

    A nice long nap

    he bought the groceries

    a day all by myself

    floors sparkling

    bathrooms shiny

    a nice warm meal

    a kitchen that is clean

    and he did all the laundry.

     

    On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

    The baby (and dog) are clean

    a nice long nap

    he bought the groceries

    a day all by myself

    floors sparkling

    bathrooms shiny

    a nice warm meal

    a kitchen that is clean

    and he did all the laundry

     

    On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

    He groomed the whole yard

    the baby (and dog) are clean

    a nice long nap

    he bought the groceries

    a day all by myself

    floors sparkling

    bathrooms shiny

    a nice warm meal

    a kitchen that is clean

    and he did all the laundry

     

    On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

    A dust free home

    He groomed the whole yard

    the baby (and dog) are clean

    A nice long nap

    he bought the groceries

    a day all by myself

    floors sparkling

    bathrooms shiny

    a nice warm meal

    a kitchen that is clean

    and he did all the laundry

     

    On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

    A long back massage

    a dust free home

    he groomed the whole yard

    the baby (and dog) are clean

    a nice long nap

    he bought the groceries

    a day all by myself

    floors sparkling

    bathrooms shiny

    a nice warm meal

    a kitchen that is clean

    and he did all the laundry!!!

  • We are People Too, ya know…

    Today was our first appointment with the geneticist.  We were to find out the results from the test for a metabolic disorder.  From there, we really had no idea what they would do.

    The appointment was set for 1:30, so we left a bit early to go and get the delicious Gus’ Hot Dogs to take to the park for a picnic.  We had a great time at the park eating, laughing, and watching the trees blow in the wind.  After teaching Asher about cleaning up after yourself at the park so the next family could enjoy their picnic, we headed off to the doctor in plenty of time.

    Once we got to the doctors office, we settled in for the wait.  Asher ran all over the waiting room giggling and doing his notorious “whale call”.  It was ok because there was only one person in the waiting room to bother, and she didn’t seem to mind.  15 minutes pass…20 minutes pass…30 minutes pass…  By this time, Steve was getting a bit irritated, “This is ridiculous!”  We were taking our parental turns playing with Asher in the waiting room when I realized we had been in there for over an hour!  Finally, after an hour and a half in the vacant waiting room, they called us back to a room.  Steve and I figured out a little game to play with Asher while we waited another 20 minutes for someone to come into the room.  The genetic counselor came in to get a history, and by this time, I was good and pissed off.  I tried so hard to think through the red fumes in my mind.

    Once she told us he did not have the genetic metabolic disorder (YIPPIE!), got our history, and left the room, we had to wait another 20 minutes on the doctor.  Now, it seems, Asher may have a chromosomal disorder.  We were going to have to go through another battery of blood test which would take a month to get back.  Thankfully, though Steve was raging mad, too, he could understand what she was saying.  I was so blooming ticked that I could hardly understand her thick accent.

    After 2 and a half hours in this office, we never once received an apology for her extreme tardiness.  Not only did we have this long wait with a tired child, but we still had to go to Children’s to get his blood drawn.  It was already 5:00!

    I have gotten to the point in this journey that I’m not terribly concerned about what is causing the issues with Asher.  I just want to help him through whatever he needs during the day.  I want to help him to learn how to communicate with us.  I want to help him to be a stronger kid.  I want him to find happiness in this sometimes frustrating world.  I trust the doctors to do what they know best, and I will most definitely be a very involved parent in the decision making process.  However, today, I realized that the “Why” is not as important as the “How”.  How can we help him?  If figuring out “why” will help him, so be it.  If not, lets just do what we have to do to help him.

    He is in speech, occupational, and physical therapy.  He has wonderful therapists through early intervention who are incredible with him.  He really does love them.  Mommy appreciates that they are loving and instructive, and furthermore, on time.

    The events of today would have tried even the sturdiest of wills.  Though we are not medical doctors, we are people, too.  We have professions, hobbies, friends, and families just like the doctors.  We are worthy of a bit of respect.  And, I can guarantee, Steve and I are much more concerned about the well being of our child than all of his doctors and therapists combined.

    Maybe I should have waited until tomorrow to blog about this day.  Maybe a good night’s rest would have tempered my rage over being disrespected.  However, if you are a normal “people” like me, you a probably shouting a big, “A-MEN” to this blog.  And, if you are a doctor, thank you for your years of learning to help us cure our meager bodies.  Please remember though:  we are people too, ya know?

     

     

  • Just Find it and Fix it

    Just Find it and Fix it

    After a long fun weekend, we packed up and headed to Birmingham for not so much fun.  Asher was scheduled to meet with the neurosurgeon at Children’s for the first time.  He was tired of being in the car, and I was nervous.  I had some idea of what we would hear, but I was surprised, too.

    Children’s is an awesome facility.  The lay out is set for kids to feel comfortable in their surroundings.  They even had clowns on hand for face painting.  While I filled out paperwork, Steve and Asher walked around to check it all out.  Ash even got balloons painted on his leg!  If it wasn’t for all the yucky doctors, it would be a fantastic place to visit.

    The neurosurgeon was a very nice man.  He took a look at the MRI, studied Asher’s head, and told us the news.  He saw nothing that concerned him with his MRI.  Yes, the cyst was a category 1 or 2 (which is small), and yes the water around the brain was there, but the amount was not enough for any concern.  Great news!  However, when I asked if these things would be causing him developmental issues, he said no.  It may be a genetic disorder.  “WHAT?”  Asher has a ridge on his forehead where his skull didn’t grow together correctly.  This plus the developmental issues point to genetic problems. He called a colleague to tell him what to order for the blood tests.  He also ordered an X-ray to study Asher’s skull to make sure there were no other problems.

    We waited for the genetic doctor to fax over a list of possible disorders.  When the fax finally arrived, there was one disorder.  One disorder with a 5 page synopsis of the disorder.  It is called GA-1.  It is a metabolic genetic disorder which prohibits the body from turning Gluteric Acid into energy.  Most of the symptoms Asher has could be explained by this.  However, we will not know the outcome of the blood tests for another month.  If the test comes back positive for this disorder, we will have to implement a lifestyle change that will follow him throughout his life.  It could be very dangerous.

    Basically, we don’t know anything.  I just want them to find out what is going on with my  precious fella and FIX IT!!!!   I’ve spent a majority of my life putting doctors on a pedestal, but now I understand why they call medical doctors “Practitioners”.  They are just really smart people who are trying to figure it out.   I’m not blaming the doctors.  They are doing the best they know how.  I’m just impatient.  I want to know what I can do to help my boy.  Right now, Steve and I are fumbling through all of the medical mumbo-jumbo in hopes to help find the needle in the haystack.  It has been a horrible journey.  This road continues before us.

    Some would be so bold to say, “Just trust the Lord”.  To this I respond, “Well…of course I do!”.  However, I am human.  In this state of being, I am a sinner.  Therefore,  I generally fail more than fly.  Trust in the Lord only comes from the Lord.  In and of myself, I tend to be more like Job than Jesus.  Just being honest here…please don’t crucify me.

    I want to thank everyone for their prayers.  Many of you have asked what is going on, and I am certainly willing to discuss it.  To be honest, though, it is easier to write it down.  Every time I talk about it, my frustration goes out the roof.  I love you all.  I just want my boy to be well.  My heart is trying very hard to  not shatter on a daily basis.

  • Fresh Pain and Paint

    One day several years ago, my husband and I decided our home needed a little “pop”.  From that moment, we have been working on painting different areas of the house.  Each time we finish a room, we sit back and enjoy the rewards of all of our hard work.  As time passes, we walk into a room without a thought to the colors around us.

    Then, day before yesterday, I walked through our beautifully painted living room to our pantry.  I reached in to get something, bumped the brand new bottle of Ragu, and got nailed on the top of the foot.  I stood there a moment wondering whether or not I needed to call for help or just suffer for another couple of hours till my husband got home from work.  After a while, the pain stopped, I limped around for a while, and now, I’m back to normal.

    I know it seems like a stretch to compare these two concepts.  They are such a contrast to one another.  However weak the link, I have been pondering on this idea of how people just do not understand a feeling they have never had.  Before my husband and I painted our home, I had never painted, thus not understanding that particular feeling of accomplishment.  Before that Ragu bottle fell on my foot, I never understood how people feel like they want to throw up when they hurt themselves severely.  You just do not know till you feel it.

    Then the unexpected happens.  Like a sharpened pencil, you write those memories down in your mind, the feelings become dull just like that pencil.  They are still there, but they have lost the intensity because of time.

    I do have a point to all of this.  We go through this pain and triumph for a reason.  Maybe for many reasons.  I do believe, however, that part of the reason is to be able to not only help someone out, but to also really and truly comprehend the gravity of the situation.  And though it may not be fresh pain or paint, we can still relate.

     

  • Snow…snow…snow..snow…SNOW!

    I love the snow.  It invigorates me.  I love the way it feels under my feet, and the way my face feels in the cold breeze.  It makes me feel alive.

    I live in Alabama, though.  Snow is a rarity.  However, last night, we got nearly a foot of SNOW!  I was so excited last night, I couldn’t go to sleep.

     

     

  • Agony

    My son amazes me.  When things are good, they are great.  When things are bad, the whole world crashes around him.  He is so dramatic.  There is very little in between for him.  The moments he is actually  calm, cool and collected are few during a day.

    This does not surprise me at all.  I tend to be the same way.  For those of you reading this who are trying to psycho-analyze the situation, it’s not manic depression.  It’s called DRAMA!  More than one person has called me a “drama queen” in the past.  Though this use to bother me, I have learned that you are who you are.  This is a basis of my personality.  I feel things deeply.

    I suppose my son has inherited this fabulous attribute.  He is so tender hearted.  Whenever I tell him, “NO!”, he sticks out that bottom lip like I’ve just torn his little heart from his chest.  He is wonderful.

    Hopefully, he will learn, as his mommy has, that this trait does not have to be a bad thing.  Of course, it doesn’t have to be quite the production, either.  The older I get, the more I have learned to harness this superpower of emotion.  Hopefully, he will learn the lesson more quickly than I.  If not, I’m in for one serious ride. 🙂