Fall, Shots and School

Our fall has been wonderful. It has been so nice to have this extra time outside. Though because it gets so dark early we are always racing to get everything done it seems. One day at eleven in the morning Joseph said "Hey, we better get outside it is going to be dark soon!"

This past week we received a letter saying that because Samuel is in the "high risk" category he was able to get the h1n1 shot on Saturday. I have been calling and calling about this shot. We got our seasonal flu shot in early October. But in our area the only h1n1 available had been in the mist form or for pregnant woman. Samuel is not a candidate for the mist form because of his neurological issues. I was calling every few days to see if it was available yet. Then we all got sick. We decided to still get the vaccine even though two different doctors told me that we did in fact have the h1n1 virus. Daniel had read that because they don't know enough about the h1n1 virus, they are recommending that you still get vaccinated even if you had it. Today we went and Sam got the shot. He did really well just a few tear and a sucker later we were fine, though he was telling everyone before and after "I HATE SHOTS!". While I was there I asked about Joseph. As some of you know Joseph who has asthma and again is not a candidate for the mist has had a rough fall. He especially had a rough time getting over the h1n1. He developed pneumonia and was just out of it for a good eight days. Not just eight days he was coughing and a little sick. Eight days were he had a fever and was laying on the couch not eating.....SICK. We moved his bed into our room, and I woke up constantly to make sure he was breathing. It was terrible. One of the times I called or took him in, the doctor told me that kids with asthma are having a harder time then any other kids they are seeing because this particular virus is attacking the lungs. They gave him antibiotics and new asthma meds but it didn't work. Which the doctor told me would happen, but to cover all basis they still wanted him on the antibiotics. It still took him a long time to get better. On day nine he finally started eating again and at the dinner table Samuel said "DAD look Jo-Jo is eating.....YEAH!" That is how worried we were, Sam was worried too! Sam would go to him on the couch and feel his forehead and say "Yep, still hot mom!" Then when Joseph was better Sam was telling everyone "Jo-Jo is all better!" It was really, really cute how worried Sam was for him. When we got the letter for Sam to get the shot, I was wishing it had Joseph's name on it too. I really can't imagine him having to go through that again. But today while we were up there I asked about Joseph and sure enough he should of got a letter too!!! Sam and I rushed home to get Joseph. I am feeling relieved to have at least these two immunized. I hope that we can get the girls immunized but I think it is really smart of the doctors/health care system to set up these clinics for high risk kids.

In other news we have Samuel's evaluation for his three year school plan this week. Then after Thanksgiving we have the REAL meeting to see what is going to happen. We are prepared I think for them to tell us both outcomes. Outcome number one is that he qualifies for preschool special needs and an IEP. Outcome number two is that he doesn't qualify for preschool special needs and they will recommend him for head start and a 504 for OT services. We have been very happy with Sam's progress but he will continue to need OT therapy services for a very long time, and as long as they realize this need in the meeting I think both Daniel and I will be satisfied. We have been so impressed with head start and I think because cognitively Sam is at age level this would be a good fit for him. I just wish they could definitely tell us he has a spot in the fall, and I would be thrilled with this decision.