Dentist, Bi Pap, Preschool and Primary

Carter came home the day after Christmas, and let me tell you, getting his bi pap was ridiculous.  Since they call it a ventilator on a bi pap setting, I guess it's hard to get.  Apria was giving us heck to get it and we had already waited weeks, so the nurse manager finally went with Petersons for the equipment.  I wonder if we could have had him home for Christmas if they had switched companies earlier.  He has been more touchy and fussy since being home- he doesn't like me laying him down or touching him much unless it's deep pressure touches or holds or hugs. 

Carter went to the dentist yesterday after like 8 months, and he has two cavities! We were all surprised, trying to figure out how since he doesn't eat by mouth.  All we could think is that he throws up sometimes and has reflux, so perhaps the bacteria spread then.  He does have a lot of tartar around his teeth making them look yellow, but the dentist thought his gums and everything else looked great, and said the tartar can serve as a protectant or sealant.  He grinds his teeth a lot, but they also said his teeth look fine still.  So next week, I have to take him back and they will put him in a papoose, poor thing, and a restraint on his head so they can fix the cavities.  I feel so bad for him.

The bi pap is not my favorite, but neither was his feeding tube when we started out with it.  Carter's bi pap is a relatively small machine that we just put on a shelf, and we put distilled water in it for the humidifier.  The mask is small and just covers his nose, and we try to slip it on when he is asleep or close to it.  Then we turn on the oxygen to give him extra support.  So the bi pap delivers pressure to keep his airway open so it doesn't collapse or "obstruct", and then the oxygen gives him extra breaths per minute.  He was doing pretty well with it until the past three nights.  He wakes up once or twice trying to get it off, and some nights we give in because we are so tired.  He still seems tired and mellow during the day, so I'm not sure how much better sleep he is getting.  I follow up in the bi pap clinic next week so hopefully the card in the bi pap machine, which can show his sleep patterns and how well he is sleeping, can tell us how he is doing.

Carter has been to preschool four times now, and the teacher and nurse said he is doing great.  The van picks him up at 8:20a.m. and drops him back home at 4p.m.  The school is USDB which is Utah School for the Deaf and Blind.  He has six other classmates, one nurse, one teacher and one teacher's assistant.  They send a notebook back and forth everyday with notes on how he did, and a handout with goals and pictures once a week.  I treasure looking at these handouts and seeing how happy he is.  Once the van gets to the school, the teacher is right there to meet them with a wagon where she puts four kids in and wheels them up to the portable classroom.  So I send Carter with a hat and coat to keep him warm.  And he has also had to wear shoes, which he isn't too sure about.:)  We had an extra car seat, so they keep that in the van to transport him with.  They don't want his wheelchair since he doesn't use it a lot, so we keep it at home.  Right now he is going on Mondays and Wednesdays, but in a few weeks we'll go up to Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  And then eventually to all four days a week, M-Thursday.  I send him with his feeding supplies in his backpack, and diapers, wipes and food.  They keep his medicine in a fridge locked for the nurse.

A lot of people ask me if I miss him, and I do.  But honestly, Sierra keeps me so busy that the day flows by so fast.  She is crawling all over, pulling herself up, babbling and following me everywhere.  No peace for me anymore!  I tell people that Carter is much easier than Sierra in the day-to-day care, because he is so mellow and just plays with his toys. 

Carter is 3 and it's January, so he starts Primary this Sunday.  He also has a welcome party tonight to meet his teacher and see where his classroom is.  It's crazy how many changes are happening for my little ones.  Carter in school and primary, and Sierra crawling and soon to be walking.  I am one busy momma!