Update - Compounded Lotion

Hello, everyone!

Just thought I'd do a quick update since it's been a while...

Ben is doing great being back on the compounded lotion. It took a bit of adjusting to it again, but I noticed he was much happier right from the beginning. I feel like he is now about back to where he was before we switched it. I will say that I don't think that we really "lost time" on the other lotion though. It's my feeling that his nervous system was still healing, but that he was not tolerating some of the other ingredients in the OTC lotion. Hopefully, after a while he will be able to tolerate it and we can switch back. If not, at least we have the compounded stuff! And, Dr. Stewart's office has been working with another pharmacy, so it'll be a little less expensive going forward.

Dr. Stewart's office recommend that I start using the lotion myself (my own homocysteine level is low), so the OTC lotion we had already bought will not go to waste!

Anyway...We are seeing LOTS of language from Ben! Both at home and at school!! He says many words now, some more understandable than others, but he is constantly trying to talk. They told me at his school yesterday that he walks in the door chatting up a storm now! He is also starting to put two words together already, and he has said "I love you" (sounds like "I ooo ooo") SPONTANEOUSLY to a few different people (myself and Jeremy included)! YAY! And he gets so excited when you say it back and he realizes you know what he said to you! :o)

In not such great news, we are seeing an increase in his "OCD" type behaviors at home. He is more strict with routines and stims, he is turning lights on and off a certain amount of times, etc. This can sometimes happen when our kids are exposed to strep (the condition is called PANDAS), which I believe Ben was lately. I have a call into the doctor to see what we can do about it. Usually, they prescribe a course of antibiotics, I believe. At this point the behaviors are managable, but I'd like to knock it out before it gets worse if possible. We'll see what happens...

Other than that, things have been going really well. Ben is so excited about Christmas this year! I am so pleased to see that! He loves opening the advent calendar each morning, he helped decorate the trees, he enjoyed making crafts and candy for his teachers, he liked the Christmas Carol play and the Manor House tour, and he loves it when we talk to him about baby Jesus and Santa bringing presents. :o) He didn't do so well when we came for his Christmas party at school though! He freaked when he saw Jeremy! (I guess it was the shock of it being out of routine for daddy to be at school...) But, we had Jeremy leave and come back in after we warned him, and then he was fine and happy to see Daddy at school! The kids did a sweet Christmas song for us, Santa came to visit, they had a gift exchange, and we read Christmas stories and did crafts. This was all after going to Children's Wonderland in the morning! What a fun, festive day! We LOVE his school so much! They really try to give the kids fun, typical childhood experiences that other kids get in school. I love that about CK! (And I really, really LOVE the Christmas gift they made for us in a "Paint Your Masterpiece" class at school...I love that place and am so happy to have this as a memory for years to come!)

Ok, well, I have lots to do! I love Christmas, but have been so busy this year!! I don't know how my friends who work full-time do it, but my hat is off to all of you!

Have a blessed and happy holiday season, everyone!

Love,
Julie (and Jer & Ben too)