Can I get positive thoughts/prayers/whatever good vibes sent my dad's way? He had his thyroid removed Monday and had a hard time post op. He had a cardiac "incident". It wasn't a heart attack but it was pretty serious. His cardiac enzymes are elevated and he's a pretty sick guy.

And so Section Nine has been created lol

Dan is struggling again. He's having a rough time with voices and keeping himself under control. The Dr upped his meds and we'll have him back to the dr and the counselor in about a week. He's done so well so far- well over a year since his last hospitalization and he seems to be pretty well able to keep himself in check for the most part. I would guess that he's going through another growth spurt or something. He's gonna be one tall dude. He's doing super well in school despite his thinking that he's no good at it. I often get reports of how smart he is and how well he is doing. He's still devouring every book he can get his hands on as well. He really enjoyed the first couple of Discworld books and adores Mercedes Lackey and David Eddings. I'm really proud of him.

Anyone know how to spend those damn achievenment points? I'd really like a vanity pet but have no clue how to spend them!

hA!

Less than a week to go before the Eagle Island Experience festival- we are performing at least 3 times during the 3 day event (Saturday and Sunday). Last year it was warm, but a tad bit windy. I got sunburnt- I rarely do that. I blame the flimsy costumes.

I think this year that I may be doing my solo as well as a group dance in which we (the 3 or 4 of us that will perform it) have short solos in it. This weekend will kick of an almost non stop run of performances until the end of June. It also looks like that they will start in mid July again. The only concern I have for the EIE is that it is supposed to get to 91 degrees.. Yuck.

My worst birthday had to be my 12th birthday. My b-day is Feb. 12 and sadly, my grandfather passed away the 9th of Feb. So on the 12th I had a very subdued birthday and on the 13th we buried my grandpa. It has taken a long time for my birthday to not be completely clouded by that. Now that I am older, I see it as an opportunity to celebrate his life and mine.

I could use some good news.

Fuck. Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck.

The new kitten is probably not going to make it through the night, after several days of Dan & I up all night, feeding it water every hour ect ect. And we had to surrender it to the adoption agency we got it from because I can't afford an additional 500+ to the almost 200+ we've put in. They say we can get him back once he gets well... but he's in mortal peril and it sucks. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.

Picture from the Capital City Public Market performance we did back in July. Me, of course, during my solo. Not a half bad picture considering the heat that day.

Tomorrow Dan goes back into the Hearing and Balance Center for another round of hearing test. They had initially decided that he had Central Auditory Processing Disorder. Treatment options we were offered for that consisted of simple exercises to "retrain" the brain and an FM soundfield system in the classroom. The exercises offered were not extensive, mostly easy things to do at home. I've been making more of an effort to try to face him when speaking, speak clearly and go over what he heard.

Things have changed though. My parents, his PSR worker, myself, and perhaps most importantly, Dan have all noticed that his hearing is (at times) markedly worse (and other times only "mildly" so). This is occuring in both situations with and without background noise. He is also complaining more frequently of being dizzy. One of the things they want to test for is auditory neuropathy. The audiologist I spoke with (who had done his initial testing) told me that auditory neuropathy mimics the CAPD they initially diagnosed him as having. I've done some basic research on the 'net on AN, but not much. I don't want to fall into that internet doctor mode since that seems to be a counter productive and unneccessarily worrysome thing to do. I did notice that AN is nerve damage to the 8th nerve. That could be something he could have been born with. His delivery was not an easy one and the basic fact is that his oxygen supply was repeatedly cut off during my labor.

Thinking back, I should have known something was not right. His speech was delayed and distorted. He was easily overwhelmed and confused by noise. I should have been more forceful with the pediatricians. I know it doesn't do any good to do the should have could have would haves, but they are still there in the back of my mind. Maternal guilt.


I think what scares me most about him possibly losing his hearing is that he has said more than once that he thinks he is going deaf and I can't stop it.