The rest of the story

The new bebe

Henry's new job!!!!!

So, I'm told I am a slacker...how true how true.

What has been going on, well I guess it's a little like what hasn't been going on.

Silas, my lovely little man was born August 17th...9lbs 9 oz. The cord tightly around his neck, and shoulder stuck as usual. All par for the course around here it seems. When Silas was born, I noticed a ridge on his head, and that his soft spot felt odd. I brushed it off, yet it always caught my eye.

At our 6 week appointment, I mentioned it to the doctor. He felt it, and we both agreed his soft spot was closing. He thought it may be something called craniosynostosis. Translation...his skulls' sutures are closing and fusing up too quickly, which will not allow for brain growth, will cause inter cranial pressure, which will put pressure on his eyes, can cause blindness, seizures etc. And in general pain. the remedy for this is surgery, where they open up the skull, take a strip out, then close him back up...a helmet for shaping is a possibility.

So, it's been a lot to absorb, alot of research. And the appointments with specialists have begun. The pediatrician has ordered an MRI and wants us to see an eye specialist, for something called strabismus...which is related to the cranio.

The pediatrician is not convinced it's cranio...but not convinced that it's not. Really he basically wants to tell me NOTHING. Frustrating.

So we wait for more appointments.

In other news...in the same 6-8 week period, Henry lost his mother to ovarian cancer. She was sick for about a year, but never really complained or saw the doctor... then when she finally went it wasn't caught, then when she went back, it was too late. She did live to see Silas, she lived 2 weeks past his birth. When I was pregnant I had asked her to make a 'rag blanket' for Silas, as time passed by, I knew she wouldn't be able to, so I asked a friend to make it instead. I was sad that this would be my only baby that didn't have a blanket from his grandma. Henry's mom never said a word... but at thanksgiving in her sewing room, I looked (and it had NOT been there the last time I looked) and saw squares in boy colours no less, all cut out, and some of them sewen together already, I knew and we all agreed it must have been for Silas...she had started, but would have had to have started before she knew if it was a boy or girl...but I guess somehow she knew. Anyways, my sister in law looks at me and says..."Erin, I will finish it for you" I was nearly crying, and well Henry didn't fair as well. I was so touched. It will be the most special blanket, there ever was made.

Henry also lost his job, 2 weeks after his mom passed away. Nice!

But it's all for the best, he is now working for the transcanada pipeline that is coming in from Alberta, he works for a company called Banister....and well, let's just say, I think he's really enjoying it, and we shouldn't have to worry about money anymore...YAY!

And that my friends is life with four kids in the first 6-8 weeks...there is more (illness beyond colds and more specialist appointments for Henry and I both, that really, I just won't even get into right now)...and the death of another dear old friend. It's been a tiring, emotionally draining yet wondrous time. Time for bed...