Apple Does it Again

It is no secret that we are an Apple family. In 2007 the world changed when the iPhone was announced. People may think that it is kind of a cliche' statement, but for people with disabilities a whole new world was opened up.

From Autism to blindness, this company has reached into their lives and simplified them in one way or another. When they opened the app store to developers without having the grueling approval process, the options were endless and affordable. 

For us, Tyler has limited movement in his arms, fingers and legs. So playing video games is not happening. Neither is writing. So since the iPad came out, their are plenty of apps for handicapped children and other accessories, make it so that Tyler can write and trace using his finger and use his fine motor skills to do what he can't do otherwise. 

Tyler does have games, I would be lying if I said it was strictly for educational purposes. He finds apps on his own. He works to earn money to buy apps if I refuse to purchase them. Sometimes it takes him weeks. Sometimes I just say no. But he finds what he wants. 

HE FINDS IT. 

Today the new Apple watch was announced. I rolled my eyes and thought DUMB! Then I listened to a brief ( very brief) stint of what it had to offer on 2 or 3 features. But what stole my heart. The maps! 

So get this, Google Maps will work on this watch. It will give you walking directions to where ever you want to go. Since Google maps is on the ground and has photos it can tell you when you need to turn left or right etc. But the BIGGEST: They are 2 different types of vibration. Do you have ANY idea what that means????!!!!!!!!!

A legally blind boy/man/teen/executive has made it to the big apple for a job interview, a vacation or whatever. Has the desire to walk around the city. This person has very sense going nuts with sounds, smells and visually bombarded by times square. So he puts in that he wants to go to Central park. He gets a vibration on his arm where his watch is telling him what direction to take off too. It uses 2 different vibrations. One for left and a different for left!! One last thing on his mind where he can now use his cane and other adaptive pieces of life to LIVE!!! 

I guess the answer for why I like Apple.....

It allows my son to live. To live like any other little boy. To love games on the iPad, ( since he can't play them on a gaming console) to loving books on the kindle because they enlarge as he reads the words. To Parking Mobility apps where they tell us where the closest parking spot is to events. AND gives you a way to turn in those illegal parked. 

I have high hopes that apple will make even more devices that will open the world up even more for our special kids. Maybe next... a computer driven car! 

Cowboy Tyler

Tyler is so much fun right now. After our minor sleep deprivation/Satanic child episode we have our sweet baby back. I think I was going to end up in tears even more if he was away for good.

He has a wild imagination. He says funny FUNNY stuff. Someone, or everyone, in our house has a birthday EVERY day. He will come into our room in the morning ( YES!! He is sleeping in his own bed....till I typed that) and be ready to celebrate a birthday. He just gets one thing in his head and we have to play it all day.

The other day he was watching something but he talked about being a cowboy all day and wanted a cowboy rope and the works. After several hours he asked if we could go to "Jennifer's store" and get him a cowboy hat.

I obliged ( of course) and off we went. He wore the hat for 2 days. But when we got home from the store we put together the rope, he had his hat and (we had to change a bum) we were cowboy Tyler. So stinking funny to watch. ( I will upload a video!!)

Captain Tyler

On Valentines day Playhouse Disney changed to Disney Junior. To most it isn't a huge deal but the added a few new shows that have really made imagination play for Tyler. (The funny thing, when he gets mad he will sometimes demand shows that are on Playhouse Disney. Thank goodness for DVR.) But he has really been into Jake and the Neverland Pirates.

For a few years he has had a boat in his bath toys. He hasn't really played with it before. He would dump everything in his tub and throw everything but since the new show has come on he plays pirate EVERY night.

He yells AHOY and puts his friends the Little Einsteins in the boat. He tells me that we are going to ride the boat together and he plays for a long time. I can even sit on my bed and listen to him chatter. He has a whole show in there. It even includes Captain Hook.

To watch him and listen to him makes my heart so happy. He is growing, learning and his hard work is paying off.

Once Upon a Time.....

The Fairy Tale:

"Once upon a time....( in a weird but funny voice~)

There was a pizza....( which he was watching bake for dinner)

and it lived Happily Ever After"

The end

*This was the story that Tyler "made up!" tonight. This is HUGE!! He even told Aunt Nicky and repeated it for like 15 minutes. it was SOO funny!*

A video!

Tyler is the cutest thing EVER!!!

Milestone moments

Over the last 3 months ( since school let out!) there has been explosions of words. We add words almost every single day. In fact in the last 3 weeks we have probably tripled our vocabulary and random words will just pop out.

The other day we were doing something and his animal fell. I said "What happened?" fully expecting a grunt. Instead I got "happen." Dallas and I looked at each other and gave our praise junkie EXACTLY what he likes. LOUD clapping praise~!

This morning we were making his bed. It is his only official chore and he LOVES it. He has frogs and he said "Ribbit" plain as day!

Since going camping he has asked for Mickey Mouse tent and Fishing. So today we made a tent using chairs. He got up on the chairs and he tipped it over. When the tent fell down he said " Oh no TENT!" He didn't even care he fell over.

The best of the day.... We needed to get out and we went to get Burger King and play. There were 2 little girls that kept asking him if he wanted to play in there "castle." Normally I intervene and let them know he doesn't talk and blah blah, but today I let him go. He followed them and then they asked him if he wanted the red or purple spot. BOTH are words he knows. I was not looking up but in his SWEET little voice he said RED really loud. They went to the red and he kept playing. I was so excited.

The best of the WEEK: We didn't hear the garage open one day and weren't sure when Dallas was coming home. He has had to work late a lot the last few weeks so we are kinda just awesome pals all day. We were telling finger puppet stories and the door opened. Ty hopped up and went running. For the first time EVER he says "Dada, dada" and jumps into his arms. Ty has been able to say dad he just WON'T without some MAJOR prompting. He usually signs it too. This was HUGE. The smile on Dallas face was priceless.

We can't wait for him to start school and head back to Speech. Seeing how much he has progressed this summer makes us really excited for 3 days a week of speech and the interaction with kids.

A friend of our that has a special needs child made a comment the other day. She said " I bet you NEVER get tired of hearing him babble or talk huh." It took me a second, and realized that I didn't ever get tired of it. NEVER. I don't care how much he talks when he is older I NEVER want to tell him shut up or complain about him talking because somewhere there is a mom ( like her) that doesn't get to hear even the smallest word.

It breaks my heart to hear other people complain that their kids talk to much. There is not anything in the world that is better than them having a voice. Hearing that voice put 2 things together is amazing!

(Sorry to Aunt Nicky for calling when we have new words. It makes me happy we can share them. )

Funny things OUR kid SAYS!! ( yes says!)

In the blogging world I am surprised at all the moms that blog the funny things kids say. I was always a bit *gaggy* unless I really liked the kids and then it was funny. I was mostly gaggy cause Ty wasn't talking.

AT ALL.

Not a bit.

Not even a LITTLE bit.

Somewhere in the last six months we have had an EXPLOSION of sounds. That explosion of sounds have the gone into WORDS. Like TANGIBLE words.

Thanks to his Aunt Nicky he even picked up Poo Poo and his Aunt Maegan is getting a run for her money in the toot department.. Oh and the BURPING.. oh my!

Now that we repeat words like toot, poopoo and ewww. Some funny stuff comes out.

A conversation on our bed while getting Ty ready to go to sleep.

Mommy: Oh No Tyler Dad stole your blanket

Tyler: oh no. No No poo poo

Dad: I am not poo poo

Tyler: eww poo poo

eww poo poo went on for a few minutes

Then Tyler would say mom is pretty poo poo... and we laugh.

A whole conversation around poo is pretty good for a non verbal kiddo.

I am not sure we can even call him non verbal anymore. It seems you just have to listen. He will tell you what he wants.

So for tonight.... good night Poo Poo

WOW! Neat!

Yesterday Tyler was looking at his Library book. He LOVES it. ( I ordered one from Amazon since the library one has to be returned ) He points and looks at this book for EVER!

We got to the page with Camping on it and he pointed to a Flashlight and went and got me the phone and signed dad, then pointed again to the flashlight. I found a flashlight and we spent the afternoon learning with the flashlight.

Ty would sit on my lap and follow the light on the ceiling and then get down and play and dance and sit looking at the flashlight.

Then I had a BRILLIANT idea to go upstairs to our bathroom that doesn't have a window. We shut the door and Ty had a blast. He was so funny. As he would say wow, I would hear something right after and wasn't sure so I asked him to talk louder. He was saying "Neat!" I was laughing so hard.

So here we were locked up in the bathroom laughing with Ty saying " WOW, NEAT!" We decided to call dad, grandma Labrum and Aunt Nicky. It was so funny.

This morning when he came downstairs with his dad he dropped what he had been carrying and ran right over to the flashlight and has played with it all morning.

WOW! NEAT!! Now is followed by a cute giggle.

Preschool Program

One of the things I was kinda sad about when Ty went to a "special" school was that he would miss out on all the cute little programs and field trips. They can't really do those in "regular" schools so he was kinda out.

I was pleasantly surprised when I got a program invitation for Ty's classroom. I have to say we are SUPER impressed with Miss Holly and we are SO excited that Ty will be in her class again.

Ty singing with the class. It was more like Ty was dancing and every one else was singing. It was SUPER cute!

Still Singing. He was really GOING at it with his air guitar. He LOVES songs. After singing he was given a certificate. When they said his name he walked up and got the certificate and looked at it and handed back to Miss Holly and went back to his seat. Then we watched a cute little slide show she put together of the class. Because Ty goes every day for school he was in there A LOT! A little boy sitting next to us would get SO excited when Ty was on TV. He would lean over and SCREAM " TY you are on TV.. look look ." And then he would sit back and say LOOK all over again. Ty on the other hand, sat there all quite and would clap when they said his name.

Afterwards they got Popsicles and he surprised everyone by ASKING.. for a purple one! YEP he ASKED for Porporle.. ( it really is CUTE!)
Last but not least he got a sweet little present from one of the teachers. A cute little shirt that she drew for EVERY single kiddo. It was SUPER cute.

We are so not looking forward to not getting summer school this year because he LOVES school and loves other kids. He is going to be having a medical summer and probably will be really bored. Hopefully I can get him out and about and plan some fun crafts, cousin time and visits to places like the zoo and to see the penguins.

Oh and Potty Training...

We love the progress he is making and think he is doing great! Stay tuned for the video of his class and then hopefully we can get him on tape with WORDS!

Here is the video. It will probably be more interesting for Grandma than anyone else.

Tyler Preschool Slideshow 2009-2010 from Dallas Brown on Vimeo.

The Spoken Word

If you are new to our blog you might not realize just how much of a communication barrier we have with Tyler. We have pretty much tried everything under the sun to get this child to talk. I think I have seriously done EVERYTHING possible to hear WORDS!

So we say he is Non verbal but we aren't sure "what" he is exactly? You see.

He talks.

Sort of.

You see, since he knows all the letters and the sounds he will say the first letter of a word. Or he will copy a sound that sounds similar. He says "what is that" But it isn't REALLY "what is that" it is "wazat" meaning to him that is what it sounds like so he asks us wazat and we say oh what is that... and proceed to tell him.

Today at dinner we spent 40 minutes just asking him to repeat words. Here are some of our highlights.

Morgan- signing more and saying gun

Dad- signing Dad and saying Da

mom- mum

Leo- EO

June- JUne

Annie- A

Quincy- Q (sound)

Stop- tops and he puts his hand in front of his face like a

Go- Going

The list goes on.... But the funny thing. Most of the things that come out of his mouth are only letters and sounds that make up words because we know what he is saying. He is quiet when he talks and sometimes he breathes out instead of in.

Weird duck!

But the best part of life....

He wants to go the the BEACH! he says BEACH! All of it.

SO... my nonverbal son .. is verbal but not really...

But I will take what I can get.

Paper Plate Bugs

A few months ago I posted about our Sock Puppets. When we were in search of a Mickey Mouse after the hair cut we ran across another kit that I knew that Tyler could participate in.

He has become a lot more interested in coloring and painting. He brings home activities from school that he has "obviously" done himself.

I love them.

They hang on Dallas' "office" door.

This week they worked on Kites and last week was bugs. So I thought this was super perfect.

The Kit comes filled with A TON of bug options. Full of colors and fun stuff!

We chose a Bee. With the bright colors I knew he would LOVE it.

As I handed him the stickers for his face he made the MOST amazing and cutest face in the entire world. A face only a mom could love !

The fuzzy antennae was a HIT!

Along with bugs we did LOTS of letters. Ty is obsessed with the Alphabet and he has several sets ( thanks to Grandma) and we opened a brand new set of flash cards today. He uses flash cards at speech too.

He picks a card, tells us what is on the back and then loudly says the letter. He knows EVERY 26 letters. It is amazing.

Put them in the pile

And REPEAT!

If anyone knows of a way to get those letters to combine for a word I am ALLL ears!

Unable to speak for 2 decades, new device gives woman her voice back | WCBD

Unable to speak for 2 decades, new device gives woman her voice back | WCBD

I thought this was worth reposting..... I want to be that mom who hears THANK you mom and I love you!

Gotta Watch Wheel Of Fortune

Last week we were watching regular TV while we got dinner ready. It is a REALLY rare occurrence. Wheel of Fortune came on. Yep! I really thought that Ty would freak out and have a fit but instead he was laughing. And Laughing.

I won't tell you what happened in MY seat.

But when someone makes a wrong answer and the beep comes on. OH SO FUNNY. He falls over.

This happy special laugh is what makes MY DAY!!

And just for kicks. He repeats the letters that come up on the screen, he touches the squares with Vanna and I think he secretly has a crush on her! Does this mean it counts as speech therapy? Does Vanna charge insurance?

And the WINNER IS!!!!

THE MOM!! At Nelson5!..

Congrats.

( an email is in your inbox)

A special Thanks to VOICE4u for sponsoring this post and giveaway.

No worries I have a few more things to giveaway ( if you didn't win)

Thanks again for all who entered. I appreciate everyone who reads our story and participates in my day, life and my parties ( good and bad!)

Voice4u

I was recently given the opportunity to try out the new application for the iphone/itouch/ipad called Voice4u.

I was really excited to try this App. Last week the communication device we tried in speech left Tyler crying and screaming. This seems to be the trend with every device that we have tried. We have tried switches, PECS, nothing, devices that talk, devices that light up. EVERYTHING.

PECS was the most successful. Which is why I was excited for this App.

So upon Downloading the application I went through and tried the pictures all out. I was excited to see the amount of PEC like picture.

The PEC pictures were simple and easy for me to see. However, just being on an iphone the pictures are "small" for a visually impaired kiddo. Which is why I am excited for the Ipad to see how large the photos will be. So not a total negative.

Positives of the program:

• Ty thinks that anything on the Iphone or Touch is fair game for him and he enjoys being on the Iphone so he will try it.
• The amount of pictures and choices are great
• The ability to upload and record a familiar voice is nice even when a "computerized" voice is available. That helps with sensory kids A LOT.
• The ability to control the volume. Most communication devices have one volume. Loud.
• In theory Tyler would be able to use this.

Negatives:

• I was a little disappointed that simple words like Mom and Dad were not pre programmed in. We would have to do those our self. Which is fine but would like to have had them on their originally. *reasoning for me: He isn't following our voice sound for some words so having DAD in there with another voice might be a better option than our own*
• I would like the ability to make my own lists. Ty isn't going to be able to browse quickly enough to do what he needs. But if I had a list or folder for afternoon activities and have 4 or five items in it he could use that folder to tell me what he wants.

Overall I really liked the program and plan to take it with me to his next speech at Shriner's to see if it is something that she thinks we could use with him. I am also looking forward to showing my nephew who is non verbal and see how he likes the program. Ty is one that has to be worked on slowly. I am excited to see how he progresses with it.

Biggest feature change for me is the category or the need for simpler folders or the ability to make and label and change mine around so it is easier for him to use. Maybe as he gets older and can understand more the need for the categories won't be there.

But great Application.

Cost: In comparison to an actual communicative device the price of $29.99 is rather cheap. I think that as technology continues in the new trend of touch screens and communication pads that this app has awesome potential to help so many people.

Voice4u- Awesome job. I am impressed and will recommend this on the boards I am on. I plan to keep trying with Tyler and it will be one we try on the Ipad. Then a awesome update will be added.

* This was a sponsored post. I was compensated for my time and given the application for free for the review*

Normal...

One thing about the roller coaster we ride is the fun and excitement we get when something happens that is "normal." You know, the things that kids do. That "regular" kids do. Most do them on time and since we don't we get excited when we FINALLY do them.

Ty is FINALLY pretend playing. Not a lot. Some of it is more him pretend playing with Barney. Little things like showing him what is going on during a show that isn't Barney. He will be showing him the Baby Einsteins movie or a book and he ALWAYS shares his food.

One thing we noticed recently was Tyler wanting to take toys to bed. It was strange one night to have him bring Eeyore. We thought it was super funny and super cute. Since then we have had some more plastic friends to bed. I am not sure why he doesn't bring the soft things since he has all the same things in soft stuff.

Last night he took his BIG Leo to bed and when he came into our room ( which happens a lot.. OK every day) he brought Leo with him. He gives him kisses and puts him under a blanket even.

Another "normal" is Ty's need to be a super hero. And in true Labrum Fashion he is Captain Pickles. ( Max is captain pickles but they didn't know one existed till we TOLD them BJ was Captain Pickles.) So we have 2 captain Pickles. Ty wanted a cape. So his Blankie was the Cape. I keep thinking maybe we need to make a cape.. A real one!

And we all know last week him sitting and watching soccer with his friends.

Its nice to celebrate the "normal" and we are SOOO excited and it makes us smile....

What other normals will we get?

A long time coming

I am so proud of Tyler. There are so many things that he has been doing that have made me smile. He is working SO hard to get to where he is. So many things have had to come together to get him to do what he was doing today.

Tyler loves outside. After him and his dad got back from a dad outing he wanted his shoes and socks off. As soon as they were off he was ready to play.... OUTSIDE! in 46* weather.

I of course thinks it is great that he will pull himself away from Mickey Mouse or the Little Einsteins enough to enjoy something else, but even more ecstatic when he is all BOY!

I could hear sounds while I was in the kitchen and heard an " oh no" come out of Tyler's mouth and came to the door to see he had found his Heffalump elephant ( that has been IN the dirt since summer) and he was saying "oh no" because he was dirty. So I made Heffalump a bath with a bowl and we got him all clean. Just in time to go out and throw dirty with Leo and Barney.

Ty climbed through the dirt to get the hose and he was just jabbering away. So I went to get Dallas. Dallas came out and played with Tyler. Ty figured out how to get ALL of his animals in his arms at one time from point A to point B and then ring around the Rosie's were all set!

Ring around the Rosie's with Tyler, Heffalump, Leo and Barney and Dad. What a better combination. Tyler was in HEAVEN.

After a ring around the Rosie party Dad and Tyler decided to play soccer but our best friend Barney had to participate. Tyler is teaching Barney how to kick. We even got the "ki" Sound out of Tyler when his dad asked him to say Kick. We heard a lot of Go, signed a lot of Dad and please but had a KI word with a dad sign and please. THREE WORDS!!

Tyler even got in on the kicking action with a little Pooh Kicks and soccer. He would "kick" and run after and give it to dad for dad to kick in the air. They would go back and forth and then the giggles.

OH!! The giggles. He giggles so hard he falls over.

And really who doesn't want this cute kid on their team. He is a awesome cheerleader and awesome kid overall. He is so great.

Look at that form. Look at that SHOT! He would be any persons pick for their team.

And what would the day be like unless we can sit down with our friends and clap and smile and play!

Ty and Barney, Leo and Heffalump. The best of friends.

The best part is that he is pretend playing with these "friends"

(PS. Barney and Tyler are potty training. Hence the Thomas on Barney)

Spread the Word... Stop the R Word

I really don't like the "R" word. I don't like it. I find that it is a degrading and rather ugly word and I just don't like it. Have I used it? YES I have used this word. But since having a child with rather significant delays I have found the R word even more yucky. Like so yucky it makes my tummy hurt when I hear it.

Tyler is not retarded. He does have significant delays and some of them are mentally disabling. Again, he is not retarded. The words that we have to use to describe our children come back and haunt us constantly. According to several laws, some delays make our babies, our sweet special babies, be labeled as Retarded. But its the words we hear around that cause use the most pain. You see. Most of the time this word is used in a general "descriptive word" that usually has the others listening, quickly laughing all because you used the R word. It is to moms and dads of kids like ours that hurt.

Because kids say what they hear they repeat these words. When you say "they are so retarded" Your sweet innocent children repeat that. And my sweet and innocent special child hears. And having to have them hear the words we would rather NOT use in their IEP's it makes these words sting even worse.

Sitting at dinner with extended family a few weeks ago that word was uttered at the dinner table. It took EVER effort I had to not say a word.( And trust me I wanted to say something... In fact I almost got up from the table and sat in the bathroom. ) They think that because Tyler isn't "retarded" then the WORD shouldn't matter. But it does. Because really Tyler "could" be considered "retarded". He is delayed, he can't talk, he doesn't do normal things. When using it to call someone retarded, isn't that what you mean?

Talking to my brother on the phone he used it ( sorry B.. I am totally calling you out) and when he realized he said he, apologized for using the word. It is such a common phrase. So common that I am buying him a thesaurus for his birthday :)

Those of us with kiddo's with extra needs, extra chromosomes and incredibly delayed and even just a little delayed we want that word not used.

Please for the next week or 2 sit and listen. Listen and when you hear that word. STOP and say something. Politely ask them to NOT use that word.

And if that doesn't work.... give them a thesaurus for their birthday!

A elementary school is launching a campaign to STOP the R word from being used. Sign the petition and pledge to do your best to not use the R word.

Follow to a T

Since our sickness I have been impatiently waiting for my Tyler to come back. Minus the sleeping problems. ( boo on 4 am!) The last few days he has really been SUPER good. I feel super lucky. Every now and then I will be out of the room to hear a hysterical laugh coming. Being curious, I try to sneak down and see where and why!

Randomly the Why will be because he is stuck under his trampoline in our living room ( yes we have a trampoline in the living room) and he thinks it is funny. Other times it is TOTALLY random and usually he is laughing so hard he falls over.

Monday in forcing myself to stay out of my bed and wallow in self pity I packed up Tyler and I and headed out to American Fork ( I KNOW... we go far) to surprise Dallas and beg him to come to a exotic Burger king lunch with us. So we waited patiently. In true Tyler fashion he was laughing hysterically over NOTHING.

So today I was cleaning and a song came on The Super Sleuths and Ty was no where to be found. I started to head downstairs when I saw him WALKING upright on the stairs, singing the song. The words " very simple rules, you follow to a Tee, and a perfect hundred acre woods it can be!" and it repeats a few times. So as he is walking up the stairs he stops on the Tee and points to himself and says "T" and goes up a stair and stops and says "can be" The words. THE REAL WORDS!

We get excited and wait for Dallas to get home and sure enough big smile on his face Tyler does it for his dad. Then we get ready to get in the tub and after Tyler plays monkey's, laughs and gets tickled to death Tyler takes shows us his button, and his new word "BOOBS" and he gets in the tub.

He plays and does well all alone and all of a sudden we hear MOM... He NEVER says that to get us in there and I get in there and he says GO. Usually he signs all done.

A communication burst is coming. Slowly coming. Plus who can resist his little laugh! I can't!

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!?