It’s come to my attention that I have a (possibly annoying) habit of telling you an open-ended story and then wandering off and never—oh, look! Something SHINY!
I don’t do it on purpose, you know. I’m just easily distracted. Also, when I know how something turned out I just assume y’all are tapped into the hive mind and everyone knows. (No, that’s a lie. I just forget sometimes that I haven’t told you. I’m sorry!)
As for missing Love Thursday yesterday, well, I spent most of the day at the dentist. I have no other excuse. But on my second visit there (really) a woman fainted in the waiting room, so THAT was sort of exciting. I mean, the kids were getting their teeth cleaned, I was tapping away on my laptop, and suddenly a hygienist was buckling under a woman’s weight and calling for help. I threw my computer aside and rushed to their aid! Or gently put my computer on the floor and grabbed a chair and brought it over. Whatever.
Anyway, Friday seems like a good day to bring you up to speed on a few things I may have inadvertently left dangling.
I have to tell you that the current “I Dare You” challenge that we’re doing over at Five Full Plates has been ridiculously hard for me. Even though I found my way to being open to homeschooling (rather than willing to homeschool but dreading it), my bold assurance was short-lived. It turned out that Monkey really doesn’t want to be homeschooled, and the school finally agreed to modify his IEP in a way that may work. And it turns out that Chickadee really DOES want to be homeschooled, but had conveniently forgotten the eight bazillion activities and contests she’s been involved in this year that she would totally miss if she left. The final verdict, I think, is that we’re going to do one more year; Monkey will (most likely) stay home for middle school, but he’d like to finish up elementary where he is. Of course, if the promised IEP changes don’t happen, we’ll pull him if necessary. And when it’s time to keep him home, Chickadee can think about it again, but I suspect by then she will feel more warmly towards staying with her pals where she is.
Kind of anti-climatic, I know. As for me, I am concluding this chapter of daring with deep thoughts from a day at the dentist, the bottom line of which is “I did not like this challenge, Sam I Am.” Also, I am changing my name to Stickinthemud.
Also anti-climatic: The falafel puree was delicious. Otto—the original anti-vegetarian—liked it so much, he asked me to add it to the “regular rotation.” I shall, but next time I’ll try not to blend the ever-lovin’ crap out of it. Just you wait, I bet the kids will refuse to eat it once it’s the proper consistency.
I have two Chickadee updates, too. First: Remember the glasses fiasco? Please note that I wrote that post over a month ago. I finally got through to our insurance and they assured us that they would remake the glasses and make everything right, and so it was back to Jerkface Optical Group to return the super-thick pair and have them remade into something reasonable. They told us they’d put a rush on it, so we shouldn’t have been surprised when three weeks went by before they called us. (Which… seriously??) I took Chickadee over there last weekend only to discover they were inexplicably closed. So FINALLY we picked up the new glasses this week. They are… only marginally thinner than the previous pair. Chickadee picked them up and said, “Mom, please don’t be mad! They’re fine!”
I WAS mad, of course, but there’s a limited number of battles I can commit to at any given time, so I’m letting this one go. We will never go there again, obviously.
And now for some better news on the Chickadee front, though I shall whisper it so as not to jinx anything: After just one visit to the specialist at Emory, it looks like we may have found something that’s helping her skin. Shhhhhhhhh, don’t say it out loud! We’re not into the “bad” season yet, of course, but she was starting to get rashy before her appointment, and the doctor put her on some medication that—and I quote—“often helps with rashes like this, although we’re not sure why.” Two weeks later and her fledgling rash is GONE. Fingers are crossed that it’s really this easy, but even if it isn’t, I am so happy for her not to be finishing out the school year a rashy, scabby, miserable mess. [Wondering about the miracle drug? It’s Plaquenil, which is an anti-malarial that mysteriously helps with skin problems, too. Fancy.]
I think that takes us up-to-date on everything I forgot to tell you about, before. Does it? If I missed something you should just let me—ooooh, a butterfly!
yes, plaquenil. it’s also used for rashes associated with lupus. my niece has a form of lupus that attacks the skin….in the form of widespread rashes (not the butterfly rash associated with systemic lupus). plaquenil has been a lifesaver for her. hope chickadee continues to have good results from it!
It’s good to hear that things are looking up for all of you. Have a good week-end!
OK, I kind of have to laugh about the fact that the med that’s helping with Chickie’s rash is an anti-malarial med. It’s so weird how medicines can work for completely unrelated things.
I was on a a migraine prevention med that was actually originally intended to prevent seizures, which I thought was kind of a bonus. I mean, it was supposedly preventing my migraines, PLUS I didn’t have to worry about maybe having a seizure. BONUS! (Not that I’ve ever had a seizure or anything…)
Plaquenil sounds like it should clean your teeth as well… But hurrah on the anti-rash progress!
Also stick-in-the-mudness is AWESOME. All the best people do it. And really, a discomfort with doing new stuff is actually COURAGEOUS because of all the cool things you might be missing but you heroically do without!*
*It’s juuuuust possible I’m saying you-meaning-me. Just.
It’s also a rheumatoid arthritis drug, which I tried (and which failed for me). The only caution with it is that you need an eye exam every 6 months instead of every year, to watch out for a specific problem. Also, my brilliant doctor didn’t seem to notice that you weren’t supposed to use it in patients with psoriasis, as it makes that worse.
I’m glad you’ve found something to help Chickie – it’s never fun being the itchy rashy girl.
I can beat you all. My best friend has a dog that was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension. After trying a variety of different drugs, the miracle drug that has saved her 22 lb. female dog? Vi@gra.
Seriously.
You think kids are expensive ….
I have been taking Plaquenil for over 5 years for my Rhuematoid Arthritis and it works great for me. I’ve had no major flares since I started. And yes — you do need to take her for eye exams every 6 months, (my eye dr said if there is an issue it usually shows up early and is reversable) but your medical insurance should cover the exam as opposed to eye insurance because it’s related to the drug.
I was wondering about that falafel. I can’t believe Otto was for it to be put on the regular rotation. I’m sorry but even fried it doesn’t sound that great to me. I’m so,so glad everyone is doing well and I’m so glad you’ve decided to keep them in school (for now). It’s the social skills I think they would miss out on. My cousins were homeschooled and believe they didn’t have a social skill in their bodies…until that summer with me. =) Have a great weekend.
Glad you’ve found some closure on some difficult subjects, and now you can look forward to a summer of content! … well you know what I mean.
Hey, I’m on Plaquenil for my rheumatoid arthritis too! It works great for me. I’ve never really had rash-y skin, but I do have really bumpy skin (mainly my upper arms). It’s been a lot better, but I attributed that to the Aveeno lotion I put on daily…maybe the Plaquenil is helping that too?? I also haven’t had any weird side effects with it either, which is nice. Hope it keeps working for Chickie!
Yay for ketchup!
Glad for the update! Have a great weekend! Yeah for things moving smoothly for the moment (knocking on wood).
Wow, that’s great about Chickadee’s new drug. And it’s interesting how Niki’s comment might give you an opportunity to swap out those super-thick glasses earlier rather than later.
Thanks for the update — I was wondering about the home schooling saga and how it turned out!
I’m glad to hear that the falafel turned out great! That was what I was truly hoping to hear back on, I sorta forgot about the other stuff…We have lots of shiny stuff over here in California. So glad everything else is working itself out as well.
Thank you for the updates. I have been at the edge of my seat waiting. Well, not literally, but in my mind. I am glad everything is going well.
But… did you make funnel cakes?
I think you should have Closure Friday every week!
It’s weird how drugs work for multiple ailments. I frequently get kidney stones. When I get them my doctor prescribes me a male prostate medication. You should see the looks that a 20 something female gets when asking for prostate medication. But it works!
Yay for Plaquenil!
Boo for dodgy optical outlets. Been there, done that, struggled to see clearly for the past two years. Fingers crossed my new pair, due next week, work better for me.
What IS it with these people? They want Chickie to look like Mr. Magoo and me to stumble about like him? I mean, really.
My grandfather used to call me a stick-in-the-mud when I was a kid. Man, would I scare the poop out of him now. Best stay in the mud, for the mental health of all who know you. The shock could do ’em a mischief.
Pink Socks. *nods wisely*
I virtually have come across many people who homeschool their kids. This list below I read some time ago and thought it was kind of inspirational (I don’t homeschool, kids are 5 and 2, doesn’t mean it won’t happen though).
The list is funny and created by this “bitter homeschooler” mother who is sick to death of everyone’s assumptions. Have a look!
http://www.secular-homeschooling.com/001/bitter_homeschooler.html
You know, with this update you ALMOST had me suckered into trying a Falafel Friday, but then I remembered that my kids are not your kids.
YOUR kids love the Crockpot Turkey Meatballs and eat them like candy: MY kids poke them around the plate and ask for cereal. YOUR kids happily suck down smoothies with wheat germ and hippieberries and even drink smoothies that are green: MY kids detect one measly raspberry seed on their tongue and declare they are finished.
Every tasty-sounding recipe you have shared here has been a giant failure in my house. So, despite my desire to try a Falafel Nugget, I will not be tricked again, lady. I just cannot eat that much falafel alone.
Anti-malarial? That is just a little bit awesome. Is Chickie loving the extra side of dramatic that comes with that?
“pink socks”, hee!
I had to laugh at the hive mind thing; my mom, having four children, has done that to us more times than I can count (tells one, and just assumes the rest know . . by osmosis?).
Since Chickadee is already on anti-malarial pills, I think the first thing you ought to do if you end up homeschooling at some point is a unit on Africa…complete with a field trip. :)
My 5yo is not on Plaquenil (had to scroll up for the spelling!), she’s on Methotrexate. She’s a Junior Rheumy, and she *does* have the eye disorder, called uveitis. I really hope Chickadee’s issues are DONE.
Ouch, Anna, so sorry to hear about your daughter. I hope she goes into remission very soon, or at least that the methotrexate works.
Thanks for the updates! I do wonder about these things.
Along the lines of medicines helping unrelated conditions for which they were not developed, we had a dog who had Addison’s disease (same thing JFK) had. One of the effects of the Addison’s was that she had a hard time with continence.
The drug our veterinarian suggested we try? Dexatrim. Even stranger than giving our dog a diet aid was the fact that it worked!!
I appreciate the updates, too. I find myself wondering sometimes about my blogger “friends” and what is happening with whatever situation they were discussing recently (or not so recently). It always makes me feel slightly stalker-ish, but I swear I won’t hunt you down to interrogate you or anything like that… :)
Just discovered a slight typo in my comment. Please forgive me. I just had a monster does of medicines to help me sleep while in the hospital for the 3rd time in 3 weeks. :}
Have a good week!
I am just catching up here and wanted to let you know that I am on plaquenil for my sjogren’s/rheumatoid arthritis. If you have any questions about it let me know. The only side effect I noticed was that I got a giant bruise on my knee for no apparent reason, which they said was common (well, bruising, not necessarily a specific body part). I’m sure she’s on a way smaller dose than I am though but just wanted to let you know to feel free to ask me about it if you need to.