Summertime!

I'm trying to get caught up. I just did my scrapbook for 2008! We're only 7 months into 2009 so that's not too bad. Luckily I do it the easy way by using shutterfly and having the images turned into books. They turn out really nice and it's a lot easier than cutting and pasting. Cleaner too!

I spend last week at Whidbey Island with the Bugni's. It was a great time. We just wished we would have booked a longer stay. We lucked out with the weather but not with the crabbing. Madeline loves the water and spent most of the time with her feet in it or in the sand. PJ brought a boat this time so both the girls got to go for boat rides. They also really liked the ferry ride over. Madeline kept saying "we're swimming in the ocean", which is basically scripted from a television show where they go swimming in the ocean but she used it appropriately so I can't complain.

We just got her started on a new drug called bethanecol. New to her, not new in general. Hopefully it will get her tummy moving. She's been pretty miserable lately. http://www.autismcoach.com/Cod_Liver_Oil.htm

School is out, well kinda. she's still very busy. She has preschool and OT on Mondays, ABA on Tuesdays and Speech on Fridays. I also got her signed up for 3 summer camps. Gymnastics, Ooey Gooey science and Champ Camp. They are all offered by our local childrens therapy center and can accomodate kids of all abilities. I think she'll love Gymnastics. Abby gets to go to Creepy Creatures camp too. That means I'll have three hours, three days in a row all to myself. I might have to actually get my hair cut, or go to the dentist!!

I've been meeting with a few of the mom's from Madeline's preschool a few times a week. Just at local parks for playing. It's nice to have a group of friends that know what daily life is like in my house. They are all great and I'm really glad I found them. It actually turns out that one of them is related to Jon's family is a weird sort of a way. Basically her aunt married Jon's Dad's first cousin. So she has a bunch of cousins that are Brunaugh's. Not a common name so we figured it out. Weird.

Here are some new pics.

Back to the Great Wolf

We took the girls back to the Great Wolf Lodge on the way to Vancouver this last weekend. They LOVED it. Madeline would stay in the water all day if we'd let her. Abby really liked the arcade. She found the tokens and tickets very exciting. Madeline's favorite part is going in and out of the water fall!

April is Autism Awareness Month!

I've just finished watching last Friday's airing of Larry King Live and boy am I pissed off. It's completely unbelievable to me how some of these dr's aren't even acknowledging the fact that autism rates have increased in the last 10-15 years. Dr. Wizitzel (or whatever his name is) is a complete moron. I sat here listening to him ramble about kids with small social issues being diagnosed with autism and how that is the only reason the numbers are rising. What an idiot!!! He's also trying to say that most kids are born with it and it has nothing to do with environmental factors or vaccines. I was really happy to hear Dr Healy though. She's one of the only mainstream medical dr's that I've heard admit that there has been no real research done in regards to autism. They are so far behind in learning anything more about the disease. And that's what it is, a disease, not a disorder. She mentioned the need for a study comparing kids with vaccines vs kids without or with a limited schedule of vaccines. DUH! Are you kidding me? Of course, you don't have to be a brain surgeon to figure the need for that study. Unfortunately so much of our medical community is paid for by pharmaceutical companies that if and when that study does happen it will probably have to be a privately funded study. Here's some info for them. I have two girls, one was vaccinated, one was not, one has autism, one doesn't, I'll let you guess which is which. Idiots!

If any of you reading this have new babies or friends with new babies or just questions on vaccines I really recommend looking up Dr. Sear's vaccine schedule. It's the one we are following with Abby, although we are starting hers a little later than he recommends because I'm a chicken! Either way, if you have questions, please ask me. I'm not the expert on the subject but I have lots of great resources at my disposal.

OK, enough venting. For now at least. Since it's autism awareness month there will probably be a lot more morons on TV for me to be pissed at.

Our naturopath recommended a new supplement for Madeline that we just got in the mail. It's called Enhansa and is a mild chelator, anti-viral, anti-fungal and has other benefits. She mentioned she has seen lots of improvements in social and communication in GIRLS she sees. (remember autism is 4-5 times more prevelent in boys) Especially those who haven't responded to other treatments, like our Madeline :) We'll start it tomorrow and see how it goes. It's supposed to have a pretty good "die off" effect where kids get a lot spacier before they get better. The spacey part is supposed to be a good sign. We'll see! I'm keeping my fingers crossed, just as I do with every other treatment we've tried.

Here are some pics from our mini spring break trip to Ellensburg. We had great weather and a lot of fun. Abby was so happy to see her favorite dog Tally. Madeline actually liked her this time too. Great, I probably am going to have to get a dog! :) Either that or make more trips to Eburg, I'd prefer the latter.

Oh, if you are interested in watching that episode of Larry King it's posted on youtube by xmagicdustx . It's in 5 parts so make sure you watch them in order. Also, it's re-airing this Saturday. They also have some good links and info here : http://www.generationrescue.org/

MRI's, EEG's and MBSV's

Last week was a busy week of appts at Children's Hospital in Seattle. Tuesday was Madeline's MRI on her stomach. It took a long time to get the anesthesia and then the actual test only took about 15 minutes. She freaked out when she woke up because they left her IV in and had tape all over her arms but otherwise it was ok. The tests came back normal so we know everything is connected and working properly in her gut. So good news there.

Then on Friday she had an EEG, which is a test where they place 30 electrodes on her scalp and measure brain activity for about an hour. We were pretty positive there was no possible way she was going to lay still while someone stuck a bunch of stuff to her head, especially since she hates me even brushing her hair. Luckily the nice EEG tech was smart and let her keep her pony tail in. She laid in the bed and played her Leapster (handheld video game) while the test was performed. I was amazed!! She was such a trooper. We got those tests back yesterday and they were normal too. So, no seizures and the funny little thing she's doing is just a stim that she controls. Probably regulating her nervous system. So more good news.

Then this weekend she got sick. Nasty fever and runny nose. I took her to the dr yesterday (in a snow storm) and he said it was MBSV. "Must be some virus"! :)

We are happy because now we have most of our questions answered. We know that none of her symptoms are serious and most are related to sensory issues and not physical issues. hooray!

We got a ton of snow in the last few days. Here are some pics!!