Hi all...it's good to see so many here from the old forum. I was KatznKids4Me on the old forum...but thought this new name was more fitting, at least for now.

I am the mom/adoptive mom of 7 beautiful GEMS... which depending on how you look at it either means I truly have my jewels in my crown in living breathing creations... or as I sometimes jokingly refer to them as my "Green-Eyed-MonsterS"

My youngest, previously referred to as Nemo, is now Matthew, and is doing very well. He is now 7 months old, and is very healthy. He's still small, the doctor isn't happy with his growth overall, but I think he looks great. He isn't going to be terribly tall, his bio mom is only 5'2", so I truly think his genetics is helping keep him small.

He has dropped drastically on the Head Circumference charts...whereas he was above the 50th %ile, he is now between 10 & 25... whereas his body is only at about the 3-5th %ile.

He has only had the 2 surgeries, the last one in April, and is due to have a CT done again in October...I'll know more then as to how much regrowth/expansion of his brain tissue has been able to happen. He was diagnosed with Porencephaly, and while he is VERY alert, and seems to really catch onto things and ideas quickly, he is definately behind in his developement. We are fairly certain he has CP, but to what degree, it yet to be determined. Those shaking episodes when he gets excited or upset are still very present, and I've noticed that when he gets a little excited or upset his legs stiffen up like two hockey sticks. Sometimes, when he is even relaxed, his legs look too rigid for my liking, and I think that it can sometimes even get him upset, he stiffens up, and can't relax, so he gets upset.

I noticed a couple of people mentioned that when the weather changes they get headaches...I've noticed in the last few days that Matthew is more cranky than usual, and thought this morning that maybe it was related to the weather here too. We are still sunny and warm...but no where near as hot as 3 days ago, and lots of wind. Could that be a significant enough change to cause headaches in a little one with a VP shunt? Lizard, I noticed you said Tylenol doesn't seem to help you... what about Motrin (ibuprophen)? I don't want my little one to be miserable, but I don't want to rush to the NS if it's just a little pressure change either.

Thanks for any input, and it's good to be here!

Dori

First of all, great to see you back! I am so happy to see that "Nemo" has a NAME!!!!!!!! I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy to hear that he is doing well. It has got to do with the positive, loving environment he is in. NO DOUBT!

Megan is a BEARCAT right now and we are in a thunderstorm warning. The wind is raging, and so is she. I am betting her head is throbbing. She also has a cold on top of it, but this is worse that she has been the last couple days with a new daycare environment and cold.

Give Matthew a great big kiss from me....

Heather

Dori, darlin'!!

I'm so glad you found your way over here. It's great to hear that your Gift of God has a name now, too. Give him a kiss from me.

Re pain med for headaches...Motrin may help, but the greatest prob is the pressure, and no NSAID will help that. The trigger just has to pass, and to cope, lying on the opposite side will help some.


LIZARD

The days in Phoenix are finally below 100 degrees, and the nights are in the seventies. I have been so lethargic over the past couple weeks while the weather is changing. After working my eight or nine hour shifts, all I want to do is go home and sleep. I was posting three days worth of room charges at the resort where I work, and found I had to pay extra attention to accuracy. I know I'm just not operating at 100%. I feel kind of spacey, but thankfully no headaches. As they say - "this too shall pass". If things don't straighten up within a few weeks I'll be visiting my friend Mr. Neuro .