SPICA Day 9 -- First Day of PreSchool

 Since this picture we have bought and modified a little table that 

slides right up to G a the perfect height.

It was a great first day!  Graham and I made it up to his school with his stroller, lunch box, Jaggy, nap blanket, nap pillow, leg prop pillow, car seat, extra clothes, extra liner diapers, paper work for his teacher, and a love note in his shirt pocket.  Whew!  When we go there, I spend some time getting him all settled into his car seat.  The table is just a smidge too high.  Chad and I are going to look for an alternative this weekend.  Probably IKEA.  That place has everything.

He was making new friends and telling tales of ambulance rides before I left. 

I went over to check on him mid-morning and he was in his car seat playing with some blocks.  He looked a little lonely.  The other kids were in different centers playing in the room.  I think today was the first day he realized he can't do everything he wants to do.  It will help a lot once he's cleared to move around on the floor a bit.  He had already worked on tracing his name and painting a picture.

When Chad got there to pick him up at 1:00 he was on his little nap cot all conked out. 

Next week, we will do 1/2 days again on Monday and Tuesday, then it's back to the dr. for a follow-up on Wednesday.  We'll see about the rest of the week after that!

Muscle spasms were horrible again last night.  We're almost out of Valium which doesn't matter because it doesn't do anything anyway.  I can't find anything helpful...there's very little that I can find on spasms related to broken bones except that they happen as the muscle works to hold the bone in place.  I hate hearing the word "spasm".  I hate typing the word "spasm".  It will be permanently deleted from our vocabularies once this ordeal is over!

SPICA Day 8 - PreSchool

Tomorrow is the first contract day of school for Chad and I.  Chad is also right in the middle of 2-a-day football practices.  So, a giant topic of conversation has been, when is it okay to send G to school?  When we talked to his Dr., my big take away was that it is going to depend on your comfort level with the provider.  After visiting with the director of his preschool and his teacher(s), we have decided to give tomorrow a try.  Before anyone thinks we are crazy, let me explain that our circumstances are pretty unique making this seem like a reasonable decision.

Determining Factor #1:  Grahams classroom is a PPCD classroom (Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities).  This means that students with special needs are in his classroom along with children who are role model peers.  This also means that there are 4 adults in his room to 13 children.  That's a pretty nice ratio, eh?

Determining Factor #2:  Graham's Preschool is a part of the school district and is located 30 feet from the building I work in.  I could be over there in 10 seconds.  Literally. 

Determining Factor #3:  Graham was really enjoying himself at open house tonight.  It will be great for him to be around kids for part of his days.

Determining Factor #4:  They are prepared to make any accommodations necessary for him.  The director brought in a beanbag for him and they are letting us bring in one of his car seats he's grown accustomed to (their tables are already perfect height).

Determining Factor #5:  I walked one of the aides through restroom breaks and she practiced lifting/carrying him.  He giggled.  He already likes her.

Determining Factor #6:  We have a back-up plan.  Chad has already talked with his administration and is able to get out of his week of inservice next week if needed.  Meaning Graham could stay home or Chad could pick him up early at any time.  I can also leave inservice at anytime...my meetings just actually pertain to what I'm doing.  Chad's?  Not so much.  He just needs to make it to football practice on time. :) 

See?!  I told you we thought this through a little bit! :)

So, Graham goes for 1/2 a day tomorrow.  It's a test day.  We'll let you know!

PS.  Graham is sleeping in his own bed tonight rather than the couch!  (Muscle spasms -- not as severe or as long-lived tonight).  That said, Momma is sleeping in her own bed, too!  Except I'm not sleeping because I'm blogging.  G'Night!!

SPICA Day 6 -- @#$%* Muscle Spasms

The muscle spasms were at an all -time horrible this afternoon.  Graham took his first daytime nap today around 1:30.  While he was sleeping his foot on the WIP leg kept twitching and he would moan -- obviously spasming, but he stayed asleep and they would come and go so it seemed minor.  When he woke up around 3:30 the kicked in full-force.  We gave him Valium and 3 hours later at 6:30 he was still having violent spasms about every 30 minutes or so.  By "violent" I mean he is screaming in pain, face turning beet red, kicking his good leg, and instantly sweating.  We made the decision to give him another full dose of Valium at the 3-hour mark rather than waiting for the prescribed 6 hours.  The result was a slightly goofier than normal Graham who, at 10:00 p.m. as I type this is still spasm free.  I cannot wait to talk to the Dr. about this at his follow-up appointment tomorrow.  How long is this going to last?  If not for these painful spasms, I think we have finally begun to settle into our new "normal". 

That's the bad.  The rest of the day was great.  G woke up a little cranky thanks to the codeine we gave the night before in effort to stop the spasms (no more codeine for us).  Once I busted out the monster trucks and the paint, he perked right up and the morning became rosier.

Graham and I started a Peppa Pig countdown calendar.  He gets to glue a little Peppa Pig onto each day as we get closer to cast removal.  He's been making comments like "I don't want my cast off."  I explained that it's not coming off until his broken bone is all put back together and fixed and that it won't hurt.  "Like with a glue stick, Mommy?"  Exactly like a glue stick.  He's already quite attached to this thing.  We should find out tomorrow the exact removal date. Of course, he sees his cast as what made his leg stop hurting so he loves it! I was guessing the removal date on the calendar since his Dr. is only in that office on Wednesdays. 

His calendar includes his first day of school (pending tomorrow's visit) and daddy's football games that we will miss this season.

Overall, a happy day!  Seriously hoping the Valium sticks with him through the night -- spasms usually start to kick in right when he's about to fall asleep.  @#$%* spasms. 



SPICA Day 5 -- The Great, The Good, The Works in Progress

Today was a good day.  Graham was pretty worn out from all of his new adventures the day before, so we took it easy all morning.  Hanging out, watching Peppa Pig and eventually moving to his new "chair" the car seat. 

G's favorite spot playing and eating is at the table Daddy modified.

Grandma and Papa came to visit and play while I began to tackle modifying some shorts and undies for G to wear when he heads to school.  I got two pairs of shorts done and 2 pairs of super-cool Spider Man undies before I realized I had not placed the Velcro in the right places to make them work properly and the shorts were too small even thought I bought them 2 sizes larger than G normally wears.  Do over.  SO Chad bought larger boxer shorts, I started over with the remaining undies.  Undies are done, shorts are today's project.

That boy worked too hard to get into big boy undies to start wearing diapers now!

Split both sides, added iron-on Velcro, stitched over Velcro. (playing his version of "patty cake" with Daddy)

Graham did some drawing and gluing at his table.  He made this stick person with a smile.  Then he turned it into a frown because "he's sad because he hurt his leg."  Then he gave the stick person a "good leg" and a leg with a cast.  I'm not sure what the story is behind the extra eyeballs and mouth he added at the end.

Graham wanted to try laying "on his ear".  So I rolled him over on his hip (good leg against the sofa) and propped a pillow between his two legs.  The casted leg just sticks up in the air funny and it's hard for him to stay that way on his own, so I sat behind him to support.  It seems to give his back some relief.  I've watched him tonight try to roll over to his side in his sleep. 

We ended the day with a short (very short) stroller ride to the stop sign at the end of the street and back.  He kept asking to "go to the park".  The 105 degree weather is not very cast friendly and we're trying to avoid letting him sweat.  He seemed satisfied with his little bit of outdoor time. 





 I had one minor meltdown today after Chad got home from practice.  I was cooking dinner, still in my p.j.'s, no shower, still tired from no sleep the night before, cast rash on my forearm, achy back, and a messy house that was closing in on me.  All it took was a sweet hug from Chad and the tears came.  He strongly suggested I go for a run or a walk.  Charlie B. and I took two laps around the neighborhood and I was renewed.  No more pity parties.

The worst part of the day was in the evening.  Just like the past two nights, Graham got violent muscle spasms in his leg just as he was about to fall asleep.  We had given him Valium already, thinking that might prevent the spasms all together.  We were wrong.  We gave him codeine again, which did not help with the spasms, but seems to help him sleep once they subside.  He conked out but I could still see his little foot sticking out of the WIP leg kicking as little "aftershock" spasms hit.  We will be visiting with the dr. about this on Wed.!

So, not much sleep for me again.  No reason why.  Just insomnia.  Which equates to blog time.  I'm going to try to catch a few more z's while G is sleeping well.  Chin is up. The sun is rising on Day 6!