Parent Meeting

Yesterday was the parent orientation at Howell-Graves from 6pm to 8pm. My children and I were the 1st to arrive. I really didn't want to bring them, but I thought I'd like to see how Calen would react to this new classroom. Mrs. Herrmann told me the building was between the elementary school and the BOE building. I passed by it several times because I thought it was a storage building. I cannot believe that these kids will have class in this tiny storage shed of a building. Not to mention the lack of security...anyone could walk in. I HATE the new classroom. I plan to speak to Mrs. Highfield to see why these children are in this storage house and what are their plans for next year concerning a classroom. It's almost as is their "contagious" or something. I know there's a logical explanation for it, and boy would I like to hear it. Now, I wish it was still at Highland Park. I'm going to miss the walks Calen and I would take hand in hand down the long hallway to go get his breakfast. I would watch him as he walked down the hall taking in everything and everyone we passed. He was so cute as he looked at everything. Every now and then, he would look up at me. I could cry just thinking about it. Now the food will be brought to the children on a stupid cart.

Anyway, I couldn't stay for the meeting. It was a disaster having my kids there. Kylia pooped on herself and I came without diapers or wipes. Calen was overly tired and was misbehaving terribly. Then, the teacher passed out folder filled with paperwork for us to fill out and told us that we can fill it out anytime and get it back to her. I took it as though the meeting was about to begin but NOOOOO...she just stands there while the other parents fill out the paperwork right then. I'm growing more and more impatient thinking "She just said to get it back to her when we can. Why isn't she starting the meeting?" I asked her what she was going to cover because I had questions and I also wanted to know what the other parents had to say about things. Of course, I can't stay. My kids disrupted everything. I was beyond angry at my babies. I put them in the car and just drove around to calm myself down. I was tired, hungry and wanting to attend that meeting. Calen was the one that had me the most upset. He really showed out. His first half-day is on the 11th. I plan to turn in the paperwork and talk to her one on one (hopefully...if she has time). I may just have to try to catch her at home. I am very frustrated at the moment.

Accepted

I finally received word.....

I was accepted by the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa!!

Medications

First, to Mr. T....I stand corrected. The quote I received over the phone about the fish oil and the actual price when I showed up at the store to buy it was different. It was something like $23 where it is $20 online. Thanks for the info!!!

Also, I wanted to correct the mention I had made about the website I use to buy Calen's medicines. It IS NOT kirkmanslabs.com. It is spectrumsupplements.com
The site is simple and great to use. I would encourage anyone to check it out. My favorite part is the detailed description of the products. I ordered the meds Calen has ran out of this morning. I was told by the DAN! doc to buy the Kirkman's Super Nu-Thera liquid multi-vitamins online. The price is outrageous....$50!! I compared the online brand to the brand I have for him at home and there is NO DIFFERENCE. I buy Love Bites for $16 at Valley Health Foods. They are gf/cf. Nothing in them is artificial, and my son loves them. So I won't switch. All the other meds will have to come from online purchases for now. I plan to compare meds and prices with more local health food stores. Valley Health Foods has officially been crossed off the list. Here is a list of Calen's meds:

Nordic Natural's Omega 3-6-9 lemon - for kids
(fish oil/fatty acids)

Peptizyde 90 ct with Rice Bran filler
(digestive enzymes that help in breaking down proteins)

B12 oral drops

B6 oral

Zinc

Bio-Max Buffered Magnesium Glycinate
(Glycinate is easier on the digestive system)

this taken from spectrumsupplements.com
Some individuals find some forms of magnesium difficult on the digestive system and as a result, difficult to absorb.
The use and effectiveness of magnesium supplementation is well documented. Magnesium is an essential mineral that is involved in many body functions as well as being a constituent of bones and teeth. It is essential for element of cellular metabolism and is an enzyme activator. Other body actions include: Magnesium relaxes nerve impulses and muscle contractions, Magnesium promotes relaxation and in the process may aid in restful sleep. Signs and symptoms of magnesium inadequacy can include fatigue, mental confusion, heart disturbances, irritability, weakness, muscle spasms, loss of appetite, insomnia or a feeling of weakness. The Physician's Desk Reference for Nutritional Supplements states that some recent data of inpatient and outpatient populations, suggest that magnesium deficits may exist in from 12% to 40% of individuals.

Lactobaccilus Acidophiles (Calen's doc wants him to have more strains, so when this bottle is used up, I will order a different kind. I will talk further with him and post what we discuss.)

from the spectrumsupplements.com website
This species is recognized as one of the primary friendly lactic acid bacteria residing in a healthy gastrointestinal tract. Research over the past decade has shown that L. acidophiles possesses a number of important health benefits including:· Ability to adhere to the GI mucosa and colonize the intestinal tract· Supports the body's natural defenses (immunity) · Helps control diarrhea, or constipation · Helps alleviate occasional diarrhea or constipation

This last medicine mentioned was actually the cheapest at $13 per bottle for 120 count. The cost of all these meds is really adding up! My children's dad will be sending me some money. He said if he can't do it today, then I will definitely have it Thursday. We'll see.

Social Interaction Improvement!!!

Yesterday, August 3, 2008, my son did something I have NEVER seen him do before. My friend from work, Alicia, brought over a play kitchen for Kylia. Her daughter is too big for it now. She brought her daughter, Julianna, along with her. Calen actually walks up to this little girl with a huge smile on his face and gives her a really small hug. He stood there smiling in her face for about 30 seconds or so, then he walks away to play in his usual fashion...pretty much by himself. It was a major step for him and I am a very proud mom right now!!! God is moving for my baby. I give Him all the praise...

I can't remember how much I paid for the fish oil online. It was Omega 3-6-9 Junior for kids (lemon flavored). I think I paid somewhere around the $20 range. That's not including any type of shipping charges. Valley Health Food carries it for $17. I hope it comes in some sort of flavor. I have to puncture the soft gel tablet and squeeze it in Calen's juice. That would be gross if he had to drink unflavored fish oil. I'm still trying to get everything together because he has ran out of meds except for the new ones he's started. I order all the meds from kirkmanlabs.com I'm waiting to see what the deal will be with the Nyastatin.

I received a pre-registration pkg from Muscle Shoals schools. It had totally different dates from what Miss Herman told me about. I contacted her this morning and it turns out that the parents of the pre-k students weren't supposed to get those packages. I was the first parent she's heard from. She said she may have to get on the phone and contact the other parents because that will cause confusion. She said we have already completed paperwork and there was nothing for us to do but come to the parent-teacher meeting on the 7th. I was glad she called because I was so nervous. I don't want to mess up things for Calen's education.

Speaking of education...I still haven't heard from UA as to whether or not I am accepted.

In memory of my grandfather Mr. Robert Armstead, Jr

(known to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren as "Big Daddy" and is the reason Calen's middle name is Robert)
Happy Birthday, Big Daddy!! Life isn't the same without you. I miss being able to come to you for advice. I wish my children could have met you. I love you.

Our Trip To Franklin, TN

Calen's appointment with Dr. Kalb was yesterday. We were 15 min. late due to some bad weather we ran into. It was a short visit. I don't know how dr.'s visits work behind the scenes but it bothers me when I have to repeat EVERYTHING. It was as if he had forgotten what he had told me or vice versa. I was talking and at the same time thinking "did he bother to take notes from the last visit?" Anyway, Calen was put on zinc and B-6 along with Nyastatin for yeast overgrowth in the intestines. I asked if giving Calen this medicine would harm him if he didn't need it. He didn't give me a yes or no answer. He said that Calen exhibits all the signs of yeast overgrowth. I asked about testing Calen for it, and he said that a urine and stool sample would be needed. When I asked about the cost, he said the kit and the actual testing would cost somewhere around $500. Since the doc said that Calen exhibits the symptoms of yeast overgrowth, I said okay to the Nyastatin. He also stated that when Calen first starts this medicine, he will experience yeast "die-off" which will be uncomfortable for him. Doc said when this happens, keep giving him the medicine because it will eventually level off and Calen will not experience any discomfort anymore. It is temporary. I don't honestly feel comfortable giving my son something due to a "guess". I plan on calling Dr. Crenshaw from Infants' and Children's Clinic to see if I can set up an appointment and talk to her about my yeast overgrowth concerns and see if I can get him tested through her. That way Medicaid will cover the test, and I will KNOW whether Calen needs this medicine or not. I'm not at all comfortable with guesses. I also understand what the doc is saying though. Calen is an excellent candidate for yeast overgrowth due to his positive response to the gf/cf diet and his positive response to the meds. Usually when a child responds positively to the diet changes, that is a good indication that there is yeast overgrowth. I plan on doing more research on this matter. I also plan on hitting my children's dad up for some money. I'm just glad that it's all done for right now. We have to be back in 2 months. I just made an appointment for October 1st at 2:00 pm. I also talked with the ladies at Valley Health Foods in Muscle Shoals. They will start carrying some fish oil for children so that I can get it locally for Calen. They are doing their best to work with me. They are nice. I plan on buying Calen's meds there rather than ordering them online. I've used kirkmans labs online last time. All together with shipping he cost was about $80. That can almost be cut in half locally. As for now, I'm endorsing Valley Health Foods....that is, until they give me a reason not to.

On the way there I had to stop in for my favorite Starbucks treat...sugar-free cinnamon dolchi frappuccino. Calen got large fries and a Coke from McDonald's. On the way home we ran into another terrible storm that forced us to pull over in Athens. We waited for about 15 min. and was finally able to get started home again. My baby sis, Meka, picked up Kylia from daycare so that she and Reese (her son) can play together. Meka fixed me and Calen a plate of food for when we arrived to pick up Kylia. She's the sweetest sister ever. We sat around for a little while and chatted. David, my bro-in-law, showed me his new surround-sound system he bought. That thing is super nice! It sounds great! After that I had to head home and put them to bed. I was exhausted. My sinuses are completely stopped up with lots of painful pressure and I have a terribly painful stiff neck. My sis thinks I have the flu, but I don't think so. I took some medicine and came on into work. I'm about to take another dose right now. I look forward to the weekend. I'm in so much pain right now.

Calen's New Teacher

I heard from Calen's new preschool teacher. Her name is Jennifer Herman. She called me Monday and I missed the call. I returned her call, but I was only able to leave a voicemail. I expressed the fact that I wanted to discuss her ABA training, Calen's diet, and incorporating potty training into Calen's IEP. Calen's first day will be a half-day on August 11th from 8am to 12pm. Then he will have 2 more half-days on the 14th and 15th. His first full day will be August 18th from 8am to 2pm. I can't wait. They've moved the preschool from Highland Park to the building between the Howell-Graves and the BOE building. I haven't had a chance to ride through there yet, but I will find it. There will also be a parent night on August 7 from 6pm to 8pm. I have to find someone to keep my children, but I will be there regardless.

Calen's appointment with his DAN! doc is tomorrow at 2pm. I requested gas vouchers from Medicaid for my trips to Franklin. My first request was denied with a statement saying that the trip wasn't approved prior to the request for the voucher. I was instructed to call Mrs. Foster from the Medicaid office in Florence. I called and left a message, but the call was never returned. Yesterday, I called Medicaid in Montgomery to request another voucher. While speaking to the rep, I asked what I had to do to get the trip approved. I did the work and got Dr. Kalb's office the accept Alabama Medicaid. She didn't understand either, and put me in touch with Mrs. Foster. She stated that she will need a letter from Dr. Kalb stating why Calen is being seen by him and why does he have to go out of state. I left a message for Dr. Kalb's nurse concerning Mrs. Foster's instructions. The nurse called me back and asked that I write down what I want the letter to say and e-mail it to him in an attachment. My Internet at home isn't working for some reason, and I can't do it at work. I created a letter with instructions and faxed it to his office. I hope there isn't a problem. I didn't mention autism in the letter. I said that Calen is being treated for digestive disorders. Since autism is considered untreatable by insurance companies and Medicaid, I made sure not to mention that in the letter so that they will cover it. If the medical coders and staff are smart, they will leave out autism as much as they can so that services will be covered. Mrs. Foster said that she will reimburse me for the previous trip back in May also. That was good news.

My children's dad called yesterday. He didn't want anything. He informed me that he called the daycare to check on the kids. You see, he doesn't do a single thing for the kids, so to ease his own conscience, he calls to check on them. I told him that he was going to have to talk to his mom about Calen's diet, but that won't help because he doesn't know anything about it himself. I informed him about the incident with his mom giving Calen bread. He, of course, took up for his mom using lack of knowledge as the excuse. I talked to her about the diet 4 different times so that excuse doesn't hold up with me. I also told him about her getting out ice cream to give to the kids. I told her (again) that Calen can't eat it. Their aunt told her to put it up because Calen can't have any. The grandmother said that she wasn't going to punish Kylia because Calen can't have any. That made me angry, and I was waiting for her to go ahead and get that ice cream out, but she put it back. Calen is only 3 years old and his level of understanding isn't where it should be. All I ask is that if you want to give Kylia a treat like ice cream, don't be cruel and do it in Calen's face. He doesn't understand that he CAN'T have any. All he sees is that he's being treated different. He already has a lifetime of that crap to face due to his autism, and I will NOT tolerate that mess from family members of all people. When my voice became stern, that's when he changed his tune. He claims that we will have to sit down with her and talk about this, and I agreed to it. I don't think it's too complicated and too deep to understand, but if you're a total dumb*ss....oh well. I told him about my waiting to hear from the University of AL in Tuscaloosa to know if I was accepted. He claimed he was glad to hear that I haven't given up on earning another degree. Then he started..."WHEN WE GET MARRIED, YOU CAN GO TO SCHOOL FOR FREE". Married?? His dad works for one of the colleges in Huntsville and he said that when we get married I can go to that particular college for free. He didn't get a chance to say which one because my phone died in the middle of our conversation. Is that a sign or what!!! Married?? I don't think his current girlfriend would appreciate that!!! LOL .... moving on.... LOL

My kids and I stayed the weekend at my dad's house. My sisters and their families came. It was a houseful! We had a good time. We all haven't been together like that in a long time. I enjoyed myself. Kylia loves her cousin Dee. Dee is 14 years old. They played all weekend. She wouldn't let anyone else hold her. She also loves her Uncle David. He's my sister's husband. She went through a couple of spells where no one but David could hold her. I have her on film fighting Dee. He would touch her on the forehead, and she would hit him really hard and say "don't be hitting me!". It was so funny! They went back and forth all day.

Naps at daycare

Calen finally took his first nap since being at Just Kids. He slept for an hour and a half. Miss Lib said they usually let him play in the classroom while the other kids slept, but this time, he grabbed his sleeping bag and went to sleep. I told the teachers that if he ever grabs their hand and places it on his head, he just wants them to rub his head. I do that for him every night. His teacher said she did that for him and he slept quietly. I was glad to hear it.

I forgot to mention something in another entry when I was writing about finally talking to Mrs. Highfield. I told her about the Occupational therapist ending sessions with Calen because she felt he was not ready cognitively, and she was surprised by that. She strongly disagreed with that statement, as did I. I also made mention of the fact that the sessions started going down when the male intern left. Calen responded to him very well, and Luke (the intern) was very patient and sweet with him. He would show Calen how to do something and in 2 or 3 tries, Calen would pick it up. All we got from the therapist was a show of frustration. Kids are not stupid, and just as adults don't like someone for an unknown reason, kids can do the same thing. Anyway, I was just struck at how strongly she disagreed with that statement.

Calen loves to sing. I can rarely tell what he is singing, but he's got "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" down pretty good. He loves when I sing "Wheels on the Bus". I get real physical with that song. We also do "tickle bugs". I think (hope) I have a musician on my hands. I love music myself. I played the flute all through school. I was the youngest to ever be allowed to join the high school marching band at my school. My favorite was concert season. I really enjoyed playing classical music. My downfall was that I was terrible at sight-reading.

I go to a chiropractor on a regular basis. There is a new staff member there. The doc and I were talking about our kids, and how we have to find babysitters for them if we want to do things on weekends. His wife has a list of people she was calling so they could go somewhere this weekend. His children are the same age as mine. I said that I don't have a lot of people I call on for babysitting, especially since my son is autistic. I just hang out with my children and we doing things together. I would like to go somewhere by myself or with friends at some point, but that never happens. The conversation then turned to autism. The new staff member asked me about different things. She said her ex-sis-in-law has a 7 year old who shows signs of it, but the mom doesn't do anything about it. It's like she's afraid to take him places because of how he acts. I told her he isn't acting, he's REACTING. He has some sort of sensory issue going on. I urged her to tell the mom to go to autismspeaks.org where she can see the list of signs that her son may have. I'm shocked that this poor child hasn't been diagnosed with anything according to the descriptions from this lady. I plan to send this lady some information and my cell phone number. I really hopes she gets up off her butt. I hope I can help get her started. I pray that God will use me to help her get going. She may be one of those that is in denial. It's the child that will suffer in the long run if she doesn't try to find services NOW, and shame on the pediatricians and teachers who are in this child's life and not doing anything to help him. I hate to say it, but most of all, shame on mom and dad. I can't really speak about people and situations I don't know anything about. I'm just going by what this young lady told me.