Change is necessary. I know that.
I attended a meeting tonight at the day care next door to us. The new owner of the day care was there to introduce herself and discuss the changes she is making to the day care. This change sucks.
Morgan started at this day care when she was 3, and Sydney has gone there since she was a baby. All the wonderful people at the day care have played a huge role in helping to shape my children--especially Kim, the owner, and Callie & Kim who both taught preschool. I can tell you that my children are so much better off for having gone to this day care than had I been a stay-at-home mom. They are both shy children, and I think they have benefited so much socially from going to this day care. Plus, I hear often at the school how the children who have attended this day care have such a great foundation and are often farther ahead than a lot of the other children.
We found out today that the day care will be adding babies as soon as they are licensed/approved (no this will not affect me--I am done having babies!!). We also found out that at the end of the school year, they will not be taking school kids. That sucks. You see, this day care was my safety net for Sydney. Well, it was her safety net too. She felt she could handle Boys & Girls club once a week, but I'm already preparing her for going every day next year. I knew the day care would always be there for us. Kim and Callie and all the gals truly love my children--they love all the children there. And I knew if I needed them this summer, they would be there. That's not going to be the case anymore.
I hope these special ladies know how much I appreciate everything they've done not only for my girls but for my peace of mind. I also hope they know what a positive impact they have had on the children that have attended this day care, and I hope they never forget that!!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
The Golden Tooth
Sydney had her dentist appointment today. Lucky for me, Kory said he would take her. Wait a minute--I'll start from the beginning.
The 23rd of December Sydney was complaining about her tooth hurting. Once I got her to let me look in her mouth, I noticed she had a pretty big cavity in one of her baby molars. Crap. The one and only time she's been to the dentist, she wouldn't even let them count her teeth. We have been putting off taking her to the dentist because of the screaming and crying she did at her first visit. Well, this is the result of our procrastinating--a cavity--a BAD cavity. I got in touch with my friend to see what dentist she takes her son to. We got Sydney in to see the dentist the following Monday. Gulp.
I picked Syd up and brought her to the dentist office where Kory was going to take her in. As we were waiting in the car, I noticed tears rolling down Syd's face. I hugged her--I knew she was worried the whole drive in because she hardly said a word. Poor thing--I can't even imagine what's going through her little 'unsorted' brain at this point. She literally cannot process this kind of thing. One thing I have read about kids with Sensory Processing Disorder is that the dentist freaks them out--there is no processing that. Kory drove up, and Sydney said she wanted me to come in with them. Another gulp.
She was crying as we got out of the car and walked into the building. She cried even harder when we got in the building. I kept telling myself to keep it together. The gal gave me the paperwork and I tried to concentrate on filling it all out and not pay attention to my stressed out child.
They called Sydney back, and she was crying again. Kory went back with her. Pretty soon, they had her in the chair, and I could hear her screaming, "No No!" That's it. The tears are now streaming down my face. So I finished filling out the paperwork, and I left. What a great mom huh? Not.
They could not take x-rays that day. They were able to count her teeth, but that was it. They set up the appointment to do a partial root canal and fill the tooth. Even though it's a baby tooth, it will be a few years before she loses it, so if they just pulled it, the other teeth would move and there would not be room for the permanent tooth. They said that the day of the appointment they would give her a kool-aid cocktail (sedative), let it take effect, and then give her laughing gas. Okay--I think she'll be okay. That's what I told myself. I knew it wouldn't be okay.
Kory took Sydney in today for her appointment. He thought the sedative was working--she was getting sleepy. Then when they took her back, her braveness disappeared. They gave her gas but they could not get her to calm down. They ended up coming out and asking Kory for permission to hold her down, otherwise she would have to go to a surgery center at another time, so he said hold her down. He said he could hear her screaming and crying. He was sending me up-to-the minute text messages telling me what was going on. Pretty soon I had to ask him to stop--I had to shut my office door--I was in tears. Thank goodness I didn't have to be there. I would have been a mess.
When I got home after work tonight, the first thing Sydney said to me was, "Hey Mom! Look at my golden tooth!!" She proudly showed it to me, and she said she can't wait to show it to her friends on Monday. Wow--what a trooper. Must not have been so bad.
This was harder on me than her, that's for sure. She was more brave than me.
My hope with days like these is that Syd will look back on them and get some confidence that even though there will be difficult and scary things in life, she will live through them and be just fine. I hope she remembers that.
The 23rd of December Sydney was complaining about her tooth hurting. Once I got her to let me look in her mouth, I noticed she had a pretty big cavity in one of her baby molars. Crap. The one and only time she's been to the dentist, she wouldn't even let them count her teeth. We have been putting off taking her to the dentist because of the screaming and crying she did at her first visit. Well, this is the result of our procrastinating--a cavity--a BAD cavity. I got in touch with my friend to see what dentist she takes her son to. We got Sydney in to see the dentist the following Monday. Gulp.
I picked Syd up and brought her to the dentist office where Kory was going to take her in. As we were waiting in the car, I noticed tears rolling down Syd's face. I hugged her--I knew she was worried the whole drive in because she hardly said a word. Poor thing--I can't even imagine what's going through her little 'unsorted' brain at this point. She literally cannot process this kind of thing. One thing I have read about kids with Sensory Processing Disorder is that the dentist freaks them out--there is no processing that. Kory drove up, and Sydney said she wanted me to come in with them. Another gulp.
She was crying as we got out of the car and walked into the building. She cried even harder when we got in the building. I kept telling myself to keep it together. The gal gave me the paperwork and I tried to concentrate on filling it all out and not pay attention to my stressed out child.
They called Sydney back, and she was crying again. Kory went back with her. Pretty soon, they had her in the chair, and I could hear her screaming, "No No!" That's it. The tears are now streaming down my face. So I finished filling out the paperwork, and I left. What a great mom huh? Not.
They could not take x-rays that day. They were able to count her teeth, but that was it. They set up the appointment to do a partial root canal and fill the tooth. Even though it's a baby tooth, it will be a few years before she loses it, so if they just pulled it, the other teeth would move and there would not be room for the permanent tooth. They said that the day of the appointment they would give her a kool-aid cocktail (sedative), let it take effect, and then give her laughing gas. Okay--I think she'll be okay. That's what I told myself. I knew it wouldn't be okay.
Kory took Sydney in today for her appointment. He thought the sedative was working--she was getting sleepy. Then when they took her back, her braveness disappeared. They gave her gas but they could not get her to calm down. They ended up coming out and asking Kory for permission to hold her down, otherwise she would have to go to a surgery center at another time, so he said hold her down. He said he could hear her screaming and crying. He was sending me up-to-the minute text messages telling me what was going on. Pretty soon I had to ask him to stop--I had to shut my office door--I was in tears. Thank goodness I didn't have to be there. I would have been a mess.
When I got home after work tonight, the first thing Sydney said to me was, "Hey Mom! Look at my golden tooth!!" She proudly showed it to me, and she said she can't wait to show it to her friends on Monday. Wow--what a trooper. Must not have been so bad.
This was harder on me than her, that's for sure. She was more brave than me.
My hope with days like these is that Syd will look back on them and get some confidence that even though there will be difficult and scary things in life, she will live through them and be just fine. I hope she remembers that.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
It's Been Too Long!
Wow it has been way too long since I've posted on my blog. I went back and read some of my older posts--some are kinda corny I was thinking to myself, but oh well they are out there.
Kory and I were talking about Syd's progress with her sensory issues. Amazingly enough, and kinda surprising to me, she is making progress. She is better prepared and more in control when it comes to loud noises. She does not seem to have as much anxiety as she used to. I attribute this not only to OT, but to her successes in kindergarten--especially thanks to her wonderful teacher. We have a lot less meltdowns than we used to. It is amazing to me. Kory said when he took her to OT the other day, there was a construction crew working in the entryway to clean up some flooding. It didn't even phase her. Even her OT aide Melissa noticed that Sydney was not distracted or upset by all the noise. Yay!!
I think what is the most sad about this is that I really have not allowed myself to notice all of this. I really had no idea how long Sydney would need to have OT and how long before we noticed any positive effects from it. I have been so entrenched in the every day happenings of our lives and working with Sydney that I did not celebrate our progress. Instead I have focused on things such as the fact that she still refuses to wear socks, or that she still won't go over the bar at gymnastics, etc.
Today I allowed myself to feel a little bit of joy about her progress.
I understand on some small scale what my sister is talking about when she speaks of her son. Forge ahead, don't forget what needs to be done, and above all focus and get your act together to help your child! (This is what I say to myself on a daily basis!)
Kory and I were talking about Syd's progress with her sensory issues. Amazingly enough, and kinda surprising to me, she is making progress. She is better prepared and more in control when it comes to loud noises. She does not seem to have as much anxiety as she used to. I attribute this not only to OT, but to her successes in kindergarten--especially thanks to her wonderful teacher. We have a lot less meltdowns than we used to. It is amazing to me. Kory said when he took her to OT the other day, there was a construction crew working in the entryway to clean up some flooding. It didn't even phase her. Even her OT aide Melissa noticed that Sydney was not distracted or upset by all the noise. Yay!!
I think what is the most sad about this is that I really have not allowed myself to notice all of this. I really had no idea how long Sydney would need to have OT and how long before we noticed any positive effects from it. I have been so entrenched in the every day happenings of our lives and working with Sydney that I did not celebrate our progress. Instead I have focused on things such as the fact that she still refuses to wear socks, or that she still won't go over the bar at gymnastics, etc.
Today I allowed myself to feel a little bit of joy about her progress.
I understand on some small scale what my sister is talking about when she speaks of her son. Forge ahead, don't forget what needs to be done, and above all focus and get your act together to help your child! (This is what I say to myself on a daily basis!)
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