So, What's Going On?

Well...

Clara is losing her hearing, it's an official diagnosis now, in her medical file and everything. :( They fit her for her hearing aids and let her pick out the colors, we're just waiting to pick them up. They told us that they wouldn't recommend her going to the school for the deaf just yet though because she didn't start losing her hearing until she was 12, so her language will always be spoken English. They said since the school is a predominantly quiet grounds, it wouldn't do Clara any good at this point. They said there is no way to determine how fats her hearing will go, but when it goes, she will have the option of Cochlear implants. (But Johnnie says no to those because he's scared of them). So for right now, we wait it out and see what happens.

Marian saw her Rheumatologist and she's setting Marian up to start monthly infusions at Egleston starting in 4-6 weeks. Her body just isn't responding to her medication anymore and she doesn't want the Enbrel shots. Mary actually chose the Infusions over the shots. So here we go.

Clara asked me to change her surgeon a few weeks ago. She got to meet Dr. Williams, her new surgeon yesterday. He came in, sat in front of her and looked her over and just hung his head. He stayed that way for a few seconds and then sat up and looked at me with this "I'm sorry" look on his face and said, "Ok, here's what we can do..."

So Clara now has two surgeries scheduled to fix what her last surgeon didn't do. Dr. Williams is going to fix Clara's lips, making them symmetrical. He's going to try to fix her deviated septum so Clara can breathe through her nose. She is going to clean up some of the scarring around her nose and top lip and then later, hopefully, he will bring her jaw forward and close the hole in the roof of her mouth.

She already went through the surgery to move her jaw forward, but Dr. Williams told us yesterday that it didn't take because her previous surgeon didn't soften up her top lip first, so the jaw really had no more room to go forward. He's fixing that this time.

Clara liked him. He wasn't rushed. He wasn't rude. He didn't keep telling her that he wasn't concerned with her concerns. He listened to her and he was polite and thoughtful. I am praying that he stays this way for her.

Mary is hurting really badly now. Her stomach just won't let up on her and now her left hand is starting to hurt her. Her legs stay sore and so does her right hand/wrist. She stays tired and ill lately and she has been giving grief as well as getting it because of her bad attitude. I know it's brought on by her pain and her changing hormones, so at times, it's easier for me to just let it go. Others are having a harder time with it. I just hope that one day soon, she won't hurt so bad. I am really hoping these infusions will help her.

Yesterday, I drove Clara to her doctor's appointment, all by myself. That doesn't sound like a big deal or anything worth mentioning, but I drove her to Sandy Springs!! (Atlanta) I drove all back roads and it was really stressful, but I did it!! No more asking/begging people to drive us to Atlanta when Johnnie can't get off work, cause I can do it! I am so happy with myself and I feel so accomplished with this, y'all. LOL I know it sounds silly to those who have been driving in and out of Atlanta for years, but this is very new to me. I even drove us home on I-285!! That is a huge fear of mine, but I did it! And Clara even told me that i did better than her Daddy because I didn't cuss anyone out. LOL

It's a good thing I did this too because now all three girls have doctors up there in that same area.