I really need to pay more attention to this and write more.
So for a quick update I will do Nathan first as he is easier.
Nathan is almost 2 and doing great. Totally on track or ahead of 'normal'. This is so different for us and shows us just how behind Lauren really has been. He does talk and does have words but chooses not to use them much as he has a big sister that likes to talk for him LOL. It will be different next year when Lauren is in all day school and it is just him and I or him and my parents. He will wonder where she is all day.
Lauren is a different story. Since January though things have been positive. She has been started on a new medication that is normally given for absent seizures. It is being used for her to stop or slow her brain spikes that are caused by the brain damage she has from the NICU. When she was 4 days old till she was 8 days old the hospital was giving her insulin when they shouldn't have been as she had low blood sugar not high. This caused a rather large brain injury. We were told that it wouldn't actually effect her though as the brain was so new and young and it would adapt. As it turns out, that was wrong. She has had 3 seizures since getting discharged at 2 months old. It has now been found that they were all from these brain spikes rather than from her metabolic disorder. So her metabolic disorder is basically totally controlled and it is thought it will be till puberty when she may need some help. But this brain injury is now causing her to have a lot of mental issues and hyperactivity. The new medication is helping for sure and she is much more clear headed and able to tell us about her day and is more normal in that way but we are unsure if the hyperness is caused by finally being clear headed or if it is from the red dye in the medication. She also finally got in to see the GI Dr and had to be admitted to hospital for a full bowel clean out. Since coming home she has completely potty trained herself and night trained as well. It was basically from the moment she got home from the hospital. She has also started vision training. This is extremely expensive and it isn't an approved therapy so we can't get funding. Thank goodness for parents that can lend money so to help your child. Lauren is excelling at this. Before she started she couldn't write her name. She couldn't draw a circle or a line even. She couldn't jump on a trampoline as she would just fall over. She has issues just walking without falling over. She has has 5 of the first 20 sessions ( 60 sessions in total). She can now write an L perfectly and did the letter Q in school. When she writes her name really only the L is noticeable unless you really look but there is 6 separate 'letters'. She also jumped on the trampoline at therapy for 10 jumps in a row and is walking SO much better now. She can draw a circle and lines perfectly. She even drew me a sun for a picture. We can't believe the difference this has made in her. This is amazing and will totally make her ready for kindergarten in Sept. She is excited to go and I am excited to send her although I don't know what I am going to do all day without her home. Nathan and I might have to take some swim lessons together. Although I will then need to buy a bathing suit and I am not sure about that.
Lauren is getting older
