It's hot. Let's do summer stuff.

Insert five million pictures....done!  Summer seems to finally be in full-swing here, and we were so ready.  Our garden is getting large enough to install trellises, and I actually got in the water today (RARE.  SO RARE.)  The last time Adam and I lived in the Rogue Valley, we lived very different lives.  He co-owned three piercing/tattoo shops, I was a party girl, and we were newly dating.  We didn't do much "outdoor exploration."  Now that living back in the area, we're realizing just how wonderful this part of Oregon is.  There is so much to do outdoors.  We've hiked tablerock...(not as fun for the kids as it was for us, :) visited Ashland's weekend art market and Lithia Park, spent some time out in Jacksonville, and today we went to Emigrant Lake for a picnic and some swimming.  We've made our 2nd Annual 'summer fun list' and budget constraints or not, we're going to make this the best summer yet!

on surgery

Harder to put on paper than it is to bring up in conversation, I know nothing about eyes.  I know what doctors have told me about Joel's, that the first doctor we went to badly needed to retire, and that Dr. Baxstrom is an optometrist and not an opthamologist...and there is apparently a difference.  A big difference.  And after moving down here to Oregon, I'm finding out very quickly that some doctor's offices treat OHP patients differently than those privately insured.

The original plan was to continue with the eye therapy that Baxstrom laid out for us.  His progress as of now is at somewhat of a plateau.  Our time spent doing eye exercises has decreased.  Our time spent wearing the glasses has decreased.  And other areas of his physical development have gone through the roof....sometimes kids only want to work in one area at a time.

After being referred to a local Opthamologist, we were told once again that Joel needed surgery.  Most of what this doctor said contradicted what Dr. Baxstrom had discussed with us.  When I had questions, I tried to keep emotion out of it, but I think it was obvious that I was frustrated.  I want Joel's eyes to be fixed.  I don't need a pissing match between doctors.  During the question/answering session, I caught a few snide remarks from the assisting nurse in the room.  At one point, she literally laughed out loud when I asked a question about info that didn't sound right to me.  I asked her to leave the room, and the doc and I had a one on one conversation about the nurse's behavior and the differences in information I had received from the other two eye doctors we've seen.  Before I left, Dr. Schultz made the remark, "She was only reacting that way because she sees these questions every day.......She doesn't understand that you're not the typical OHP mom.  You're beautiful, and you're a great mom for Joel.  Thanks for being patient with us." 

Umm, was that supposed to be a compliment?  At what point in my appointment was any of our conversation about my insurance?  What does my insurance have to do with the way I am to be treated by health professionals? 

I scheduled the surgery for Joel.  And I'm cancelling it tomorrow morning.  After talking with a friend I think it's pretty obvious I need yet another opinion on Joel's eye...and if this new doctor decides Joel needs surgery, then so be it.  I just want this over with, but I'll be damned if I'm going to let someone operate on my son who can't even conduct himself or his office in a professional manner.

EAT THIS!

Our little boy wants to eat EVERYTHING!  He doesn't know his boundaries....he doesn't understand that he can't eat pizza yet, or that a drink of milk may go down the "wrong pipe" and lead to a possible aspiration at noon on a Friday, scare the living daylight out of his parents and end up in the ER for 4 hours. 

And while we're on the subject, that did scare the crap out of us.  We're in a weird spot right now....Joel hasn't officially been cleared to eat normal foods....just "tasting"...but his appetite is big, and he's figuring it out, and we're not able to see a GI doc or their feeding team for another month.  It doesn't feel right to hold him back on foods until then, but we have seen what can happen when we try something new.  So, we won't be attempting to drink milk out of a cup for the time being.  Not yet.  But it will happen!  Soon!