Potty Training

Potty Training- Special Needs style

A few months ago I was invited by the local district to come and participate in a potty training class. They will give us the stuff we need to get them potty trained. And it was the same stuff that you can find on the internet with a google search. They had no insight into anything like "What if they can't tell you they need to go?" Or "What if they can't physically pull their pants down or sit on a toilet because they have tight muscles?" No one really had any answers or even decent ideas.

I left feeling frustrated and not ready to try again. I had the bright idea that I would try to get him potty trained this summer and starting on August 1st I would put all my attention into it.

Um nope!

I have failed my child and still have not gotten him potty trained.

In July Tyler exploded with words. He had been working on something and it held up that sweet sound of words. Now that he had words I thought that he would be much easier to potty train.

Nope!

The time came to try our hand at taking our kid to the bathroom. Then His dad got sick ( 3 almost 4 weeks ago) and it took a lot of attention off the bathroom idea. It also threw off his schedule because I was frantic in getting some things taken care of. ( Like we had to run to my parents for a broken A/C and then LOTS of random take care of dad things)

We ordered him special underpants ( yep they are underpants in our house!) and he saw them for weeks. He knew he had to ask for them but he didn't want to. They even had Mickey Mouse on them.

Then the other day he asked to wear underpants. ( Goofy calls his undies underpants and so does Pete so we get to call them underpants.) I thought are you SERIOUS! So he picked what he wanted and wore them. He stayed dry for a while. Then he peed.

Not to long after that he pooped. EVERYWHERE. It was so bad even I gagged and I NEVER gag. He was put in the tub and then he went to sit back on the potty. The rest of the day was just wet pants... all the time.

The last potty trip of the night Dallas fell down the stairs and we had to get him stitches. ( yes.. it was a nightmare and NOT the day that I wanted all of the pee and poo to happen) and Ty was outside running around the streets in his underpants. ( Yep.. I am THAT parent!) So I thought that tomorrow was a new day.

Next day I asked Ty what underpants he wanted ( we have to be consistent right!) and he said Diaper. I so laughed. He even went and got it. Said "Mickey Mouse" and he was right, there is a Mickey Mouse on his diapers.

We did get him to tell us that you go "pee pee in potty and poo poo in potty and toot toot in potty" so we know he gets that you GO to the bathroom. No one ( including his Aunts are above bathroom humor so we KNOW he totally gets poo and gross stuff.

So tonight after already changing ONE poop diaper we were sitting down eating and we whiffed poop. Then a few seconds later another whiff that was not a contained whiff, like OUT of the diaper whiff. I called Tyler over and sure enough hands were BROWN with poop.

I gagged

Marched his stinky butt and hands upstairs. Washed his hands in the sink and dad followed with a bath running and me gagging more. To find out he had poop on his books and the floor downstairs.

As per previous poop issues that we had he had poop from our bottom floor to the top and so I had pulled out the carpet machine and cleaned away. Well tonight said carpet machine was going full force and so was the Clorox/vinegar wipes on his books and anything else his stink butt touched.

I was SO mad. He knew I was mad. He kept Saying "no Tywer" and he was so upset. Dad was able to get him bathed, drugged and getting ready for bed. When I got done we all laid down and talked about getting a big surprise when we go to the potty 5 times.

He kept repeating what we told him. He knows if he goes in the potty 5 times he can have a big " A prize."

So tomorrow is a new day...... Maybe we will poop on the potty.

Or NOT................

Coming soon- Book Review

I am an avid book reader. I will pretty much read whatever I can get my hands on. I don't have a genre that I stick with and I don't limit myself at all. But most of all if there is something that I don't know much about I turn to reading and researching to find out all I can about the subject.

Recently I became friends with a women who just happens to be a OBGYN and a Author. She recently released a brand new book on a subject that I am VERY interested in.

Prematurity

So, coming soon a Review on the Preemie Primer.

ENT!

Today was the postponed and postponed again ENT visit. Or the Ear, Nose and Throat specialist. Why did we go you ask? Back in December we had a very lovely sleep study at Ty's pulmonologist and sleep doc. She was not impressed with Ty's ability to stay oxygenated at night. She said she felt he had sleep apnea. Part was centralized ( which is bad.. oh so bad) but the moajority of it was obstructive. Which if you are gonna have apnea that is the "better" one to have.

Centralized apena means that some where in his brain is a problem that is not allowing him to keep breathing. But the obstructive usually means that the child has something that we can HELP for him to sleep.

So off to the ENT we went. The ENT that we went to was great. I was pretty impressed with him. His bedside manners was very impressive. He was very kind to Tyler. He was VERY gentle and didn't seem to shocked to see that we were sitting there.

Generally, in specialist appointments ( especially since the depo lupron) that I find myself over emotional. This time.. NOTHING. Just had a lot of questions. I think I felt like they wouldn't come out with this SHOCKING and horrific problem that we couldn't fix.

As we did our exam ( and I say we because ME gets to hold down Tyler) Ty did pretty well. He didn't freak as much with this doctor as he did with his pediatrician yesterday. There was apparently lots to see and talk about.

The "funky" ear from yesterdays visit is in fact infected. Which means that in 4 years Ty has now had 2... THAT IS RIGHT 2 ear infections all in the last six months. Because he didn't get them when he was little they are concerned that he has a continuation of fluid going on behind his ear. So Ty is on antibiotics AGAIN and ear drops.

Next up were those pesky tonsils. Tyler doesn't get sick that often. So it was a little "shocking" that he needs his tonsils out. The tonsils at first glance look great till he saw that they sit down lower than "normal"and the bottom part of his tonsils are so big they almost touch. Which means that OUT they come.

For most ( me included) I thought ok lots of kids get their tonsils out. In a few days he will bounce back and be fine... Oh no. So apprently with kiddos "Like Tyler" we will have to be for 24-72 instead of the normal same day. Because we are cutting into his throat we are opening up a HUGE risk for a shunt infection. So prophalaxis antibiotics will be givn before and after. Chances of him landing BACK into PCMC for dehydration is more than 50 percent because he cognitevely does't understand bribery in orer to stay hydrated.

Last but not least, though we need them out in a bad way Tyler is at HUGE increase risk of any "elective" surgery being done during RSV and Hn1n we get to wait till it is over. He has like EVERY risk factor for bringing home more than he went in with .

So yes, Ty needs his tonsils out. No we won't be doing it soon. Yes we will have to stay over night. No I don't really want to. Hopefully it will answer and solve some of Tyler's intermost secrets.... WHY DOES he NOT sleep!?

Preschool

Another leg of our transition journey came and went on Friday. I had set myself up for the worst of the worst because if I don't then when something goes wrong I can't seem to control my emotions and have a complete meltdown or major anxiety attack.

This particular part of the assessment is one that most parents of special needs kids dread. We have come from a program that is all about positive. They are encouraging and they are wonderful. Moving to a program after three is very very different. Their job is to tell you exactly where you are and what we are doing and give you options for their schooling.

This is where the fear comes in. No parent wants to hear how delayed their child is. They don't want someone to point out the faults or the "issues" but just want someone to kindly tell them that this would be best for them.

Because we are very positive about things in this house I was NOT looking forward to them. I was not looking forward to having to hear how delayed or how awkward he was doing certain things.

The emotions had been running high all week and Friday was assessment day. We took off to Queen Creek where we met with the PT, OT, Speech and the psychologist. They bombarded us with questions and watched Tyler play and did activities with him. They took him outside to play with his dad while I answered questions and then they came back. Ty wouldn't talk to them but did really, really well with every other task given. Because of his vision impairments they didn't come prepared with every bit of available resources for some of the tests but they saw that he was able to do them.

At the end of the assessment he was going to be recommend for the .... You ready ..... The integrated classroom. The one where they are doing circle time, crafts, arts, reading and all that stuff. That his physical impairments are the only obvious impairments and that with time the speech will come and we will see how the vision plays in.

He really is smart. He does so well. He compensates like a champ and is always on the go to do new things. He is so laid back. He is loving and caring. We feel so lucky to have him in our home. We feel lucky that he is ours.

Oh and he had those ladies all wrapped around his Little finger. What a little flirt!! They LOVED him.

I am so proud of him. Now one or two more to go and then we start school.

Thursday 13

Thirteen Random Things 1. I wish that Crystal was able to go home and that Noah was miraculously healed. 2. If I never talked to another insurance person again my life would so be complete. 3. I have had a desire to scrapbook but haven't wanted to spend the money to start. ( don't fall off your chair Tammy) 4. I love watching movies with Dallas. 5. I love that Ty is my little shadow but wish he wouldn't whine so much when I was out of his sight. 6. I am excited to start going back to the foundation on Monday. 8. I just finished the 4 book in the work and the glory and I love them 9. Leg braces are not cosmetic and if I met the doctor or insurance person who said they were I would make them wear them. 10. I think that Tyler is the cutest little boy.. He has such a spirit.. what a cute little man. 11. I wish we could visit Noah,Crys and Lily in Colorado. 12. I love getting massages and my nails done. 13. The biggest joy in my life is Tyler and being a mom. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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