quick update

Owen has been mostly fine today. Just extra tired and cuddly. I have not heard from Neuro for an apt. I'll probably call tomorrow. 

I read something interesting today on a spina bifida parents listserv I'm on online describing how her 20 month old son presented with some shunt malfunction symptoms, but it ended up being caused by severe constipation. They discovered he was really backed up when they did his shunt series x-ray. Now I don't think Owen is particularly constipated right now. Not to get too graphic, but his poops are a good consistency and pretty regular. I have not been doing the fleets though, that I had started back in Sept—one too many things going on around here. Anyway, being backed up can cause pressure on the upper abdomen. This could affect how the shunt drains, since it is ending in the abdomen. It could cause a partial intermittent blockage of the shunt, and the slow draining of the shunt and added pressure could cause a headache. So in my mind this could be a possible scenario for what's happening with Owen as well, since it is so erratic and the headaches seem to come in groups over a few days. Now, being the busy mom I am I have not been keeping super good tabs on when and how much Owen is pooping. It would be useful to have had a journal of such things to compare to the headaches, but alas. If only I were more OCD about poop. (don't laugh, this may happen.)

So I think I will still go ahead and get an appointment made with Boaz. We are upping his Miralax and starting the fleets as of tonight. I may call our nurse at spina bifida clinic tomorrow and get her take on this theory and get some ideas for "cleaning him out."

Now, the little boy described on the Listserve did end up having a shunt revision, but I am hopeful this may take care of it for Owen (maybe wishful thinking). If not, we will at least rule out constipation along with ear infection. So we'll see.

thanks for praying.

In other news... Owen was a rock star at speech therapy this morning. Liam has been working with him to get him to repeat words. They think they are playing a game, but it is becoming a breakthrough of sorts for Owen. Liam can get him to repeat BALL, BOOK, BUBBLE, PA PA, and WA WA. (which sound more like BA--, BOO-, and BU BOO. but he clearly makes different vowel sounds!!!) He started doing it for me this week too. And today we got him to do it for Julie. Loving the praise and cheers he received, he attempted to imitate some more sounds/words: PIG and BABY. "tried" being the operative word.

so that was cool, but with 10 minutes to go in therapy, he got super tired and just wanted mommy to cuddle. He proceeded to take a nap on my chest for the next few hours, completely destroying my plans to actually start packing today. He didn't want anything to do with his bed or crib, just wanted mommy and today I gave in. Hard to say "tough" when you suspect he doesn't feel good. He woke up happy though and had a grand old time with Grandpa Potter this afternoon playing outside and going to the park.

Okay, not such a quick update after all! Thanks for checking in.

jen