2 Year Visit

Cillian's two year visit was today and Dr. Benuck also used this as a post-op appointment check in type appointment. He thought Cillian looked great. We went over everything that happened with the surgery and I told him that they will repeat the MRI on October 17th to check on the 'thing' on his brain. Dr. R told me (at our post-op with him) that there are three outcomes: 1 they see nothing on the film and it was indeed an artifact on the June film; 2 they see the same thing unchanged; 3 they see the same thing but bigger or shaped differently or something else. If it's 1, we're good; if it's 2, we go in for routine MRIs to keep an eye on things and if it's 3, we have to go see Dr. A. So here's to seeing nothing but the Cubbies in the playoffs in October.

Cillian is 30.5 inches long and 20 pounds. He is tiny you guys. But, Dr. Benuck said that his growth is steady. Slow but steady. We only worry when there is no growth. So, keep on truckin' Cills. He was very happy with Cillian's diet and said we really can't be doing any more than we're doing therapy wise. He's really happy Cillian's in all three and doing so well in all three.

I asked Dr. Benuck if I should teach Cillian and the rest of us sign language so that he can use that to communicate. Cillian's been getting frustrated lately trying to communicate and because he doesn't have the words, it ends up with a sound being repeated angrily or eventual tears and screaming. It's super frustrating for Cillian and it's frustrating for me and also for James. He told me to go ahead and make the family bilingual.

So .... I call Gallaudet University (for the hearing impaired) and told them our situation and asked for their advice on books to use with children and books/dvds for me and Doug. Roughly 10 a day is what I should be learning so I can eventually become fluent. First learn the basic signs and then eventually break into conversational sign. James is like a sponge. Cillian is wanting to learn - oh my gosh it's so evident but he has difficulty with the shaping of his hands for some signs. Sometimes he just looks at his hands, closes them, moves them around and then just looks at me with these eyes that say, "I'm trying Mom. I just can't remember which sign it is." Then I go through with him what I think he's trying to say and sometimes we get it and sometimes it's a huge misunderstanding and we all get frustrated. But, we will get there. The will, the want and the need are all there. It's just a matter of time and practice.

So, we're there. The visit went as well as it could have gone and we'll see Dr.Benuck again in three months for another well visit.