Dominic has done well in 2014. Far better than we had actually expected with this 22q deletion and his stroke. He appears to be hitting all the milestones on schedule, except for his ability to roll over and keeping his head steady on his own, and I believe that is due more to the fact that he has been on sternonomy precautions (a requirement to be VERY careful of his sternum or breastbone, to let it heal after being cut open for surgery... twice...), which means that he wasn't able to do tummy time, which is a very important practice procedure for both of these tasks. He is making eye contact and smiling and laughing. He plays with the dangling toys on his playmat. He sucks on his hands and fingers. He is for the most part just a regular 4 month old. He still has his feeding tube, but takes about half of his feeds orally before we have to put the rest through the tube. I'm hoping his lip surgery will help him get to taking his full feeds orally. We have still to see any real hindrances from his stroke, which is a big relief. They may very well become more evident in the future, but as I see it, the longer it takes for those struggles to show up, the less severe they are. But maybe I'm wrong... we'll have to see.
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| (Please kindly ignore my disaster of a house in the background, I swear I clean... ya know... sometimes) |
2015 looks like it is going to be a very busy year, especially if January is any indication.
January 2nd, Dominic has a Cardiology appointment just to check on how his heart is doing. These appointments are always interesting. Dom gets hooked up to an echocardiograph and they look into his heart, specifically where he had surgery and any places there have been concerns in the past. Coincidentally, he is also off sternonomy precautions this day. Scattered through the rest of the month he has a plethora of appointments including his Kinsmen Children's Centre one (for Physio and Occupational therapy), he's going to see an Optometrist (for his lazy eye), kids clot team (about that pesky clot that won't seem to go away) , neurology (about his stroke), RSV (for an immunization... can't remember what it stands for, all I know is that not all kids get it but because Dominic has a heart condition and a possible reduced immune system he was approved to get it). The one I am looking forward to the most is his BIG Cleft Lip and Palate meeting on Jan 21. It's expected to take 3-5 hrs and we get to meet EVERYONE that is involved in his surgeries/recovery process and I hope to find out when his lip will get done. His Pediatrician is predicting late feb/early march, but we'll see.
I believe the rest of the year is pretty based on everything that happens in January. Depending on how things go with all of these doctors they will determine how often they want to see Dominic. The only other big thing that should be happening in 2015 is his cleft palate surgery sometime between June and October. Turns out that this may be happening in Edmonton instead of Saskatoon now, but that is not a for sure. I'll keep y'all posted when/if that becomes a little more certain. We'll have to wait and see.
Normally, I would be planning on heading back to work in August, but the Parents of Critically ill Children benefit will likely mean I will get to be home a bit longer. I may return from my mat leave on time with Kilburn for weekends and evenings, but extend it for another year at the Correctional. I don't plan on heading back, but no need to slam that door shut unless I have to. I am also planning to attempt to get some kind of teaching position, we'll see how that goes. I've been out of the game for a bit. But I really need to get out of Corrections, especially because it doesn't look like I will be getting a fulltime teaching position at Kilburn anytime soon.
As for New Years resolutions? I generally don't make them, but this year I have a bit of motivation. My first is to be better prepared for Xmas next year. This year was a gong show. I didn't know what to get anyone, I didn't know what I wanted myself. I hosted Xmas Eve by doing almost none of my own cooking or baking... I just want to feel settled and happy for Xmas Eve and Day next year, like they have been in the past. The second is to lose the baby fat. I am pretty unhappy with how chubby I feel these days and I feel I need to do something about it. I have never been one much for working out or running or anything, but I am not getting any younger and if I don't get into a healthier activity lifestyle right now I never will and it will most likely begin to effect my health way worse than it has in the past. I have a work out routine plan that I found online that I feel will work best into my current lifestyle and I hope that it works, but really any activity I get is good for me and it's better than the amount I am getting right now (which is zero).
Happy New Year to everyone and I wish you all the best in 2015!!!
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