Echo...ECho... Echo...

Okay... not funny. I know... It's still early to my brain.

We, Benji and I, are currently getting ready to go into Nashville.

Our first stop will be at Childrens Heart where we will see Dr. Hermo. This is Benji's six month echocardiogram. We got good news back in May, we are praying for even better news this go. He's been off of the propranolol since the May visit.

We are praying that Benji will be able to stay calm during the echo. With his Sensory Processing Disorder all the gel and the actual echo wand tickles him ALOT. It gets him worked up and he doesn't like to lay still for it.

The echo is at 10am.

After the echo we have Occupational Therapy at Bill Wilkerson. That appointment is at 1am. I am feeling sorry for Robyn. If Benji is predictable, he will be a handful for therapy.


Little man also has drainage and a cough. So... praying that clears up soon.

I will send an update as soon as I can!

Bear Hunt

So, remember yesterday how I had said they are doing bears in school with Benji? And he took his Raccoon?

Seems somebody has developed fear all of a sudden. He wouldn't go tot he bathroom last night because the bear would get him. He refused to sleep in his bed because the bear would get him.

This wasn't just a tantrum, he cried, no sobbed for 20 minutes outside my bedroom door. Britt couldn't even calm him down. *sigh* So he slept with me and Jeff. I never sleep well when he is with us. However, Benji is still asleep right now. He gets to sleep in a bit since Nana is going to stay with him when I go to MOPs.

The boy isn't afraid to jump off of things no matter how high. He's not afraid of climbing, he loves swinging high to the sky, but he is afraid of bears that don't exist. I think his imagination is working a touch too much.

Benji and Ronnie

Benji is a bit tired after preschool today. He's been off since his flu shot at the end of October. Mostly lack of consistency... suppose 'normal' won't be back until after the holidays. *sigh*

On October 28th we got the flu shot.

On November 3rd we cut back occupational therapy to biweekly.

On the 9th we had the 7yo's birthday party. It was just family, but still... change from the norm

November 18th we started taking a friend to school with us.

The 21st and 22nd we had the 14yo's sleepover and that put a monkey wrench in consistency too. Extra people always makes it hard.

Then there was Thanksgiving, and family, and food and school only one day that week. Physical Therapy was canceled due to the holiday and then OT got moved to Dec 8th.

So... normally on Monday's when we have OT we go into Nashville up to the Bill Wilkerson Center at Vanderbilt for the occupational therapy. This week we went in to Dickson for his Physical Therapy. He wouldn't or couldn't focus on what was needed to be done. Very difficult guy. To add to it, he has quit using the potty again.

He does good at school, it's just once he gets home or if we are out and about, he has alot of accidents now.

Back to the picture... This week they are themed on bears. Remarkably, Benji doesn't have any stuffed bears. (really have no clue how that has happened) So, I explained to him that he needed to bring a stuffed toy to school and with alot of finesse on my part got him to taking Ronnie the Raccoon. This morning he was very worried that he would get in trouble for taking a toy to school. I explained the note his teacher sent and showed it to him and read it to him. Then he was afraid he would leave it.

So, dropped Benji and his friend off at school this morning, explained to the teacher that he thought he was going to be in trouble and she told him that this time they needed to bring it.

When I picked them up this afternoon... Benji was terribly upset that he left his raccoon at school and that it would be forever lost. (Ronnie was in his backpack)

So.. that's why Ronnie made today's picture.

Ronnie that Raccoon is a special stuffed animal that Benji got when he was in the hospital as a baby having heart surgery. Saving Little Hearts makes care packages for kids having heart surgery and Benji received one. I encourage you if you are looking for a charity to give to, to donate to them. They have monthly meetings and connect families together. Plus they do the care packages.

On to the next day in our crazy life... here's to praying that the little guy gets potty trained sooner than later. And that he settles out and we have a good December.

OH!! I forgot to tell you just incase I don't update before then. Benji goes for his echo on December 8th. When we went in May I had prayed that the Dr. would be shocked. His stenosis numbers went from 68 to 22 (the lower the better), the coarctation repair is beautiful. Our prayer now is that his aortic valve will be completely healed and no longer bicuspid. (suppose to have 3 flaps instead of 2)