Maggie

[Guest guest]

Hi Maggie.

Good to hear from you.

I think kids do have a "thing" with flames, but that is normal in my opinion. It is a fascinating thing, and kids are curious.I was like that and with lighters and matches. I did not play with them, I just thought they were so cool looking and interesting.

I used to put mine up where could never get to it. Even if that meant on top of the refrigerator. I think they chill as they get older on stuff like that.

As for the drain, I can tell you, had a HUGE fear of the drain. In fact, it got at one point where myself or his father had to bathe with him. This was about from the ages of 2 1/2 to 3 or so.

What we did then was also carefully would take him in the shower, which he seemd to really like. It was faster anyhow and less drama going on, I think it made him feel less trapped by standing up.

When he got a little older and it was just him and I. I would turn on the shower, leave the curtain open half way and stand there on the outside . It stopped though. I am not sure if it is the cartoons, but he went through the fear it would suck him down. I think what triggered it is he stuck his big toe in there, it did not get stuck, but it was the feeling of sucking his toe in there that I feel caused this behavior for him.

We also went through this with the toilet as well, another thing where things disappear.

We also went through the being afraid of poop. Yeah, I know it sounds funny, and the first time it happened was a pretty hysterical sight to anyone there, but it turned into a complete nightmare that went on for about a year.

One day, it was summer outside, really hot. We were in his grandma's backyard. He had a little wadding pool. Well, we figured it was ok that he just go butt naked in the water.

He apparently had the urge to poop, this was in the diaper/pull up stages .

He went over by the flower bed, and we thought he was bending down to look at a bug or something he liked to do. Well, the stooping was not for bug watching, he went poop. He then saw the bulk of what came out in one piece and went hysterical with fear.

Mind you, at this point he was only used to a mess in a diaper. When he saw a single big form, he must have thought in his mind that it was like a snake or something that came out his body.

Being adults, we were dying with laughter at first inside, but quickly realized he was mortified.

He stood and pointed and started screaming like the devil got him.

He just pointed and then like in shock and took of running.

It did turn out he thought that a piece of his inside body actually fell out of him. yeah, already at that age he was pretty intuned to body parts.

From that day on, he would not poop anymore. I had to take him to child development center in Oakland which was about 20 miles or so .

They would give him enemas, tried therapy , etc... We tried many things to almost make it so his body would have to force it out. He would try and hold it and scream in agony until it just forced it's way out. I know it had to be painful, he held it so long it would turn to brick.

We were told to use mineral oil,juices, fibers, etc... he would promptly spit it out. ANything he thought would make him poop he would not ingest it.

It was really heartbreaking to watch someone in so much agony.

I tried taking him to the bathroom with me, and not to sound gross, but his father , grandma, auntie, uncle, we all tried this so he could see we were fine after we went and nothing was falling out, just what is supposed to come out.

I think about it all now and on one hand it was a little funny that one day, but we never knew it was going to be such a devistating experience he would go through.

He is a pooper and an eater now though, so all is well there. :-)

Oh, the things you watch a child go through.

You know something strange. When he was about 7 yrs old, one day he said the strangest thing to me.

He was telling me about his circumcision, how much it hurt, and got really graphic.

Ok, the event took place 2 weeks after his birth.

The doc that delivered said that it would cost way too much in the hospital for one, and they did not want to do anything else after his birth. He was born with a fever, I had one, and it was a dry birth and there were just problems.

So, this is how it ended up two weeks later.

At that time, the doc said I was getting too emotional, and they finally made me leave the room. I could not stand to hear him cry.

My dad was with me, and my dad even got really emotional . We stood outside and paced like hungry lions. My dad and I looked at each other and I burst into tears again.

I always wonder how could have told me something so detailed like this. Does this really give meaning and truth to things babies remember, but no one says they can know it?

He told me how it hurt, how cold it was, he was scared, and after I had to be careful about his little manhood after the procedure.

He said I ws really upset. This just makes no sense to me. ALthough in that one psych class they talked about this and also in the child development class I took another semester. I just do not know though.

Anyhow. I am not doing well today. I just earlier called my PCP office. I am not sure what I could have done or anything, but my low back is in terrible pain along with my hip, what else is new.

It is my upper left shoulder area that is the real problem. it is radiating to my neck , head, arm, hand, around the back and under my breast area. It is really in severe pain, numb and tingly. This has happened many times, but not always does it get this severe.I have a very high pain threshold, but when it gets to this degree, I almost feel violent inside.

I called to see if another MD could see me today, but I do have an appt tommorrow concerning pain management issues.

I did not want to just go to the ER, not sure what they can really do but dope me up. The nurse called back and said to go to the ER as she did not like the sound of this. I told her it happens for many years now, try about 12 at least.

SHe said I need some antiinflammatory, but I have that and pain meds.

I called ,as here in CO, they have you sign a contract that you will not use but one pharmacy for your meds, and you need to sign for many meds, and you are not to go to other facilities to illicit pain meds.

I never heard of this until I moved here, but I called and asked what to do. Told her everything I tried, so she told me to go the the ER.

I called the rheumy office to see if there were any cancellations, but no luck. I have appt next week on 18th though. They are going to do steroid in my back and neck and all.I will call every morning though to see if there are any cancellations up to my appt date.

is coming home early in about an hour to take me to my bone scan today, I cannot turn my head enough to have good vision when driving.

He will also take me to the ER as well. I am not sure how I am going to lay there for them to do this.

But since my last records from a rheumy in CA said I had the osteopenia, etc... that they have me on calcium and D, and worried about this being some issue maybe with my hip and low back now too.These records are dated back in 1998, so about 5 or so years ago.

As for my bears, all is well. Except Ha cha cha still insists he needs a Ha chi chi for him.

He will not accept any of the female bears already here, and there are a lot more of them then there used to be too.

He has the story that he has a blue nose, cool boots,( cool boots are what the bears think they have when their paws are really awesome looking),

and although my bears are very diverse in nature, this particular one insists he needs one that looks just like him. The offpring must look exact. Go figure it! They are all spoiled though anyhow.

They are all still wearing 49er shirts and refuse to take them off. So, the only bribery will be to give them SF giants shirts now. Oh well! They look to cute in them anyhow.My twins Ralph and Scooter, have bear bibs they wear. They even argued over who got what bib. See, Ralph likes baseball a lot, and Scooter had the bib with the bears playing baseball on it. It was simple enough though, I just changed them and all were happy then. Scooter is totally layed back and Ralph is pretty devious and funny.

Andy bear wants overalls though, there always has to be a wiseguy in the bunch.

My cuz made jewelery for a living for almost 15 yrs. She is not now, but contemplating going back into it. Things went way down after 9/11.

Hope everything is ok with you. Are you still working as many hours? Did you find someone to train?

I guess you can just stand outside and yell "COPS" when old Bubba goes on a rampage.

Would you believe it has taken me almost 45 minutes to type this? I am not used to typing with one hand, and my pain meds are not doing jack for pain and all.

It also took as long to take a quick shower, wash my face, brush my teeth, pull my hair up was a challenge with one arm, and I had a hell of a time with my back scrubber . I smelled like bengay and biofreeze so bad I had to wash my back like an idiot. All this would normally just take about half that time or less when I do not have to wash my hair. Glad I washed it yesterday afternoon though, no way I could have stood to try and do that this morning.

Well, hopefully the ER will be able to give me something just until I can get in to the PCP tommorrow.

Take care and Love ya, Normi