So, unfortunately, the lightheadedness continues, and every day, my daughter asks to stay home because her head feels so bad. Unfortunately, we have no idea what brought this on, or how to fix it. It's been going on since the beginning of February. The only event that might have triggered it was a cold, and not even a bad one!
I spoke with the doctor yesterday, and he recommended (1) continuing to super-hydrate (which has helped to eliminate the black spots blocking her vision), (2) vestibular rehab, and (3) starting her on Antivert, an antihistamine that combats dizziness and nausea.
Today we started the Antivert, and I will start calling around about advanced vestibular rehab. Madi's OT has minimal experience with it, and is doing the best she can, but did mention some other clinics that might be able to better assist her. Just what our family needs - another therapist! But, of course I will do what is necessary to help my daughter get her head on straight... :)
Thank you for all the concern, prayers, and well wishes.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Monster Blood
Madilyn has recently taken a liking to the R.L. Stein "Goosebumps" series. Her latest read was "Monster Blood".
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| Something scary is happening in GOOSEBUMPS HORRORLAND, the all-new, all-terrifying series by R. L. Stine. Just how scary? You'll never know unless you crack open this classic prequel! Evan visits an eerie old toy store and buys a dusty can of Monster Blood. But then he notices something weird about the slimy green ooze. It keeps growing. And growing. And growing. And all that growing has given the Monster Blood a monstrous appetite. . . . |
Can I just say that this is the girl who still gets scared during tense scenes in PG movies? But, she really seems to love these books, and I know that they're a grade-school staple. So, I just smile indulgently when she shows me her latest read...
Back to our story. The book shown above comes with a recipe for Monster Blood in the back, and Madi had her heart set on trying it out. She's been pestering me to buy Jell-O (ugh) so that she could make some. I finally did, and here's the story of our laboratory experiment:
Here's Madi adding the green food coloring after smashing up the blue Jell-O.
The finished product.
Monster Blood - in a glass. Aren't the blue chunks appealing?
Ready to sample some Monster Blood.
The face of horror afterwards, because the stuff tasted horrific!
We ended up sending the Monster Blood down the drain, because neither one of us could take more than a sip without wanting to gag. I guess I shouldn't have expected smashed Berry Blue Jell-O floating in apple juice to taste good...
But now the Monster Blood is snaking its way through the sewers, free to terrorize another hapless family... will you be safe? BWAHH HAA HAA!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Results are in...
My youngest's MRI was completely normal. While this is a huge relief, we still don't have any idea what's causing her lightheadedness.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
In a word
Last night while in the car, the following conversation occurred as driving past the 3M Center in Maplewood.
Sarah: "Gary, look! That's where you work!"
Mom: "Yes, that's right, but that's not what you call him."
Sarah, not missing a beat: "Gerald, that's where you work!"
While Mom unsuccessfully fights back snickers, Madi yells "He's DAD!"
Sarah, unfazed: "Dad, is that your work?"
(After posting this yesterday, I realized that it is much funnier if you know that my husband's given name is Gerald, but he goes by his middle name...)
Sarah: "Gary, look! That's where you work!"
Mom: "Yes, that's right, but that's not what you call him."
Sarah, not missing a beat: "Gerald, that's where you work!"
While Mom unsuccessfully fights back snickers, Madi yells "He's DAD!"
Sarah, unfazed: "Dad, is that your work?"
(After posting this yesterday, I realized that it is much funnier if you know that my husband's given name is Gerald, but he goes by his middle name...)
Monday, March 7, 2011
Family Fun
Tonight, for our family night, we went to check out a lighted sledding hill. This outing had a dual purpose - the youth group wanted to have a sledding night on Wednesday, and I wanted to scope out the hill in advance - but that didn't mean that we couldn't have fun doing it.
Wow! I don't think I've laughed so hard in a long time. I caught air a couple of times, but the best (?) run was (unintentionally) flying backwards down the hill in a small saucer, which hit a bump, flew off the ground, hit the ground at full speed, and then snowballed - with me executing a perfect backwards somersault. I was laughing so hard I couldn't stop.
Sarah stayed in the car the whole time, but Madi was loving it, in spite of the fact that she claimed "I almost died!" after every run. She did a really great job, and didn't even complain about climbing the very steep hill time after time.
We ended the expedition with hot chocolate (except Sarah, who vetoed the idea) and a quick trip to Menards and Fleet Farm to try and buy new sleds. Turns out that it's pretty hard to find them in March, even in Minnesota. All in all, a great family night.
The youth group is going to have a great time on Wednesday!
Wow! I don't think I've laughed so hard in a long time. I caught air a couple of times, but the best (?) run was (unintentionally) flying backwards down the hill in a small saucer, which hit a bump, flew off the ground, hit the ground at full speed, and then snowballed - with me executing a perfect backwards somersault. I was laughing so hard I couldn't stop.
Sarah stayed in the car the whole time, but Madi was loving it, in spite of the fact that she claimed "I almost died!" after every run. She did a really great job, and didn't even complain about climbing the very steep hill time after time.
We ended the expedition with hot chocolate (except Sarah, who vetoed the idea) and a quick trip to Menards and Fleet Farm to try and buy new sleds. Turns out that it's pretty hard to find them in March, even in Minnesota. All in all, a great family night.
The youth group is going to have a great time on Wednesday!
On Painting
As I have been doing a LOT of room painting recently, I've decided that it's a lot like childbirth.
Lots of planning beforehand, HATE IT when you're in the middle of it, but then the end result is generally so pleasant that you forget how much you hated actually doing it, so you end up doing it again.
Lots of planning beforehand, HATE IT when you're in the middle of it, but then the end result is generally so pleasant that you forget how much you hated actually doing it, so you end up doing it again.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Ditzy, Dizzy, or Lightheaded?
I love my youngest daughter terribly. She is a wonderful person with a tremendous heart. But seriously, sometimes she can be seriously... blonde. (I'm allowed to make blonde jokes; I used to be one, naturally speaking) As such, I often take what she says with a grain of salt.
She's been complaining of being "dizzy" since the beginning of February, so for about a month now. I took her in to the doctor on the 9th, and he diagnosed her with a mild cold. Needless to say, she didn't get to stay home. But every day since then, it's the first thing she says when she wakes up. "Mom, I'm dizzy."
Practical one that I am, I watch for signs of imbalance, and see none. Off to school! Finally on the 28th, she combines it with a sore throat, and I let her stay home, since her sister is home with a bad cold also (the day is already ruined, right?)
As the day progresses, she complains of black spots in front of her eyes. She gets them several times a day, and sometimes, she says, they get so big that they obscure her vision, and she walks into walls. What?? Further discussion reveals that this has been going on for weeks! When I ask her why she didn't tell me, she says that I would make her go to school anyway... (she has definitely inherited the guilt gene).
So, I took her to the doctor today, and he suspected that she was dehydrated, based on her sitting, standing, and laying blood pressure/heart rate stats. He prescribed LOTS of water. To be thorough, he also ordered a hearing test to check for any loss. As he was leaving, he said that the test would likely come back normal, and if so, the water's the trick. If there was loss, then he wanted an MRI to check her ears and brain.
Well, there is a hearing loss, so she's scheduled for an MRI in two days. I'm trying hard to not be scared.
She's been complaining of being "dizzy" since the beginning of February, so for about a month now. I took her in to the doctor on the 9th, and he diagnosed her with a mild cold. Needless to say, she didn't get to stay home. But every day since then, it's the first thing she says when she wakes up. "Mom, I'm dizzy."
Practical one that I am, I watch for signs of imbalance, and see none. Off to school! Finally on the 28th, she combines it with a sore throat, and I let her stay home, since her sister is home with a bad cold also (the day is already ruined, right?)
As the day progresses, she complains of black spots in front of her eyes. She gets them several times a day, and sometimes, she says, they get so big that they obscure her vision, and she walks into walls. What?? Further discussion reveals that this has been going on for weeks! When I ask her why she didn't tell me, she says that I would make her go to school anyway... (she has definitely inherited the guilt gene).
So, I took her to the doctor today, and he suspected that she was dehydrated, based on her sitting, standing, and laying blood pressure/heart rate stats. He prescribed LOTS of water. To be thorough, he also ordered a hearing test to check for any loss. As he was leaving, he said that the test would likely come back normal, and if so, the water's the trick. If there was loss, then he wanted an MRI to check her ears and brain.
Well, there is a hearing loss, so she's scheduled for an MRI in two days. I'm trying hard to not be scared.
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