Our Week

We really had a full week. Having kids with medical needs means a lot of time at the doctors, and this week...and month...is a good example of this lifestyle we lead. Monday started out with a blood draw for one of my guys checking allergy IgE levels. After getting the oil changed on the car, I took Lily three hours away to University of Michigan for a pediatric ophthalmology visit.

While she was hoping for pink glasses...she is barely farsighted, normal for her age, and left without a glasses script and retinas that looked just lovely! She’s so serious in that big chair. Lily did NOT like having her eyes dilated, and barely made it to the car in the sunlight. Once we were inside, she dramatically said, “Mom, I think I need a wheelchair!” 

No...she needed a nap. 

A few days later, we had a check up at the allergist for my second oldest and found out his food allergies are stable and while we need to make college aware of his food allergies, he is not at an extreme risk for anaphylaxis for small exposures. Relief!

Pete had a PT eval for issues with issues he is having with his knees, as well as an evaluation for orthodics for his feet. Pete has been in and out of varying orthodics his entire life. The pronation in his feet is “severe” from the PT’s eval, and she actually wants him in higher orthodics like he was much earlier as a tiny guy. The ankle bone is being displaced so significantly, it is making his knees and feet hurt. While we wait for the orthodics to be fitted and made, he is to see PT twice a week to try to strengthen his leg muscles and decrease the pain and swelling in his knees.   Poor Pete, that basketball took a toll on his legs. Hopefully, with PT and exercises, his legs will strengthen up and he’ll be off and running with better support in his shoes.

Gabe did do a very cool series of experiments mixing hydrogen peroxide with baker’s yeast, capturing the released oxygen in the balloon and then put under a jar with a lit candle to see the oxygen released and the flare of the flame on the candle. What I didn’t get a picture of is the two times he ran with the liter bottle full of hydrogen peroxide and yeast exploding over with foam and since I am ALLERGIC to activated yeast like that...it was sort a mad dash outside to dump in the compost heap. This begs the question...why were we doing this inside to begin with? I think it might have been raining or something to begin with.

Pete is assisting, notice he is using his brother as a shield. 

We made it out of that one alive and well. Gabe is doing Apologia Science-Physical Science. I like this program, it is not perfect, but very doable and the experiments are fun. They use mostly household objects, or things easily obtained at the next grocery store run.

We rounded out the week with an afternoon at a very dear lady’s house who has homeschooled for years. Her devotion to her family and support she gives others is inspiring. Lily was in heaven since they had newly arrived chicks.

The evening ended with Lily pointing out that Spring as finally arrived in this Northern Tundra. Deo Gratias. Buds on the trees!!

We are so blessed, we have had a lot of good news this week with health concerns, and we got quite a bit of school done. Plus, you can’t be in that bad of mood when pink buds greet you out the kitchen window.

Happy Spring!!