Best of 2009: Insight or aha moment!

For me this moment came when I was diagnosed with PCOS.

We started trying for baby number 3 in April 2008. In September of this year I took myself to the doctors and asked if my struggle to lose weight and the fact that we couldn’t conceive were related. I’d done some reading about PCOS and I did wonder. I was sent for blood tests and the results came back positive.
I started taking metformin tablets after the doctor explained to me that I have insulin resistance. The tablets lower my resistance to the insulin and therefore help me to lose weight. This in turn should help us conceive as my body goes back to normal.

The tablets have been wonderful. I no longer crave food like I used to. The side effects aren’t that pretty but I have the advantage of deciding to take a break from them when I want to. I’ve not been taking them over Christmas for example because the delicious food that I enjoy at this time of year do not agree with the meds! I shall be back on them again very soon!

Understanding that I have a condition that makes it difficult for me to lose weight was definitely my “A’ha! moment of 2009. Suddenly it all slots into place. I know what is wrong and I can do something about it!

This post is part of  Gwen Bell’s Best of 2009 blog challenge

Best of 2009: New Food

Struggling with this one. We’ve not got into anything new really this year. We eat all sorts of different stuff anyway and being married to a chef means we eat delicious things at home.

I am trying though to eat more healthily. Being on metformin tablets means that my belly has suffered horrid side effects the last couple of months. I struggle to tolerate anything greasy or fried. This is fantastic news for my waistline! Whereas I used to long for bacon and egg sandwiches for brunch now I just think about the agonising belly ache it will give me so I opt for a bowl of cereal for breakfast and some soup for lunch instead.

I’m 1lb away from losing a stone in 2mths. Healthy food is where it’s at (although I must confess that I am planning to skip my tablets on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day so that I can enjoy some festive food without feeling poorly!!!).

This post is part of  Gwen Bell’s Best of 2009 blog challenge

Working things out

I’ve copied this post from an internet forum where I have many good friends. It basically saves me typing it all out again!

Well the speech therapist & preschool support specialist arrived at 9.30am and were here until 12.40pm! I am exhausted now but Katie is at playgroup for the afternoon and I have a chance to recharge.

In a nutshell… autistic tendancies are not really a concern. She could see where I am coming from and she understands my concerns but she said the behaviour doesnt quite tick all the boxes.

Katie seems to have confused them though. This morning they witnessed perfect behaviour from her aswell as violent and awful behaviour. They kept telling me I’m doing a great job as a parent. The speech therapist said “her good behaviour is down to you… when she is like this she is a credit to you”. They were very impressed with her please and thankyous even when she was being aggressive (!).

They said that she is a very very clever girl. She counted upto 8 while they were here and played some quite complex imaginary games with the speech therapist. They were intrigued to see how she manipulates people to get what she wants. My mental health was addressed in a lovely, sensitive way. It seems some of how Katie behaves is in reaction to me. She knows what buttons to press. She knows how to get a reaction from me and because I struggle to cope with her she behaves better for her daddy.

We looked right back to when she was born, when I was pregnant and before that even. My mini breakdown and the fact that I was on my own with Robyn etc was all spoken about and recorded. It has woken me up a bit and made me realise I need to see a doctor again. I’ve got an appointment on Monday anyway to discuss my PCOS so will talk about mental health issues then.

Katie will be assessed by the speech therapist one more time at playgroup and then she should be discharged. Her speech is now still slightly delayed but there is no cause for concern anymore if she carries on improving at the rate that she is. We are being referred to homestart for some practical help so that I have someone to help me take her out to places. Its more for my confidence than anything else.

Portage services are going to get in touch (although probably not til after Christmas as they are really stretched) and assess her in playgroup and at home. ADHD was mentioned and although she said it takes a long time to get diagnosed, her behaviour (particularly the violent behaviour) and attention skills seem significant enough to raise a concern.

So that’s us. The wider picture is being looked at and that only has to be good for both me and Katie. It seems the problem lies with both of us and we’ll hopefully get the help we need. I’m off to have a big cry now before collecting the girls. This morning has been a huge revelation to me that her behaviour might actually be down to me. They were so lovely… really affirming and not condescending at all. But it all kept coming back that I need to get some help for my mental health and then I’ll have a better coping strategy. That is hard to hear

Chicken Pox

Ahhh so Katie now has chickenpox. It really seems to be all go at the moment. I have made a start on my new photography course and it is all very exciting! It starts properly tomorrow which makes the chickenpox even more frustrating. Katie is off playgroup and I have lots to do including 2 sets of bunting to make for friends.

It’s all good though, I will look after Katie this week and hopefully she will be back at playgroup next week when I can get on with sewing and photography!

Health

Robyns tests went well. The radiologist said there does seem to be a slight hernia which would explain alot of her symptoms. We are just waiting on another test now and then a follow up appointment. She was a superstar having the test done. She had to drink quite alot of the barium and said it tasted horrid. She understands it is a means to an end though.

I have been to the doctors for some advice about losing weight and to raise my concerns about the fact we have been trying for baby number 3 for 18mths with no joy. I have been referred for tests as he wonders if I might have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Yesterday I had blood tests and am now sporting a huge bruise on my arm. I have an appointment in October to get the results and to discuss what happens next.

I have copied most of this next bit from my lovely parenting group that I am a member of…

Today I had a really great conversation with Heather, Katies speech therapist.
She said she is thrilled with how Katie is coming on with her speech. She was asking how playgroup is going and wanted to discuss what we do next.
We both agreed her speech is not such a concern now… its just a case of practise which will come with being at playgroup. She told me she has concerns about Katies listening & attention skills. I said I do too.
She has had hearing tests and we know that she is hearing everything no problem. Katie is stubborn but it goes a bit further than stubborn. She has firm mindsets and once she is “on one” then it is very difficult to get her out of it. 

I am really at the end of my tether. I really do need some more help with her. The way the speech therapist spoke it sounds like she has spotted the problem and recognises that it is a bit more than the normal terrible twos. She said that when she has observed her she can see that no matter how hard I try she just does not listen.
She said she is concerned that if Katie carries on in the way she does now then it will get too out of control.
Heather said that she really feels for me. She said “You are great, you are doing everything right and Katie is lucky you are her mum”. That made me feel alot better about it. It is nothing that I have done. Katie is the way she is because she is Katie… nothing to do with my parenting.

SO… I am meeting with Heather next week to go through some forms to get Katie referred to the child development unit. She will get help with her attention and listening skills and hopefully more help at playgroup. They will go in and work with her there. Heather wants to carry on working with her too which I’m pleased about. Katie loves her to bits!

I am really pleased. I feel like a weight has been lifted. Katie is like a whirlwind and I am so glad to be getting the help we need.

It has been a bit of a rollercoaster week with health problems! All 3 of us are waiting for referrals to come through and tests to be completed. Hopefully I’ll be able to update with some positive news soon!

I’ll leave you with a picture of my battered arm! I am a nightmare to get blood from and always end up like this after blood tests!

Feeling anxious

Tomorrow my precious Robyn has to go to the hospital for a barium swallow test. She has suffered from reflux since she was a baby and last month we had a doctors appointment about it. She has been referred for a few tests to determine what is wrong with her and to see what exactly is causing her acid reflux.

Robyn is taking it all in her stride, like she does most things! She is excited about having a couple of hours off school and is loving the extra attention!

I know she will be fine but I’m still anxious. I’ve had to remind her that she cant have any breakfast in the morning. That alone makes me feel awful as she loves brekky! I have promised she can have some at the hospital which she seems chuffed with.

Sometimes it is so hard being a mummy.

Real ambulances & toy ones too!

This morning I told Robyn she could bring down her playmobil box from her bedroom. It’s not something I allow her to bring downstairs very often because of all the tiny pieces. I trust Robyn to look after it in her bedroom but Katie having a free reign with it spells disaster!

The girls have just spent over an hour putting people in the campervan & driving them around, also putting poorly people in the ambulance and taking them to hospital. Both of these things are very topical in our house at the moment as my parents are currently touring France in their campervan and on Saturday we had the unfortunate experience of an ambulance trip to hospital with Katie.

Katie had been having some trouble breathing on Friday night and so I took her to the emergency doctor on Saturday who in turn sent us to the hospital. I had no transport since Anthony had gone away to a wedding so we were forced to go by ambulance. When we got there we were put into an isolation room and the doctors and nurses who came into us all had to be masked and gowned because of the Swine Flu precautions.

A doctor and then a registrar listened to Katies chest and said there’s nothing untoward there. The breathing trouble was due to congestion in her throat as her tonsils were a bit swollen.

Diagnosis: Suspected swine flu. We were sent away with some Tamiflu and ordered to stay indoors for 5 days. Thank goodness for toys that don’t come out very often, when they do come out its like a brand new toy which is guaranteed to keep them amused for a while!