Babies Born ~ September 2007 #63

[Cassius2]

hello lovely ladies!

i have been quickly browsing through but havent had much time what with all the townsville action and sightseeing (well, honestly, it hasnt been that interesting as we have been inundated with a slowmoving monsoonal system. 175mm of rain in 6 hours is really boring and wet.

JM: i am glad to hear that you brother is out of immediate threat. this must be really upsetting and hard for all of you; not to mention scary as

Cally: oh our mealtime dramas are awesome. it can happen at anytime and be really full on. for the most part i try to ignore it and give her small goals. i remember as a kid finding mealtimes as punishment because there was so much anxiety involved in "getting me to eat". so i am trying really hard to just let her go with the flow. but it is so hard to see her plate so full of food and her just pushing it around with her fork and being so distracted by the world that she just wont eat.

Arte: i love bbqs with friends . sounds like it was a great night on all fronts! i am all for being entertained and having the kids entertained by eachother lol!

ok, leila has dashed off outside in the pouring rain and the roads are all flooded so i best be off...

bbl xx

[Artechim]

We aren't too bad for meal time drama these days. W usually just talks and talks and eats and talks. It is slow going but he manages a bit. He always asks to leave the table and if he hasn't had enough then we can say "have 3 more bites of xyz" and he will count them off as he does them. He has until we are finished our dinner and then it all gets packed up (unless he is genuinely still eating as opposed to talking).

But we are still having to sit next to him to get him to sleep at night. How many others won't go to sleep by themselves? DH is getting really shirty about it, especially during the night when we have to sit next to him to get him back to sleep.

Cass, hope the rain clears up so you can get outside a bit during your holiday. How long are you there for?

MD, the Japan earthquake is seeping in here too. I try not to have the news on during the day but they have extra cover at night. We have a friend from a town in between Sendai and Tokyo, he and his wife are in Australia but haven't been on FB in the last couple of days so I don't know how his family have fared.

Trill, how did your assignments go? I have one due in a couple of weeks that I haven't started but there is an online forum for the paper and I can't figure out how to stop the email notifications every time someone posts, but anyhow just reading them has given me enough ideas to have it half done in my head.

I have been meaning to ask for ages about all the DH's. Cally, wasn't your DH ill? MP, yours had pneumonia and a bad back? MD, did yours have a brain scan?

[AnyDream]

Arte, DH had some kind of head scan which showed a small knob of ?adenoma? on his pituitary, but they did some kind of glucose tolerance test where they measure other hormones, showed whatever it was wasn't hormonally active & therefore not a problem. I think they are going to test him again in 6 or 12 months.

We do "three more bites of xyz" too, and usually if she's been mucking around but is still hungry I can count 1...1 1/2...2...2 1/2...3! hehehe or she gets wrapped up in the counting and keeps eating LOL. Works well

Cass, aaaah the joys of the monsoon. If's not really raining until your shoes and handbag are furry lOL.

Trill yay glad your back

[Cassius2]

Cass, aaaah the joys of the monsoon. If's not really raining until your shoes and handbag are furry lOL.

so so true. i remember hanging my clothes out on the line in Fiji and when i would go to bring them in 10 mins later ('cause it had started raining) they already had bits of mould forming around the peg . gross.

[Cally]

Arte - They think that DH has trigeminal neuralgia. It is compression of the facial nerves caused by blood vessels (or maybe a tumour, still waiting on the MRI to double check that). It is immense pain that can be set off by a breeze blowing, shaving or eating. He is on epilepsy medications (also treat bipolar and manic depression - he's really mellow these days). He's trying a new med later this week because he could still feel it a bit through the old one. There's also a support group meeting in Canberra this weekend which is great because we were going to be up there anyway for niece's birthday. He's going to go and have a good chat to all the others about their experiences, neurologist recommendations etc. There is the option of brain surgery if it can't be controlled by the medication, but it that is likely a while off. Usually it hits over 50's, so DH is not impressed.

Well we're concentrating on the icy pole as a punishment - if she gets up or down for anything other than a tissue or toilet trip (without approval), no icy pole. If she hasn't finished in 15 minutes, DH and I leave (unless we're still happy to chat) and she doesn't get an icy pole unless she has eaten most of her dinner. I'm still planning on leaving it out, otherwise there will be numerous requests for yogurt and fruit.

Arte - K does go to sleep all by herself. My BIL sits next to niece every night though.

Cass - wow, M is 6 months already

Any recommendations for sleep remedies for grown ups? I am really struggling the last few months, I think there is some underlying work stress, but I wake up at 5:30 or so and there is no way on earth that I can get back to sleep. At least it gives me a chance to catch up with you guys and do some ironing.....

[Trillian]

Cally, that would be really hard for your DH to adjust to all of this and find the right balance of meds. It must be quite common if there is a support group in Canberra for it, but that is a huge plus for him so he can talk to other people about it. I know Lulu used to do some essence of balance stuff that would help with sleep type things, but I don't know where you'd be able to get that from now.

My girls are terribly slow eaters and it used to drive DH nuts at mealtimes. His Mother is a really slow eater too so it must be a family thing LOL. As frustrating as it was because it took so long, we just had to deal with it because meal times just became awful. And it didn't matter what we did, they would still only eat the same amount in the end. A is a pain at times though because he is a get up get down, go for a drink, wander off to play sort of kid when it comes to sitting at the table and eating. Sometimes he is great, but others it's terrible. L was the only one that would sit and eat and eat quickly LOL.

[Trillian]

Me again LOL! So how are we all today?

I submitted one of my essays yesterday - such a hard topic to talk about but I was pretty happy with the end result. The other one about scaffolding for learning is a shocker too, but I realised it's not due for another 2 weeks so I have a bit more time up my sleeve than I thought which was good. It's only 1000 words so it wont take long to do.

I can add DH to the list of DH's on the medical roundabout. He's had terrible knees for a few years now, but they are just getting too bad to put up with now, so he went for an MRI last week - at $600 a pop mind you with NONE of that claimable - but at least it showed up the problem of damaged meniscus in his knees so now he has to have an arthroscopy done on them to remove it. It is only day surgery, but it will have to wait till after sowing because he can't be active for 6-8 weeks afterwards and climbing in and out of tractors wont be conducive to healing.

I'm also off to Canberra this weekend with Mum. She wanted to see Franki Valli and because she wont go alone I have to go too. Not exactly my cup of tea, but as you can probably guess from my name, Mum is a big fan LOL. But we will get some shopping done which will be fun.

[Ginger]

hi trill

weekend away sounds nice. what you gonna buy?

i'm feeling a bit under the weather at the moment. not sure what i've got, i guess it's just a cold but i'm tired and have a sore throat
got nothing on today so was thimking of hitting the shops as J really needs some pants

[Ginger]

i'm just gonna talk to myself in here too now

um, had fun out shopping. got the boys some thomas trains and j a little bonds outfit from myer. wish bonds still made bigger sizes cos their trackies are great.
now just home relaxing and cooking lasagne.

[Junglemum]

I'm cooking too. Party pies, sausage rolls, birthday cake, green chicken curry, okra curry, cream pu***, and i think that's about it! Wish i was shopping.

Drove the 5 hours to get groceries yesterday. What a mission.

Lu wee'd on the couch today b/c she was too tied up in the TV and too lazy to go. I hit the roof! Cheeky little so and so. She told me she 'forgot' where the toilet was.

[AnyDream]

Cally for your DH ... sounds very similar to shingles pain, it must be terrible. Hope he gets some easily-treatable answers soon. Not sure if I can help with the waking-up insomnia, I usually get falling-asleep insomnia (which I'm actually starting to suspect might be more about a circadian rhythm disorder and not insomnia at all). BUT you could try keeping an ipod with a relaxation cd and just plug that in, have a listen and do some deep breathing. That's what I did when I was on steroids, it means you're still resting, oxygenating your system and resting, even if you're not asleep.

Trill do not get me started on the topic of the cost of MRIs...apparently they can detect breast tumours anything up to THREE YEARS earlier than a mammo...women who are high risk (family history of BC) can get a medicare rebate, but if you've already been diagnosed you have to suck that cost up yourself, even though it's probably the very best screening tool available and you're now in the very highest risk category. At least if opt to get MRIs I'll only have to pay for ONE boob . Sorry to hear your DH is having problems, I hope he can get all the surgery sorted with a minimum of fuss and pain.

BTW I had a bit of a giggle when i realised how you got your name. Wish I had a theme song

Ginger, your shopping sounds great. I really need to get out there an start foraging for winter clothes, it's getting cooler here and if i leave it much longer we will be unpreppared, yet again. Take care of that sore throat, might be time for some honey and lemon (and maybe a big slug of brandy).

JM, when's the party? A 5 hour drive just for groceries, that's crazy. So many things we take for granted here.

All good here, ILs behaving themselves. Kids really enjoying having "knitting Nanna" and Poppy visiting, Missy E's cardigan & jumper collection is getting a huge boost.

[Artechim]

Cally, far out about brain surgery! Crazyness. I hope the new medication works for him. No help on the early waking insomnia either, like MD I am prone the falling asleep version. Rescue Remedy do a sleep formulation, might be worth a try. We have given it to W during some of the rough patches and it does seem to make a difference.

JM, bummer about the lazy wee. W had a patch of that a couple of months back, just too busy playing to go. Lazy brat! After he had three accidents in one day I made him wear pull-ups for a couple of hours and surprise surprise, no more accidents!

MD, I hope you don't have a circadian rhythm disorder - this is what my BIL has and it is ruining his life. He simply cannot keep a job because his sleep is delayed later and later each night until he is not getting to sleep by morning and you can't operate for long on zero sleep. When he is in a good pattern he is good to be around, when he isn't sleeping he is a total a-hole and I just can't stand to be around him. I can't take the chopping and changing personality and don't have anything to do with him now. Not supportive I know, but it always seems to be me that he builds up a big drama around and I spend weeks analysing every conversation to try to figure out how it went so wrong - like asking him to wash the walls before he painted turned into him crying to his dad about how I said he was a bad tradesman, and asking for his snappy dog to be kept away from W was trying to force him out of his home! Too much drama for me.

Trill, gee that MRI cost must sting! Why isn't it covered by medicare?

Ginger, hope you aren't getting sick. I think we are going to get a winter of constant colds here. A just got rid of one snotty nose and then a week later she is the walrus yet again.

So last night might have rated as one of the worst ever! W woke at 12.30 and I went to resettle him. He went to sleep, I went back to bed and 5 minutes later he was back in my room. This happened about 6 or 7 times! So by about 3.30am I was so sick of it that I planted him in front of the telly with a DVD on and went back to bed but he still came in constantly! DH got up with him at 4.30am and I finally got to go to sleep. There were also a couple of A resettles thrown in there. I am too tired to stay up all night!
DH was also crazy tired since he was trying to resettle screaming A from 2.30-3.30am and then got up so early with W. He took the day off and we went to Wanganui, mostly so W would sleep in the car because he must have been really tired. Got a few warmer clothes for him since winter is approaching quickly and he didn't really have any warm stuff.

[Trillian]

Arte, that sucks if I lived near you I'd come and do a night shift for you just so you got some rest. I don't really know why it isn't covered by medicare, but when I made the appointment for him she told me the cost of it - $300 per knee and because it was a referral from a GP and not a specialist, that's why it cost that much? I don't know how much cheaper it would have been with a specialist referral, probably none at all LOL. BUT if he had of already been in hospital, our PHI would have covered it. I asked DH if he wanted me to knee-cap him and get him in hospital

MD, what ****s me the most about the MRI is that because it is so expensive with no medicare rebate, that so many people simply can't afford to have the MRI done so they may not get treatment quick enough, if at all. We could afford it, but so many others couldn't. when my step father was having them every 3 months as part of his cancer treatment he nearly used up all of his redundancy pay to cover the cost of his treatment.

Cally, how does it affect him with his cricket? He'd be devastated if he could play his cricket anymore I reckon.

G, I wish bonds made bigger clothes too. I was hoping to get some clothes for me for winter, and finish off getting stuff for the kids. It must be the weather making people feel a bit off. P complained of a sore throat last week too and there are loads around town with it too.

A, that would be a hassle having to drive so far just for food. Are you having a bit of a party for S?

[Junglemum]

Have you written to the powers that be MD? Please do! The funding for both MRI and PET scans are way behind the technology. Both are the gold standard for so many things but the cost just puts them out of reach to so many people. The other problem is that there are not enough machines. The waiting lists are already so long that I doubt they'd start any screening unless more machines were installed and more procedures were funded to make them financially viable. The government are just not up to date with new scanning and that is reflected in the lack of funding. It sux, it's like America where you only get the best if you can afford it.

Arte- man you get it rough sometimes. What happens if you put W in your bed? Hope tonight is better.

Having cake for Sas on Sat Trill. No real party, just a couple coming up from lae with their two boys. Have fun in Canberra.

[AnyDream]

Actually I was reading a little more on it, if you're considered 'free of cancer' (ie have already had us and mammo) and have the brca gene then you qualify for the rebate...if you're younger than 50 . It sounds very much as if there is a continuum in terms of how willing the drs are to assert their patients are "high risk" so some young women are getting them and others are not.

I can't help wondering if I'd known there was another type of screening back in 06-07 I might still have 2 boobs.

JM, the funding for young women at high risk was only approved about 18 months ago, I doubt they're about to splash any more cash soon. BTW I was *shocked* to find out there are reasonably large hospitals around that don't even have PET scanners!!!

Arte - massive hugs. I don't know how you do it, sweetie. Random thought - would having both kidlets in the same room provide a measure of comfort (not being alone) or would it add to the problem? Just thinking outside the box...feel free to tell me why it's a dumb idea LOL.

Re the circadian rhythm thing - it's a big *if* in my case and probably only a very mild manifestation but it would explain soooooo much. Like why I'm usually pulling into the school carpark late, barely awake, looking and feeling like I have a hangover. There are several main sorts of disorder and one is the continuously revolving sleep times - which is what it sounds like your BIL has - apparently the worst manifestation - but the one that I think applies to me is more of a stable delay...you fall asleep later and wake later in a very set pattern. I could probably fix it with some light box therapy or something. FWIW I think there's a whole lot more going on with your BIL than just the sleep thing, although I imagine that would be a very difficult thing to live with. There's a point at which a person needs to take responsibility, not for the problem, but for how they choose to respond to it, kwim?

[Cally]

Re MRI's - DH needs one as part of his diagnosis (make sure it isn't a tumour). The GP referred him, so he doesn't get a rebate. It costs $250, but if the specialist had referred him, he would have got something back, but would have been out of pocket for the specialist visit too.

Arte - oh, I don't have any suggestions dear, just hugs on the sleeping.

I'm no good MD with listening to music in bed, just can't do it. This morning I was awake from 5:10. So not impressed, especially as K went up to Canberra last night so I could have had a really decent sleep in. I had a minor headache last night that I assumed would disappear with sleepin g- it got worse which is why I think I was awake so early today. I've hit the aspro and the berocca and will be out for a strong coffee soon after getting to work.

JM - enjoy the cake

Trill - if he was going through an attack stage he couldn't play cricket. He did find last game (as wicketkeeper) that he was missing some really easy ones, so he thinks his coordination was a bit off, or just a bit delayed with the drugs.

We really need to get K some winter pants, she's coping at the moment on some long leggings, but will need some trackie ones soon.

Off to Canberra today - we're hoping to sneak off work early and hit the shops before catching up with my parents and K and the rest of the family for dinner.

[Artechim]

MD, I have considered putting them both in the same room, but both take so long to go to sleep that one is bound to wake the other. Plus A always screams to sleep. I sometimes have a little fantasy where they just sleep nicely together.
Re BIL, yip, he has many other issues going on apart from the sleep. He is stuck at the mental age of an immature 18 year old (age when head injury happened) which is hard to take sometimes. He also has memory/learning problems, which isn't a big deal in itself but has lead to personality problems. He has a massive thing about people being smarter than him - if he thinks they are then he tries to discredit them (doctors don't know what they are talking about etc) and says they are talking down to him. This is why he always manifests a problem with me. He has always thought I am smarter than I am and if I don't just listen to his nonsense and correct something he says then I am talking down to him. Basically my only choice it to accept his word as law because if I disagree and unintentionally make him feel stupid he gets really nasty.

JM, if I put W in my bed he will sleep the whole night. And stay there until he is 17. I just can't start a habit I know will be hard to break, especially with the new baby coming and I don't like co-sleeping anyway, I just want a little bit of my day away from the kids.

Trill, thanks. I think I will just remain blissfully unaware of the true cost of healthcare. As far as I am concerned, it is all free lol.

W slept though last night, but A woke 3 or 4 times and I can't get back out of her bed because she has her 8 arms wrapped around me. I just want to sleep in my own bed with no children!! I am seriously considering bottle feeding this next baby. I have heard of quite a few frequent wakers that are BF, but none that are FF. TBH I just cannot do this sleep disaster for another 3 years on top of what I already have.

[Junglemum]

I know MD- There are only two public hospitals in Melbourne with a dedicated PET scanners. Another two have an ok setup but not dedicated and not as good as it could be. And then there is one private company. PET uses a different type of radiation to other nuclear medicine procedures, so you need a new machine. The problem is not only the expense of the machines, but a whole new set up is required to shield the radiation used as it has a much higher energy. On top of that the isotope is much much more expensive and can't be stored as it has a very short half life so needs to be delivered everyday from Sydney. So it's a big expense. It's hard for public hospitals to justify the outlay. Especially if the government aren't willing to chip in and help and all the funding gets taken away. (Don't want to get Trill going, but that's one of the reasons i'll never vote Liberal, they just don't give too ****s about our medical system. )

It's good that they are slowly catching up with the funding, but as far as i am concerned they should have thrown a heap of money years ago into setting up scanning places with MRI and PET. It would have stopped many people selling their house and going without just so they can afford to have necessary scans. Not to mention early diagnosis and a better prognosis for many.


Arte- I know what you mean, but sometimes you just do what you have to in order to get sleep. Well i do! I know Lu wont want to be sleeping in my bed forever, i'm not a fan of co-sleeping either, but if it means i get 10 hours then we're all happier. i did think about a mattress on the floor so she couldn't kick me though! But i do understand your hesitance. Have you got him a night light? Maybe that will help?

Have fun in Canberra Cally, i wonder if you'll spot Trill.