Nothing Like a Holiday . . .

. . . to get a few things done.

We aren't finished with the kitchen, but we've made some significant progress. It all very exciting.

We have been meaning to put wainscoting up in the kitchen for about a year now. Remember when my friend Jessie helped me paint the kitchen?

We were going to paint it black and then install it, but it rained all weekend. It wasn't a lot of rain, just enough to make it impossible to paint. So no paint yet, and we still have to put the molding on the top.

Here it is so far.


close up . . .


Oh and we came across a nasty looking spider. I don't know what kind it is yet, but I plan on going to What's That Bug to find out.

Test Results

I got a call with the test results for the boys today.

Davis-- everything came back normal so what we are doing seems to be working. We just need to keep giving him cornstarch at bedtime and monitor his blood sugar if he starts acting strange.

Kai-- he tested negative for celiac. She still thinks there is some sort of problem with nutrient absorption so he will need start seeing a gastroenterologist. He is also scheduled for a cystic fibrosis test on the 1st, though they are fairly certian he doesn't have cystic fibrosis. They just want to rule it out.

Everyone Loves a Cupcake

I love this picture. I took it at the elementary school's story telling festival last week.

On an unrelated note . . .

If you need a good laugh go check out this blog about my friend's son.

Scheduling Difficulties

I hate it when stupid people waste my time.

Yesterday I called UVRMC to schedule a test for the boy. First I was transferred from person to person because they couldn't figure out if I really needed an appointment or if I could just walk-in. After deciding I really did need an appointment they transferred me to the chemistry lab.

lab person (lp): "Chemistry."
me: "Hi, I need to make an appointment for my son to take a sweat test."
lp: "How old is he?"
me: "six."
lp: "oh . . . I don't think we can do that . . . um . . . well . . . just a second."

For the next several minutes I hear the lab person talking to another person

lab person (lp): "Hey, this lady wants to make an appointment for her six year old to take a sweat test."
other person(op): "so, schedule it."
lp: "I don't think we can do that test on six year olds."
op: "What does the computer say."
lp: "It just says pediatric."
op: "That's fine then."
lp: "No. I think they have to be 5 and under. It's age specific."
op: "Really? Does it say that?"
lp: "No, I just remember that from somewhere."
op: "Then I think it's fine."

Did I mention that I had to sit and listen to this insanity for several minutes?

Even though everything in front of her said that he qualified for the test, they all started debating about whether or not to schedule him for it. She isn’t sure, but she thinks she remembers reading or hearing something about the test not being given to children older than five. Apparently there’s some question about whether or not a six year old qualifies as a pediatric case. Of course, the whole reason that they want to do the test in the first place is because he has the body of a three year old. I wanted to yell, "Let's just say he's three and schedule the appointment!"

Finally she gets back on the phone and says, "Just call back tomorrow and talk to someone else."

Really? She is so concerned about his age that she won't schedule him and her solution is to call back tomorrow? We all know that when I call back tomorrow I'll talk to someone who didn't hear or read whatever it is she heard or read and will schedule the test. So why not just schedule it now? Why? WHY? Am I the only one who finds this ridiculous?

I called back this morning and talked to a different lab person.

lab person (lp): "Chemistry."
me: "Hi, I need to schedule an appointment for my son to take a sweat test."
lp: "Okay . . . how about June 1st at 10am."
me: "That works."

The new lab person got the boy's name, age, all that jazz, and told me we're all set.

me: "So it isn't a problem that he is six?"
lp: "No. It's a pediatric test."
me: "Right, but when I called yesterday they told me that you might not be able to do the test because he was over the age of five."
lp: "That doesn't make any sense. It's a pediatric test. I mean sometimes we get poor results when we test adults, but I'm pretty sure six still qualifies as pediatric."

Yeah. I kind of figured as much.

Health Update

I keep getting questions about the various things going on with the Davis and Kai right now. So . . . I guess its time for an update.

Davis and Kai finally saw the endocrinologist this week. Kai has grown about a quarter of an inch in two years and hasn't gained any weight. Apparently he has young bones. This is good because that means he has the potential for growth in his bones. All of his hormone levels came back great so by all accounts he should be growing like a weed, he just isn't. She doesn't think he is just a slow grower for various reason I won't get into. She thinks it is more likely that he has celiac. He has taken a blood test for it but we don't have the results back yet.

Basically we are back at square one with Davis. The endocrinologist said she isn't sure Davis has ketotic hypoglycemia, which is what he was diagnosed with earlier. She is redoing all the blood tests because the ones that were done last time weren't done when he was fasting and so they don't really tell her anything. She said that he may have something where his body doesn't know how to use his stored fat as energy. So she is testing for that. She also said that there may be nothing wrong with him and it was just a freak incident. Kind of like how last year when he all of the sudden had no white blood cells was just a freak incident. Anyway he also did a whole round of blood tests (fasting this time) and we are waiting for those results too.

I promise to post more when I get the results. I'm generally bad about that . . . .

Track and Field

I've been trying to write this post about Madison for a while now, but life keeps getting in the way. Anyway, here goes . . . .

This spring Madison joined the Provo city track and field team. You may not believe me, but she has some advantages over the other runners.

First, she is skinny. She is nine and might weigh 45 lbs. soaking wet. It takes less energy to move skinny than it does to move fat. For that matter it take less energy to move skinny than it does to move not quite as skinny.

Second, she practices more than the the allotted three hours a week as she is constantly running away from the torment of three little brothers. Unfortunately, distance rarely removes you from the torment of brothers. Not that I would know, my two brothers are and always have been absolute gems. That being said, I'm pretty sure I was the best sister a couple of boys could ever hope for.

Third, Madison never lets anyone get in the way of something she's worked for. She's timid but determined.

Last Thursday (the 14th) was her first ever track meet. She was a little nervous. "Mom," she said, "The 14 year old girl on my team is way faster than me." She felt a little better when she heard she wouldn't be competing against the 14 year olds.

She competed in the 100 meter, the 200 meter, and the standing long jump. She did well enough on the long jump and the 100 meter, but her crowning moment was the 200 meter.

They put her in lane 6. Now I know that all the lanes are the same distance. I learned that from cyberchase (that link takes a long time to load by the way. At least it does for me . . . if it doesn't for you, try not to brag). Madison also knows that all the lanes are the same distance (who do you think I was watching cyberchase with after all? If I'd had my druthers we'd have been watching Judge Judy. But try as I might she's never been that interested in law).

Even though all the lanes are the same distance Madison still felt like she was starting out in first place and was willing to fight to keep it. She held strong until a boy (yes she was racing against boys) started coming up on her. So she ran faster, so he ran faster, so she ran faster, so he ran faster, and so on and so forth. You'd be amazed at how much back and forth there can be in 200 meters. She. Was. Awesome.

In the end he barely one, but I'm sure it was only because he didn't want to be humiliated by being out run by a 45 lb girl.

Watch out though little boy, there's another track meet next week and she's coming for you.

I Hate It When That Happens!

The boy walks into my room wearing only a t-shirt and underwear.

Me: "What the Hell? Why aren't you dressed?"
Boy: "I'm getting dressed right now!"
Me: "But you were fully dressed five minutes ago!"
Boy: "Oh ya . . . I forgot . . . I guess I'm just getting dressed again!"