Oy!

I am hoping to actually get this post done is the quickest way possible. TJ is already getting into so much and the day has just begun. I have even played/worked with him and he is just full of energy. But he must be tired too. Got up normal time but fell asleep last night about 3 hours later than usual. Nap time is fast approaching. I look forward to nap/bed time after mornings like this.
Anyway, TJ saw the ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) Dr yesterday morning. Long story short. Passed hearing on left side. Right side was clogged pretty good with wax and drainage due to his sinus's.He didn't "fail" but he had a really hard time hearing on right side. He has had what I would say chronic blood in his nose mucus, or... in his snot! He has had a plugged, runny, yucky nose for a good month. He does get nose bleeds but not that often anymore but the drainage has been bloody for some time. Dr thinks he needs to have that right tube redone and adenoids out. I asked if he was getting adenoids out can we do tonsils? He said with his speech delay, snoring, bloody nose, and the waking up crying while asleep several time every night would be good enough reasons for insurance to cover it. So we are in the process of seeing what insurance will cover and get that set up. Easy enough right? (rest of story for later).
I called Ron who was less than thrilled about another surgery with our children. We have been to the ENT 5 times for tubes, adenoids and tonsils with 3 of the kids so far. We don't have the $ for the next few months for this to be done, so if we do this we can't afford it till August/Sept.

Later yesterday we went to the naturalpath dr. He is an MD, and also does homeopathy and Chinese medicine. I am sold on naturalpathic/homeopathy but am also a skeptic. However I DO know for sure that whatever we have/are doing food, antibiotic wise hasn't been working. So we are willing to try whatever. IF YOU ARE A SKEPTIC, PLEASE ROLL YOUR EYES, MUMBLE UNDER YOUR BREATH AND SKIP THIS PARAGRAGH. So, the dr did some testing on him using electrode things and it appears he is allergic/sensitive to cows milk, cheese, dog hair and ham. WHAT? Weird I think. But worth a shot? Yes. Ron and I want to do whatever we can to eliminate any reason to have him diagnosed as autistic. What I mean is if we have his metals tested, food sensitivities tested, eliminate those things/foods, hearing tested and then if they diagnose him we can't argue it. We know that we have taken care of/eliminated all the reasons to escalate the symptoms, behaviors, hyperness, etc.... So this is where Ron and I have chosen to go. The dr thinks that if we eliminate the foods that maybe his sinus's and ears will heal. He did say though that since he has easily had over 10 ear infections (With most being double ear infec) and about 4 sinus infections in his short 3 years that his body may need to have the surgery to just take care of the problem. No adenoids and tonsils will help with the tubes, nose and snoring which may eliminate the crying at night, which in turn will allow him more productive sleep. Just maybe the more/better sleep means less behavior issues. We will see.

Back to the ENT. He seemed to wonder why we were requested a hearing screen. I told him that we have reason to be concerned and he is going to be evaluated for autism. He had an odd smile on his face and I wondered if he was a skeptic like TJ's pediatrician. Maybe thinking "she's crazy, whoever wants him evaled is crazy, autism is over diagnosed, it's all a guess, etc....." I then said "I am not sure if you are familiar or not with autism but his speech path has seen some signs and thinks he needs evaled. So we jumped into panic/proactive mode and are wanting to do anything and everything to make sure he gets a clear diagnosis. That is why we are here". He said that he is actually very familiar with the spectrum and has a nephew with aspergers. WHAT? Is this good or bad. I almost felt relieved because I know that dr's usually tip toe around the whole autism thing. So if you have a doctor that is concerned, be grateful. Go with it and have your child evaluated. I am convinced that TJ should have been seen a long time ago.
Anyway, so ENT dr said that he still thinks that the tube will help with the details of hearing. Hearing the words just as they are spoken, and to get the adenoids out etc... He said so many children have major behavior changed when having ENT issues.

What are we doing? We are eliminating the milk products, ham and going to do the best we can to keep him from the dog, who is no way an indoor animal. We will see naturalpath again on June 10th to see if we have noticed a change at all and retest him. ?? If we don't feel we have seen changes and or his ears, nose, sinuses are not better than we will then schedule/follow through with the surgery. All this while continuing to wait for the evaluations.

We are in agreement that we are both seeing things that are out of the "norm" or "typical" in hand movements, body movements, his repeating us (The last word in our question/sentence) and over and over again. When he gets something on his mind we will hear about it ALL day. Yesterday were the camels on the side of the road. I pulled over for him to watch them eat. I really think I heard the word CAMEL at least 300+ times. It was so cute but then I started to realize that he is saying it an awful lot. More than a typical child. I think anyway. He also is very aware of where things are.
Something I have noticed a few times in the past few weeks is TJ has a good sense of direction. I really wish he could talk. I'd loved to hear what all the babbling words are. I think we would be very impressed. A few weeks ago on our way to take TJ to speech he started whining when I didn't turn on the road that I normally went on. I had decided to take a different way to see if it was fast. Also on Tuesday this week we went to the bank. TJ has not been to that bank in close to a year. We then drove by the road that the bank is off of and he kept saying "bank" and pointing down the road that the bank is on. To me I was shocked. I don't think I'd be so shocked if it was somewhere we go all the time but we don't. He has also been doing that with the vet office. Ever since we went there he says "heal" when we drive by. When we got out of the truck to take our dog in Ron was telling the dog to "heal". So whenever we drive by he yells "heal". I can't get him to say vet, or doggie dr. He says "heal". Weird? Or not weird? Hmmm! My sister did remind me that he is 3.5 yrs old so he is old enough to know where the bank is etc... ? Maybe.

I look forward to the next few weeks. I am so grateful that Ron and I are hanging on together in this and going with our gut feeling and not letting what anyone else says or thinks bother us. Well, it bothers us, but we quickly blow it off. Our conclusion is that we are the ones that are with him for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. He is so busy that people have never jumped for joy over watching him. So through all the opinions Ron and I are able to still talk calmly about where we agree and disagree, what we should and need to be concerned about and what we can blow off. We at times have very different thoughts on how to approach this whole situation. We are still deeply in love and are continuing to grow from it. When you hear that over 3/4 of marriages fall apart after having a child diagnosed we knew then that even just through this possibility and the confirmation or elimination process that this could be us if we don't stay focused on the only thing that matters. TJ! That we do what is best for TJ. And we are doing that TOGETHER! Family and friends will have their own thoughts and opinions. They will talk behind our backs to others, vent and/or support. What matters first and foremost is Ron and I and that we get to decide because we are his parents. And we are doing this together.
It is time to go because TJ just thought it would be fun to pop open a bag of Rice Krispies and fling them on the floor. Nice! Here's to another day of keeping him busy enough not to make me crazy, and keep him excited and having fun. Off for a early nap too.
Take care and thanks for the thoughts and prayers!!!!!

My sweet sister-in-law is always my go to girl when I need a spiritual boost of encouragement wrote a bunch of scripture down for Ron and I when this all came about. We love this verse,
"All my children are taught of the Lord and great is the peace of my children!" Isaiah 54:13