One Too Many X-rays!

Happy Halloween!!

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Extreme Makeover: Blog Edition

Do you need a makeover?


Does your blog?

Well I can get you some help for your blog. And if you find someone giving out makeovers let me know will ya?

A few months ago I stumbled upon Blogs by Mandy. I actually wasn't looking for a blog design at the time. But I knew if I was going to do one, I would hit Mandy up in a second. Let me tell you why.

I found her blog while I was researching Survival Mode Parent. Remember the post I wrote about a new non-profit helping parents of children in the NICU? Yes. That idea was her brain child. Don't you just love her already? I do.

Well because she has more energy than I can muster she doesn't stop there; Mandy also has a blog design business. Every month she donates a portion of her proceeds to one designated charity.

How awesome is that?






So guess what?

November is Austin's Birthday month and Blogs for a Cause has agreed to donate 20% of all blog order profits from November 1 to November 30, 2009 to his favorite charity, Children's Craniofacial Association.

COOL!

Have you been considering starting a new blog? Does your current blog need a face lift? Need a carnival button? A new header?

Take a Peek at Mandy's portfolio and start ordering.  Let's keep Mandy busy in November!

Of course if your blog is perfect as is, you can always donate directly to Austin's page.  You know...to celebrate his birthday, just like you did for mine.


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Bloggy Karma

If you head on over to Tip Junkie today, you'll find me as a featured tipster! Today's Teach Me Thursday topic is Organizing...and, um yeah you guessed it, one of my tips is being featured. Finally my obsession pays off! Yahoo!




Then, if you are feeling lucky or just you like to enter Contests you can head on over to Not So Average Mama. I was hanging out there one night earlier this week for a LIVE Giveaway. Lo & behold, I won the prize! I won a 12 month Sam's Club Membership worth $100.00. Double Yahoo! So check it out she has lots of great stuff, maybe you can win something too.


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Mom's Needs A Night Out (or How I Almost Became A Celebrity Stalker)

Mama has been BUSY this week!!!

Last Sunday I attended the U2 concert @ the Rose Bowl with my sisters. Our seats were awesome and the entire night was great. The Black Eyed Peas opened and they were very energetic and LA natives so it was a A LOT of fun. They really pumped up the crowd. Getting in & out of the Rose Bowl was NOT fun, but we survived! It was my first night out in almost a year. {GASP!} U2 did not disappoint!






I know, I know you probably watched it on YouTube (how cool was THAT!) But here is a snippet...LIVE from Section 11F, Row 14, Seat 15 (aka: my seat).





Then continuing with Mom-Needs-A-Night-Out theme, on Tuesday my Aunt B came through with some tickets & a paid parking pass to the Michael Jackson's This Is It movie premiere event @ LA LIVE. HELLO! More fun!

Our movie tickets were for 10:10PM, we arrived early @ 8:30PM and valet parked. We were feeling pretty hoity-toity, if I do say so myself. As we sauntered through the LA LIVE complex we passed the red carpet staging area which was now empty, we saw the beautiful chandeliers. So pretty.



As we passed the Nokia Theater someone directed us to walk along a certain path, he was directing others to another parallel path.

It was COLD...yeah this is LA we are not used to COLD weather. Add to that it was WINDY. I was walking slowly because it was like a scene out of Winnie The Pooh and the Blustery Day.

Right along side of me was a woman dressed to the nines in black. At first glance I thought she resembled Angelina Jolie, her dark hair was up and I saw a glimpse of pouty lips. Then she laughed and spoke and there was no mistaking it.

It was Jennifer Lopez. Walking. Next. To. Me. or rather she was trying to walk, because, as I said she was dressed to the nines in black platform heels (cute!) and it was so windy we were being blown backwards. She was struggling and laughing as she tried to put on her jacket, walk & steady herself all at the same time. Still looking gorgeous! If not for that silly metal fence I would have reached over and helped her, but instead I took this lame picture.



No, that's not snow those little white spots are debris floating around us. I told you it was WINDY!! So I will just say this. My camera kinda sucks for these types of situations. Moving. Quick. Spontaneous.

Then after all that excitement. We waited online. Got some Starbucks and came back to find a crowd forming at the stairwell. The celeb party on the roof of the parking structure was winding down so I ran over and...



Hello Paula!

I got a few other shots of various body parts and blurs that were Larry Birkhead, Ian Zeiring, Jermaine Jackson and Forrest Whitaker...but like I said my camera was not made for celebrity stalking.

I guess I will just have to keep my day job as Dr.Mom.


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Wordless - Ghosts of Halloween Past

Halloween Night 2008



Just another example of Grandma's handiwork!


More (or less) Wordless posts @ Special Exposure Wednesday, Ordinary & Awesome, 7 Clown Circus, Mom Dot and Wordless Wednesday HQ.


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Dia De Los Muertos: Bedazzled. Bejewled. Behold.

Austin's 2nd birthday is next week on Monday, November 2.

This particular day happens to be a big deal in our house every year and not just because of Austin. On November 2nd we celebrate Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead or All Souls Day), which really is a celebration of Life. And celebrate we do!  We celebrate our loved ones who have passed.

Dia De Los Muertos is a rich Mexican cultural tradition that dates back to the time of the Aztecs. This tradition has been kept alive in our family by my mom. She not only makes the grandkids their traditional Halloween costumes, but in her spare time she decorates her home (and other businesses) for Dia De Los Muertos with altars and in her words, "some fancy, schmancy" skeletons, aka Muertos.

Sometimes she gets really into it an dresses them up as characters: a Mariachi, a Dancer, a Chef, or a pair of Newlyweds. These skeletons are far from creepy & crawly and run more along the lines of fun & festive.


This week she has been working on her latest creation, in which this:




Becomes This:






This particular Muerto is a work in progress and I am not sure of his/her final career choice just yet. I just know this is how we roll here.

While this is something my mom enjoys doing, it is easily something that kids can do with some crayons, markers, finger paints or even glitter and glue if you keep some baby wipes handy.

We will unveil this Muerto's final look this weekend for Austin's Halloween themed birthday party along with some other fun stuff.


What sort of cultural or holiday traditions does your family have?


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This Little Piggy...

This Little Piggy Went To Get His H1N1 Vaccine
This Little Piggy Stayed Home
This Little Piggy Had Tamilflu
This Little Piggy Had None
This Little Piggy's Mommy Cried Wee, Wee, Wee...All The Way Home


My 5 year old niece was on a sleep over at our house last night when she became ill. It is so weird to hope that someone has the flu, but if it has to be the flu, please just be the regular ol' seasonal flu. Please!.

We are awaiting results from her H1N1 test to come back NEGATIVE. The longest few hours of my life. And I can only imagine how my sister feels. If you have a moment, please say a quick prayer that Bella is Swine Flu Free!!

In the meantime, the Triage nurse at Austin's Pediatrician's office told me that there may not be ANY Tamiflu locally IF we needed it. So again, a quick prayer that no one in our family comes down with H1N1 so don't need to hunt down an anti-viral medication.

How are you doing this flu season? 

**UPDATE** Bella tested negative for H1N1. YAY!!!!

Photo credit: eclectech.co.uk

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You Don't Mess With The Family

My sister overheard the funniest conversation, I just had to share.

Saturday was another busy day here at Halloween Headquarters, my brother was cutting patterns (yes, some men sew!), my sister was gluing sequins, my mom was working the sewing machine like a banshee. I was painting, printing and gluing, not necessarily in that order. We were all pretty busy.

Austin was in the living room, apparently trying to get into something he should not have been touching. His new nurse, male and about 50-ish, was saying, 'No Austin...Come here, Austin' or something to that effect. Austin was ignoring his repeated requests. So after a few moments my niece Sophia decided to stepped into the fray.

She said, directly to the nurse, "you know, Austin just needs to do whatever he needs to do. We don't tell him, No. We just let him do, you know...whatever he needs to do." So put that in your pipe & smoke it old man!


So there you have it folks. You heard it here first, Austin gets to run amok with no rules or discipline.




Ah, I love this girl! Sophia is Austin's biggest fan and apparently felt the nurse needed to be put in his place, by a 6 year old with pigtails!! LOL.

Does your Special Needs kiddo have a mini-advocate?


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I Spy - Halloween Costumes

It's October and Grandma is doing what she loves. She has been busy decorating and making costumes.


On her list of creations this year:




The Headless Horseman



Cowgirl



Darth Vadar



Goofy



Angel



Prince




So what are you going to be for Halloween?


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Wordless - I Vant Candy!

One Year Ago - Flashback to October 20, 2008

So what is your favorite candy?

More (or less) Wordless posts @ Special Exposure Wednesday, Ordinary & Awesome, 7 Clown Circus, Mom Dot and Wordless Wednesday HQ.

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These Boots Were Made For Rain

Yesterday it rained and I mean RAINED, all day! By 6:00PM the rain had stopped and Austin wanted to go outside. Nice soggy grass, my favorite (NOT!)



So I cheated and I let him run around in the driveway and break in his new rain boots. Aren't they cute?


For more photos visit Cheaper Than Therapy



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The Teacher Who Deserved A "Time Out"!

Today was our Annual IFSP (Individualized Family Service Plan) with Regional Center and all of Austin's therapists to plan for the next year. I had a festive assortment of fall themed donuts & tea on hand for our 10:00 AM Meeting. Pretty huh?



I had the OT, PT, Infant Stim and DHH teacher here. Austin was so excited to see them all in one room at the same time. I was even planning to take a group picture. It would have been a perfect meeting...EXCEPT...{insert the scratching sound of a record being ripped off the turntable}, one person was a huge buttinski and ruined the whole thing.


Don't you just hate that?


As soon as the DHH teacher walked in I could tell something was wrong. She looked around confused and immediately asked why Austin was sitting with another therapist. I told her they were here for the IFSP Meeting. She was like, "What IFSP?"

I was so ticked!! The only reason we booked for today at 10:00 AM was because of the DHH teacher's availability. I wanted to scream at her - What do you mean, 'What IFSP' you dingbat! The one YOU made me plan for today. The one YOU made everyone rush for. The one other people rearranged their schedules for...THAT ONE!


So let's backtrack to last Tuesday, shall we:

She (the dingbat*) told me she could only come for an IFSP during her regularly scheduled visit time, Tuesday at 10:00 AM. She said next Tuesday the 13th was best. I said that was fine. I contacted our RC Coordinator and she agreed to the date and time. The RC Coordinator has just returned form Maternity leave and asked if I would like to contact the other providers and see if they could have reports ready for today. I agreed.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to me, the DHH teacher took it upon her self to contact the RC Coordinator and changed it to another date that worked for HER. The Coordinator assumed that I approved the change so she booked it for 2 weeks from today, Oct. 27th.

Gee, that would have been fine, except someone forgot to tell ME and the four other therapists who showed up. TODAY!

To add insult to injury, not only did the DHH teacher change it, she then lied to me about it.

Today, while we were all waiting (and waitiing) for the Coordinator, I asked her if she had spoken with the Coordinator or maybe someone from her office to make a change and she said, "No." Straight to my face and in front of all the other therapists she claimed she knew nothing about it. ARRRRRRGH!!! I later confirmed that she was indeed the one who had made the change.


The Meeting:

So we had the IFSP meeting WITHOUT the Regional Center Coordinator. Not exactly ideal. And not LEGAL, I might add.

I conducted a round table and everyone gave their assessment of Austin's abilities, goals and recommendations. It was a thing of beauty, I sure wish the Coordinator hadn't missed it all.

Luckily, minutes after everyone left the Coordinator called me apologizing. She thought I had made the change and she outed the DHH teacher. It turns out she had an open schedule so she was able to make it out today and meet with me, alone, at 2:00 PM. We had a two hour meeting; I gave her the update from all the other providers and we signed the necessary legal documents. So now we are legit!


The Outcome:

Just as I predicted last week, Regional Center wants to discontinue funding Austin's OT, PT, & Speech services. Not because he no longer NEEDS them, but because a new State law signed July 28, 2009 says they cannot fund them without first attempting to collect for these "benefits" from our private insurance.

So we need to jump through some hoops and see if his insurance will cover it. If they deny it, then RC will have no choice but to step forward and pay, after we appeal with the insurance. Oh yeah, fun times!  Obviously it would have been ideal to delay this whole process for as long as possible and we would have waited until November if it were not for the buttinski.

So the clock starts ticking today. We have 45 days to get coverage or denial from Medi-Cal. From that point, if we have not heard back from them within 45 days, we will have an additional 30 days NOA (Notice of Action) to discontinue services. So all in all, we will still remain with our current providers until the end of the calendar year.

It is lucky for DHH Teacher that I will not see her again until the 27th, so by then I should be past the anger and frustration. Although I reserve the right to give her a Time Out!



* I feel compelled to defend the School District's DHH "Program". Austin's regular DHH teacher is out on Maternity leave until December and the dingbat is a "temp". She is a retired DHH teacher and is only working for 25 days. So in that span of time she has decided to wreck havoc on my life.

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How Dinosaurs Became Extinct

Yesterday I was having a conversation with one of Austin's nurses, we were discussing G-tubes. Yes, stimulating medical conversation over coffee that only another SN mom or a nurse would find interesting. I mentioned to him, while searching for some wood, that Austin has never pulled out his G-tube. Thank God!

That same nurse left early yesterday as I knew we were having a party for my dad's birthday and Austin would have more fun running around with his cousins and have LOTS of supervision from his aunts and uncles. You see where this is going, right?

About 6:00 in the evening my sister-in-law came to find me outside, she was fairly calm but she had a very worried look on her face. She had in her hand a Mic-Key button, fully inflated. She asked me, "Is this Austin's or Toby's?" As I was sitting with Austin in my lap, I was fairly certain it was not HIS, but I still touched his tummy to be sure.

Simultaneously, crazy thoughts were running through my head. No, he is fully clothed, that can't be his. How long has it been out? How did I not notice? How quickly can I get him undressed and get that back in? I was mentally preparing my route to his room; how long would it take me to grab the lube, the extra Mic-key, some water, a syringe?

Yup sure enough, it was Toby's button. Whew! We both let out a sigh of relief.

That could have been VERY bad for Austin. She thought, at worst, he would be leaking fluid everywhere. I knew that it was much more serious. I knew that his G-tube stoma could close up in a matter of minutes requiring a trip to the ER and possibly the OR depending on the length of time elapsed.



In either case a medical crisis was averted. Meanwhile, poor Toby is near death somewhere with his medical accessories strewn about.

As I mentioned recently, three weeks ago my mom got the scare of her life when she saw Austin walking around with a trach in his hand; it belonged to Toby. Then there was that scare in the high chair two weeks ago, but that time the trach in his hand was his own and it was my turn to be scared.

For such a little stuffed animal, Toby sure is causing panic around here. I think I may have to put him up high on a shelf and let Austin play with him only under direct supervision. He obviously needs his own nurse!

For centuries scientists have pondered how and why dinosaurs became extinct.



Well it is obvious: no trach, no feeding tube...how could they be expected to survive against a Two year old?


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A Taste of Success

Summer is officially over now, but there is still nothing like some lemonade to make my day!



Imagine my surprise when I opened my email to see that Pattie @ Listen to My Words With Your Heart had sent me a 'Lemonade Stand Award'.

The award is presented by a reader to a blogger who shows 'great attitude or gratitude.' How awesome is that? Thanks Pattie, I am so thankful you enjoy Austin's story.

My Speech:

I, humbly, accept this award and I would like to thank Austin, without whom this award would not be possible. I'd also like to thank my family for their love and support, (...cue music...) the many nurses and doctors without whom we might have nothing humorous to say. (...louder music...) I see Kanye coming up,  so I'll wrap this up with a quick shout out to all the readers up there in the balcony, We Love You!!

The Deal:

As per the rules, each recipient must take a sip and pass the glass around to 10 other bloggers. {Haha...just a little flu season humor folks.} Please everyone get your own glass!

No seriously, these are the (totally bendable) rules:

• Put the Lemonade Stand Award logo on your blog or within your post.
• Nominate at least 10 blogs with great attitude or gratitude.
• Link the nominees within your post.
• Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
• Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

Without further ado, I am nominating...

8 Special Needs Moms,
Colleen @ One Day At A Time
Lisa @ My Version of My Life
Susan @ Ainsley Rae
Christy @ Life Since Harlie
Rebecca @ The Jacksons
Debbie @ Finding Normal
WriterGirl @ You Get What You Get
Heidi @ AJs Awesome Adventure

1 Dad in a very special circumstance,
Matt @ Matt, Liz and Madeline

and

1 Special Chick who would like to help the world, one baby at a time.
Mandy @ Survival Mode Parent

It was hard to stop at 10, but these are a few of the bloggers I stalk read and get inspiration from daily.


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A Thousand Words Thursday - Foodie

Decisions, decisions??


For more "A Thousand Words Thursday" photos visit Cheaper Than Therapy


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Be Careful What You Wish For...

because you just might get it...and then begin to hyperventilate!




No, I did not win Lotto or Top HealthBlogger, yet.


Do you remember when I complained about all that therapy homework? Sure you do, because I know you live to hang on my every word. (HaHa.) So yesterday I figured out the way of the Universe - the hard way.


This is how it goes:

I complain about something random like say, homework, and BOOM bad stuff happens. I complain about REAL things like I need a bigger car or more sleep and the Universe responds with Nothing, Nada, Zilch, Zippo. Thanks, Universe!

So it turns out that after all the trouble I went through to get a good schedule worked out Austin will likely be getting discharged from Regional Center services such as OT (feeding therapy), PT (Physical Therapy) and Speech. Well, technically he is not getting cut from Speech because they never started it...but that is another story.


For days, weeks, nay months I have sung the praises of Early Intervention and how much it has helped Austin. I created video montages showing his progress and this is the thanks I get?

Regional Center informed my yesterday that Austin will likely be cut from the program for OT, PT and Speech services. Um, seriously...Deaf kids cut from Speech? Niice.

The reason: Effective July 1st a LAW was passed in CA that RC cannot provide these services for Infants & Children. Thank you Governator for a job well done!



Can I SCREAM NOW??? DEEEEP Breaths!


It has now been mandated that our "Private" insurance cover these services. Um, bad plan. Austin's insurance is Medi-Cal, which is another cash strapped State funded program. How does this make ANY sense?

So next Tuesday, at 10:00 AM I have an IFSP (Individualized Family Service Plan) Meeting set up with Austin's RC coordinator, DHH teacher, Occupational Therapist and possibly the Physical Therapist, as well. Do you think if I offer bagels & cream cheese they will let him stay in the program?

The one thing we have going for us is that, in all likelihood, his insurance will send us a BIG.FAT.DENIAL for the above mentioned services. This may eventually work in our favor, as then RC will be forced to put him back in their rotation. But not without first punishing us for having crappy insurance, by cutting down his services from once per week to twice a month or something crazy like that.

So Universe, I have decided that I LOVE homework and promise not to complain (loudly) anymore if you just fix this!


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Wordless - Better Luck This Year

Last October Austin was clearly not a fan of hay, pumpkins or even candy. I am determined to make this Halloween a better experience.

For starters he will not be plopped down to be photographed with random Pumpkins, unless he is having a good hair day. Then anything goes!


More (or less) Wordless posts @ Special Exposure Wednesday, Ordinary & Awesome, 7 Clown Circus, Mom Dot and Wordless Wednesday HQ.


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