Going to Need a 2nd DOC Band

Because of all the time that CJ needed to spend out of the DOC band due to a rash it's looking like he's going to need a second one. I think we have the rash under control. It's not perfect, but it's not all scabby looking and over half of his head anymore. They have put some mole skin inside which really seems to have helped with the rash. There is improvement, but they think this current band is only going to fit him for another month. And because of all the time he spent out of it they think he'll need a second band. Now my concern of course is if the insurance will pay for a second band. This thing costs $3600 which I most definitely do not have. Honestly, I'm in no position to pay any portion of it. The insurance hasn't even completely paid for this band. They said they would work something out though. Not entirely sure what that means, but because of how rare it is for a child to have as severe of a rash as CJ has had in this they seem to think they can get us a second band. I suppose we will cross that bridge when we come to it though. I am frustrated at how long it took them to finally put some sort of covering on the band since I had asked for that from the moment the rash popped up and they told me they couldn't do it. Then suddenly they could. Now unfortunately it's looking like he'll still have the band on for his 1st birthday. I really was hoping to avoid the long trip during the winter months with slick icy roads, but that looks like it's not going to happen either. But at least there is improvement in the shape of his head. We are getting somewhere. I did ask today if we get a second band if they would put the mole skin on it right away and they told me no. I thought that was strange since so far this seems to be the only thing that is protecting his little head. They told me they would probably just monitor him closer in the beginning. So it looks like our weekly trips down there are going to continue. I have to say I don't know what I would do without my insurance paying for this treatment and reimbursing my gas to drive down there. I guess I am very fortunate.

A Season of Ups and Downs is Over

I am one bummed Mets fan. My baseball season is now officially over. No more nail biting, no more breathless moments, and no more near heart attacks. At least not until April. The Mets are not moving on to the post season again this year. And again this year they loose it on the last day of the regular season to the Florida Marlins of all teams. I suppose it's fitting since they put the final nail in the coffin of their historic collapse last year. There was a small glimmer of hope that they would move on today, but unfortunately as is the story of the Mets their bullpen could not hold on and sadly Chicago couldn't pull out one more win for the Mets today. So now I need to let all of this sink in and then in a few months start watching as they trade and pick up new players. I certainly hope that a closer and some more starting pitching is on the list of prospects for them. It's too bad Johan Santana can't pitch everyday. Perhaps if he did we would have had a chance this year. So this die hard Mets fan says so long to another season that could have been. Team tight rope, thanks again for dashing all of your fans dreams. Hopefully Citi Field next year is better luck for you than Shea Stadium has been the last few years!

What's this Blog Rated?

This was based on the fact that the word kill appeared in my blog once. Ooops, now it's twice ;). I hope that didn't change my rating.

A DOC Band Saga

Over seven weeks ago CJ first received his DOC Band to help reshape his head. The first few weeks things seemed to be going really well, but then about 4 weeks into wearing it I noticed he was developing a rash on the back of his head. I called and they said it's a heat rash just put some hydrocortisone cream on it and it should be fine in a day. Well, no improvement one day later so I called back and they said okay take the band off let it heal and then put the band back on. So I did, but after it healed and the band went back on the rash came back. He has seemed to completely stump the employees at Cranial Tech with this rash. For weeks now we've been going in every week to try to control this. It has just been expanding more and more around his head.

So this last time when we drove down there I was a little better prepared with a second opinion. His doctor had seen the rash now and was sure that despite what Cranial Tech believed he is in deed allergic to the material in the band and is developing eczema. She had suggested some sort of barrier, which I have been told time and time again is not possible to do. So when I told them this week about what the doctor said I was told again that she doesn't believe that to be the problem because it's not all over his head and she has never seen this in the eight years of doing this. But if that's what his doctor thinks it is she's not saying that she's wrong, but she's never seen it and she still believes it's a heat rash. Now suddenly though she is able to line the helmet with something. So in the spots he's getting the rash she has put this felt feeling material in there. She told me to wait until his head heals from this current rash and then put it back on so we can be sure if this helps or not. She doesn't sound too optimistic that it will help though. I have had the helmet off since Thursday now. He still has a bit of rash on his head, but it's mostly healed so I'll probably put it back on today. We go back again on Wednesday to see if this has helped.

She did compare his head to the mold of the pretreatment shape and there is improvement. So it is working. We just need to get it to stay on his head long enough to be effective. We are halfway through what they told us would be the treatment time. I'm still optimistic that we'll have it off for his birthday.

I'm pulling my hair out, or rather the girls

I HATE lice! It is the worse most annoying little bug ever. A week and a half ago I had to pick the girls up from school early because they both had lice. So we did the lice drill. Cleaned their heads with the special shampoo, combed their hair, vacuumed the carpets and furniture, sprayed the furniture with lice spray, bagged all the stuffed animals, and cleaned all the linens in hot water. We brought the girls back to school the next day and she checked them and said we were good to go no more live lice. She has been combing Kaitlyn's hair daily to help get rid of the nits and yesterday her hair was completely nit free. She was great. Then today she was itching so went down to the nurses office and again she was covered with live bugs. They checked Natalie too and I guess again she just has the nits, but they still said she has to go. I asked the nurse what am I supposed to do? Every time we get rid of this they get them right back. She said other nurses in the area have also been dealing with a lice problem and I guess they are worried that these lice are resistant to the shampoos. So they aren't sure what they are going to do. She gave me some more shampoo though and told me she would get them some plastic mattress covers and pillow covers to try to help us get rid of them. So they are missing another day of school and I'm frantically trying to do all the cleaning and comb out their hair all on my own today because Joe is at work and I have to work tonight. I am so ready to just shave their heads and get it over with. This is so crazy. I can't believe they have it again.

My First Day

Well, my first night of work was pretty uneventful. It was just filling out paperwork and signing my name a million times and watching a video and touring the store. I go back tonight to do some computer stuff and then Friday night as well. Next week I start actual training on the register and then in my departments which will be mens, Misses, and Juniors. Things at home I guess went well, but Joe didn't have much to say to me when I came home. I talked to the girls this morning (they were in bed when I came home last night) and it sounds like they weren't on their best behavior. They argued about going to bed. CJ was cranky from the sounds of it too and Joe didn't like that I asked him to give the girls a bath. So I guess that explained the lack of talking he did when I came home. I talked to the girls this morning about being more help to Daddy with CJ and doing what he tells them to do with out argument so maybe tonight will be a better night for Joe.

Wish me Luck

I am leaving shortly for my new job. First job I have had in over 9 years. I'm a little nervous. It's just Orientation so it shouldn't be too bad. Actually, probably very boring watching videos and stuff. I can't believe I'm no longer a SAHM.