Back from the Doctor

Well we had our 2 appointments this morning.

We have been encouraged these last few days because we're starting to feel like Elliot is finally feeling better. His last dose of antibiotic was 10 days ago....and still no infection has come back! This is very good news...

So we met first with infectious disease. Let me say this first...I love this doctor. I really felt like he took the time to really understand what has been going on with Elliot and really explained to us how he based his assessment of him and what next steps we should take. I was very affirming. As for next steps...since Elliot is doing better...we're going start giving him some Singular - an allergy/asthma preventive medication. This will hopefully help reduce the inflation in his nose and just open his airways more so they can drain properly and reduce the mucus in his system so bacteria can thrive. Also he thinks the reflux medication we put him on in January is helping. Some of the "stuff" they found in Elliot's adenoid is usually found in his stomach and that means he was probably still dealing with reflux and that probably was causing his body to create more mucus to sooth his throat from the reflux. He's pretty sure this is not a milk allergy so we're going to slowly introduce that back into his diet....and we would be able to tell right away if it was a problem. So this visit was very informative and gave us at least some next steps to take.

After that we went to the ENT. Okay..this visit was a 180 degrees opposite the feeling I got at the ID doctor. I think the doctor was in for a whole 4 minutes...and it really felt like when I starting telling him what the ID doc said and suggested...he just checked out and figured we moved on to another doctor. So he just said Elliot looks fine and we'll see him in 6 months. Well....we'll see about that...I think I need to clear my head a little first before I make that appointment or decide just to switch ENT's. Maybe I'm expecting too much but it was such night and day difference from one doctors attention to the other. All I know is Elliot is starting to feel better..so that is all that matters. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers today and these last few weeks. All the encouragement has been wonderful.

Good news...

Well we just got the results of the CF test...that was fast! Anyway...its good news...he's within the normal range. So we're excited all this extra mucus is not a result of cystic fibrosis. So we'll just wait and see what next step Infectious Disease can offer us. Thanks so much for your prayers.

elliot's tongue

Here are some pictures of the tongue! I posted earlier how he got this (if you missed it check back here). I think the hardest part for me of all of it was when he'd roll his tongue and show you the inside...I did not do well with those visuals! Good thing I'm not a doctor..

extreme close up...

His balance did improve over the weekend, so no CAT scan for him. We go tomorrow (Tuesday) to have a sweat Chloride Test done...this is to check for Cystic Fibrosis. Then we meet with Infectious Disease on the following Tuesday and will hopefully have the results from this test by then and see where to go from there. So hopefully Elliot will just start to feel better and we can get through this week without having to go back in for anything. So we're just waiting...sometimes its hard to just sit and wait. I find myself just assuming that the infection is just going to come back no matter what we try and get really negative but then I try to remember that no matter what God has a plan. HE knows whats wrong or not wrong with Elliot and I know I can trust HIM no matter what my flesh feels. I'm so greatful for all the support and prayers from so many people. I'm amazed all the time of a new comment or email from someone I haven't talked to in forever...and its uplifting to think they took the time to read about my son and say a prayer for him. Thanks!

boys birthday parties!

We started the day sunday with a party for all the 3 youngest Clark men! Austin, Isaac & Elliot all have birthdays within a couple of days of each other so it made sense to lump them together!

Poor Madi wasn't feeling good and had a few bloody noses that day...hence the toliet paper in the nose! Sorry hun!'

Sitting with dad!

MONEY!!!

Helping brother open gifts.

In a zone...with some drool!

Later that night we had both sides of our family over for Elliot's first birthday party! We had a house full but it was fun! We had done this for the other kids and I was excited to give Elliot his turn. Madi still wasn't feeling too great so she did lots of snuggling!

the cake!

Austin & Holly even stopped for a little bit before church! Thanks guys! Elliot had fun stealing some fries from Austin!

opening his gifts

Next came the cake! I love watching little ones to see what they do for the first time with cake!

yum yum!

Valentines Party!

Here I am at Madi's Valentines Party! I love being able to go to these! Thanks Mom Clark for watching the boys!!!

back to the doctor

Okay...so we're back from the doctor again. The last few days Elliot has been falling a lot again..usually this means his sinus infection is back (meaning we're resistant to yet another antibiotic) or his ear is infected. Well...his ears look great but there is green in his sinus'. With him falling all the time these last few days he keeps getting hurt. He now has a bump above his eye and then he punctured his tongue with his tooth...so that bleed everywhere...so we of course got that checked while we were there too! Luckily its only halfway through his tongue and 1/4" wide..so it should heal all on its own with out stitches! That was good news...but it still really bothers him. So after that was checked the doctor went through the list of antibiotics we've tried already to see what we can put him on now. As he listed them all off we realized we've been through all of them he'd recommend since September and really none have worked. So they gave Elliot the shot kind..forgive me I forgot the name amidst all the screaming...we'll go back on Saturday to get the second dose.....

What does all this mean....not sure....but we're suppose to watch his balance over the weekend. If his balance improves then it was probably off because of his sinus infection (this is what i'm leaning towards)...if it doesn't improve by monday we'll go in for a CAT scan..to see if the balance is off for another reason. If his balance has improved we'll assume it was all sinus related and then we'll get to set up an appointment with the infectious disease people....they will then start testing Elliot to see what might be the cause of all this mucus...that keeps getting infected. So that is where we are for the moment....hopefully this all makes sense..not sure it does to me completely but I'm trusting God with it all...because so much of this is beyond my control. We'll just patiently wait to see what steps to take next.

Kelly

the mall.

Okay...so the boys really needed to get out for a bit...or was that me! Anyway...I broke down and took them to the mall..Isaac was estatic! He ran so hard his face was so red when we left. I didn't get many pictures of him because he wouldn't stand still! Well I guess that was the point! So it was fun!

I love this face!

Can you hear him saying "hey..." His new favorite word.

stopped for a second.

getting tired

the look in his eyes...

Misc.

This is how Elliot usually takes a bottle anymore....walking around and drinking here and there! Silly Boy!

Here is Madi(white shirt black snowpants) at school in the lunch line..next to Collin! She talk about him all the time..and even makes him pictures! I think we have her first crush! Can this really happen so young! When her and Isaac play school at home..she always has Isaac pretend to be Collin!

Green!

Here we are at the Clarks! Elliot is spending some time with Grandma!

Here he is with Doug- Don't they match nice!

Green!

Worship.

Here is a clip from the worship time at Madi's spiritual party. Its so great to see her getting into this!

Awana Races!

So at Awana they had some hotwheels races. They had each sparkie pick a hotwheel car to race with. Madi's is the green car below. They then had 3 heats and they totalled up their scores based on what place each one took in the heat. Madi took 2nd (of 3) in each heat. She then qualified to be in the top 9. From there she made it in the top 3! I was so excited for her! She ended up taking 2nd overall. In the finals she race against Spencer so that was fun for her.

Brittyn's car is the purple one.

getting ready to race

the girls!

The only girl in the top 9!

This video is the very last race. She is sitting there with the other 2 boys in the finals. Her green car is in the outer right lane, and spencer is in the middle. She takes first in this heat but the other boy took first in the other 2 heats...so he wins overall!

even the Cubbies got to watch!

Her second place prize.

Hiding with Papa

I love this picture...dads face is so happy! He's having fun hiding the grandkids under the blanket..I think at one point 5 of the 7 were under there! They love being silly like this...

they think its silly to yell..."Grandma....come find us!"

first haircut

I finally convinced Jon to let me cut Elliots hair! It was hanging over his ear by at least an inch! It turned out pretty good for him moving all over the place! Always fun trying to cut a moving target. I didn't get one of the final....he was ready for bed!

Spiritual Birthday

Here we are at church for Madison's spiritual Birthday party! Our church is so great! they put together this fun party for the kids to celebrate their decisions for Christ this year. They gave each child there their own table for their family and friends, a goodie bag, and a cake just for them. Madi could invite some of her family to be there with her to celebrate. Both grandparents and Brianne were invited! I thought it was pretty cool they made such a big deal out of her decision. I loved when we sang some worship songs to see Madi jumping up and down in worship...usually she is so reserved in a group but when they started singing she just raised her arm up and started bopping up and down to the music.....ahhh....a faith like a child! If only we all could be that uninhibited.




craft- they were able to make these crosses as keepsakes.

another craft to take home.

Elliot getting some cake!

Eating fondu!

Here we are on neighbor night! We did some chocolate fondu and the kids had a little "picnic" with it on the kitchen floor!

Here is Elliot wondering why he's upstairs while the other kids are all playing downstairs! He really is starting to understand!

Photo Shoot!

Here are some new pictures of the kids. With both boyshaving their birthdays soon I wanted to get some new pictures of them. When Madi saw I was taking pictures of the boys she went and got dressed in her room and did her own hair..she wanted to be included too!

Elliot! 11 months
Driving his car...

playing peek-a-book

Madison- 5 1/2

Isaac - Almost 4!