Cookbook news

Mommy really, really had hoped to have the cookbook ready for sale by Fall but that didn't happen. She is still in need of recipes so feel free to continue to send your favorites in to her by clicking here recipes@soapboxorations.com. I'm still dreaming of my bigger room, with enough space for all my equipment and space to move around better. I'm being patient.

As for me, Princess Junior, I am doing well. I was able to get my flu shot (regular flu - they never got the H1N1, or Hiny flu as my grandma called it, in.) and I have managed to dodge all other illnesses so far this Winter. I keep the nurses on their toes by having some up and down temp issues and because of that Mommy is being very selective about taking me out in the cold, I even missed a Christmas party yesterday, but she thinks it best to maintain my health. Mommy says that we are weathering some nursing issues but she trusts they will be resolved soon so I can have all my favorites here again.

My new Dafoes should be arriving very soon and we will be able to pick them up locally because the company has opened a new location much closer to home. They will be purple and pink. Yea!!! I'm also getting new hand splints that will help me keep my fingers open more. I'm still working hard at therapy. Mommy thought she was being nice and she bought me a wedge for home so now I have to work harder at home too.

I hope everyone is on Santa's nice list and that you all have a very blessed Christmas.

Update...

We are still planning to expand the house for Princess Junior but at the moment things are at a stand still due to other family things that need to be dealt with. And we still need LOTS of recipes!!! I'll try and post a list of what categories are needed most soon. Please contribute even if you have already!

On the health front: We took Princess Junior to the surgeon last week because her G-tube button seemed to be dimpling in. Consensus was that she still has a bit of growing room before it really has to be changed. We verified this with her physiatrist a few days later in case her diet was causing the dimpling.

Changing her particular button (A BARD not a Mic-Key) is done at the surgeon's office (or in the hospital if the child is there) by the surgeon or his/her assistant. It is NOT something that the nurses or we do here at home. A lot of parents like the Mic-Key button better but we have not had any major issues with the BARD and really like it. Another negative for some kids is that the change (taking the old one out and putting the new one in) is done sans anesthesia. And we have been told it really hurts. But Princess Junior doesn't register pain "normally" and actually slept through her first button change. So this isn't really an issue we have to contend with.

So, at least for a few more months or so, we are good to go on the feeding button issue! We are now massaging vitamin E oil the scars from the original insertion (There was some cutting done when the original button was put in and, yes, there was anesthesia at that point.) as her physiatrist thinks that the scar tissue may be pulling in the underlying skin and that is causing the dimpling. Massage is much better than pain!