Hail To The Queen

I must have some rebel blood in me

because Kean is supposed to be wearing a hearing aid on his right ear

and I'm lucky if I have enough energy (or care enough) to put it in.

His hearing loss- supposedly is minor-- so minor, he doesn't see the benefit

and neither do I.  I just see the struggle.  He hates it.

And in my book, he has enough on his plate, so I don't push it.

Well, today was reckoning day.

He had a hearing test (torture on the level of Guantanamo Bay).

Let's just say he didn't do too well.

Really, I should clarify-- he didn't cooperate.

In fact, the doctor is looking into having a brain mapping

hearing test while he is sedated for Chemo next week or

the next time.

He couldn't leave the hospital today fast enough!!!

 While Kean napped this afternoon, I got to go down to Reese's

third grade class to watch her dazzle.

The children were assigned to read a biography,

write a speech as if they were that person and then dress up

and give the speech.

 We read four books and Reese picked Cleopatra.

She loved all the wars, the forced marriage to her little brother,

the death of Julius Caesar, Mark Antony killing himself by sword

and then Cleopatra killing herself with a poisonous snake--

it read like a movie script.

She memorized her entire speech and rocked it.

 It was actually quite entertaining to hear all the other speeches.

The kids up today-- Einstein, Helen Keller, Sacajawea, Bill Gates,

Katy Perry and our little queen of Egypt.

The Axe

Today was one of the days I dread most.

Kean had his big hearing test-- the one

where they put him in a sound booth, hook contraptions

onto his shirt, stick probes in his ears and expect him to 

sit still for oh, like forever, listen and react to sounds

while I hold his hands in a vice grip (to keep him from pulling

the probes out)!

 He was totally in to walking and crawling up the ramp

to the sound booth-- but totally out when it came to the test.

Let's just say the doc only got a bit out of him before

he got totally fed up with me holding his hands down

and refused to cooperate.

 The doc gave me the option of a sedated hearing test

(no thanks, he gets sedated enough as it is) or we can

"practice" an interactive hearing game at home and try 

a new approach to the test in three months.

Ummm, we'll be practicing this little game to see if that works.

In case you were wondering, we both came home exhausted.

Alex Hill (from our church) came over again this evening

to play with Kean.

 Thankfully, it was beautiful outside-- so four wheeler riding

it was... that and swinging and eating and just becoming fast friends.

It's the cutest thing ever-- oh, that and the fact that

Kean calls Alex "Axe".

The Torture Chamber

Just look at this face.

Who'd ever guess he was a holy terror today.

 He started the morning being an absolute pill for his Speech Therapist, Clair--

so I knew things were not going to be easy for his big hearing test today.

And I was partly right.

Let me set the stage-- we go into this sound booth-- I'm certain Kean

would call it the torture chamber, where I hold him on my lap-- hold being

the important word here.

They stick these sensors into his ears and then I have to keep his

lightning fast hands from yanking them out-- so I'm basically

holding him in lock down-- which he hates!

 The doc outside the booth plays sounds at different tones and levels

and the idea is-- if he hears the sound, he is supposed to look at a screen 

on his far right.

If he looks, the screen lights up with a dancing cartoon.

Needless to say, he was not too cooperative.

He screamed at the other doctor kneeling in front of him trying to get him to participate.

It was ugly.

He was much, much happier on the floor outside the booth

(without his mom acting like a human straight jacket).

The good news is... the doc thinks she got enough to

make the test work.

The bad news is, he still needs that dang hearing aid in his right ear.

Silly me.  I was hoping for a miracle.

I don't know who hates that thing more-- me or him.

Modern Day Pony Express

Thank heavens for the Internet.

We got word.. well proof that at least two of our three girls are alive and well.

Camp Rainbow Gold posted a bunch of pictures on their face book page.

That's Reese second from the left -- with the rest of the kids from her cabin.

 And yes, that gadfly is Greer.

She looks like she is totally in her element.

Today's agenda called for a hike, ice skating and a big dance tonight.

Party Central!

 Kean's been partly grouchy for the day.

Please notice his hearing aid.

We're slowly making progress.

Today, especially during "speech time".

We're really working on the word "motorcycle"

(probably the most important word in the entire vocabulary-- according to him).

 He got so caught up in playing with his motorcycle...

 that he forgot to yank out his hearing aid for a while.

Like I said, progress.

 We got a good laugh tonight.

After dinner, he was whining and acting like he was miserable

until Byron asked if he wanted to go for a motorcycle ride.

I tell ya, you've never seen such a miraculous healing!

Keanut Gump

You know that's what Byron calls Kean-- ever since he got leg braces.

Kean's ankles are super floppy and he's been hyper extending his knees.

This morning, an Orthopedist made a home visit to check him out and re-measure.

Yes, the parade of appointments never ends.

 The good news is he's getting rid of the higher braces that keep him from

hyper extending his knees-- he's improved in that department.

The bad news is his feet are turning in more, so he's getting a more

aggressive foot brace that will go up to the ankle only.

While we are talking appliances, I got Kean to wear his hearing aid

for a solid 15 to 20 minutes while we read stories and sang songs.

I'm trying to make it a fun time for him (and keep him distracted from yanking it out).

I've really been lax in that department since he got sick.

He had a decent day-- wasn't into doing any therapy whatsoever

and threw up a few times... but he seemed much happier than yesterday

So I think he's getting back to his normal.



The Bionic Boy

I could tell Kean was off today-- but geez, who wouldn't be after the doses of Chemo

he got yesterday through the Spinal Tap, then one in his port and finally one

orally at bedtime.

He only threw up once today-- so he's definitely turning a corner.

Personally, I think the boy really doesn't know any different than

probably feeling a bit rotten here and there.

He sure is a trooper.

Case in point, my friend Pam Brown dropped in today, just in time to

accompany us for his hearing aid fitting.



 Kean wasn't too thrilled with the whole process

but he put up with it (and us).

 Poor guy.  He really just wanted us to leave him alone

so he could watch Cars.

His new hearing aid seems to fit him great.

But the real work will start tomorrow when I try to get him

to actually wear it and not pull it out.

May the odds ever be in my favor!