Dance Recital 2013

Here is the link to the video of Penny's ballet dance at her recital. She is on the far right. Her best friend Heidi is the girl right up front. Tray was videoing and briefly got off-center, but it gets back to normal more or less as you go. We didn't video the tap dance which was later in the show. She had a good time and we were so proud of her!

End of School Performance

Last Tuesday was the end of school performance at Penny's preschool. The four-year-old class got to recite some bible verses and then sing two songs. After the other, younger, classes did their performances the 4 year olds individually walked off stage and hugged their teacher (who is retiring this year). It was very sweet. The video is the bible verses and the first song and most of the second. They are four, so excellent orators and singers they are not. However, we are very proud for her to get up there and sing.

VIDEO

The official last day of school is Thursday, May 16. They are having a big day with inflatable slides and bubbles and parties. I can't believe she (we!) did it. When she started pre-K, I wasn't sure it was the right decision to send her. Now, I am so happy she went. And I'm sad for her that it's over. Hopefully, Kindergarten will be just as much fun next year.
Coming soon: Saturday's dance recital!

Blood work results

We heard back from Penny's blood work in Birmingham. Most of the immune function elements were fine. Her IgE was a little low, but the doctor was not concerned about that really. She had no or low titers to the main virus serotypes that cause pneumonia. Kids are vaccinated against those as part of their regular vaccination schedule. The particular vaccine in this case is Prevnar. It contains 7 of the most common serotypes. However, she either never developed resistance or lost it over time. So, the standard procedure is to give a "booster" shot, which sounds like it should be a small little thing, but is actually a much bigger shot that what she already has had. She'll need the Pneumovax-23 which is the adult one and contains 23 serotypes. Then in six weeks, she'll have blood drawn again to see if she develops any resistance. Right now we are trying to find someone local that can administer the shot. None of the pediatricians have it. It would be a pain to drive two and half hours up and two and a half back just for her to have a shot, so I'm hoping we can find a general practitioner here in town who offers it and would agree to do it.

Immunology

Bear with me on this one. I have a lot of thoughts to try to get out there and I'm not quite sure where to start. Penny has an appointment with an immunologist in Birmingham at Children's on January 14. We feel very conflicted about it. Before Penny had pneumonia, I had spoken to her doctor about the possibility of an immune issue. This was doctor visit number 8 or 9 I believe and she understood where I was coming from by asking. She told me though that it was probably just a tough fall and that usually they would not refer to an immunologist unless a child had had one meningitis or two cases of pneumonia requiring hospitalization.  And then she got pneumonia requiring hospitalization. With sepsis. Again, I find it difficult to write about specifics, but hers was an unusual case of pneumonia. It was in both lungs which I was told is actually not common and other characteristics were atypical as well. So, even though she has only had one case and not two (knock wood), it was very strong and she'd had all those other illnesses back to back to back leading up to it (all of which she'd also presented atypically). That, plus the Kawasaki disease, which is totally unrelated as far as anyone can tell, but which is also a very rare disease, led Penny's pediatrician to make the referral.

Her pediatrician's office called and made the appointment and the nurse called and gave me the date and time. It was for toward the end of February because that was the first available, but he's a really good doctor - one of the best. I said thank you, wrote the date on the calendar, and that was that. A couple hours later, the nurse called me back and said Penny's doctor had called up there and spoken to the doctor directly and they'd moved the appointment to January 14. Which makes me kind of feel like, jeez, they must really want to see her.

So here's the conflict. I really, really, reeeeeeally don't want to make Penny have her blood drawn again. I just don't even want to tell her she has to go to the doctor again. Seriously, I'd probably drive her to Birmingham, to the doctor's office and be in the parking lot before I even told her what we were there doing. Probably not wise to spring things on her like that, but then also not good to let her stew in her own anxiety for any length of time (being her mother's daughter after all). Ugh. I suppose too the further we get away from the hospitalization, the more we think well, she's okay now. Nothing to worry about. Head in sand. Fingers in ears. Lalalalala.

The immune system is so much more complex than I ever thought. There are many elements to it, and numerous diseases that you can be born with in which one or more element is missing in some way. Congenital immune deficiencies (as opposed to acquired).

The one thing that this is not though, is a result of her not having attended daycare. After the Kawasaki's and again with the current round of stuff I've had people (well meaning) imply that that was the case. The thing is, the "hygiene hypothesis" isn't about exposure to illness. Studies have shown that day care kids get sicker earlier on, and non day care kids get sicker later on, but around age 13 they get sick exactly the same thereafter, and it is has no bearing on long term immunity issues. What the hygiene hypothesis actually applies to is exposure to animals. Kids who live on farms or have exposure to farm animals have stronger immune systems than "city" kids. I read one article where the doctor said, "get two dogs and a cat" and your child will be fine. I remember that line because we had two dogs and a cat at that time. And four chickens. And semi-regular exposure to cows. And my house is anything but clean - lol! And in terms of other kids, I took her to library story time and kindermusic and dance and gymnastics and playdates. And as for Kawasaki's, there's a genetic component. Oh, I just get so frustrated at the implication that her illnesses are the result of something we've done "wrong" - namely not sending her to daycare or preschool sooner than age 4. The implication has little basis in scientific research, and is just plain insulting to me as a parent.

I really hope she did just have a "tough fall" though and this isn't a immune deficiency issue. However, I do think testing is justified on the basis of genetics. My father and his younger sister both had meningitis, and my great aunt on my mom's side had bronchiectasis. I think there's enough history there to be suspicious. I just -- I don't know. I just don't want to take her up there. Maybe I'm scared to find out anything. Maybe I'm sure they won't find anything and I don't want to put her through it. And Tray really hates the city of Birmingham (no offense to those of you who live there) and I don't want to put him through it. And I just don't want to worry about my little girl being sick.

Well that was no fun

I have not updated here on the blog since most people were aware of Penny's pneumonia, and also because I just find it hard to write about. There are a lot of painful memories and emotions surrounding her hospitalization. It was a very scary time, and I find the panic rising in my chest even thinking about the details to write them down. So, suffice it to say that she is well now. She is no longer on antibiotics and we stopped doing breathing treatments a few days ago. She's been having residual tummy troubles, but that's almost straighted out too I think.

Personality-wise, she's herself. She's a happy and active 4 year old. She's been back to school since last week and attended dance class on Monday. I confess that I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop. I can count on my fingers the number of fever-free days she's had since mid-October, and everytime one illness would subside, another would begin. So far, she seems to be holding her own though. Thank you to everyone who contacted us or thought of us while all this was going on. Maybe now I can post some fun pictures of holiday activities. Love to you all.

Well

Penny's fever continued to go up over 104 even on Sunday, but by Monday morning she was fine. She's had no fever since and the rash is gone. I am so glad. As of right now (knock wood) all three of us are healthy.

Parvovirus

Penny has human parvovirus which is otherwise known as Fifth disease (because it was the fifth childhood disease described). It's also known as "slapped cheek" disease since their cheeks get super red. She's got the characteristic rash, but one problem -- a fever much too high. Normally fifth disease has low temps of 101 or below. Tonight her's was 104.6. She was also having side pain so I called the on-call physician who happened to be Penny's regular doctor. After talking with her for awhile we went on in to the clinic to meet her there. She checked her over again and everything appears normal. The pain is probably in her spleen but it is not enlarged. So here's hoping the fever breaks in the next couple days.

Same song, second verse

Sorry to not post a follow up. The Wednesday after I posted that (which may even have been the very next day), Tray called me at work to say that Penny had woken up from her nap with a 103 fever. Since she'd been on the antibiotics for a couple days, we didn't think that should be happening. I called the nurse and they said to bring her on in. The doctor who was there was not Penny's normal doctor, but he was very cool; Penny was the last patient of the day and he and his nurse stayed way after 5 treating her. They upped the dose of the antibiotic and started her on some nasal treatments for a sinus infection. After that her fever came on down and was gone by Friday. We were able to go to the pumpkin patch on Saturday and the library Halloween program that night. She's been back at school this week and the lymph node has come on down. However, another started up in her armpit. She had a follow up appointment on Tuesday of this week, and her regular doctor was very encouraged at her progress. We went trick-or-treating Wednesday with her friend Ally and had a lot of fun. But then last night she started having an all-over rash and another fever (101). So, back to the doctor we go today.  It's probably viral since she's still on the antibiotics, but with everything else I feel like she needs to be checked out.

This is the song that never ends...

I don't normally write about every time Penny or either of us gets sick, but this recent round of illness is just ridiculous. The week before last Penny started running a low temperature. On Wednesday and Thursday of that week I'd think she felt hot, take her temp and it would be 100 or so, but then I'd go to check it a little while later and it'd be normal again. Friday morning of Tray's birthday (the 12th) we were supposed to go to his family's to celebrate and Penny had a 101 temp. Gave her some tylenol and hung out until after lunch. She seemed fine, so we went on. That night it went above 103. I had trouble keeping it under control throughout the day on Saturday and that night it even spiked to 105.1. The thing is, she had no other symptoms. Nothing. Which had us freaked that she was having a relapse of KD, although I knew we'd need to wait another day or so to reach the 5 days or more of fever criteria -- and watching her mouth like a hawk to see if it started turning red.

We called the doctor on-call at her pediatrician's here in town, and also spoke to a nurse practitioner who is a good friend of my sister-in-law and both said it was probably just a virus and that she'd probably be okay until Monday. By Monday her temp had come down to 101 or so on average and I took her in to see her regular pediatrician. She checked her out and couldn't find anything amiss. Her ears looked fine, her throat did not look red, her lungs were clear, she seemed happy as a lark. I was told it was just a virus and especially since the fever was coming on down from what it had been that it was probably on it's way out.

Tuesday morning she woke up with a fever, the sniffles (Tray's dad had a cold while we were there), and an enlarged lymph node on one side of her neck. The lymph node on one side is another characteristic of KD, but seeing as I'd just taken her in the day before (and also that I work all day on Tuesday) I called the nurse to ask if we should be concerned. They set us up an appointment within 30 minutes of my call. Tray had to take her since I was at work. Tray said her doctor seemed not that concerned by the lymph node. She said it was likely caused by a "viral sore throat" and took a swab for strep and another to culture for bacteria or whatever else showed up. The strep was negative. Penny continued to run a low temperature through Thursday, but it was pretty much almost gone. Meanwhile her cold got worse and we were up both Tuesday and Wednesday nights with a very congested and restless child.

I figured we were in the clear with the virus though, until the phone rang on Thursday. The throat culture had shown bacteria, but they wouldn't know what bacteria until the culture had time to grow out some more. In the meantime they were going to start Penny on Keflex and if they needed to change the medicine once the full results were in, they would. However, when I went by the pharmacy that evening the prescription had not been called in, and it was after 5 so the doctor's office was closed. The next morning, I called and was informed that there had been a computer error and the nurse would call it in right away. So, I picked up Penny's Keflex Friday morning and gave her a dose. Mid-day Friday the phone rang and the nurse said that the throat culture showed staph and that Keflex would not work on that so we'd need to switch to Clyndamiacin. I went back to the pharmacy and got that and gave it to her before her bath that evening. After her bath, I was getting her into her pj's when I noticed she was getting hives on her legs.

I called the on-call pediatrician who said (of course) not to give her any more Clyndamiacin and to give her Benadryl. She also then told me that she and Penny's regular doctor thought the lab results probably just indicated that Penny is "colonized" by staph and that it wasn't the cause of the fever. In fact, Penny was not having a fever any more at that point and was doing fine except for the fact that she'd had a raging head cold since Tuesday and now had a junky cough. That doctor said there probably wasn't any need for antibiotics after all. I could see her point, but I was also upset because we'd canceled plans to go to the fair with friends b/c she needed to be on the antibiotics for 24 hours, she'd had an adverse reaction to one of them, I was out $25 or more on the two wasted bottles of medicine, and she didn't even need antibiotics.

Saturday was my family reunion and Penny was feeling much better and really wanted to go. On the way, the doctor running the Saturday clinic at their office called to check on her and he reiterated what the other doctor had told me. He didn't think she needed antibiotics, but to keep an eye on her cough and if she didn't get better to come in on Monday. We had a good time at the reunion and headed home after lunch. That afternoon we took her to the fair (whereupon my own cold hit me like a ton of bricks). I came home and went to bed. Tray stayed up with Penny for a bit, and unbeknownst to me got up with her several times during the night as she had an "upset stomach" (and yes that is a euphemism). We didn't know if she'd eaten something bad at the reunion or if it was from the cold or the antibiotics or what (she didn't eat anything at the fair). Sunday rolls around, she has no fever, the lymph node is still there and maybe even larger, she has one more episode of upset stomach and then has symptoms of what I was pretty sure was a UTI.

Cut to today (Monday again). I called and got her an appointment for this afternoon. In the meantime she had another episode of upset stomach and her fever went back up to 101. I thought for sure a UTI. Nope. Urine was clean. She's just irritated (no pun intended). So what's causing the fever!!?! No idea. Ears fine, throat fine, lungs clear (despite the cough). Best guess is the lymph node is itself infected with the staph. So she is on a third (!) antibiotic, but one that is some heavy duty stuff to knock out staph. Here's hoping it will do what it is supposed to do and that her little tummy can settle down (which is not likely given that that is the main side effect of this drug). Little-bit's already lost almost a pound and a half since last Monday, which is not the normal state of affairs for a week featuring one of my family's reunions I tell you.

In other news, I have coughed so hard in the last few days that I have given myself six-pack abs from the workout. Tray has been passed out in his recliner since early this evening in cold related misery. The Earnest household looks, sounds, and feels like an infirmary.  So that's what has been going on. I really, really hope to update this blog tomorrow with better health-related news. Much love to you all.

50 months update

Penny turned 50 months old as of the 21st. Ha! She's adjusting well to school. It took until this week for her to go willingly. She has cried everyday at drop-off, but this week no tears so far (*fingers crossed*).  She had a lot of behavioral problems associated with the adjustment period, but those have tapered off as well. She was mostly just being very disagreeable, wanting to do or say the exact opposite of what we told her to do. We've definitely been working on "listening" for the last few weeks, but she's thankfully settled down quite a bit.

Her best friend at school is named Heidi and they play together everyday. On the second or third day of school the teacher moved their seats so they'd be next to each other (wise? her call.). Penny loves to report to me when other kids get in trouble. She doesn't like it. She takes it as a personal affront when they get in trouble. She is very much still bossy. The other day at pick-up I heard her reprimanding a classmate about tearing up a book he had. Penny was scolding him like she was his mother.

She is generous too though. They race in the gym sometimes and she's fast so she usually wins the races with the other girls, but sometimes she hangs back and lets Heidi win, yelling for Heidi to "Go! Go!" the whole time. Yesterday, she brought me a fist-full of coins from her piggy-bank and told me I could have some of her money since "things are so expensive at the store." Lol! I'm always telling her this or that is too expensive when she picks something up I don't want her to have. She tried to give Tray some of her money too.

She doesn't like the boys in her class. Her opinion of them is a scowly nose-wrinkle. But, yesterday, she played "going to football practice" with Trent and then they played one of her favorite games together: pretend to take a nap and then wake up. Boring activity? Perhaps, but she and another friend of her's, Alice, can play pretend-sleepover over and over for an entire playdate. Regardless, nice to know she can play with a boy too.

We have been taking a break from gymnastics this semester, but she's still into dance class on Monday afternoons. Both Heidi and Alice are in her dance class so they have fun. One last anecdote: before dance class this past Monday I asked her if she wanted me to put her hair in a ponytail. She said, "Ok. because today is make Mommy happy day!" I laughed and said, "Penny, it's okay. If you don't want to have a ponytail, you don't have to." She said, "ok, I don't want one." Ha! She still won't wear her hair in a ponytail or put barrettes or bows in it. Honestly, I'm lucky if she lets me comb it!

Dinosaur Train (dinosaur train)

So, we don't let Penny watch much television as a general rule - one 30 min show per day if possible though she begs for more most days. Much to many peoples' general annoyance, I really stuck to my guns when it came to the whole no-tv-before-age-two recommendations. But once she started watching tv, she was hooked. She went through a big Blue's Clues phase. We've seen all 100-odd episodes available on netflix. Some of them numerous times. She's seen a few Dora's, but never really asks for it; same with SuperWhy. She has had a long time love affair with the Cars movie, though there was a brief Nemo period there. She enjoys both Thomas and Chuggington. But all of it pales in comparison to her current obsession with Dinosaur Train. Bear with me, because we are talking some high-concept preschool programming -- Snakes on Plane high-concept y'all. It's a show about dinosaurs. Who ride a train.
And it is awesome.
As someone who wished (and wished and wished) until the age of 18 to be a paleontologist, I have perhaps pushed the dinosaur theme on my one and only child. But, she looooves this show. At the end of each segment, there is a paleontologist who comes on and talks about some of the science behind the episode. She has learned so much. She talks about things like the Cretaceous time period and Icthyosaurs and now understands the concept of a hypothesis (and goes around making -- and testing!--hypotheses of her own), and it just makes my heart sing!
Also, the theme song. Youtube it.

Leadership

I was talking with our neighbor Aime this afternoon and I learned from her that Penny is quite the bossy-pants at school. Apparently any time Ms Nancy tells one of the other students to do or not to do something and they don't listen, Penny will repeat the instructions to them. For example, when they go into the gym for indoor play time at the end of their morning, they are supposed to stay in the circle on the floor while Ms Nancy goes to get the toys out of the toy closet. If any of her classmates attempt to leave the confines of the circle, Penny will get on to them. They are also allowed to stand up during snack time if they stay in front of their chairs. If any of the kids moves from their zone, Penny will remind them of where they are supposed to stay. I recognize that this will not make her popular in the long run, but I find the behavior hilarious. She is such a stickler for the rules. Just like her mom. She still makes valiant attempts to stay on her sticker during dance class by the way. What I can't figure out is, if she's so good about following directions to the point that she can't stand to see someone else not following them, why doesn't she listen to me when I tell her to do something? Hmm?

First Day of School

Penny's first day of school was actually very exciting and not at all traumatic for any of us. She really wanted to go to school and her excitement was contagious. On the way out the door she gathered up a bunch of rolly-pollys just like I used to do on my way to school. (I could never figure out why they weren't in still in my jacket pocket at the end of the school day - ha!) She had such a great first day too -- all she could talk about was how she got to go back the next day and how she couldn't wait. It was almost too good to be true. And it was, because day two did not go as well. I think reality set in for her, and she came home swearing up and down she was never going back to school. Day three was the hardest of all for Tray and me having to leave her there crying and upset. However, Ally's mom Renee volunteers at the school and our next door neighbor extraordinaire Aime works as a float/teacher's aide. The two of them tag-teamed to cheer her up and check on her off and on through the morning. By the time Tray picked her up she was happy as a clam again. All we've heard since Thursday at noon is how she can't wait to go back on Monday. I don't know what next week will bring, but two out of three days coming home excited about school isn't bad. I'm so proud of my little girl.

Hearing and Boys(!)

Penny's hearing test was normal. She's super congested right now though so I hope it all clears out before school starts next week. She's such a trooper going through all the medical tests she's had to go through. She officially hates going to the doctor at this point.

In other news, I found out that Penny's class will be eight boys and four girls, including her. I'm actually kind of excited about that though. She and her friend Allie play similar games, but they are a year apart. The girl friends/acquantences that she has all usually want to play house/dolls at the playground while she's all, "let me find the highest possible point on this equipment to jump off of before my mom sees me." I've been wondering how she might interact with boys of her same age. Not to gender stereotype of anything, but I think she might enjoy having a lot of boys in her class to be rough and tumble with on the playground.

4 Year Old Visit

I haven't posted in forever, I know. I couldn't figure out a way to get back into it, but today Penny had her four year old well-visit so I decided I could write about that. She weighs 30 lbs and is 39 inches tall.  This means that she will probably be in high school before she is big enough to ride in a booster seat. Ha! She seems to be doing fine. She had to have 5 shots: the Measles/Mumps/Rubella, the Chicken Pox, the Hepatitis A, the Tetanus, and the Polio vaccines. They were going to do Hepatitis B as well, but discovered she'd had it already in Florida (which is on a different schedule than Alabama). She also had to have blood drawn for a lead test. Troy is home to Wiley Sanders which is a lead company. Anyway, she was not a happy camper. She already had a fever before bed. Normally she's fine until the next morning when she wakes up with one, so it definitely kicked off earlier than usual. Then again, that was an awful lot of shots. They said she's done until she turns 11 though. She already told me she doesn't want to go back to the doctor when she turns 11!

She had her vision and hearing tested today. Both were just screening tests, but they found that she had some trouble with her left ear. Since I have a hearing loss, they went ahead and referred her to a audiologist. We have that appointment next Wednesday. I'm hoping it's just fluid or something. I'll keep you posted. I hope to post more regularly now that I've officially started back. (Yay!)

Narrative

Talking in third-person narrative. From what I can gather, I don't think this is very common, but it's something Penny's been doing forever. She knows how to talk normally, and uses the correct pronouns most of the time. What I mean is, she isn't making a mistake because she hasn't learned the right words. I can't recall her going through a phase where she didn't use pronouns correctly. Quite frequently though, she talks about herself in third-person as though she's narrating a story about herself. For example yesterday on the way home after dance class she took a sip of water from her cup that had been sitting in the car and had gotten hot. These were her exact words:
"As she was taking a sip of water, Penny realized that the water was too hot. She decided that she was not going to drink any more of it."
See? It's like she's living inside a book.
Sometimes I try to mess with her about it. She'll say something like, "Penny wants some ice cream." And I'll say, "Really? Penny wants some ice cream? Well, what do you want?" And she'll say, "I want some ice cream, Mommy," like I'm the biggest idiot ever. I mentioned this habit to her pediatrician and she just basically shrugged. So, I figure either she'll outgrow it, or become a novelist when she grows up. I'm just trying not to give her too much fodder for her tell-all memoir.

Lunch with Friends

Today we had lunch at our friend's house. Their daughter, Ally, is Penny's best friend and they have sooo much fun playing together. Their birthdays are 2 days apart, though Ally is a year younger. Ally has always been very quiet around me, but recently she's started talking. All of the adults were at the table talking, while the girls were back in Ally's playroom, which is also the jacuzzi room. The spa is kept covered and latched, so that wasn't any concern. However, as we were sitting there, Ally comes back into the dining room and directly over to me to say, "Miss Sam, Penny needs your help." I was thinking Penny just wanted me to come play, but I found it odd that she'd send Ally to come get me (and odd that Ally would agree to do it). I walked back there, and found that Penny had climbed up the step ladder and pulled herself the rest of the way up on top of the spa, and then couldn't climb back down. I was so proud of the two of them for working together to get her some help like that. It was cool to see the communication there on many levels. Now, why she didn't just holler, "Moooommmmyy" really loud, I have no idea.

Pollen Counts

Oh my goodness the pollen put a wallop on our family this past week. Two weeks ago was my Spring Break, which we enjoyed tremendously by doing absolutely nothing at all. It was glorious. But then, right at the very end, we all got the sniffles. Penny woke up late Sunday night/early Monday morning with a 104.5 fever. That was very frightening. She was breathing very fast and labored, almost like a dog panting. I called the doctor on-call that night and we got the fever down, but a trip to the doctor's office confirmed that she had a sinus infection and what looked to be the beginnings of pneumonia. It hadn't really "flowered" yet into her whole lung, but her doctor could hear reduced breath sounds. Anyway, she got antibiotics and has been doing progressively better this week. Right as she was getting better, I was getting sicker. I ended up canceling all my classes for the week because I had a fever and cold symptoms and was just generally miserable. On Thursday, I went in to the doctor with a sinus infection. Tray's been sick too, and we are all just so, so ready to be well again. Penny drew a picture of pollen on her chalkboard. She made a bunch of yellow scribbles and told me that she really doesn't like pollen. Me either.

PreK

We enrolled Penny in a pre-K program for next fall. She'll be attending Park Memorial Methodist, Mondays-Thursdays from 8 to 12. There are no public-school preK's in Troy or Pike County. The only secular option is a local private school (of the no-people-of-color-allowed variety), but classes are all day, everyday, which we felt would be too much since she's never been to school at all. In fact, that's the main reason we are trying to send her to pre-K at all: the kindergarden options are all full-day no matter what, so we figured we'd better get her used to going part time this year. So, anyway, that left half a dozen or more choices of church schools, and we liked Park the best of the two we visited. I think she'll really like it there. Plus, her bff Ally will be going there next year too (although she'll be in the 3yo class). Park doesn't have a kindergarden though so we'll be going through the decision making process again next year. Joy.

Webpage Updates

I updated my webpage a little bit. I know I could make a much fancier one using a web page developer, but it's fun to try to write it myself. If you can't tell, I discovered Google Webfonts. I am addicted. Help. :)