BIG BOY!

Okay, so I know this isn't the best pic (Clayton's therapist took it with her phone), but I just wanted to share this with everyone--Clayton actually got to swing BY HIMSELF! Jamie said she had to give him a little nudge in his back when he would start to slump, but he was on there for about ten minutes!!! YAH!! He did this Monday and yesterday. Guess we'll have to get one of these platform swings here at home so he can show off for everybody!

March 28

Whoa--didn't realize it had been so long since I had checked in here! No, nothing is wrong with Clayton--in fact, he is doing wonderful! We were told it would be at least a week before we could see changes from the Botox, but we started noticing differences by Sunday! He can actually keep his braces on (his "magic shoes"), he doesn't slip out of them constantly--that is definitely a praise in itself! Today he will be getting some electrical stimulation in some weak muscles around his knees while he is in his walker to help his "get up and go." As soon as a I finish here, I'll go up to the clinic for that. I'd hate for him to think I just threw him to the wolves up there! It's supposed to just tingle a bit, but he'll act like it's killing him I'm sure. Other than that, I've been busy, but I'm not sure if I can really say what I've been doing! Actually cleaned house yesterday, scrapbooking, and band practice. By the way, anyone got a cool name for a Christian band?

Last Class at my LSS

Yesterday was my last class at A Scrap Above. She is officially going out of business, so I won't have my "local scrapbook store" anymore. I had just begun to build a following too. My first class had about six people in it, and my last two had about 15 people with 2 or 3 extra kits being sold as well. I had several people wanting my contact info in case they have a group that I can teach, and several said they would buy kits from me if I put them together. But I so like the teaching part of being with the class--putting the kits together is my least favorite part. Maybe something will happen and I'll be able to continue teaching. I've heard a rumor that one person is just waiting for Lisa to close so she can open up a store. I hate that for Lisa, but I've got to just move on. Maybe I'll be able to continue with them.

One lady made my day when she showed me pages that I had "inspired" since she took my class last month. How special!

**and as a side note, can you believe that I had a class scheduled on the same day as the Bristol race??!! I can't believe I had to miss it!!

We're Back from Botox!

And guess what? They did it without an IV! YEAH! Brian even went into the O.R. with him to keep him from getting upset. They used two different gases to knock him out and Brian ended up getting a bit and he said he almost passed out himself! It was a quick procedure--he was up and awake and ready to go before they could even get the paperwork done. I was SO HAPPY they didn't have to start an IV. Now we just get to sit and wait on his little muscles to start reacting--let's pray it works!

Another Milestone

Today was another big day for Clayton. (He seems to be having more and more of those lately--means my baby is growing up!). Today was the first day he has actually gone to the clinic for therapy. The plan is to do this for his Monday and Wednesday afternoon therapies since he has them back to back. I had to pack everything but the kitchen sink, but it was totally worth it to see his huge smile when he started swinging with Jamie (his O.T.). He also loved being in the balls--he tried to gag a couple of times while in there, but he recovered quickly with distraction. He was pretty worn out from watching all of the other kiddos--takes a lot of energy to be so nosey!!! The girl in the last pics is Holli, one of his P.T.'s.

Scrap Etc. Event 2007

I'm back!! I'm slowly recovering from a long week of work and fun with my friends!! The event was a LOT OF WORK, and I'm still wondering why the heck I volunteered to help (????), but it was totally worth it to get a chance to hang out with my online friends--we had an awesome time "bonding" and I can't wait until we get a chance to see each other again! Here are some random pics (I took too many of course!), hopefully you'll get a taste of how things were in 'Bama this week:

Monique, the head honcho

ScrapJazz posse

my roomies, Lee-Ellen and Kelli

enjoying the oxygen bar with Lee-Ellen and Patti (weird thing, that oxygen bar)

Christina (beautiful woman and SUPER nice)

Lee-Ellen, pretending she works for Hambly along with CP who actually DOES work for Hambly!

Pink decorations provided by Victoria's Secret's new store "PINK"

group shot--Christina, Ashley, Gretchen, Lee-Ellen, Kelli

Ashley, (the other one)

Dawn and Charisse

Tara, getting her fill of O2

my roomies again--love these girls. it's like I've always known them and we read each other perfectly.

'Bama Bound!

I leave tomorrow for the Scrap Etc. Event in Birmingham--can't wait to actually get there and start having fun!! I'm even getting to help this year (which is why I'm leaving early), so I'll get an even better chance at getting to know some of my personal scrap heroes! I *think* I've got just about everything packed. I've made a daily schedule for Brian. :) Tonight I have to make sure he knows where all the medical supplies are--I'm hoping all goes well while I'm here!

So until next week, I'm signing off!

Latest Class

I taught a class at my LSS last week and these were two of the pages we created. (The pics of these layouts aren't great, so you'll have to imagine them in real life!). That class was my best one to date--the ladies that were there were so eager to learn new ways of doing things. The class was over around 9:00 but we stayed until midnight! I helped them scrap their pictures and they were so ready to try new techniques--loved having them in my class and I can't wait to see them again!!!

Contest: Week Two

Our challenge this week was to use the phrase "someday I'm gonna . . ." in our layout. I've been wanting to scrap these pics of us for a long time, and I figured this theme fit them well. I can't believe it's been over ten years since that summer!

Here is the journaling:

In the summer of 1996, Brian and I met while working in Yellowstone National Park. When we left that August, we were determined to return as soon as possible. Here it is over ten years later, and we’ve yet to step foot back into the park. We’ve been out west since then, but never that far northwest. Someday we’ll go back to where our relationship began—someday we’ll visit the little hill that we sat on as we shared our first kiss. And someday we’ll take our children there to tell them the story of how our love began.

It was a NO GO.

Well, Clayton didn't get his Botox injections today. :( They tried four times to start an IV and his little veins are just shot. He has to have an IV because besides sedation, he needs major pain medicine since he is getting so many shots done (eight in all). The one good thing was they gave him Versed (sp?) to take the edge off before they tried the IVs. He was so relaxed for them! It was like being in the Twilight Zone seeing him so calm while they worked on him. It didn't last very long--he eventually started crying, but it was nothing compared to normally. When the doctor didn't get that last one to work, I just sat there and cried. It just seems like we go in circles! We fix one thing, then something else doesn't work. We try to help him with something like the Botox, and we can't move forward because of the IV situation. The plan is to schedule it in the O.R. where they can give him some gas to help him go to sleep while they start the IVs. We simply couldn't keep trying today. I hope they schedule it soon, I was so hyped up about seeing the results of this treatment. Pray it all works out!!!

Oh, and for those who are interested in how Botox works, here is an excerpt from webmd.com:

What Is Botox?
Botulinum toxin, called botox for short, is a muscle-relaxing medication used to decrease spasticity related to multiple sclerosis and other neurological conditions.
Botulinum toxin is derived from the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum and is in a class of drugs called neurotoxins. There are two types of botulinum toxin available for therapeutic use:
Botulinum toxin type A (Botox®)
Botulinum toxin type B (Myobloc®)
Your doctor will decide which type of botulinum toxin is more appropriate for you.
The FDA, despite the drug's effectiveness, has not yet approved the use of botox to treat MS-related spasticity.

What Is Spasticity?
Spasticity refers to a wide range of involuntary muscle contractions that result in muscle spasms or stiffness. Spasticity interferes with voluntary muscle movement and usually involves the muscles of the legs and/or arms.
Spasticity may vary, based on many factors, including infections, stress, pain, temperature, position and time of the day. Over time, severe spasticity may cause decreased range of motion in the affected limbs.
Spasticity is the result of an imbalance in the central nervous system, caused by a trauma or disease in the brain and/or spinal cord. This imbalance causes hyperactive muscle stretch reflexes, which result in involuntary contractions and increased muscle tone.
Some doctors believe that an increased sensitivity in the parts of the muscles that are responsible for contracting (tightening), relaxing and stretching the muscles contribute to spasticity.

How Does the Botulinum Toxin Work?
Normally, the brain sends electrical messages to the muscles so that they can contract and move. This message is transmitted to the muscle by a substance called acetylcholine. Botulinum toxin works to block the release of acetylcholine; therefore the muscle doesn't receive the message to contract.

How Are Botulinum Toxin Treatments Given?
Botulinum toxin is given as an intramuscular injection (in the muscle). Your doctor will determine the muscle(s) in need of treatment.
If the muscles to be injected are small or difficult to reach, it may be necessary to send short electric impulses, or to record electric signals from the muscles, to ensure that the appropriate muscles are receiving the injected medication.
A very fine needle is used for the injection. Some people report minor and temporary discomfort from the injection. The medication does not sting or cause irritation after it has been injected.
You can expect the appointment to last from 1 to 2 hours.
The effects of the medication begin to appear from one to two weeks after the injection. The muscles injected should then relax.

What Are the Advantages of Botulinum Toxin?

The advantages of botulinum toxin include.
Improvement of discomfort related to spasticity symptoms.
In some cases, improved ability to use the affected part of the body.
The medication is effective for two to six months, depending on the individual.

What Are the Disadvantages of Botulinum Toxin?
The disadvantages of botulinum toxin include:
The benefit of botulinum toxin is limited to the injected muscles. Therefore, botulinum toxin may not be a good choice of treatment when many muscles are involved or when the spastic muscles are large.
The effect of the injections is temporary. Therefore, injections must be repeated over time to maintain the beneficial effects. Injections are not repeated more often than every 3 months to minimize the risk of developing antibodies to the botulinum toxin (see below).

SHORT VERSION:

Basically, it blocks the chemical that tells your muscles to contract.

Tuesday

Today Clayton is having his Botox injections done in his legs. I'll give everyone an update and explanation on how it works when we get back. If you have a moment, say a quick prayer that all goes well!

Contest: Week One

Week one of the FUNK IT UP! at scrapforums.com is over, so I can now share my first entry. Our challenge was to use a line of lyric from the song "Photograph" by Nickelback. I chose the line "it's hard to say it, time to say it, goodbye, goodbye." I've been thinking about Shawn a lot lately, so I used this as an opportunity to put my thoughts down on paper.

My dearest Shawn,

It's been three and a half years since you left us. In some ways it seems just like yesterday, and in other ways it seems like a lifetime ago. And in spite of myself, I still mourn my loss. I miss you. I miss having you in my life. I miss seeing my twins grow up together. I keep telling myself to move on--it's time to get over it. But I don't know if I'll ever be able to completely let go. My heart will never be able to say goodbye. I love you. I love you so much.

Forever your mommy.

Journaling on the side: I want to hold you. I want to be your mother--to fuss over you and worry about. I can't wait to see you in Heaven.

Clayton says HI!

I've been trying to get a good pic of Clayton for the last few days and he has been less than cooperative. I even tried to get some good ones of him in therapy, but he always has his eyes closed or a goofy look on his face! So this is the only one that I liked out of the thirty or so I took--maybe someday I'll get better with the settings on my camera and the lighting will be more professional.

The little guy has become a motor mouth--he has been talking our ears off for the past couple of days. I have no idea what he is saying half the time, but he sure thinks it's important!

He is one cute little man. :)

Good Monday Morning!

Report on band performance yesterday: It went well considering my voice was practically gone from singing with the choir and praise team first. Everyone clapped afterwards, and we got many compliments from people I've never even spoken too--which means a lot. A lot of people did say that at times the instruments were a little too loud when balanced with my voice. We'll need to work on getting the balance just right. When we were finished, Pastor Tim asked us if we had a name--that's something we haven't even discussed as a group, so I guess we'll have to get a name in order to be a "bonafide" group!

Clayton's oxygen flow is back to normal--praise the Lord! Only took him two weeks, poor guy. I think he's officially healed now. I hope this warmer weather scares all the nasty bugs away and he can stay well for a long time to come.

I'm going to go back to work today. You know, that job where I only work like four or five hours a week?? Yeah, that "work." :)

Only two weeks until I'm off to Birmingham for the Scrap Etc. Event. I am totally ignoring the nagging, worrying feeling I get when I think about being gone from Clayton that long. Please, Lord, help Brian handle it okay, and help me handle it without having a heart attack!

The Land of the Living

Okay, so I think we're getting back into the swing of things. Clayton's O2 flow is still high, but he is feeling MUCH better. I'm still coughing a lot, but I think it's getting better. I must say that I'm feeling SO MUCH better today because my mom had Tidy Tina and her bunch come clean the house. It smells so good in here and looks MUCH better!! THANK YOU MOM!!!!

I also have to say a big thank you to my friend Annette. I know she would never want a "public" thank you, but you're getting it, my friend! She has a big family and plenty that keeps her busy, but she still took time out of her weekend and came to visit us at the hospital. Having her visit made my day--it helps so much to pass the time. I always feel like a prisoner there and I always love having visitors because when they are there, the day flies by instead of creeping along. THANK YOU, ANNETTE!

We are Home

I'm still coughing. Brian is better. Clayton is lots better but still needing breathing treatments and more oxygen. He has a cough still too. We're pretty much pooped.

Ghost Writer

Hello, blogger world! I'm Ashley's Mom---Mary, and I've been coerced into writing this post today in Ashley's absence. As I don't have the teaching degree that she does, you will just have to bear with my grammar and spelling errors (I'm certain she will get her red pen out with me later!) Just where the heck is she? Well---the Smiths are a sickly bunch this week. Presently, Ashley and Clayton are in the hospital (Clayton is the patient, Ashley needs her own bed but doesn't meet the age requirement), Brian is ailing at home with the flu. Clayton's condition of fever and higher oxygen needs worsened so he was admitted yesterday. There is also concern of a possible abdominal issue and an upper GI is going to be done (didn't happen today, one of the testing rooms was not in working order). Meanwhile, there is a problem with the computers at the hospital that Ashley uses while there, and she is not able to view, send, receive e-mail or post to this blog. Hopefully, she and Clayton will be home soon and she can be back into her normal communication with you all. Clayton has certainly been ready to check out since his arrival. His wheelchair is parked in his room and today he kept pointing at it and his little hoarse, raspy voice would say: "Go"! Oh, how tempted I was... Thank you for your continued prayers for Clayton and good health to Ashley and Brian!

Layout of the Day

Came home today to a bunch of emails congratulating me on LOTD over at ScrapJazz! Totally unexpected, but definitely welcome! Thanks to everyone who left such sweet comments for me.

Monday, Monday

Thought to ponder: Why do kids only get sick at night and then act better in the morning and they want to play when you are worn out?

Update: I talked to the therapist's supervisor and the therapist and it's definitely over! Thank goodness I'm rid of that situation!

Clayton: We spent all day at Children's Friday only to end up with a flu shot that has had him running fever for most of the weekend and all of last night. He hasn't run fever today, but he still feels really bad. His little throat hurts and he is congested (more oxygen needed). We see ENT tomorrow and pulmonary Thursday for already scheduled appointments--they will be able to check him out real good.

Scrapbooking: I was asked by a fellow ScrapJazzer to do design work for her online store (very flattering!). She is in the middle of revamping her entire site and wanted to add some design team members. Her store website is www.noelmignon.com and for now we are posting our work for her on a blog: http://noelmignonlayouts.blogspot.com/ I really like the other designers and I look forward to working with this team--Noel was more than generous with all of the supplies she sent (and they all worked together great), so it was easy to crank out those two layouts. Look for more in the near future.

UGH!

Okay, so that same therapist is getting on my last nerve. It's 10:50 and she's not here. His therapy time is 10:15-11:15!!!! And he has more after that. I guess she thinks we just sit around and wait on her?! Doesn't she realize that Clayton is a busy guy? This seals the deal--I'm calling her boss today to cancel developmental therapy altogether. It's just too much--for me and for Clayton! With developmental, he has ten therapy sessions over four days. All of the goals she had are addressed in his other therapies--she mainly concentrates on what he would do in preschool if he were there, so it's not like he would be "missing" something. And they don't even come if school is out (breaks and summer)--so how important is a therapy that you don't have to have year-round? F-R-U-S-T-R-A-T-E-D!!!