Friday, February 10, 2006
In The News
On February 8, 2006, Jacob and his Mom were featured in the local newspaper, The Wichita Eagle. Eagle reporter Karen Shideler wrote the article about Trish's publishing debut (see Preemie Magazine page) as well as Jacob's amazing story.
Sunday, January 1, 2006
January 2006
January 4, 2006 Happy New Year! Welcome to 2006! I hope it is a very happy and healthy year for you and yours!
Jacob has started this new year feeling great! Yesterday was his first day back to school since being in the hospital and he had a great day! He was in a good mood and was very talkative!
Our Fighter continues to crawl (hands/knees and hands/feet) all over the house and walks fast and far holding our hands. He pulls to stand on everything, furniture, boxes, even the rocking chair! We are so proud of him and look forward to when he's walking on his own. That's when we will really need to show him around!
Check out the new pictures on the Photos page!
January 9, 2006 The Fighter's mom has been published! That's right, my article about ROP (Retinopathy of Prematurity) has been published in the current issue of Preemie Magazine! I am honored for the opportunity. I am grateful to be able to spread the word and educate other preemie parents and professionals about the devastating disease that took Jacob's vision. Check out the article in the current issue, or visit www.preemiemagazine.com in the coming weeks for the online version.
January 18, 2006 After another illness and time away from school, Jacob is back to his old happy self. Brett and I were so discouraged with his frequent illness that we thought about pulling him out of school until the spring. In the end we decided against that and will just take things one day at a time. We would rather he be sick and miss days here and there rather than keeping him home all together. Attending Rainbows and receiving the love, care, and therapy that he does, has been too beneficial to him to pull him away from it.
Jacob continues to amaze us at home (and at school). Just last week he took three steps unassisted. My heart dropped and I teared up as he stepped forward in the kitchen. He continues to try each day, although those three steps are the farthest he's gone so far. It won't be long before he's walking all over the place! And that's when we will be Jacob-proofing things around the house! :)
In Mommy News....After several months of hunting, I have a new job! Believe it or not, I will be working in the NICU were Jacob spent the first four months of his life. I applied for the position some time ago and forgot about it when I didn't get a response. Well, the nurse manager called, asked if I was still interested and the rest is history! I am very excited! I will be working as a cleaning/stocking tech and will also help the managers with parenting feedback/support. I will have orientation on Jan. 30th and begin working in the NICU after that! I am very thankful to have been given this opportunity!
January 24, 2006 I have received many emails from people who have visited JTF! Some have even signed the Guest Book! It's so exciting to know that sharing Jacob's story has touched so many people. I love sharing his story, especially with other preemie parents.
Jacob's been in a great mood lately and is pulling to stand at just about everything now. The couch, the table, even the walls! It's so neat to watch! He is starting to glide along things too! He continues to trying to take steps on his own. I know it won't be long before he's walking.
In Mommy news......After much thought, I have decided to take a semester off from school. It's been a very busy few months and I think the time off will help a lot. I plan to return to school for the summer session.
Jacob has started this new year feeling great! Yesterday was his first day back to school since being in the hospital and he had a great day! He was in a good mood and was very talkative!
Our Fighter continues to crawl (hands/knees and hands/feet) all over the house and walks fast and far holding our hands. He pulls to stand on everything, furniture, boxes, even the rocking chair! We are so proud of him and look forward to when he's walking on his own. That's when we will really need to show him around!
Check out the new pictures on the Photos page!
January 9, 2006 The Fighter's mom has been published! That's right, my article about ROP (Retinopathy of Prematurity) has been published in the current issue of Preemie Magazine! I am honored for the opportunity. I am grateful to be able to spread the word and educate other preemie parents and professionals about the devastating disease that took Jacob's vision. Check out the article in the current issue, or visit www.preemiemagazine.com in the coming weeks for the online version.
January 18, 2006 After another illness and time away from school, Jacob is back to his old happy self. Brett and I were so discouraged with his frequent illness that we thought about pulling him out of school until the spring. In the end we decided against that and will just take things one day at a time. We would rather he be sick and miss days here and there rather than keeping him home all together. Attending Rainbows and receiving the love, care, and therapy that he does, has been too beneficial to him to pull him away from it.
Jacob continues to amaze us at home (and at school). Just last week he took three steps unassisted. My heart dropped and I teared up as he stepped forward in the kitchen. He continues to try each day, although those three steps are the farthest he's gone so far. It won't be long before he's walking all over the place! And that's when we will be Jacob-proofing things around the house! :)
In Mommy News....After several months of hunting, I have a new job! Believe it or not, I will be working in the NICU were Jacob spent the first four months of his life. I applied for the position some time ago and forgot about it when I didn't get a response. Well, the nurse manager called, asked if I was still interested and the rest is history! I am very excited! I will be working as a cleaning/stocking tech and will also help the managers with parenting feedback/support. I will have orientation on Jan. 30th and begin working in the NICU after that! I am very thankful to have been given this opportunity!
January 24, 2006 I have received many emails from people who have visited JTF! Some have even signed the Guest Book! It's so exciting to know that sharing Jacob's story has touched so many people. I love sharing his story, especially with other preemie parents.
Jacob's been in a great mood lately and is pulling to stand at just about everything now. The couch, the table, even the walls! It's so neat to watch! He is starting to glide along things too! He continues to trying to take steps on his own. I know it won't be long before he's walking.
In Mommy news......After much thought, I have decided to take a semester off from school. It's been a very busy few months and I think the time off will help a lot. I plan to return to school for the summer session.
Thursday, December 1, 2005
December 2005
December 7, 2005 Is Christmas yet? I love this time of year. We have our Christmas tree up and looking good, and we plan to let Jacob open his own gifts Christmas morning. He loves tearing paper!!
On a not-so-good note, Jacob had some seizure activity early yesterday morning. Brett had him ready to leave for school when he started shaking, arching his back, and not responding to anything we did. Brett went outside when the bus arrived to tell the driver he wasn't going, while I got his medication ready (a rectal med that stops seizures). We gave him the meds and he was fine within minutes. The seizure itself lasted nearly 15 minutes. I called Jacob's neurologist's office and they want him in for blood work ASAP. They want to be sure his medication level is ok. It's been seven months since his last seizure, so we want to cover all the bases. We aren't sure if its related or not, but Monday morning at 4am, Jacob woke up vomiting and later ran a slight fever. He felt fine the rest of the day so we don't know if it is related to the seizure, or was something he ate. Hopefully the blood work will answer that.
December 14, 2005 Oh what a week! Jacob was sick all weekend and was coughing so bad Sunday night that Brett and I took him to the minor emergency center. The doctor thought Jacob would benefit from oxygen and also thought he may have whopping cough, so he sent us to the hospital. After two nights, no meds, no IV, and little oxygen, we came home clueless. Tests for whooping cough were negative. Weird. Other than being a bit irritable and coughing ever now and then, he's feeling fine! Now its mommy's turn to be sick! I went to the doctor today and was prescribed three medications for a sinus infection! Gotta love horse pills!
Because he's been sick so much in the last few months, Brett and I have decided to keep Jacob home from school until after the holidays. Then in February, Jacob will start going to full day classes! Very exciting...as long as he stays healthy!
In other news... Jacob, Brett and myself have been invited to the annual holiday banquet for Rainbows United board members. Because Jacob is their campaign kid right now, we've been asked to attend the gathering and share a few words with those in attendance. We are honored and very happy to attend, that is, as long as we are all feeling well. The banquet is schedule for tomorrow evening (12/15). Here's hoping those meds work fast! A great friend of mine will be coming with us to take photos. I will have those up as soon as I can.
December 17, 2005 Jacob wasn't ready to be back home after all.... we had to take him back to the hospital on Thursday for rapid breathing. After many tests and one night's stay, it was determined that he had a mucus plug from the previous illness. His pediatrician also saw a little redness in his ears, so she put Jacob on an antibiotic. As another precaution, she put him on breathing treatments with a steroid to keep his lungs nice and clear. Other than sleeping a lot (which he deserves), he is doing really well. We hope these treatments and a lot of rest will get him back to his happy, healthy self.
Unfortunately, because of my head cold and Jacob's return to the hospital, we were not able to attend the holiday gathering for Rainbows United. We are honored to have been invited and hope we have another opportunity to meet and greet the board of directors in the future.
December 23, 2005 Merry Christmas to ya! It will definitely be a merry one for us now that our Fighter is feeling better! Those antibiotics and breathing treatments got Jacob back to his old playful, happy and energetic self! Now if I could just get him back on a normal sleep schedule...
For the holiday weekend we plan to stay home and not travel after the tough couple weeks we had. So, Christmas Eve we are welcoming Brett's parents, Bill and Reatha for an evening together (and maybe a nice dinner cooked by Brett since I don't cook...uh oh, the secret is out!). We will let Jacob open his gifts from them as well. On Christmas Day we will go to my parents house for a nice ham dinner and an exchange of gifts. I will be a wonderful time!
On behalf of Brett, Jacob, and our dog Skipper, I would like to wish you and yours a very happy and safe holiday weekend! God Bless!
December 28, 2005 I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! We had a great holiday weekend and Jacob enjoyed opening his gifts! He received lots of new toys and clothes from family and friends! And the greatest part of the weekend... Jacob was healthy and in good spirits!! I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas!
Brett and I are working on J's sleeping habits to prepare him to return to school on January 3rd. Right now he is staying up way too late and sleeping in and napping too late. We blame the hospital stay. His schedule gets better with each day, so by next week he should be set!
On a not-so-good note, Jacob had some seizure activity early yesterday morning. Brett had him ready to leave for school when he started shaking, arching his back, and not responding to anything we did. Brett went outside when the bus arrived to tell the driver he wasn't going, while I got his medication ready (a rectal med that stops seizures). We gave him the meds and he was fine within minutes. The seizure itself lasted nearly 15 minutes. I called Jacob's neurologist's office and they want him in for blood work ASAP. They want to be sure his medication level is ok. It's been seven months since his last seizure, so we want to cover all the bases. We aren't sure if its related or not, but Monday morning at 4am, Jacob woke up vomiting and later ran a slight fever. He felt fine the rest of the day so we don't know if it is related to the seizure, or was something he ate. Hopefully the blood work will answer that.
December 14, 2005 Oh what a week! Jacob was sick all weekend and was coughing so bad Sunday night that Brett and I took him to the minor emergency center. The doctor thought Jacob would benefit from oxygen and also thought he may have whopping cough, so he sent us to the hospital. After two nights, no meds, no IV, and little oxygen, we came home clueless. Tests for whooping cough were negative. Weird. Other than being a bit irritable and coughing ever now and then, he's feeling fine! Now its mommy's turn to be sick! I went to the doctor today and was prescribed three medications for a sinus infection! Gotta love horse pills!
Because he's been sick so much in the last few months, Brett and I have decided to keep Jacob home from school until after the holidays. Then in February, Jacob will start going to full day classes! Very exciting...as long as he stays healthy!
In other news... Jacob, Brett and myself have been invited to the annual holiday banquet for Rainbows United board members. Because Jacob is their campaign kid right now, we've been asked to attend the gathering and share a few words with those in attendance. We are honored and very happy to attend, that is, as long as we are all feeling well. The banquet is schedule for tomorrow evening (12/15). Here's hoping those meds work fast! A great friend of mine will be coming with us to take photos. I will have those up as soon as I can.
December 17, 2005 Jacob wasn't ready to be back home after all.... we had to take him back to the hospital on Thursday for rapid breathing. After many tests and one night's stay, it was determined that he had a mucus plug from the previous illness. His pediatrician also saw a little redness in his ears, so she put Jacob on an antibiotic. As another precaution, she put him on breathing treatments with a steroid to keep his lungs nice and clear. Other than sleeping a lot (which he deserves), he is doing really well. We hope these treatments and a lot of rest will get him back to his happy, healthy self.
Unfortunately, because of my head cold and Jacob's return to the hospital, we were not able to attend the holiday gathering for Rainbows United. We are honored to have been invited and hope we have another opportunity to meet and greet the board of directors in the future.
December 23, 2005 Merry Christmas to ya! It will definitely be a merry one for us now that our Fighter is feeling better! Those antibiotics and breathing treatments got Jacob back to his old playful, happy and energetic self! Now if I could just get him back on a normal sleep schedule...
For the holiday weekend we plan to stay home and not travel after the tough couple weeks we had. So, Christmas Eve we are welcoming Brett's parents, Bill and Reatha for an evening together (and maybe a nice dinner cooked by Brett since I don't cook...uh oh, the secret is out!). We will let Jacob open his gifts from them as well. On Christmas Day we will go to my parents house for a nice ham dinner and an exchange of gifts. I will be a wonderful time!
On behalf of Brett, Jacob, and our dog Skipper, I would like to wish you and yours a very happy and safe holiday weekend! God Bless!
December 28, 2005 I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! We had a great holiday weekend and Jacob enjoyed opening his gifts! He received lots of new toys and clothes from family and friends! And the greatest part of the weekend... Jacob was healthy and in good spirits!! I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas!
Brett and I are working on J's sleeping habits to prepare him to return to school on January 3rd. Right now he is staying up way too late and sleeping in and napping too late. We blame the hospital stay. His schedule gets better with each day, so by next week he should be set!
Tuesday, November 1, 2005
November 2005
November 3, 2005 November already! Wow! It'll be Christmas before we know it!
Jacob is feeling a lot better. Poor kid was sick for a week! I hope now that he's been sick a few times in the last several months, his immune system is getting stronger. Not only is it tough being sick, but being sick means no school and he has been doing so well at school. I want him to be there each day to continue in his progress. And speaking of school, Jacob went with his class to a local business for Trick-or-Treating! I wasn't able to go with him, but I was told he had a great time and he came home with lots of goodies!
We have just put our order in for school pictures. Jacob came home yesterday with a proof sheet and order form! Oh he looks like such a big boy!! When I get the pictures, I will have one scanned so that I can post it on the website.
In Mommy News....I received an email today from the Editor-in-Chief of Preemie Magazine regarding the article I wrote for their Winter 2005 issue. (for those who didn't see the Journal Update back in September, I contacted the Magazine and the Editor asked me to write an article about ROP, the eye condition Jacob has. This will be my publishing debut!) Over the coming weeks, he and I will be working together to polish the article for publication. I am very excited and thankful for this opportunity. I hope this will open doors for me. It would be great to make extra money as a freelance writer while attending school.
If you are interested in learning more about Preemie Magazine, please visit their website at www.preemiemagazine.com. Preemie parents and professionals are eligible for free subscriptions. All others can purchase a subscription for a small fee. The magazine is published quarterly.
November 12, 2005 Well, I thought Jacob was doing better. Last weekend he spent an entire night crying and we couldn't figure out why, that is, until I looked at his ear and saw lots of "goop." It ended up being a double ear infection. He has been on antibiotics all week. All was well until yesterday when he just started crying for no apparent reason. I tried giving him a bottle, food, a bath, took him for a drive, rocked him, held him....everything I could think of and nothing would calm him down. Finally, I gave him some Tylenol and he went to sleep. He woke up this morning in a great mood and went nuts again at Wal-Mart. Boy was that fun! I just wish I knew what was wrong and how to help him when he gets like that.
On Thursday (11/10), Jacob went on a fieldtrip with his class to the Zoo. Brett and I met them there. We were there for just over an hour. Jacob had fun petting and feeding the animals and then he got to hear the elephants and other animals. It was a fun day out and thankfully the weather was nice!
November 21, 2005 Jacob's excessive crankiness (explained in my last entry) turned out to be constipation caused by his antibiotics. That explains why he didn't want to eat. After giving him a little help, he felt a lot better. This weekend he was cranky still, and we aren't sure why. He gets upset when we put him in his highchair to eat, or let him play on his own for too long. Brett and I are praying this is a phase and that it pass soon.
We are still working on weaning Jacob from the bottle, as well as transitioning him from "Gerber Graduates" to table food. With his teacher working with him at school (he eats breakfast there) and Brett and I at home, we should have him there in no time!
And speaking of school, Jacob is on a waiting list for a full day slot starting in January! Since September, Jacob has been attending a half day class (8:30am to 11:30am) five days a week. If he gets one of the opening spots, he will stay until 2:30pm. Along with his teacher and therapists, Brett and I agree that a full day would be most beneficial. It would allow him more routine, time with friends and more therapy sessions.
And now for some cool news....Not only is Jacob a student at Rainbows United Inc., he is now their "Campaign Kid." Stephanie Harder, Director of Development at RUI, contacted me last month expressing her interest in Jacob's story. I guess his website is a big hit around the Rainbows offices. Touched by his story, Stephanie asked our permission to use Jacob as the focus of their annual "Give Hope" campaign. Of course I said yes without hesitation!! Jacob is featured on the RUI website as well as in a brochure which is then distributed to donors for their continued support. I have asked for a few copies of the brochure. If you are interested in receiving a copy, please email me.
Visit, www.rainbowsunited.org and be sure to disable your pop-up blocker, to see a page about Jacob!
I have added the Guest Book back to the website. I took it down some time ago due to spamming, which until now, I did not know how to block. Since I cannot reinsert past entries, I welcome you to add your thoughts!
November 22, 2005 Jacob did something amazing today! He was playing in his playpen when he reached up, grabbed the side, then pulled himself to standing position! He did it all by himself over and over again! Brett snapped a few pictures of him doing it. I'll try to have them up this evening!
November 28, 2005 Brett, Jacob, Skipper (our rat terrier) and me, hope you had a happy thanksgiving weekend! We enjoyed time off from school (Jacob and me), time off from work (Brett) and time with our families.
The day after thanksgiving, Brett and I went out and purchased a Christmas tree and decorations. That evening, while Brett prepared dinner and Grandma Smith (who was in town from Western Kansas) played with Jacob, Meagan and I set up and decorated the tree! It was a wonderful evening!
Jacob is famous!! The Rainbows United brochures for the Hope Campaign have been printed and distributed! We received our copies last week! They turned out great and we are so honored and excited to be a part of this years campaign!
To receive your paper or email copy, email me! You can also visit the Rainbows United website at:http://www.rainbowsunited.org.
Jacob is feeling a lot better. Poor kid was sick for a week! I hope now that he's been sick a few times in the last several months, his immune system is getting stronger. Not only is it tough being sick, but being sick means no school and he has been doing so well at school. I want him to be there each day to continue in his progress. And speaking of school, Jacob went with his class to a local business for Trick-or-Treating! I wasn't able to go with him, but I was told he had a great time and he came home with lots of goodies!
We have just put our order in for school pictures. Jacob came home yesterday with a proof sheet and order form! Oh he looks like such a big boy!! When I get the pictures, I will have one scanned so that I can post it on the website.
In Mommy News....I received an email today from the Editor-in-Chief of Preemie Magazine regarding the article I wrote for their Winter 2005 issue. (for those who didn't see the Journal Update back in September, I contacted the Magazine and the Editor asked me to write an article about ROP, the eye condition Jacob has. This will be my publishing debut!) Over the coming weeks, he and I will be working together to polish the article for publication. I am very excited and thankful for this opportunity. I hope this will open doors for me. It would be great to make extra money as a freelance writer while attending school.
If you are interested in learning more about Preemie Magazine, please visit their website at www.preemiemagazine.com. Preemie parents and professionals are eligible for free subscriptions. All others can purchase a subscription for a small fee. The magazine is published quarterly.
November 12, 2005 Well, I thought Jacob was doing better. Last weekend he spent an entire night crying and we couldn't figure out why, that is, until I looked at his ear and saw lots of "goop." It ended up being a double ear infection. He has been on antibiotics all week. All was well until yesterday when he just started crying for no apparent reason. I tried giving him a bottle, food, a bath, took him for a drive, rocked him, held him....everything I could think of and nothing would calm him down. Finally, I gave him some Tylenol and he went to sleep. He woke up this morning in a great mood and went nuts again at Wal-Mart. Boy was that fun! I just wish I knew what was wrong and how to help him when he gets like that.
On Thursday (11/10), Jacob went on a fieldtrip with his class to the Zoo. Brett and I met them there. We were there for just over an hour. Jacob had fun petting and feeding the animals and then he got to hear the elephants and other animals. It was a fun day out and thankfully the weather was nice!
November 21, 2005 Jacob's excessive crankiness (explained in my last entry) turned out to be constipation caused by his antibiotics. That explains why he didn't want to eat. After giving him a little help, he felt a lot better. This weekend he was cranky still, and we aren't sure why. He gets upset when we put him in his highchair to eat, or let him play on his own for too long. Brett and I are praying this is a phase and that it pass soon.
We are still working on weaning Jacob from the bottle, as well as transitioning him from "Gerber Graduates" to table food. With his teacher working with him at school (he eats breakfast there) and Brett and I at home, we should have him there in no time!
And speaking of school, Jacob is on a waiting list for a full day slot starting in January! Since September, Jacob has been attending a half day class (8:30am to 11:30am) five days a week. If he gets one of the opening spots, he will stay until 2:30pm. Along with his teacher and therapists, Brett and I agree that a full day would be most beneficial. It would allow him more routine, time with friends and more therapy sessions.
And now for some cool news....Not only is Jacob a student at Rainbows United Inc., he is now their "Campaign Kid." Stephanie Harder, Director of Development at RUI, contacted me last month expressing her interest in Jacob's story. I guess his website is a big hit around the Rainbows offices. Touched by his story, Stephanie asked our permission to use Jacob as the focus of their annual "Give Hope" campaign. Of course I said yes without hesitation!! Jacob is featured on the RUI website as well as in a brochure which is then distributed to donors for their continued support. I have asked for a few copies of the brochure. If you are interested in receiving a copy, please email me.
Visit, www.rainbowsunited.org and be sure to disable your pop-up blocker, to see a page about Jacob!
I have added the Guest Book back to the website. I took it down some time ago due to spamming, which until now, I did not know how to block. Since I cannot reinsert past entries, I welcome you to add your thoughts!
November 22, 2005 Jacob did something amazing today! He was playing in his playpen when he reached up, grabbed the side, then pulled himself to standing position! He did it all by himself over and over again! Brett snapped a few pictures of him doing it. I'll try to have them up this evening!
November 28, 2005 Brett, Jacob, Skipper (our rat terrier) and me, hope you had a happy thanksgiving weekend! We enjoyed time off from school (Jacob and me), time off from work (Brett) and time with our families.
The day after thanksgiving, Brett and I went out and purchased a Christmas tree and decorations. That evening, while Brett prepared dinner and Grandma Smith (who was in town from Western Kansas) played with Jacob, Meagan and I set up and decorated the tree! It was a wonderful evening!
Jacob is famous!! The Rainbows United brochures for the Hope Campaign have been printed and distributed! We received our copies last week! They turned out great and we are so honored and excited to be a part of this years campaign!
To receive your paper or email copy, email me! You can also visit the Rainbows United website at:http://www.rainbowsunited.org.
Saturday, October 1, 2005
October 2005
October 3, 2005 Howdy and Happy October to ya! You know what the month of October means....Pumpkins!!!
Jacob will be going on his first school field trip this week to a pumpkin patch! Brett and I are going along and will take some pictures! Should be a lot of fun!
I have added some new pictures to the site with more to come soon! Our darn digital camera is still not working properly, so we have to go the long route to get pics on the computer.
October 17, 2005 It's been busy in Fighter Land! But in a good way! Jacob has been doing great at school, other than one day he was in a bad mood. It's so cool to have masterpieces for the fridge! Jacob is a great artist!
Jacob is crawling so much now that we can't take our eyes off of him for one second or he'll be in another room! Just the other day I left him in the living room while I went into the kitchen. I came back and he had crawled down the hall into the bathroom! He's fast! He has been trying to stand up on his own lately too! That's great to see. He gets on his hands and feet and lifts his upper body. He stands for a few seconds, then falls down on his bottom. Wow! He's going to be standing and walking before we know it! It's so nice to see him finally going mobile!
For the past couple weeks, we have been trying to wean him from the bottle. We have been able to get him down to just two bottles a day, with the rest of his fluids coming from the sippy cup during meals. We hope to have him off the bottle completely within a month or two. We are taking our time and being patient with him.
Our digital camera is suddenly working again (I have no idea what happened) so I should have some new photos up soon!
October 24, 2005 We've been getting many new visitors to JTF! I would like to welcome you and thank you for checking out the site!
October 27, 2005 The last few days have been exhausting. Jacob was running a fever off and on from Monday until late last night. His temp got as high as 104- we were really worried. We didn't want to take him to the hospital unless we absolutely had to, so we did all we could to get his fever down at home. Cool baths, cold compresses, even a few minutes outside in the cool air. Of course we gave him Tylenol every 4 to 6 hours as well. I called his pediatrician's office and spoke with a nurse on Tuesday. She said a virus has been going around with symptoms similar to Jacobs. She told me to keep with what we were doing and call if things got any worse. Although his fever has been gone for several hours, I may take him in to get checked out today.
What I worry about the most when Jacob is sick, is that he refuses to eat or drink. I catch him at the right moment though, and force down some apple sauce or juice...anything to keep him from getting dehydrated. Last night I had to wake Brett up to see if he could get J to drink some Pedialyte from a bottle. He wouldn't take it from me. Luckily he did from Brett. We suspect this is all due to a virus or maybe teething. He has some molars coming in.
In Mom news... Three nights ago I was on my laptop condensing all the journal entries into one file on my computer. I had entries from October 2003 to the present. Well, last night I went to open the file to edit and it wasn't there. Gone. Deleted. Poof! I think I accidentally deleted the wrong file after I condensed. So, I have lost all journal entries from May 2005 to September 2005 (I have a file on the other computer with entries up to August 2005). Needless to say I am very upset about this as I have been saving all my entries since shortly after J's website debuted. I guess I shouldn't be too depressed since it's my own fault for not making a backup disk. Oh well. I learned my lesson.
If by chance, anyone has been saving journal entries, please let me know! Thanks!
Please check out new pictures on the photo album page!
Jacob will be going on his first school field trip this week to a pumpkin patch! Brett and I are going along and will take some pictures! Should be a lot of fun!
I have added some new pictures to the site with more to come soon! Our darn digital camera is still not working properly, so we have to go the long route to get pics on the computer.
October 17, 2005 It's been busy in Fighter Land! But in a good way! Jacob has been doing great at school, other than one day he was in a bad mood. It's so cool to have masterpieces for the fridge! Jacob is a great artist!
Jacob is crawling so much now that we can't take our eyes off of him for one second or he'll be in another room! Just the other day I left him in the living room while I went into the kitchen. I came back and he had crawled down the hall into the bathroom! He's fast! He has been trying to stand up on his own lately too! That's great to see. He gets on his hands and feet and lifts his upper body. He stands for a few seconds, then falls down on his bottom. Wow! He's going to be standing and walking before we know it! It's so nice to see him finally going mobile!
For the past couple weeks, we have been trying to wean him from the bottle. We have been able to get him down to just two bottles a day, with the rest of his fluids coming from the sippy cup during meals. We hope to have him off the bottle completely within a month or two. We are taking our time and being patient with him.
Our digital camera is suddenly working again (I have no idea what happened) so I should have some new photos up soon!
October 24, 2005 We've been getting many new visitors to JTF! I would like to welcome you and thank you for checking out the site!
October 27, 2005 The last few days have been exhausting. Jacob was running a fever off and on from Monday until late last night. His temp got as high as 104- we were really worried. We didn't want to take him to the hospital unless we absolutely had to, so we did all we could to get his fever down at home. Cool baths, cold compresses, even a few minutes outside in the cool air. Of course we gave him Tylenol every 4 to 6 hours as well. I called his pediatrician's office and spoke with a nurse on Tuesday. She said a virus has been going around with symptoms similar to Jacobs. She told me to keep with what we were doing and call if things got any worse. Although his fever has been gone for several hours, I may take him in to get checked out today.
What I worry about the most when Jacob is sick, is that he refuses to eat or drink. I catch him at the right moment though, and force down some apple sauce or juice...anything to keep him from getting dehydrated. Last night I had to wake Brett up to see if he could get J to drink some Pedialyte from a bottle. He wouldn't take it from me. Luckily he did from Brett. We suspect this is all due to a virus or maybe teething. He has some molars coming in.
In Mom news... Three nights ago I was on my laptop condensing all the journal entries into one file on my computer. I had entries from October 2003 to the present. Well, last night I went to open the file to edit and it wasn't there. Gone. Deleted. Poof! I think I accidentally deleted the wrong file after I condensed. So, I have lost all journal entries from May 2005 to September 2005 (I have a file on the other computer with entries up to August 2005). Needless to say I am very upset about this as I have been saving all my entries since shortly after J's website debuted. I guess I shouldn't be too depressed since it's my own fault for not making a backup disk. Oh well. I learned my lesson.
If by chance, anyone has been saving journal entries, please let me know! Thanks!
Please check out new pictures on the photo album page!
Wednesday, June 1, 2005
June 2005
June 3, 2005 Hey Fighter Fans! Hope you have had a good week! On Monday, Memorial Day, Brett and I took Jacob to my parents house for a BBQ dinner. Before dinner we sat Jacob in the grass, something he hated the first time. He was fussy at first, then seamed ok with it. After a few minutes we tried putting him on his tummy, he didn't like that at all. He looked like Superman with his legs and arms off the ground- anything to keep from letting his skin touch the grass!
On Tuesday, one of Jacob's therapists came over and brought with her a neat indoor swing. It consists of a net suspended from a bar in a doorway. See the pictures in the Photo Gallery. Jacob really enjoys it and fell right to sleep the first time!
Thursday morning aunt Meagan and I took Jacob to the YMCA for swimming! Rainbows United, the organization that provides Jacob's in-home therapy, has teamed with the Y for free swimming twice a month. Due to being sick, having seizures and mommy/daddy being sick, we haven't been able to take him until now. It was a lot of fun! Jacob cried a little but did well overall. Check out the pictures on the Photo Gallery.
I am still waiting for my new software to arrive. For some reason it is taking a little longer than I expected. When it comes, I will have fun redesigning JTF!
June 8, 2005 My new web design software arrived this week and I plan to start building a brand new JTF this weekend! I would start right away, but homework comes first and due to summer consisting of a full semester crunched into two months, I am already loaded with work!
Today Jacob went to a Rainbows United remote site to work with his Occupational Therapist (who normally comes to our home). Jacob walked on a treadmill supported by a harness. At first he was irritable, but he grew to enjoy the walking. I snapped a few pictures, but due to the movement, they cam out very blurry. We will take Jacob back to work on the treadmill at least twice a month, or when the treadmill is available for use.
Lately Jacob is standing a lot more, crawling forward with a little help and also copies sounds he hears. It's really nice to see him blossom.
June 13, 2005 Our Fighter isn't feeling so good today. He has a stuffy nose and is drooling a lot so I think he is teething again. Because he didn't sleep well last night, I canceled his therapy visit for today. I'm keeping him rested and medicated so he should be feeling ok real soon.
The new site design is coming along well. I work on it off and on when I have time, aside from Jacob and homework of course! It should be done soon! I will keep the updates coming!
June 18, 2005 Happy Fathers Day Weekend to you!! Jacob (and the rest of the family) is feeling much better! Turns out he had a cold and it wasn't teething as I first thought. Actually, it could have been a combination of both! In my last post I mentioned having to cancel his therapy session for last Monday. Well, I had to cancel Thursday as well because we still weren't feeling too well. We don't want to spread germs!
I anticipate the re-designed site will be up in the next week or so. If I could dedicate an entire day to its design, it would be completed much sooner. Thanks for your patients! I know you will love the new look!
On Tuesday, one of Jacob's therapists came over and brought with her a neat indoor swing. It consists of a net suspended from a bar in a doorway. See the pictures in the Photo Gallery. Jacob really enjoys it and fell right to sleep the first time!
Thursday morning aunt Meagan and I took Jacob to the YMCA for swimming! Rainbows United, the organization that provides Jacob's in-home therapy, has teamed with the Y for free swimming twice a month. Due to being sick, having seizures and mommy/daddy being sick, we haven't been able to take him until now. It was a lot of fun! Jacob cried a little but did well overall. Check out the pictures on the Photo Gallery.
I am still waiting for my new software to arrive. For some reason it is taking a little longer than I expected. When it comes, I will have fun redesigning JTF!
June 8, 2005 My new web design software arrived this week and I plan to start building a brand new JTF this weekend! I would start right away, but homework comes first and due to summer consisting of a full semester crunched into two months, I am already loaded with work!
Today Jacob went to a Rainbows United remote site to work with his Occupational Therapist (who normally comes to our home). Jacob walked on a treadmill supported by a harness. At first he was irritable, but he grew to enjoy the walking. I snapped a few pictures, but due to the movement, they cam out very blurry. We will take Jacob back to work on the treadmill at least twice a month, or when the treadmill is available for use.
Lately Jacob is standing a lot more, crawling forward with a little help and also copies sounds he hears. It's really nice to see him blossom.
June 13, 2005 Our Fighter isn't feeling so good today. He has a stuffy nose and is drooling a lot so I think he is teething again. Because he didn't sleep well last night, I canceled his therapy visit for today. I'm keeping him rested and medicated so he should be feeling ok real soon.
The new site design is coming along well. I work on it off and on when I have time, aside from Jacob and homework of course! It should be done soon! I will keep the updates coming!
June 18, 2005 Happy Fathers Day Weekend to you!! Jacob (and the rest of the family) is feeling much better! Turns out he had a cold and it wasn't teething as I first thought. Actually, it could have been a combination of both! In my last post I mentioned having to cancel his therapy session for last Monday. Well, I had to cancel Thursday as well because we still weren't feeling too well. We don't want to spread germs!
I anticipate the re-designed site will be up in the next week or so. If I could dedicate an entire day to its design, it would be completed much sooner. Thanks for your patients! I know you will love the new look!
Sunday, May 1, 2005
May 2005
May 6, 2005 Forgive me for not getting the site updated sooner, this week had me busy with term papers and finals! It will be nice to have a three week break before the summer semester starts!
It's been a good week for the Fighter! He's been feeling well and is really starting to show his personality. What I once took as irritability from teething is actually a Fighter Fit! He could very well be teething, but as time has passed, Brett and I see more and more how his true colors are coming out! It is so cool to see him react to certain things. He is making more sounds along with the "mama," like, "baba" and lots of singing and grunting! So cute! We are still working with him on walking and crawling and although he can be stubborn at times, he is doing well with both. I am very happy to report that since the seizure medication was increased, he hasn't had any seizures (knock on wood)! We look forward to the weather staying nice so we can get him outside to play! We plan to take him to the Sedgwick County Zoo, the park, and when I start gardening, he can play in his playpen!
May 12, 2005 Wow! Over 40 Saving Babies bracelets have been sold through JTF so far! That's an additional $20 that we are going to donate to March of Dimes! Thanks so much!
Early Saturday morning, Jacob had another mild seizure. I called his neurologist's office Monday. Dr. S ordered a Phenobarbital level check and wants to see him this week. Yesterday I took J to his Pediatrician's office to have the lab drawn, but a communication error left us sitting for over an hour without the proper orders. We left and will go back today. Hopefully the lab results will be complete in time for J's appointment with Dr. S tomorrow. I am going to ask him what other tests can be done to determine what the problem is. The medication has helped, but for J to have episodes every few weeks, it is obviously not enough.
I haven't taken any new pictures of Jacob, or anyone else for that matter, due to how hectic things have been the past two weeks. Don't worry, with the weather becoming nicer we will get J out in his swing, to the park, the zoo and take tons-o-new-pics!
May 17, 2005 I hope everyone had a great weekend! Ours was busy, but really fun!
Last Wednesday Jacob had an appointment with his retina doctor who, upon examination, found that the fluid in his right eye (the better eye) has decreased! Dr V. said that the decrease may or may not effect his vision, but he is hopeful. With the condition of his eye, he expects that Jacob is seeing light and shapes/shadows. His left eye remains unchanged with low probability of vision (something we have known for a long time). He doesn't feel surgery is needed right now and wants to see him again in three months.
Last Thursday Jacob went to see his Neurologist about the breakthrough seizures. She explained to me that each child is different when taking Phenobarbital. Some need to be at a higher level then others to keep the seizures at bay. She said that since Jacob's seizures have decreased in severity, he is on his way to a therapeutic level. She has increased his dose and will check his levels again in two weeks. She hopes this will stop the seizures. If not, she will consider an alternative medication. Phenobarb is always the first choice due to its low occurrence of side effects.
Saturday afternoon my grandparents arrived from Texas and my great aunt and uncle from Colorado. They came to town for the weekend for my sister Meagan's high school graduation. We had a lot of fun spending time together and on Sunday attending Meagan's graduation. After the graduation we had a great BBQ with family and friends. We are all so proud of Meagan! Also, Jacob had lots of attention from everyone, allowing Brett and I to have a short break!
May 23, 2005 Other than feeling crabby from teething, Jacob has had a good week. He woke last Thursday with a fever and had one this morning as well. We think he has molars coming in, poor kid! As you can see from the home page, Jacob had some fun a few nights ago munching on an Oreo cookie! What a mess! Good thing it was bath night!
I hope everyone has had a chance to look at the new albums on Yahoo! I apologize for not updating it sooner. Since all of Jacob's pictures are digital, I have begun ordering prints from the vast number of albums. Last week I ordered double prints of the first 12 albums. I will order more every couple weeks until I have prints of them all. I would like to put together a scrapbook (or two or three) of his photos, as well as all of the emails, cards and letters we have received since his birth almost two years ago. Right now I have all of his "stuff" in a box in his bedroom. I'd like to get it out and show it off!
May 27, 2005 It's been a pretty good week in Fighter Land. Other than a couple of days of irritability and a fever due to teething, Jacob has been doing great! He did not have any doctors appointments (surprised? I was!) but he did have two therapy sessions. His therapist's continue to be pleased with his progress, although they do want to see him doing more in the next year. We do too! We hope to see him walking soon and talking more!
Coming soon....a whole new look for the website! I recently purchased new software and will reconstruct the website giving it a fun new look and a hit counter that works! Yay! :) Since I will be making the new site on my laptop, the interruption should only last a short time! I will post a note before that takes place!
Have a great Memorial Day weekend!
It's been a good week for the Fighter! He's been feeling well and is really starting to show his personality. What I once took as irritability from teething is actually a Fighter Fit! He could very well be teething, but as time has passed, Brett and I see more and more how his true colors are coming out! It is so cool to see him react to certain things. He is making more sounds along with the "mama," like, "baba" and lots of singing and grunting! So cute! We are still working with him on walking and crawling and although he can be stubborn at times, he is doing well with both. I am very happy to report that since the seizure medication was increased, he hasn't had any seizures (knock on wood)! We look forward to the weather staying nice so we can get him outside to play! We plan to take him to the Sedgwick County Zoo, the park, and when I start gardening, he can play in his playpen!
May 12, 2005 Wow! Over 40 Saving Babies bracelets have been sold through JTF so far! That's an additional $20 that we are going to donate to March of Dimes! Thanks so much!
Early Saturday morning, Jacob had another mild seizure. I called his neurologist's office Monday. Dr. S ordered a Phenobarbital level check and wants to see him this week. Yesterday I took J to his Pediatrician's office to have the lab drawn, but a communication error left us sitting for over an hour without the proper orders. We left and will go back today. Hopefully the lab results will be complete in time for J's appointment with Dr. S tomorrow. I am going to ask him what other tests can be done to determine what the problem is. The medication has helped, but for J to have episodes every few weeks, it is obviously not enough.
I haven't taken any new pictures of Jacob, or anyone else for that matter, due to how hectic things have been the past two weeks. Don't worry, with the weather becoming nicer we will get J out in his swing, to the park, the zoo and take tons-o-new-pics!
May 17, 2005 I hope everyone had a great weekend! Ours was busy, but really fun!
Last Wednesday Jacob had an appointment with his retina doctor who, upon examination, found that the fluid in his right eye (the better eye) has decreased! Dr V. said that the decrease may or may not effect his vision, but he is hopeful. With the condition of his eye, he expects that Jacob is seeing light and shapes/shadows. His left eye remains unchanged with low probability of vision (something we have known for a long time). He doesn't feel surgery is needed right now and wants to see him again in three months.
Last Thursday Jacob went to see his Neurologist about the breakthrough seizures. She explained to me that each child is different when taking Phenobarbital. Some need to be at a higher level then others to keep the seizures at bay. She said that since Jacob's seizures have decreased in severity, he is on his way to a therapeutic level. She has increased his dose and will check his levels again in two weeks. She hopes this will stop the seizures. If not, she will consider an alternative medication. Phenobarb is always the first choice due to its low occurrence of side effects.
Saturday afternoon my grandparents arrived from Texas and my great aunt and uncle from Colorado. They came to town for the weekend for my sister Meagan's high school graduation. We had a lot of fun spending time together and on Sunday attending Meagan's graduation. After the graduation we had a great BBQ with family and friends. We are all so proud of Meagan! Also, Jacob had lots of attention from everyone, allowing Brett and I to have a short break!
May 23, 2005 Other than feeling crabby from teething, Jacob has had a good week. He woke last Thursday with a fever and had one this morning as well. We think he has molars coming in, poor kid! As you can see from the home page, Jacob had some fun a few nights ago munching on an Oreo cookie! What a mess! Good thing it was bath night!
I hope everyone has had a chance to look at the new albums on Yahoo! I apologize for not updating it sooner. Since all of Jacob's pictures are digital, I have begun ordering prints from the vast number of albums. Last week I ordered double prints of the first 12 albums. I will order more every couple weeks until I have prints of them all. I would like to put together a scrapbook (or two or three) of his photos, as well as all of the emails, cards and letters we have received since his birth almost two years ago. Right now I have all of his "stuff" in a box in his bedroom. I'd like to get it out and show it off!
May 27, 2005 It's been a pretty good week in Fighter Land. Other than a couple of days of irritability and a fever due to teething, Jacob has been doing great! He did not have any doctors appointments (surprised? I was!) but he did have two therapy sessions. His therapist's continue to be pleased with his progress, although they do want to see him doing more in the next year. We do too! We hope to see him walking soon and talking more!
Coming soon....a whole new look for the website! I recently purchased new software and will reconstruct the website giving it a fun new look and a hit counter that works! Yay! :) Since I will be making the new site on my laptop, the interruption should only last a short time! I will post a note before that takes place!
Have a great Memorial Day weekend!
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