GREAT NEWS, Christmas and the "shelf elf"!

On New Years Eve day, Max had his cystogram at the hospital. Late in the afternoon, we received a message from Max's Dr. that Max's test came back good!!!!! Her office is closed for the next few days but she said if I had any further questions to call her on Friday.
As I was shopping at our local market New years eve, I saw her and thanked her for the happy news (what a great ending to the year and hopefully a sign of the good things to come in the next!) We celebrated the New year with a party!!! Sparkling grape juice all around!!!





Next is the story of our Christmas elf.

This is the shelf elf.

When I was a little girl, my parents had these shelf elves. We had two larger ones, one was silver lame' and one gold lame' and also two smaller ones, one red felt and one green felt. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of these little guys. I'm just surprised it took so long!
My mother still has the originals and I'm going to be the happy recipient of them, but I purchased the one above this holiday season for the kids, as I wanted them to experience the "magic" I experienced when I was a child.

A few days before Christmas, the kids were allowed to open a present and this one was decorated very attractively, so of course, they picked it. When they opened it I read them the story of the shelf elf and Sonja came up with "his" name. She named him Kalpin because she thought the boy in her new favorite Christmas movie "Home Alone" was named "Kalpin" (instead of Kevin). I decided I'd place him atop the curio in the great room. Later in the afternoon, we were decorating the gingerbread house and Dan took a quick break. After we finished decorating the yummy house, Sonja went into the great room and discovered that the elf had magically moved from the curio to over on top of my decorative houses. She yelled "Mommy! Mommy! Come here QUICK!!!! When I entered the room she told me that the elf moved! I told her that SHE must have moved him and she said "NO I DIDN'T!!!" I told her that Max must have and I asked Max if he did, to which he said "NO"!! I told her that she was fibbing and she was adament that she didn't, getting a bit mad that I was accusing her of such a thing!
The elf moved from there to here and back again over the next few days and it was always a fun game to see where he was hiding (usually somewhere he could get a good view of what the kids were doing, as to keep Santa well informed of their deeds, good or bad!) until Christmas. On Christmas day he was happily sitting in the tree watching us open the presents Santa left.
Here are a few more pictures of the munchkins in their holiday duds.


Bear just HAD to get in this one! Our "little" puppy! He'll celebrate his 1st birthday on January 15th! He can easily rest his paws on my shoulders when standing on his back legs and he's almost as tall as I am!!

Sonja sitting on Nana's (my mom's) lap at Grandma G's house. My Mom spent the night at our house Christmas eve so she could watch the kids open their gifts Christmas morning.
Some of the goodies left on Christmas eve before being opened. Sonja will be soo surprised!

I'm trying to instill in our kids that they can't always get what they want and especially to expect it without some hard work. Every time Sonja would see something on T.V. she would say "I want Santa to bring me that Mommy!" I told her that Santa can't bring everything that she wants AND things for ALL of the kids in the world. So I told her that she could make a list but it can only have four things on it so she must choose wisely. Everytime she wanted something new she would have to decide what on the list was staying and what was going. After many changes she ended up with the Quinny 4 in one stroller, Baby alive, a mermaid costume and roll over doggie. She was extremely surprised when she woke up Christmas morning to see all of those presents, and grateful for each and every one of them! Everytime she opened a gift, whether it be from Santa, Nana or Daddy and I, she would say "Thank You so MUCH (insert name). For Santa's gifts she would say "I've been wanting that SO much. How did he know!" Santa knows everything!!!

Max came down and immediately went right to his tool bench. Notice how many pictures he's wearing his "safety goggles in!

Putting down his safety goggles to better manage his power tools. Even Sonja got in on the action!
Putting goggles back on.
Safety first! No safety violation here!
Max took forever opening his gifts. He would open one and play with it until we'd tell him to open another. He ended up refusing to open anymore so I had to finish for him.

We now have too many toys, so Sonja decided to give her old ones away. She knows that there are kids that would love them just as she did when she first received them (like the land of misfit toys!)

I was delighted and really surprised with the present "the kids" got me....a complete day at the spa with a one hour massage, one hour facial, manicure, pedicure, hair color, cut, style and a few other things!!!!!! It's a little distance from were we live but Dan said he'd drop me off and take the kids someplace while I get pampered (have I mentioned what a wonderful husband I have!). I always joke and say that I would love to have a day at the spa, but I didn't think I ever would actually get one! Santa truly does know everything!


Well, we hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and that all have a wonderful New year!!!

Oh Christmas tree?

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

WOW...busy, busy, busy....getting gifts, playing, baking, and just plain having FUN!!!

As you can see we have a Sonja tree for a Christmas tree! We also have our "real" Christmas tree (see below)
Sonja wanted to dress up as a Christmas tree. We also dressed Max up, but we were unable to get his picture before his greenery started to fall off. He looked pretty good too.
Here's our tree. Thank God for pre-lite Christmas trees!!! I always dreaded stringing the lights on the tree. The only part of decorating the tree I didn't like!
This year, the kids really got into trimming the tree, putting the ornaments on (mostly on the bottom, every inch or so). They loved it.

Here are a few pictures I took of the kids one night. The lighting isn't the best but I know Nana doesn't care. She'll love them just the same. Max poses like he's a GQ model or something.
Pretty funny. Look at Max. He's got his hand in his pocket and his other on Sonja's shoulder. I can't help but giggle when I look at it. I think he's the ham of the two!

Bear with his icicles hanging off his beard. He just LOVES the snow. He'll romp in it for hours until he has snow packed in his pads and looks like this! His coat is so woolly that the snow and moisture never gets down to his skin.
Snow diggleberries hanging on Bears butt!
We made our gingerbread house. Well, it was actually our second, as we decorated one at our friend Hannah's birthday party. Here are the kids ready to get busy!
Here's the basics ingredients.
Max taste testing for quality assurance.

More testing
Do you think he's been into the frosting?
Sharing with sis! Great!!! Now TWO toddlers with a "sugar high"!

The finished product!
As Sonja would say...."PERFECTO!" and "SCRUMPTIOUS!"
Hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Tonight we'll make Christmas cookies for Santa!!!!!!

Until next time.....

Max and his ultrasound

Max had an ultrasound done a few weeks ago. He had an ultrasound of the kidneys and also of the bladder. The reason he had it done is twofold.
One, being that he was born with microtia and children born with microtia have a higher incidence of having kidney malformations on the affected side, sometimes causing problems.
Second, being that he was born in China and having been raised on formula in China, he is at risk for melamine sickening/poisoning. The American Pediatric Association recommends that children adopted from China, some going back as far as 2005, should be tested for melamine poisoning as there have been children adopted in 2005 that have been recently diagnosed with Kidney/bladder stones or worse.

So like any good mother, I took this info to my pediatrician and she ordered the testing.

I received a call today from Max's doctor stating that they found something in Max's bladder and that he will have to undergo a urethrocystogram (?). He had an appointment to she her this week so she'll tell me when the testing will be done and where. It's suspected to be a calculi that formed in the bladder. Bladder calculi (stones) and Kidneys calculi are the outcome of melamine sickening/ingestion/poisoning. He has never had any problems since being home that was detectable by us, but his history prior to coming to us is almost completely unknown. Also, Max having a communication barrier makes it difficult for him to articulate exactly what is going on with himself other than to say something like "It hurk" and pointing to a body part etc.

I'm not exactly sure what will be done, if in fact he does have a stone, but we'll see how the testing comes out first.

Sonja will be tested in the next month.

So, my reason for this post besides informing family/friends, is to urge any adoptive parent out their with a child from China during the W.H.O. stated time frame to GET THEM TESTED!!!

If your child gets sick, you'll wish you had!!!!!

Take care and take it easy!

Until next time.....

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I just wanted to wish all of you out in the "blogasphere" a very Happy Thanksgiving!

I personally have much to be thankful for.

I'm thankful for my family first and foremost. I never thought that my childhood "premonition" of adopting from China would have actually come true. In Catholic school, We had a "feed the children" program that was, at that time called "pagan babies" (I know, I know). Anyway, you would give a daily or weekly tithe to help provide for children struggling in other countries. You would then get to "pick out" the "baby" which was a picture of a child from another country glued to a cardboard backer and it was on a stand (kind of like paper dolls. I picked out a child from China and a child from India (even at that young age, which was 1st and 2nd grade, I was fascinated by the cultures, and still am!). The only problem was that I thought I was really going to get to "have" these babies and when I found out they weren't coming to my house to live at some point, I was told by my Mom I was devastated. As an adult Dan and I were having a problem conceiving. In 1996 or 1997 a friend and former co-worker of mine Deb had just returned from China with her daughter Kate. She had offered to help me with all of my paperwork etc when we were ready as she's an R.N. and social worker. It was then I knew we would adopt from China for sure. I would jokingly say I was going to adopt a baby boy from China, dye his hair red, put some fake freckles on his cheeks, and call him "Danielsan" (get it, I know not too funny, but I'm a cornball so now you know :-). My desire to adopt a child, and especially a child of a different ethnicity, was not too popular with some of the family on Dan's side as many were of an older generation rife with racial predjudices and overtones, a frequent topic on many adoption forums and I believe one of the biggest stressors adoptive familes face. Since that time all have come to adore our children. I believe it was more to do with fear of the unknown than anything.

We didn't adopt our son first as was the "plan" (nor have we dyed his hair red or freckled his face, as he's absolutely beautiful just the way he is)but we do have our family at long last, just the way it was meant to be and according to another plan much greater than our own.

I'm also very thankful for my extended family (Mom [a.k.a. Nana], sister, brothers and cousins). They are the BEST.

I'm also thankful for Dan's family. His father and mother are so great with the kids. Max is Grandpas boy and their faces light right up when they see eachother. Sonja loves her Grandma too and especially loves to bake at Grandma house with Grandma.

And last but not least, my friends both in my day to day life over the years, and my many friends I've met in cyberspace. You have all touched my life more deeply than I ever thought could be possible from people I've never "met" and I'm happy to call you friends.

I know I've probably forgotten someone. Please except my appologies if I have.

Thank you and Much love

Until next time.....

Thank You!

I have been so humbled by the amount of wonderful people who have shown me support, especially in recent months. Many of you I have never met but you have given me great strength by your words and offer of help.

In recent years, everywhere you look is deception, cyber-bullying, character assassination, psychopathic tendencies running rampant. Suddenly, then come beautiful people who have experienced what I'm going through, many much worse, who reach out and offer help or just let you know "I've been there, it'll be o.k." and you can breathe again. They help you to see the sunshine past the rain.

Thank you for helping me see the sunshine!!!

Much love!

Until next time......


Oh...BTW.... HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY LUCI!!!!

TCI day and finally HOME!!!!! Yipppeee!!!!!

Sorry it took me so long to post but I've been REALLY tired. It's been a long, tough few days and I've been exhausted.

I had my visit at TCI and what a day it was. We got there at about 10:00am and didn't leave there until 7:30pm!!

I was examined first by a nurse practitioner that asked a bazillion questions and tested my joints etc. After the exam she seemed to suggest I have EDS or Ehler Danlos Syndrome, along with tethered cord and cranial instability. She lead us to the education room, which had computers with educational videos about tethered cord, cranio-cervical instability and others. They also had juice, coffee and other munchies to eat (probably due to everyone being there for so long!).
Dan and I watched the TC and cranio-cervical instability video and boy, did they ring a bell with me.

I then was seen by the neurologist Dr. Mora. He did an extensive exam and suggested bad posture and cranio-cervical instability, carpo and cubital tunnel syndromes and suggested I get a at home traction device, use wrist splints to bed, use a lumbar support pillow at all times, and learn the Alexander technique for strengthening my core muscles. This poor man always suggests bad posture for most( so I've been told), if not all of the patients he sees, but he himself is so stooped over and looks as if he needs a nap! I think he should also take his own advice, but he seems to try and help. I will take his advice.

At long last I got to see the famous Dr. B!!! He is a very nice man and very funny too! He too is an adoptive parent only his son was adopted at age 14 and is from Belfast. He has three bio children, one of which was born with Chiari! What the chances huh? Anyways, he told me that he suspects I have occult tethered cord, along with herniations to my C, T and L spine. From what I gathered, I don't have true Chiari but all of my symptoms "smell of Chiari" except I don't have the small Foramen Magnum. I instead have a larger than normal foramen magnum (of course I'd have to be different) and that I was born that way, possibly due to the occult tethered cord in the first 5 weeks gestation. That is when the FM is formed. I have tonsillar herniations (7mm) and my brainstem is elongated. It's (my brainstem) is suppose to be in my head but of course, I'd have to be different again and have it continue into my cervical spine! This is probably what is causing my chest pain and shortness of breath along with the other things (dizziness, headache,blurred/double vision, etc, etc)
I have to have more testing done (echocardiogram and urodynamics) and if my echo is good and my uro testing is suggestive of OTC, then he'll do what is called a Section Filum Terminale, which is he will cut the part of my spinal cord called the filum terminale. This he thinks will reduce the tension/pulling of my spinal cord, brainstem and cerebellum, releasing the structures so they can take their correct position and therefore help with my symptoms. He also gave me some medicine (Diamox) that is suppose to help reduce the amount of CSF I produce, to help cut down on the symptoms. This medicine is also used by people with glaucoma to help reduce the amount of ocular fluid (?) they produce.

As far as the uro testing is concerned, unfortunately no one around here does it and I will have to drive either 1 or 2 hours away to have it done :-( Oh well, at least it will be another piece of the puzzle found. If I can't get it done there, I will have to have it done in Long Island. If I have to go back there I'm taking the kids with me.

I missed them so much! They lift me up with their sweet smiling faces and little voices and help distract me from this stuff. They loved staying with G-ma and G-pa but when Sonja got on the phone with me while we were in Long Island, she sounded so sad, and she kept asking me when I was coming home and when was my Dr.'s appointment. When we finally did get home she was ecstatic and said "I missed you so much Mommy (and then to Daddy too)!" She wouldn't leave me for a second! We may have to have her miss school but I don't think it'll hurt her academically anyway, after all, it is only Pre-K!

I had some questions regarding my visit and diagnosis so I e mailed Dr. B. As extremely busy as he is, he e-mailed me back and answered my questions! Now how many other doctors in his position would do that?

I'm impressed by him and all of the staff at TCI and so happy I went there. I know if anyone can help me they can.

I'm also so happy to be home too!!!

Take care all!

Much love!

Until next time.....

Testing Day

Today was my day of testing for The Chiari Institute. We arrived early (about 1 hour) at the testing facility and I started going over my paperwork and realized I was suppose to be NPO (nothing by mouth) for the testing (I swear I'd forget my head if it wasn't attached!). I started to go into panic mode, as I thought I blew it and wouldn't be able to have the testing and possibly may have to cancel my consult all together! Dan reassured me and we went inside.

I approached the desk and gave my name and the receptionist handed me papers to fill out, etc. I returned the papers and told her "I think I messed this up really bad" and started to cry a bit even though I was trying my hardest not to. She said "nothing is that bad" and asked what was the matter. I told her about my block-headed mistake and she said "It's o.k. Just have a seat and relax", so that's what I tried to do.

I went into the bathroom and she came over to Dan and told him to tell me not to worry.

I was then called in for the testing. I changed into a lovely, blue cotton number and was lead into the MRI suite. He placed this head and neck brace thingy on me which resembled Hannibal Lector's mask and told me not to move or swallow....... easier said than done. I did my best as he told me that if I don't hear any banging, plinking etc it was safer to swallow at those times. It seemed to last forever!!!!! I was feeling really dizzy and nauseated and didn't think I could make it through. I was wishing and praying for it to be over already. I finally was finished with that test after about an hour or so. The tech, John, then told me that I wasn't going to have the IV contrast MRI because of having COPD and also because I had eaten. I guess it was more so because of the COPD than anything, due to breathing complications associated with the dye. When I went to get up after sitting up for a while, I thought I was going to fall down. I was kind of disoriented, my vision was really blurry, nauseated and I felt very off balance. I was then sent to have x rays.

The x rays were much quicker. I had to have some standing, some with my mouth open, my head flexed and extended and some lying down. I was then sent to have the 3D CT scan which was performed without a hitch.

I was in the wating area, for the tech to come out with the TCI packet and my disc and met another woman who had tethered cord and had ACDF and detethering. She said prior to the detethering she was is very bad shape. Had great trouble walking etc and her story sounded very much like my story. She had the surgeries and said she's regained a lot of her function but has perminant damage. She said she had a syrinx that occupied 80%of her spinal cord!!! For those that don't know about this stuff, that's really bad. Anyways, she's much better now and is having her daughter tested, who is 4, due to symptoms her daughter is having (poor little peanut!) I hope and pray that she's o.k.

I was surprized to be done and it was only 1:45 or so! I wish I would have felt better because I would have loved to go and see some sights, but oh well, no big deal.

W drove a round a bit and later decided to go have a bite to eat. We hit TGI Fridays and then drove a bit more. Great Neck is a really nice place. I would like to come again when we all can enjoy ourselves together as a family. We headed back to the hotel at about 5:00 and was met by the attendant Lucus again. What a sweetie! He asked about our day etc and parked our car. Up in the room, I started to look at the disc that they gave me of my tests, but just couldn't stay awake. I fell right to sleep at about 5:30.

I woke up because the cell phone was ringing. It was my sister Vicky calling to check up on us.

Tomorrow is supposed to be another long day, but I will find out what the results of the tests are and what the doctors have to say about everything. Looking at the disc, I look like I have some tethering along with Chiari, hemangioma, fractured spine but no big syrinx. If I do have a syrinx it's small. I'm nervous but I'm pretty sure I'll soon have some answers.

Hope you all are doing well!!!

Take it easy!

Until next time......