tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66146806340663966582024-02-18T18:58:31.380-08:00Life in a Small House: Organic, Green, and on a BudgetAlthough I do plan to write about how and why we live an organic lifestyle, for now I've been focusing on the progress my middle son, Liam, has been making since his stroke on June 30, 2012. It's interesting to note, some in the medical field consider a stroke to be an "organic brain injury" as opposed to a "traumatic brain injury."Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-35836993903477864322013-11-07T07:51:00.001-08:002013-11-07T07:53:31.765-08:00Two out of TenThe baby had his one year check up this week. One Year! Can you believe it?<br />
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We have yet to give him any vaccinations and we were leaning towards no vaccinations at all.<br />
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I did ask his doctor for her honest opinion on any that we should really research and take a close look at. Any that she felt were important for him to have. <br />
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Of the ten that the CDC recommends we give our babies - she told me to take a close look at two of them. She told me to go ahead and research the side effects (can be found on the CDC website) and what can happen if you get the actual illness. <br />
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<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/downloads/parent-ver-sch-0-6yrs.pdf">http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/downloads/parent-ver-sch-0-6yrs.pdf</a><br />
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Two out of ten were "honestly" recommended to us by our <em>main stream pediatrician.</em> <br />
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Never mind what our holistic chiropractor has to say about any of them.<br />
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I really think we all need to start looking at what we're putting into our kids bodies and why. <br />
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We will honestly look into the two that were recommended and make our decision from there.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-43906518166759213902013-07-09T15:27:00.000-07:002013-07-09T15:27:02.623-07:00Feeling GoodJust over a week ago we had a huge celebration in honor of not only Liam's birthday, but also as a thank you to all those people who have helped us out this past year post-stroke. In lieu of gifts for himself, Liam agreed to have all gifts donated to the play center at Loyola's Children Hospital. He truly had a <a href="http://www.lifeinasmallhouse.blogspot.com/2012/07/play-so-important.html" target="_blank">good experience</a> there just about a year ago and was more than willing to pay it forward.<br />
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The friends and family we invited to our celebration were more than generous. Books, DVDs, video games, toys, games, puzzles, cars, and so so so much more. Lots of good quality toys that we know will surely help put a smile on the faces of some patients.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdwAQtVUL0R-FTX53RKkUUf_O3bRaDrrsrKL4cOX_M5s8pxjleJuUxwJhGzKbR4nh8o64ec3qt5hwM3cTxwfwGpp8Df5SGokfLve4Uetxkparjqq3CiHQSr2mv6hLuetXfWoInI33PG4A/s640/blogger-image-308644277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdwAQtVUL0R-FTX53RKkUUf_O3bRaDrrsrKL4cOX_M5s8pxjleJuUxwJhGzKbR4nh8o64ec3qt5hwM3cTxwfwGpp8Df5SGokfLve4Uetxkparjqq3CiHQSr2mv6hLuetXfWoInI33PG4A/s320/blogger-image-308644277.jpg" width="240" /></a>Liam had a neurologist appointment today so we arranged for delivery. Liam was waiting anxiously for Meghan, the child life specialist, to come down and meet us with some wagons to carry the goods up.</div>
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It actually took two wagons to carry it all.</div>
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After the big delivery we ate lunch in the cafeteria, which we sort of missed after having so many meals there during Liam's stay. They have a great salad bar!</div>
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Then, finally, it was on to the neurologist appointment. Great news on that front... we're done with that doctor unless we start to notice any unusual behavior (seizures, dizziness, etc....)! <br />
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He did have some concerns about the speech therapy Liam has been receiving and asked me if there was something else they could do to help the aphasia. My response was that I didn't know of anything! He vaguely remembers another patient using something so he's going to look into that for me. We did discuss how the strategies he's been taught in therapy have been very helpful, but still the doctor feels that there's something more they could do. We'll see how that pans out. (I'm to call him in about a week.)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-64701458605578192512013-07-01T07:06:00.000-07:002013-07-01T07:07:09.143-07:00A Year Ago.A year ago today I was 5 months pregnant.<br>
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A year ago today Mike and I were facing the first full day post-stroke with Liam. We were facing this day on nothing but tiny cat naps throughout the night. I remember forcing myself to sleep in the ambulance on the way to Loyola from Rockford. And then, curling up on the floor of the waiting room while Liam had his first MRI. I don't think I actually slept during those moments, but I tried. I knew what we'd be facing the next day would be difficult and require quite a bit of energy from me.<br>
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A year ago today the uncertainty of why Liam had a stroke and whether or not he'd have another was at the forefront of our thoughts. <br>
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A year ago today Liam could barely say a few words and preferred to answer yes or no questions. We were waiting for a speech therapist to answer our questions as to what was going on.<br>
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A year ago Liam was not yet walking and he wasn't yet allowed to eat or drink.<br>
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A year ago I couldn't imagine what our life would now be like.<br>
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Today we've got an amazingly "easy" 8 month old who has added nothing but love and laughter to our lives.<br>
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Today I'm facing a huge clean up of a mess from a celebration party we hosted yesterday. I slept well last night and the baby graced me with ten full hours before needing to be fed in the early hours of the morning. <br>
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Today we're confident that the vaccine Liam received two weeks prior to the stroke was the cause and find peace knowing that he will most likely never suffer another stroke.<br>
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Today Liam had a detailed conversation with me about the firefighters he was able to visit with and what he'd like to make them to thank them (fruit salad - because firefighters need to stay healthy, not fat!). We know Liam's language difficulties and he knows how to work around it.<br>
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Today Liam is resting in the morning hours from a full day of running, playing hockey, climbing, play fighting, and just being a typical six year old boy.<br>
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Today our life seems to have just fallen in place. <br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4l7HwvIV5JfoQ87qjnOS6BxGnZNnzZ7x3O8H5vP5d4ZNdSUrYNn3iHTHJLQMjj8B89-NAXuCj2PHoG2SaH9mWX5r6flS3ETwLkrp09fpHXAzThV5ANojvAzgeDKLmWk_yUyz80YNcqEE/s640/blogger-image--1862183367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4l7HwvIV5JfoQ87qjnOS6BxGnZNnzZ7x3O8H5vP5d4ZNdSUrYNn3iHTHJLQMjj8B89-NAXuCj2PHoG2SaH9mWX5r6flS3ETwLkrp09fpHXAzThV5ANojvAzgeDKLmWk_yUyz80YNcqEE/s640/blogger-image--1862183367.jpg"></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-60191514578177807602013-04-10T09:09:00.001-07:002013-07-02T04:32:27.521-07:00An Honest RecapSo....<a href="http://www.lifeinasmallhouse.blogspot.com/2013/04/this-sucks.html" target="_blank"> after writing up the thing for the lawyers</a> I figured I'd give you all an idea of where Liam is at right now - no sugar coating.<br />
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I'm just going to give some recent examples of when we've seen the effects of the stroke that happened almost a year ago.<br />
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He was getting ready for baseball and couldn't think of the word "cup" so asked where his "penis protector" was. It was funny, but sort of sad. This is aphasia and we are so lucky he was a good vocabulary to help him talk in circles to get his point across. Sometimes it doesn't work and sometimes I feel like he gives up. It also makes learning to read difficult. How can you use picture clues when you sometimes can't name the things in the picture?<br />
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He went to baseball, caught a grounder in his mitt (on the left hand) and proceeded to try to throw the ball out of his mitt. He still has right-side neglect.<br />
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We were practicing batting in the yard and he had a hard time holding the bat up with his right arm - the strength is just not what it used to be on that side.<br />
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And the most recent, yesterday he got stuck in the bathroom at school. The door was too heavy for him to open with his right hand and since he was wearing his cast on the left to encourage the use of his right... he couldn't open the door to get out. His teacher said he called for help and somebody heard him and helped him out. She then went in and problem solved with him - told him he did a good job calling for help - and together they discussed what else he could do. (Take off the cast and use two hands.)<br />
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So, there you go... that's how Liam's doing - no sugar added. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-56278125514580986482013-04-03T07:17:00.001-07:002013-04-03T07:17:10.232-07:00Pour Some Sugar On Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Every morning I drop off Quinn on the north side of school and then drive around and drop of Liam. Quinn loves when I do this and it's something I started a few weeks after Sean was born, but only on the mornings Sean wasn't screaming. If Sean wasn't happy, then Quinn would have to get out on Liam's side and walk around. And now that Sean is pretty much <i>always</i> happy, Quinn is thrilled to get a ride around the school. Anyway...</div>
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This morning we dropped off Quinn and "Pour Some Sugar on Me" by Def Leppard came on the radio. Liam asked me to turn it up and if we had time to wait 'til it was over. And we did have time. So we did.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Liam - pointing out that the book that the Easter Bunny brought </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">him has TWO awards, "the author must be really good!"</span></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-31653616387311098612013-04-02T07:21:00.004-07:002013-04-02T07:22:31.568-07:00This SucksWe've been working with lawyers to file a claim from the vaccine compensation fund. <br />
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It's been pretty easy up until now. <br />
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The lawyers have asked us to write up a summary of how Liam was before the stroke, immediately following the stroke, and now. <br />
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Mike made some notes for me the other night. <br />
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I just read thru them.<br />
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The last line reads, "this sucks."<br />
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It sure does. I'm a very optimistic person and if you were to see me and ask me how Liam was doing I would smile and tell you all the positive progress. But now we need to be realistic. I've been putting this off and I think that's not exactly the best thing - I've been thinking about it all too much. I'm going to just sit down and plow thru this little assignment of ours and be done with it. <br />
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And then, as suggested by my mom, I'm going to make an entire new list of things that are going well.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-61855385158107706412013-03-13T12:21:00.004-07:002013-07-04T06:00:24.541-07:00And Now?I truly believe in the Fourth Trimester. I gladly put off doing things around the house, working out, making any pinterest concoctions, caring about what I was wearing, wearing make-up, etc. etc. for the first three months of Sean's life. I held him. All. The. Time. and I enjoyed each and every minute of. (I think, yeah, I think I did, even the times when he was crying and I was wearing him and vacuuming to calm him down - I enjoyed that. Oh - I remember - I didn't enjoy the beginning stages of nursing a baby - but that didn't last long and we figured things out.)<br>
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Anyway - I've spent the last four months ignoring most of what I usually do. Sure, the laundry got done. I managed to keep up with Sean's scrapbook by wearing him and working on the laptop at the same time. Luckily, Mike does almost all of the cleaning and we taught Quinn how to empty the dishwasher this past summer. But the other stuff? <br>
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It was as if I woke up from a very long sleep the other day. I noticed how dirty the bathtub was. Our basement play area hadn't been cleaned up in over four months. I saw a goal on Liam's IEP that I'm not sure I agree with. <br>
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And now with Sean sleeping on his own I don't know where to start! Should I read a book? Clean? Catch up on some backlogged scrapbooking stuff? Print Christmas pictures? Finally pack up the last bin of Christmas stuff? (Yes. It is March and I still have one more bin. This one houses all the Christmas blankets that needed to be washed first. I thought it was ready to go and then I found <em>another</em> blanket downstairs that needs to be washed now.) Figure out an at-home workout plan? Clean out my closet? Dust? Mop? Put make-up on? <br>
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The thing with the sleeping is that Sean's at an age now where he really should be home for his naps. No more trips to Trader Joe's while he sleeps away in his carseat. So I'm going to have to figure out how to keep myself busy at home. <br>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-14635628191001431492013-03-05T07:07:00.001-08:002013-07-02T04:32:57.109-07:00Well Below AverageA few weeks ago Liam brought home results from the MAP testing he took in kindergarten. Thankfully, I met with his teacher the day before the results were sent home and she told me to ignore them. Also, I don't put much stock in this test that's done on the computer, especially after seeing Liam's lack of mouse skills. (The company should develop the test for iPads.)<br />
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Anyway... His test results all read "well below average."<br />
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Does a well below average child know the names of every person in a large facility? And also greet them with smiles? <br />
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Can a well below average child look at a very over tired mamma and ask, "what's wrong? Are you sad today?" And then follow that up with a kiss and a smile?<br />
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Does a well below average child ask his sick older brother how he's feeling? And then offer him the remote so he can pick the next show?<br />
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Does a well below average child manage to win a smile from even the most "standoffish" adult?<br />
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My well below average child may not be reading books yet (which, by the way I think is a totally inappropriate expectation for his age), but my well below average child has social skills well beyond his years. <br />
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And honestly. In the long run... I believe his social skills will serve him better than high test scores at any point in his education. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-36494992465381689122013-02-25T17:45:00.001-08:002013-07-02T04:33:39.446-07:00Traditional MedicineSo I've been giving chiropractor care a try with Sean to help with his painful and frequent gas and large amounts of spit up. It seems to be working. For one, last time I did his laundry there was only one spit up rag in there for four days... Before beginning care I'd go thru about four rags in one day! Also, he's been sleeping better (most nights). As the doctor was explaining what she felt during her initial exam, part of which was an "unbalance" of the two sides I thought of someone else who would benefit from chiropractor care. <br />
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Liam<br />
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With the neglect of the right side of his body and the left side being used more often I figured his spine would be out of whack. So I talked with the doc about Liam and then brought him in today. <br />
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She was pleasantly surprised with how he presented and said that if she didn't know she wouldn't be able to tell that he suffers from aphasia or has any right sided weakness. She did feel a large bulge on the left side of the neck - it could be from the after effects of his stroke or it could have always been that way. Either way - that's where she's going to concentrate her work. Today she also massaged his lymph node on that side since it was swollen because of his congestion. (This was interesting since this morning Liam was crying because the inside of his left cheek hurt, the sinus cavity.)<br />
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I think it's important to find a chiropractor you trust - which is why I'm willing to drive thirty minutes for our visits. She does an excellent job explaining what she's looking at (feeling), how it affects the body, and how she plans to treat it. She also has a great bedside manner with both Sean and Liam. Sean has seen her three times and always gives her a smile and looks like melted butter in her arms. Liam, well, Liam pretty much likes everyone, but she did a great job explaining what she was doing to him!<br />
<br />
I'm not sure what results I'm looking for in Liam, but I do believe that his spine has been affected from the stroke. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-56243390093642828292013-02-15T06:27:00.000-08:002013-02-15T06:27:31.621-08:00Flashback Friday - the TransferIt's been over six months since Liam's stroke and I still find myself having flashbacks of that night and the days that followed. I'm not sure how to stop this, so I figured I might as well write about them.<br />
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I'll try to be a more consistent writer and will concentrate on these "Flashbacks" on Fridays.<br />
<br />
So... when the stroke happened I was at my sister's house, about 90 minutes away from home and way west of Chicago.<br />
<br />
I remember on the way to the hospital my sister told me, "if they want to transfer him to Rockford Memorial, don't let them. Go to Madison."<br />
<br />
And then after a few hours in the ER of the local hospital the doctor said we had to transfer to a place with a children's hospital. She gave me the option of Rockford Memorial, or a hospital near Chicago, since that was closer to where we lived. (He was stable enough for such a transfer.)<br />
<br />
I remember talking to our doctor on the phone and choosing Loyola - mainly because of location and because our doctor said we really couldn't go wrong with any of our choices.<br />
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And this is the flashback that keeps occuring. I thought I was doing really well with processing information and making plans, but for some reason I couldn't figure out how this transfer would work. I clearly remember my sister saying, "You'll go in the ambulance with Liam, I will drive your van home, take care of Quinn, and Rich and I will drive your van to your house tomorrow with Quinn. Do you need anything from the house before the ambulance gets here?"<br />
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I was so thankful then for her clarity of the situation and have almost constant reminders of this part of the process. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-38738761891843681762013-02-09T17:36:00.001-08:002013-02-10T11:54:40.922-08:00Science FairI recently joined a Facebook group focusing on finding and reporting something we are each grateful for each day. <br />
<br />
Today was a very easy find. <br />
<br />
Over seven months ago I was terrified that my outgoing, energetic, talkative, persuasive, bright, and lovable boy might never talk more than a few words at a time. <br />
<br />
I remember posting on Facebook how I missed Liam. <br />
<br />
I remember crying to his speech therapist during one of our first visits when she said, "it's just so hard, because I can tell he wants to have a full conversation with me, but he just can't." <br />
<br />
And then a few weeks ago he came home from school telling us he was going to do the science fair. He told us his idea (put one plant in the closet and the other in the sun and see what happens), asked Mike to buy two plants at the store, and gave them names. <br />
<br />
I'll admit. I was nervous. Would the judges be made aware of his aphasia? Will he be able to explain his project on the morning of judging? Or will his words be hard to find that morning? He has been doing so well in regards to his language, but he still struggles at times. Should I make sure the judges know about his fine motor weakness caused by his stroke? And the aphasia?<br />
<br />
I decided to just see what happens. <br />
<br />
So we did the project. We learned that the plant in the closet didn't die, but the colors on the leaves and flowers were much lighter than the colors on the plant who got sunlight. We typed up what he dictated to us. We made the poster having him do as much as he could with his fine motor skills. <br />
<br />
Then the morning of the science fair came and Liam was more than excited to line up with all the kids, leave me behind, and go wait by his poster for the judges. <br />
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I don't know what went on during those twenty minutes, but I do know that Liam was one of the last students to return and came skipping down the hallway with a huge grin on his face. <br />
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As soon as he saw me he said, "That was so much fun!" Of course it was, he had the undivided attention of two judges. (One of them happened to be his kindergarten teacher.)<br />
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He does still love to hold conversations. His confidence is back and today just proved it!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-59759337237870985402013-01-21T17:15:00.001-08:002013-07-02T04:34:05.685-07:00The Greater GoodToday I saw this link <a href="http://experimentalvaccines.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-greater-good-movie-trailer.html" target="_blank">http://experimentalvaccines.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-greater-good-movie-trailer.html</a> come up in my Facebook feed.<br />
<br />
Looks like another documentary vaccines. I was able to really relate to the mom who said, "I feel like I damaged my child just by following the rules." And although I would NEVER say that Liam is damaged I will admit to the guilt I feel for not doing the research and just following the rules. I've said it before, vaccines never felt "right" to us, so we did what we thought was all we could do, we delayed and spread out the schedule. And now whatever struggles Liam may have faced in school are much worse because of the weaknesses in his fine motor skills and his struggle to find words due to aphasia. All because we followed the rules. <br />
<br />
Anyway, take a look at the trailer. Looks like an interesting documentary. I'm not saying vaccines shouldn't be available, but I do believe parents should be more educated and given full control. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-20503078325589476802013-01-08T09:16:00.001-08:002013-01-08T09:46:33.408-08:00Quinn's Writing JournalHere's a few excerpts from Quinn's second grade writing journal. <br />
<br />
"Dear Miss M,<br />
I wish I was in math right now!!<br />
Love,<br />
Quinn"<br />
<br />
"Dear Quinn,<br />
I know that you love math and that you're awesome at it! Why don't you write about why you like math and what kind of math you like. <br />
Your teacher,<br />
Miss M"<br />
<br />
"Quinn loves math. He knows 11\2=5.5 and is even in third grade math because the square root of 100 is 10. He loves football video games. He likes football. He knows the square root of 400 is 20. He loves himself."<br />
<br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAuqnkhmPegIMESgpHInSa8YAA867ldZplNiynJ3jQ-0r6G3OlE7dFqr5tALvPic0fLhMvTde7eJvwVtclz9MjsATat6_EQfCalvx92ZPDb59RGCxZBDb8tY5Kzz-KGG7IncJ4SDk7y5U/s640/blogger-image-1352112365.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAuqnkhmPegIMESgpHInSa8YAA867ldZplNiynJ3jQ-0r6G3OlE7dFqr5tALvPic0fLhMvTde7eJvwVtclz9MjsATat6_EQfCalvx92ZPDb59RGCxZBDb8tY5Kzz-KGG7IncJ4SDk7y5U/s640/blogger-image-1352112365.jpg" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-3550365852622712022012-12-02T11:45:00.001-08:002013-01-10T13:39:35.661-08:00It Worked!Liam's OT made him a removable cast several weeks ago. He had to wear it on his left arm to force him to use and strengthen his right arm. I loved the cast. So much easier than constantly telling him to use his right hand. His teacher loved the cast for the same reason. I also loved that when strangers would ask what happened to his arm he'd reply, "it's a long story."<br />
<br />
He had to wear it for 8-10 hours a day. This meant there were times when he'd have a break from it. All of a sudden after about seven weeks I noticed that even without the cast on he was using his right hand! And his private and school OT noticed as well! His time with the cast is over (8 weeks) and he continues to use his right hand for writing without reminders (eating is a different story). <br />
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It's important for people after a stroke to use the side that was affected. It helps with building brain function. Plus, his private OT found he had better control with the right - so that's the hand we're pushing for writing. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-30124485566430639102012-11-30T03:38:00.001-08:002012-12-01T13:26:02.395-08:00Thankful1. This guy. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8bcBaXoal_EoTqkkeudtg8Vzn_jkKvCmFAyLHq3WPz4gr52L2hXYW8hpVeV2yzdSAYvQur9p3hEXAMlQLC8O8IzQbkGEpSX7vIx4f_6-qOYIC7xwRLtHRCL2uF0iSmL5L9y2DkYCZRk/s640/blogger-image--1855909825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8bcBaXoal_EoTqkkeudtg8Vzn_jkKvCmFAyLHq3WPz4gr52L2hXYW8hpVeV2yzdSAYvQur9p3hEXAMlQLC8O8IzQbkGEpSX7vIx4f_6-qOYIC7xwRLtHRCL2uF0iSmL5L9y2DkYCZRk/s640/blogger-image--1855909825.jpg" /></a><br />
Sean Adam born on November 1st. He's already bought out the best in all of us. <br />
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<br />
2. This guy. <br />
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Quinn. He's so responsible, helpful, and a smart one too. He never ceases to amaze me. <br />
<br />
3. This guy.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rC2C-8uFBw4GdFILUQx8dO4FljfDcbGRMzzapBPNeH6HRb13zjLh-caUKArS7AqgrZAt53rvCbDv8DEhwX5iA3ZeFlmNCgZr4b4wwCt4B81lP-ET2T_H1SLvuyhjIsWwMREVSH6iDvM/s640/blogger-image--63584652.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3rC2C-8uFBw4GdFILUQx8dO4FljfDcbGRMzzapBPNeH6HRb13zjLh-caUKArS7AqgrZAt53rvCbDv8DEhwX5iA3ZeFlmNCgZr4b4wwCt4B81lP-ET2T_H1SLvuyhjIsWwMREVSH6iDvM/s640/blogger-image--63584652.jpg" /></a><br />
Liam. He's caring, empathetic, and loves to make people laugh. He's turning into quite the big brother. <br />
<br />
4. Mike. This past year proved his strength and love for his family. <br />
<br />
5. Close Family. From grandparents to aunts and uncles. Our family has really stepped it up since liams stroke.<br />
<br />
6. Distant family. Cousins, aunts and uncles... People I'm not sure how we're related. We received so many well wishes from distant family members after Liam's stroke. So good to know we're loved and thought of. <br />
<br />
7. Old friends. There for us to watch Quinn, do some research for us, and listen to us vent. <br />
<br />
8. New friends. I'm amazed at this one. Parents of Quinn's school friends I know now are friends I can rely on. From ice cream being left for us to watching Quinn while Liam has therapy. And now.... My new friends are helping out with the baby by bringing Quinn and Liam home after school. <br />
<br />
9. The ability to ask for help. I had to work on this and continue to work in it. I'm usually the one offering help not seeking it out. But I've gotten a million times better and am so thankful I can do this (and that we've got an amazing network of friends and family to help us). <br />
<br />
10. Good health insurance. It hasn't been easy, but our insurance is covering all of Liam's therapy (unlimited visits til he's six). <br />
<br />
11. Health advocate. Mike has a health advocate at his work that has been our go between with the insurance company. She's been great at making sure things get covered. <br />
<br />
12. Mike's forethought. Or his ability to make sure our family is prepared. He took out "catastrophic insurance" on all of us. We were able to file, and receive, a claim for Liam's stroke. <br />
<br />
13. Doulas. Having a doula at the birth of Sean was one of the best decisions we've made. It was wonderful having another support person in the room with us. <br />
<br />
14. Birth photographer. Another excellent decision. The photographs captured that day are priceless. <br />
<br />
15. Placenta encapsulation. Look it up. I've never had such a good recovery after any of my kids births. <br />
<br />
16. Early darkness. Allows me to go to bed at 7pm and get some much needed sleep before my "shift" with Sean begins. <br />
<br />
17. The nursing instinct. Amazing how when the doctor places Sean on my chest and he instantly started rooting. These babies know what they're doing and it's such an amazing thing. <br />
<br />
18. Coconut oil. For sore nipples. That's all I'll say about that. <br />
<br />
19. Hot showers. When given a choice between eating, sleeping, pumping, or showering I'll almost always choose a nice hot shower. Makes me feel like I can get through the day. <br />
<br />
20. Quinn's teacher. She realized in which areas he needs to be challenged and is the first teacher to truly challenge him. <br />
<br />
21. Liam's therapists. From the private therapists to the school therapists. They're all working together and I agree with all of their methods. <br />
<br />
22. Liam's teacher. She's been great with him and at the beginning of the year really made us feel welcome to the classroom. She's honest with us an is challenging him while still keeping in mind his areas of weakness. <br />
<br />
23. Navistar. Mike's worked there for almost twelve years. Even though he used most of his vacation days post stroke, his boss has been understanding about any sick days he's needed since then. Also - the good insurance I mentioned earlier comes from here. Also, the hours are flexible, so mike goes in early and comes home early. <br />
<br />
24. My moby wrap. Totally helps with Sean's fussy hours. Put him in. Vacuum. And voila. He's asleep!<br />
<br />
25. Christmas lights. We might just leave our tree up all winter long. I love the light given by the tree in the middle of the night while nursing sean. <br />
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26. Online shopping. That's how it's getting done this year. <br />
<br />
27. My iPad. Makes it easy to read a book while nursing. <br />
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28. Our local library. We've really taken advantage of it this past year. Movies, tv episodes (currently on season five of mad men), and books (both digital and "real") for me and the boys - I love it. <br />
<br />
29. Vacations. Mike was complaining about using too many vacation days for all out vacations this past year. An then we realized, if there's anything to complain about too many vacations isn't so bad. <br />
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30. Our health. We've definitely had a hard year. But, overall, we're doing well. And for that I'm thankful. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-32712384466807582162012-10-25T07:24:00.000-07:002013-01-10T13:40:04.164-08:00Conversation with the Speech Therapist<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Therapist: Wow. He really is sort of bossy.</div>
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Me: I know. I've missed it. Isn't it great?</div>
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Therapist: Yes!</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-67683303219187564522012-10-17T08:03:00.001-07:002012-10-25T07:24:50.964-07:00He Still Loves Firetrucks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTovJsVYG98vxEXMtLbcqPa8Q3MJqJ2zHzbsD8IK8I4wGr1JugAiBz6OF4hop78GdyTcvClbQEYUTug_ijCCig6guzJu7Mwik2u5nNWRARrV4ZqofBrArtyItDb_ebyIkSULp7lfxwl0k/s640/blogger-image-1726740867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTovJsVYG98vxEXMtLbcqPa8Q3MJqJ2zHzbsD8IK8I4wGr1JugAiBz6OF4hop78GdyTcvClbQEYUTug_ijCCig6guzJu7Mwik2u5nNWRARrV4ZqofBrArtyItDb_ebyIkSULp7lfxwl0k/s640/blogger-image-1726740867.jpg" /></a></div>
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Now that my vaccine post is out of the way, hopefully I'll be getting more regular updates done. <br />
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One of my biggest fears right after the stroke was that Liam's personality would change dramatically. <br />
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I was wrong. He's still his outgoing, friendly, loving, caring, and sometimes stubborn self. He still loves firemen and wants to be one when he grows up. He still adores his big brother. He still tries to keep up with him. And he's still beyond excited for the arrival of his little brother. <br />
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Sure, there are things we struggle with post-stroke, but more and more his personality is making it's appearance and I'm loving it. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-37024246181289872322012-10-16T09:00:00.001-07:002013-01-10T13:40:30.674-08:00Opening the CanSo here we go. I've mentioned before that two unaffiliated doctors believe that <a href="http://lifeinasmallhouse.blogspot.com/2012/08/busy.html" target="_blank">the cause</a> of Liam's stroke was the chicken pox vaccine he was given two weeks prior to that unforgettable night. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkisA5PJfGHJgQfL0w_y6jHVzFMQ5Cz52uHodWFLKLTbFHCG9arL8N5UKZtAici32XbXxys6fbvzVZnFZ3NB7Wv8DPlqC3YeHJj1YTtC_uaEAiXmZKqnog0xQ09MknR6lt3z2kd8hGLrw/s640/blogger-image--1812813892.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkisA5PJfGHJgQfL0w_y6jHVzFMQ5Cz52uHodWFLKLTbFHCG9arL8N5UKZtAici32XbXxys6fbvzVZnFZ3NB7Wv8DPlqC3YeHJj1YTtC_uaEAiXmZKqnog0xQ09MknR6lt3z2kd8hGLrw/s320/blogger-image--1812813892.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Quinn reading to Liam while we wait for his "mandated" kindergarten shots.</span></div>
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I've spent nearly every week the past month declining the flu, pertussis, and measles/mumps/rubella vaccines at my obygyn's office. (That's one problem with seeing a group of docs for a pregnancy - I keep finding myself explaining my views over and over.) <br />
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We have always been leery of vaccines. We have always done a delayed schedule. All this with doing little to no research. We were just following our gut. <br />
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But now we've started the research. We've got a third baby on it's way and to say we're simply leery of vaccines would be a great understatement. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT803wqQEHILyYmUstC5Ylu2S7YZLTWV8pUrLsRbWRbly5y_KnOGWdPV2IwgCsaIBcAbYCeSjTlfDHcZSpdMm6t4WgDyvPJseMIP_h0OgiLr-oFnOCLQ4PUkaugaFw_pkHHg6CsPwKe2o/s1600/vaccine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT803wqQEHILyYmUstC5Ylu2S7YZLTWV8pUrLsRbWRbly5y_KnOGWdPV2IwgCsaIBcAbYCeSjTlfDHcZSpdMm6t4WgDyvPJseMIP_h0OgiLr-oFnOCLQ4PUkaugaFw_pkHHg6CsPwKe2o/s320/vaccine.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's the <a href="http://www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/index.html" target="_blank">first thing</a> I've learned that scares me. There is a large fund of monies set aside by the government/vaccine companies that is used to compensate any family that has had a severe vaccine reaction. (To qualify for this, the effects of the reaction need to last for more than six months.)Whether or not Liam will qualify for compensation is not an issue right now. What is, is that there is this fund and it prevents parents from suing the vaccine companies. Not only is there a fund, but they have a table set up with common reactions and the amount of money to be given as compensation. So, they are aware of these reactions and have taken measures to be sure the vaccine companies do not "go under" from lawsuits. Go ahead and take a look at that site. There's links to how much has been spent on compensations, the types, and how to go about claiming an injury. <br />
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That's all well and good. Some would argue that those types of reactions are so RARE and that the benefits of vaccines far out weigh the risks. <br />
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Here's an <a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/037471_vaccines_mythology_fairy_tale.html" target="_blank">an interesting article</a> regarding the flu vaccine that is so widely advertised and publicized you'd think it was running for president or something. It is near impossible to go anywhere without being asked if you'd like a flu shot. As a matter of fact, CVS will offer 20% off your entire purchase if you choose to get the flu shot there. It's obvious that companies will benefit from each flu shot they sell. The article is a very easy read... I suggest you read it yourself, but it shows that people who had the flu shot were MORE likely to get the flu than those who opted not to have the flu shot.<br />
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So, what does that mean for the vaccines that are designed to prevent more serious illnesses? According to this <a href="http://lewrockwell.com/mercola/mercola227.html" target="_blank"> very lengthy article</a>, most of the common vaccines are not effective. "While recent outbreaks of pertussis, measles, and mumps have officially been blamed on those who are unvaccinated, published studies into the outbreaks have confirmed that the vast majority of those affected were vaccinated, and place the blame on ineffective vaccines – NOT insufficient vaccination rates."<br />
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Here's <a href="http://www.sailhome.org/Concerns/Vaccines.html" target="_blank">another link</a>. In this one you can see what the ingredients are for the vaccines. But also, there are charts that show the decline of serious illinesses and when vaccines were introduced into the mix. (Most serious illinesses were already declining before vaccines were introduced. And typhoid fever was totally elminated without vaccines ever being introduced.) This link also has many links to more information - you could spend all day here, but my favorite is the <a href="http://www.lewrockwell.com/miller/miller15.html" target="_blank">User-Friendly Vaccination Schedule</a>.<br />
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Not every thing I've read is totally against vaccines. <a href="http://drjaygordon.com/" target="_blank">Dr. Jay Gordan</a> claims to look at each patient as an individual and decide what they might need. A child whose family travels to third world countries needs more protection than that of a child whose family vacations is less exotic places. He has this to say about the Hepatitis B vaccine, which is commonly given within 48 hours of birth.<br />
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<em>"Q. What is you opinion of the Hepatitis B vaccine and how do you deal with it in your practice?</em><br />
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<em>A. I try not to give it to any kids. It does a very good job of preventing hepatitis B, no doubt about that, but it also hits the immune system pretty hard and possibly creates autoimmune problems. The French stopped giving this shot for a while because they thought they saw an increase in multiple sclerosis in recipients. Very few experts agree with this finding but the data were not bad. Other relatively reasonable docs think that diabetes or lupus might be on the rise because of the HBV.</em><br />
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<em>Creating the false security that unprotected sex is safer or that drug use is safer just opens people up to the possibilities of Hep C, AIDS or pregnancy.</em><br />
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<em>I also think that there will be a much better shot in the next 5-10 years."</em><br />
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I highly recommend you check out his website and see where he stands on vaccines. <br />
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The choice to vaccinate your child should be a very personal decision. However, we all know that certain vaccines are "required" and avoiding those vaccines can become difficult. As of now, parents can claim religious, personal, or medical reasons for not vaccinating their children. Here's <a href="http://www.infowars.com/in-vaccines-we-trust-vaccine-inventor-paul-offit-seeks-end-to-religious-and-philosophical-vaccine-exemptions/" target="_blank">a lengthy article</a> about Paul Offit, a vaccine inventor, seeking to put an end to religious and philosophical vaccine exemptions.<br />
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It should always remain a personal decision. I've heard some parents who choose to vaccinate on the current schedule are worried about the increasing numbers of those parents choosing not to. I do not understand this. If you truly believe in the power of vaccinations you have no reason to worry that the child sitting next to your child in class may or may not have "up to date" vaccinations. <br />
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So... what are we planning on doing? For now - we'll be leaving the hopsital with our baby receiving only a Vitamin K shot (to help with blood clotting). Our baby will not recieve the HepB shot. That will buy us two months at which point we will have to make some decisions that may be difficult to talk with our doctor about, but it's our baby and our choice. We will continue to inform ourselves the best we can. I have a feeling we will postpone starting any vaccinations until at least two years. Here's a <a href="http://www.offthegridnews.com/2012/09/24/natural-vaccination-alternatives-for-you-and-your-kids/" target="_blank">great article</a> about other ways to boost your immune system.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-38856807152655834672012-09-28T07:30:00.002-07:002012-10-09T11:11:25.649-07:00Survival Candles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Something happened to me after I turned thirty. The smell of all the good candles and plug-ins that I would get as gifts from my students would give me a headache. Every single time. We had a garage sale this summer and I sold countless numbers of Partylite and Yankee candles - since they were pretty useless in our house now with my new found reaction to the chemicals in them. After the garage sale my husband posed the question, "So, what are we going to do when the power goes out?"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In steps pinterest. I found <a href="http://teotwawkiblog.blogspot.com/2012/02/diy-survival-candles.html" target="_blank">a link</a> to a "recipe" to make your own soy survival candles. It sounded pretty easy, so I gathered the materials needed (thanks Amazon), and got started.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYV-mp_IMwjbZ0hgUGmk3a1yKERisV4AuaEcRn2_hpA27EGNBXPo8c95Ygqgu3k7WqquX5wufHh73LHrhx5Chpf0-tfkgldw7owrQt-EHQ6KnPcc6mE-6rnBbreH1rNCmG66pJFu4vItA/s400/blogger-image-317142375.jpg" width="299" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The original post shows Mason Jars, but he also advices that you can use old glass jars - so for a few weeks we saved old jelly, sauce, and salad dressing jars.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1t1ZjOwBTo3KzQMV3HB50wcm9P4pdFSbqqPg2V03dRrQJRJAAoK4QRZHxyMouqXmI_F01WnPpD1SGoBxMmsReaV5d3O9X_TNsH2KRVgM3eIRWZUlgzEZDRi_A2CLuzVyv2yHqHVbB-Og/s640/blogger-image--332390908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1t1ZjOwBTo3KzQMV3HB50wcm9P4pdFSbqqPg2V03dRrQJRJAAoK4QRZHxyMouqXmI_F01WnPpD1SGoBxMmsReaV5d3O9X_TNsH2KRVgM3eIRWZUlgzEZDRi_A2CLuzVyv2yHqHVbB-Og/s400/blogger-image--332390908.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I soaked the jars in hot water hoping that would help with the label removal process. The jelly jars were the WORST. We ended up not using them. The spaghetti sauce jars cleaned up nicely, but ended up being a pain later in the process when we tried to attach the wicks to the bottom. (The bottom wasn't flat). The best two jars were from salsa and our salad dressing. Cleaned up nicely and had a nice flat bottom to attach the wick tabs to.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ApTxRwM1zzdm7tiISzjOPYfSo7OYvJJz9TqY4BrfgSsfAGhvObmKmaXuijvUTwAv6WBPfLLDKJjxgseFyYWlp-BI7Ye7v1Qi_3dk2tfdmLUWnXQ4tanndsMiSFdLED3g9Ivw2NtD0vU/s640/blogger-image-418786372.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ApTxRwM1zzdm7tiISzjOPYfSo7OYvJJz9TqY4BrfgSsfAGhvObmKmaXuijvUTwAv6WBPfLLDKJjxgseFyYWlp-BI7Ye7v1Qi_3dk2tfdmLUWnXQ4tanndsMiSFdLED3g9Ivw2NtD0vU/s400/blogger-image-418786372.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's what we needed: soy flakes, wicks (I read the comments on the original blog post and learned that you should use a thicker wick for a wider mouth jar and a thinner wick for a skinner mouth), wick tabs, and wick stickers (the original blog did not suggest these, but I found them to be helpful in keeping the wick tabs down on the jar as your pour the wax). I choose to order a spool of wicks, because my jars were of varying heights. All of this was found very easily on Amazon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26FDyNnV0hVKaHaV8KVKCJLXFqGmpVTdt9mAh7vFvSFXZpBrIZuEV7OPhjpfZw2L37HbvMmFVquVZKNWsWzA7VGa7Q7o6onhwvml4blztVtaXxzVjc9_BxgJG5jmL4qj47krBgk_M5zE/s640/blogger-image-468640502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26FDyNnV0hVKaHaV8KVKCJLXFqGmpVTdt9mAh7vFvSFXZpBrIZuEV7OPhjpfZw2L37HbvMmFVquVZKNWsWzA7VGa7Q7o6onhwvml4blztVtaXxzVjc9_BxgJG5jmL4qj47krBgk_M5zE/s400/blogger-image-468640502.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After reviewing the directions I realized there were no real measurements. I love measurements. Anyway, I just put some soy flakes into the the pot (that I got at Good Will specifically for making non-food items), and placed it on top of the boiling water (making a double boiler). I also pulled some of our Mason Jars out to use, because I ditched the jelly jars after I could clean them off enough. In the comments it was suggested that you warm the jars in the oven prior to pouring hot wax into them. Our stove top gets pretty warm, so I just made sure to place the glass jars near the pots and they warmed up just fine and we didn't have any cracked glass incidents.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkKHf-qOjSs3Oli3KUx40E1Mq9Mp4k23nbF31ACIB3WGOHt4GmWbzaF7E4JdK1q-dYCOElzmaKh90PDirbqxxYuXhsVBrkuyLOqWBWI5yriZOV4sB2mtSaDVEgJGICYwXE6-JxuWITkJQ/s640/blogger-image-1221989253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkKHf-qOjSs3Oli3KUx40E1Mq9Mp4k23nbF31ACIB3WGOHt4GmWbzaF7E4JdK1q-dYCOElzmaKh90PDirbqxxYuXhsVBrkuyLOqWBWI5yriZOV4sB2mtSaDVEgJGICYwXE6-JxuWITkJQ/s400/blogger-image-1221989253.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then you wait for the wax to melt. It didn't take that long and here it is almost finished. The product melts down a lot, so you may think you have too many flakes, but you don't. I ended up doing this process three times to get enough wax for my jars. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbOGn3QCFVY5rk8zdfxM6PysQhgKH52bfu0qCkuiJE03UFkl0syiGpRT80bUAcBJBN1_mawfDt_57kXOSiwQTiHR4LjVtQC9MrmIshIjLnBC9KTyN1kZ6lZh9GlgFctGVNyPccXh5JApU/s640/blogger-image--1944847530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbOGn3QCFVY5rk8zdfxM6PysQhgKH52bfu0qCkuiJE03UFkl0syiGpRT80bUAcBJBN1_mawfDt_57kXOSiwQTiHR4LjVtQC9MrmIshIjLnBC9KTyN1kZ6lZh9GlgFctGVNyPccXh5JApU/s400/blogger-image--1944847530.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Once it's melted you'll want to pour the wax into a pouring container. (I used a large Pyrex glass measuring jar.) From there, slowly pour the wax into your prepared jars. (There are no pictures of the preparation of the jars - basically, thread the wicks into the wick tabs, stick them on the bottom of the jar, and trim the wicks to fit the jar size.) The spaghetti jars were a pain during this process because even with the wick stickers the wick tabs did not stick. I taped pencils to the top of the wicks to help keep them centered. At this point I thought it might be fun to see if I could handle a "real" scent - so I added 4 drops of Vanilla essential oil to the littlest Mason Jar. This candle will be kept out and not stored away for emergencies. When you have to have candles burning for light, it's best not to use scented candles.</div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgM1BotVO6qe2oe-4t3sMJpwc_alJMdv1P1zUhUB_8sthloBAxdwGeNWW2qOt5SjH4BI6dvEg4i4DGtDgPr9sSgmWmcI9SCZljGgHou-vWoXBugp_edO5nlTWrxi8yAfVuiLNUSDM7iI/s640/blogger-image-1990280959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgM1BotVO6qe2oe-4t3sMJpwc_alJMdv1P1zUhUB_8sthloBAxdwGeNWW2qOt5SjH4BI6dvEg4i4DGtDgPr9sSgmWmcI9SCZljGgHou-vWoXBugp_edO5nlTWrxi8yAfVuiLNUSDM7iI/s400/blogger-image-1990280959.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then you wait. This is what they looked like last night before I went to bed, about an hour after we poured the wax in. They hardened up nicely - and even the two with the tricky wicks seemed to be okay. (We'll see how they end up burning.) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5hKaTjGew6QEANTuY-2tooreiI7IOFTdxVODd8vYU2dimlNQD7UY1z9jQUOVy8P5_Zd_wmgQq3t0ATtKZUwL1jjz4rjBgCojov_l7dEuA0_ED845yLK3mfhypYMtcejcFJZOsJPjlus/s640/blogger-image--1108639256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5hKaTjGew6QEANTuY-2tooreiI7IOFTdxVODd8vYU2dimlNQD7UY1z9jQUOVy8P5_Zd_wmgQq3t0ATtKZUwL1jjz4rjBgCojov_l7dEuA0_ED845yLK3mfhypYMtcejcFJZOsJPjlus/s400/blogger-image--1108639256.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The next morning I trimmed the wicks down to 1/4 of an inch, placed the scented one in our bathroom, and put the lids on the others. The plan is to add a book of matches to each so that we're always prepared for a power outage (at least for light)!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">All in all this was a surprisingly easy project. I now know which kinds of jars to save and which to just recycle (or use for some other storage). The cost per candle is about $1.50 each - not bad for high quality soy candles - much cheaper than what you would buy them for in a store. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In the future we might like to try to make candles from bees wax, but I've read that it's a pain to clean up - unlike the soy wax which washed away easily. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-47751149000074125432012-09-27T19:08:00.000-07:002012-09-28T06:53:13.775-07:00Combating Allergies (without drugs)So... Allergy season is in full swing here in the Midwest. Quinn always gets hit the worst. It starts with a running/stuffy nose and itchy eyes and then will lead to either an ear infection or croup cough in the middle of the night. When we aren't diligent we find ourselves in the doctor's office for some antibiotics for an ear infection or steroids for the croup cough. This past spring we weren't diligent with our regime and he woke up coughing and crying that he was "going to die." He ended up in steroids and boy oh boy do those make him emotional.<br />
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I learned my lesson and have stayed on top of his allergies and he's started to pick up in the importance of preventive care. <br />
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So... Here's what we do:<br />
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The first day of school both boys start taking a Vitamin D supplement. During the summer they get plenty of D from the sun. Vitamin D has many <a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/161618.php" target="_blank">benefits</a>, the most important (for the boys) is that it helps regulate the immune system. <br />
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Every day with his regular multi-vitamin Quinn takes one dose of <a href="http://www.reddremedies.com/s.nl?search=aboutus" target="_blank">Children's Sinus Support by Redd Remedies.</a> He hates these chewables, but will take the dose with milk. Once his allergies start making their appearance we up the dose to twice a day. I wish we could find something that tastes better for him, because you should see his face as he's taking them. However, this is the only supplement for kids that contains Quercetin. Quercetin is a natural antihistamine. <br />
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In addition to the supplements Quinn has also started using the netipot! I am thrilled for this development and amazed at how great he does. We always do a round at night and there are some mornings when he asks for it. Good for him for listening to his body and reading the signs of what it needs. <br />
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Our last line of defense is a bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide. We place a few drops in each ear. Hydrogen peroxide is a natural antiseptic and by putting the H2O2 into the ears we are hoping to prevent ear and sinus infections. (Both boys do this, mostly because Liam likes the way it feels - lucky Liam doesn't suffer from allergies.)<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-53010144365134406352012-09-25T11:35:00.001-07:002012-09-28T06:51:10.576-07:00Picture DayToday was the dreaded school picture day. Well, dreaded by Quinn who claims the photographers are too bossy. (I'd have to agree. After years of working in a public school I've come to dread the directions of "turn your head a little bit to the left" "not so much" "put your chin down" "up a little" etc.etc.)<br />
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In the past (when I was working) I'd make it a point to go out and find nice new shirts for the boys for their picture day. Not this year. This year I looked in their closets and don't they just look adorable?!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-573325984673668642012-09-24T14:43:00.000-07:002012-09-24T14:43:47.640-07:00Emergency Paper TowelsLiam's been feeling much better. Thank goodness. I was able to put away our one roll of paper towels we keep in the house for emergencies. Just about a year ago I stopped buying any paper towels, but then a few months after only using rags, Quinn got sick in the middle of the night making me curse my decision to be rid of all paper towels. So now we keep a roll for emergencies. <br />
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So, other than stomach bug stuff, we've survived almost an entire year using rags for our cleaning needs. Most of them are old towels or t-shirts, but I did invest in a pack of cloths meant for car detailing - those are my favorites. They're easy to wash (just don't use fabric softener), readily available, and have saved us money on paper goods. <br />
We also switched to cloth napkins over a year ago - those just go in the wash with our dish towels. Easy peasy. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-41338547856645925462012-09-18T05:07:00.001-07:002012-09-24T14:44:06.263-07:00WorryWhen a typical child wakes up throwing up you worry about dehydration. That's pretty much it. Sure, you feel for them, nobody likes to throw up. <br />
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When a child who has been on an aspirin regime wakes up throwing up your first thought might be, "is this the start of Reye's syndrome?" or maybe you'll wonder, "is this seizure enhanced vomiting?" <br />
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Liam and I were up all night - started with vomit, which he had a really difficult time with (he hasn't thrown up in years) and then he switched to diarrhea. He hasn't managed to keep down sips of water - and will vomit that back up. <br />
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I'll be calling the doctor as soon as they open. I called last night and was told just to watch for him to get worse (which he didn't). I'd like to have blood work done to rule out liver failure before I give him today's dose of aspirin. <br />
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Whenever something happens with Liam - be it a stomach bug waking him up, him getting goofy when over tired, hitting his head, scraping his knee, etc... All the lists of "what ifs" fill my head with worry. <br />
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I wonder how long this will last. <br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-16481268572493179172012-09-05T08:17:00.001-07:002012-09-24T14:44:31.673-07:00The StoryOne disservice that I think parents tend to do is to not talk with their kids about tragic events or things that might seem like something they don't need to know about.<br />
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Kids often ask questions and too often those questions are dodged by parents having the best of intentions. <br />
<br />
After talking with the team at Liam's school I wrote a little story about Liam's stroke and his recovery - meant for kids. There's one part I'm not proud of - I don't say that the doctors feel the vaccine caused the stroke. I do not want other parents being upset with me when their child says they don't want a shot! Of course, I could have said Liam had reaction to a medicine...<br />
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Anyway, here's a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4588364390823.182538.1343478496&type=1&l=f5454b885b" target="_blank">link to the story</a> if you're interested. It would be neat if I had an illustrator and could actually make a book.<br />
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Speaking of avoiding topics with kids - have you <a href="http://lifeinasmallhouse.blogspot.com/2012/09/talking-to-your-child-about-death.html" target="_blank">seen this</a>? It's a post I wrote a long time ago, but one of my favorites.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6614680634066396658.post-22158038044000427142012-09-05T08:16:00.001-07:002013-07-02T04:34:39.007-07:00Talking to Your Child About DeathPerhaps the worst thing we can do as parents is to avoid the topic of death with our children. Eventually, like it or not, somebody (or some pet) that your child knows and/or loves will die. That's just the way it works.<br />
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Before your child needs to experience this first hand, it is important for them to be familiar about the topic of death and what it actually means. This can be accomplished through songs, books, and even movies (careful - some Disney movies make it seem as if somebody is dead, but then, voila! a spell is broken and they are fine, just fine. This can be very confusing for a child.).<br />
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Here are some terms for helping children understand death. (I only suggest only using these terms if a child starts asking questions. There is no need to sit down for dinner tonight and talk about death - unless of course, you've just read a book where somebody or some pet dies and your child is curious.)<br />
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Physical death - death of a body; the body stops walking, doesn't eat, doesn't hurt, doesn't poop anymore.<br />
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If somebody in your child's life does die, it's important to:<br />
<ul>
<li>use the word "Dead". Make sure you do not say "lost" or "past on"</li>
<li>make sure the child knows the person that died doesn't hurt.</li>
<li>make sure they know the following - death is irreversible, permanent, painless</li>
<li>let/encourage your child to ask questions</li>
<li>have books about death and be sure to have read them already (list below)</li>
<li>let children participate in closure/help set up ending practices</li>
<li>allow children to grieve in their own way</li>
<li>share feelings with your child (it's OKAY to be sad in front of children)</li>
<li>provide support for your child</li>
<li>maintain the child's daily routine</li>
<li>death can be a celebration</li>
<li>remember it is not the age of the child when deciding if the child should attend a funeral service, but rather the relationship between the child and the deceased.</li>
<li>answer honestly when asked if you are going to die. "No, I'm not going to die right now."</li>
<li>establish memories ("This is the first birthday since your father died.")</li>
</ul>
Talk about death before it happens. Some people avoid books where people or pets die - I seek them out. One of Quinn's favorite books is "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tough-Boris-Mem-Fox/dp/0152018913/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240328650&sr=8-1">Tough Boris</a>". It's a great little book about a tough pirate - who's so tough, but then his parrot dies, and the pirate cries, and cries, and cries. He was familiar with this book before our dog died and asked me to read it many times afterwards. Here's a list of other books that are appropriate for young children.<br />
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<ul>
<li>Tough Boris - Mem Fox</li>
<li>Wilfred Gordon MacDonald Partridge - Mem Fox</li>
<li>Sophie - Mem Fox</li>
<li>You Hold Me and I'll Hold You - Jo Carson</li>
<li>Old Pig - Margaret Will</li>
<li>Go Tell Aunt Rhody - Aliki</li>
<li>Everett Anderson's Goodbye - Lucille Clifton</li>
<li>Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs - Tomie dePaola</li>
<li>Miss Tizzy - Libba Moore Gray</li>
<li>Remember Me - Margaret Wild</li>
<li>Still My Grandma - V. Van Den abbeete</li>
<li>The Goodbye Boat - Mary Joslin</li>
</ul>
As well as reading, there are many songs that talk about death. One of my personal favorites is "<a href="http://mccathy.blogspot.com/2008/06/goslings-are-crying.html">Go Tell Aunt Rhody</a>". Sometimes Quinn will ask me to sing that one to him as I'm tucking him into bed.<br />
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Children's Understanding of Death (stages)<br />
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Stage I (ages 2-4) - At this stage children don't believe death is final. It is temporary and reversible. They attempt to equate it with something they know (sleep, parents going on vacation, etc.) They are more interested in what death means right now (person is never coming bac) rather than how it happened.<br />
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Stage II (ages 4 - 10) - Children at this stage understand that everything that lives will die, although they may or may not apply this to themselves. This is fine and normal. They play many imaginary games like ghost, superheroes, and role play in an attempt to understand death and to deal with their fears. Children will often play dead and pretend to have funerals and other practices (if they are familiar with this).<br />
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Stage II (ages 10...) - At this stage, children understand that death is personal, inevitable, universal and final. They may have fears related to this understanding. At all ages, part of the fear of death, for children, is that they will be separated from their parents.<br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">*Much of this information was gathered from workshops given by </span><a href="http://www.tomhunter.com/" style="font-style: italic;">Tom Hunter</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> and</span><a href="http://www.turnthepage.com/" style="font-style: italic;"> Bev Bos</a><span style="font-style: italic;">. And for any of my readers in Southern California, Bev Bos is an amazing women, with an amazing preschool in </span><a href="http://www.rosevillecommunitypreschool.org/" style="font-style: italic;">Roseville</a><span style="font-style: italic;">. I encourage you to check it out, fall in love, and sign up for the waiting list. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0