tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58144968031452416242024-03-19T04:49:29.206-05:00The Shaddox BoysMary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.comBlogger471125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-19603516081961821582018-03-17T21:14:00.002-05:002018-03-17T21:14:25.102-05:00Elijah Has a New RoomElijah is all moved in to his new room, which is Jacob's old room. The painting was completed on Thursday and the floors were finished yesterday. We spent most of the afternoon hanging blinds, moving his dressed and his bed. Two of our neighbors came over and helped with the blinds and moving the bed. We still need to move his posters to his new room. Elijah also has to help clean out his old room. There are lots of legos left in his old room. Once we get the old room cleaned up, my wife will move her office in there. We will need to have it painted and we are trying to decide what to do about the carpet. We may just lay a large rug down, or we may recarpet it. She doesn't want laminate floor. The poor cats don't know what to do with all of the changes. They are not used to Elijah being in Jacob's room! Lots of other new things in store for us. I am headed to bed. I am SO tired!Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-91026687220070585712018-03-15T21:10:00.001-05:002018-03-15T21:10:34.406-05:00It's Been a Year--Lots of ChangesWOW! It has been a year since I posted. I guess I have been busy. Jacob got a job with a school district as a computer technician in July of last year. He loves his job and he just moved out with his girlfriend. They live about five minutes from us! Elijah is going to move from his room into Jacob's old room. We had it painted today, and we are getting wood laminate laid tomorrow. We hope to have him in his room by Saturday!! <br />
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Elijah is doing well. He still has his challenges with behavior, but we continue to see improvement. He and I went to the Lexington down in south Texas. It is an air craft carrier. We went down with his ROTC group. It was a neat trip, but boy my back was not happy for about 2 weeks after. Elijah got his state ID and we got him signed up with the state workforce solutions. There are lots of other changes coming, but I'll update those after they happen.<br />
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My wife and I are doing well. We both work a lot. I had my gall bladder surgery a year ago February. It was almost the summer before I really got back to 100% of my stamina. We had a busy summer. My mom had back surgery so my SIL and I spent time taking care of her through July and August. My ex-hsuband's mother, the boys' grandmother passed away last June. The boys and I took it hard. We still miss her every day.<br />
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Elijah and I went to see my sister and nephew in San Antonio mid July. We actually went tubing down the river, which was lots of fun. The holidays were fun and we got to see family.My wife works hard, but we find time to be together. It isn't always easy if she has to work at night, but we make it happen Elijah went to his Tourette camp a few weeks ago, so we spent 1 1/2 days shopping and EATING! We found a great little restaurant in Chappell Hill! We really enjoy that time together. We are on spring break this week and we went and spent time together shopping on Tuesday. We like to go in and out of antique shops checking things out. We even found a chocolate shop and bought some truffles!!<br />
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Jacob getting a job, a "real" job as he calls it and then moving out are the two big things in the last year. Elijah will be 18 next month and that will be the next big thing. He will be a senior next year! I'll try to be better about blogging! Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-63204270916194253232017-03-18T19:30:00.001-05:002017-03-18T19:30:46.765-05:00Life Has Been BusyI am trying to be better about posting, but it hasn't happened yet. Life has been busy for us and not always in a good way. Back in November of last year, my wife had to take me to the ER for some serious pain on my right side. Everyone thought it was my gall bladder, but the ultrasound showed it was fine. I visited my gynecologist and saw a gastroenterologist. The blood work showed I was in early menopause, but nothing else was found, so we decided to wait and see what happened.<br />
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January was busy for me with work. Elijah was and still is doing well in school. Life was moving on. Right around February 1st the extreme pain returned for two nights. I was up and awake and dealing with it, and then it would go away. However, on Feb. 6th my wife took me once again to the ER and they thought I had kidney stones. Two days later and four more ER visits (two in the course of about 8 hours) and a LONG special scan and it was determined that my gall bladder was not functioning as it should be. I went to the last ER in an ambulance. There is a lot more to the story, but it is all too complicated. I spent from Thursday night to Saturday afternoon in the hospital. My surgery was early on Friday evening. <br />
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My poor wife was as worn out as I was from all of these visits. My mom was a great help and let her go home to get some rest. She had to take care of the boys, although Jacob is pretty self sufficient, Elijah isn't. He is not a toddler, but he needed someone at home at night and to get him up and off to school. <br />
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I spent one week home after surgery and then returned to work. It took another two weeks before I started feeling like my old self. The pain that I experienced was the worst pain I have ever had. It wore me out and I was worried we would never find out what was causing it. <br />
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Jacob is studying for a certification test for computers that will hopefully lead to a better job. He had his wisdom teeth pulled this past week and did really well with it all. We are both glad that it is done! Elijah will be 17 next month. That is really hard to believe. My wife and I will celebrate our first wedding anniversary in June. Hopefully, I will post again before June!Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-1956982132755318302016-12-05T21:00:00.000-06:002016-12-05T21:00:04.150-06:00What's up with us!I guess I have been a little busy, because I haven't posted since September. I am not sure what all to update you all on. I did get some money towards the rechargeable batteries from the insurance company.....a whole $147.00 towards $800 worth of batteries....YIKES right? At least I didn't have to battle them for it. <br />
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Jacob is still working at a local electronics store. He needs to take a certification test and then start applying again. We hope that the certification will help him with getting a job. Elijah is in 10th grade and doing well. He is having a very good year and still likes ROTC. I married my girlfriend back in June and we are doing well. We have been together for six years, but this will be our first married Christmas. I am not sure if that is a big deal or not, but I love Christmas anyway. <br />
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I decorated over Thanksgiving break. There are lots of presents under the tree, but I have been saving for a while. I had some medical issues back at the end of October and early November. I am going back in to see the gynecologist to see what can be done to help with that. It isn't anything too serious, but something that needs to be addressed.<br />
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I haven't watched the news since the election. As a parent of a special needs child, I was not a Trump supporter and I am still not a supporter of him. Enough of politics though. We are still waiting on gutters, insulation, a mailbox and for the fence to be repaired since the storm in APRIL! It has been almost 8 months! At least we have a roof and the majority of the damage is fixed.<br />
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Tiger was sick for several weeks and the vet finally figured out it was a severe allergy to fleas. He is off medication and wearing a flea collar. The other three cats are have flea collars too. We give him melatonin at night. He is finally growing back some hair and seems better. The other three cats are good too! They are a big part of our family.<br />
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Overall, Life is good. I am happy as are the boys and my wife. I love saying "my wife". I'll try to write more often, but we our lives are not that exciting!Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-17477110962093374062016-09-14T20:01:00.001-05:002016-09-14T20:01:26.404-05:00It's Been a WhileI just realized I have not posted in over two months! I guess you can say I have been busy. The summer went by quickly. Elijah had SEVERAL doctor's appointments that kept us busy for the first few weeks of the summer. I kept my niece and nephew two days a week, plus we had to deal with the house. We finally got the ceilings repaired and new wood floors at the end of July. We had to move out of the house for a week. Insurance paid for the hotel and our meals, but boy was it still a hassle. There was a lot to pack up and put away so the contractors could do their work.<br />
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We arrived home on a Tuesday morning to clean up before moving our things back from the hotel, only to find the AC was broken. The repairman came that afternoon and we ended up having to buy a whole new unit which was installed the next day. He was able to put in Freon so that we could survive the night. It gets hot here in TEXAS in JULY! The house looks great. We have a few minor things to still have taken care of in the house. We also need new insulation, the fence to be restained, the house to be painted and the gutters to be put up. The contractors are busy working on other people's home right now.<br />
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I went back to work on Aug. 8th and school started on Aug. 22nd. Jacob is still working at a larger retail electronics' store in the computer components section. He hopes to gain experience and is currently seeking employment with higher pay and better things to offer. Elijah started the tenth grade on Aug. 22nd and all is going well. All of the teachers say he seems to have matured over the summer. <br />
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Work is keeping me very busy. I am doing a lot of what I did before, but now I have the responsibility of scheduling the ARD (IEP) meetings, prepping the for the meetings, doing the assessments and writing reports. There is SO much more I do, but I can't even remember it all to list it all. The people I work with are great and I feel fortunate to be where I am.<br />
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My honey and I have now been married for three months. Life continues to go well for us. She is working hard and still doing most of the cooking. I am looking forward to many more months with her! <br />
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The holidays are just around the corner and I am looking forward to all of them! I'll try to be better and post more often!<br />
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Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-16260557669709378522016-06-22T10:13:00.000-05:002016-06-22T10:13:36.264-05:00Playing the Insurance GameI have talked to my health insurance company four times since yesterday to try to figure out this rechargeable battery issue. I have talked to the audiologist twice (once by email and once in person). First I was told the doctor's office would need to get this all precertified and check a website...this was after I PROVIDED the insurance code for the batteries! After several more phone calls, and being transferred over to the pharmacy department when one of the customer service reps didn't listen very well, I think I know what to do. The audiologist will write a letter of medical necessity for Elijah to get the batteries. I will fax it to the claims department of the health insurance company. I will then receive a letter stating if the batteries are covered. If they are covered, then I will order the batteries and file a claim...keeping the letter of approval from them in a VERY SAFE PLACE! I have played this game before and had to wait six months to get $600 back from the insurance company, but it is worth it in the end.<br />
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Elijah has $300 left before reaching his deductible, but if he goes to the pulmonologist before I order them (he goes on July 14th) then that will put another $200 towards his deductible. His pulmonologist is considered out of network, but we didn't want to switch doctors. My "insurance year" starts on September 1st, so I want to get this all done and ordered before that date! Hopefully, I will get around $400-$500 to go towards the $800 total for four rechargeable batteries! Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-63384145015384629832016-06-21T21:41:00.000-05:002016-06-21T21:41:28.212-05:00Visit to the AudiologistElijah went in to see the audiologist today for his yearly "check up" If he is not having issues, we go in once a year to just his map and see how things are going. Elijah did well and participated in the mapping session. He has not always been cooperative in the past. However, I did have to promise a "treat" on the way home (edible treat) in order to get him to cooperate. It does drive me a little crazy that I have to bribe a 16 year old.<br />
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Even with a bribe in the past, he has been known to complain and still not participate so it was nice to NOT have that happen today. The audiologist showed him his map and played a tone three times and asked him if it was too quiet, too loud or just right. He answered for each one and some of his answers were that it was TOO loud or TOO soft or NOT right, so he was trying. This is really huge for him. He did this for both the comfort level and threshold level for EACH ear. The comfort level is the loudest sound he can hear without it being TOO loud. The threshold level is the quietest sound he can hear, but not so quiet he can't hear it. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyCJY2VY86v7L_lijB5QYLzBpIhiWXTqKYU4Ricgep6LHOVqc0Nq1MBADJMU_iUpm5qNVB_gP370NBHfUiJd4n58efHAwow4C9tejcpASrpLLnaAYM5sqWFHqJe8vlFi4MKzRSAR3RexY/s1600/battery+rack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyCJY2VY86v7L_lijB5QYLzBpIhiWXTqKYU4Ricgep6LHOVqc0Nq1MBADJMU_iUpm5qNVB_gP370NBHfUiJd4n58efHAwow4C9tejcpASrpLLnaAYM5sqWFHqJe8vlFi4MKzRSAR3RexY/s1600/battery+rack.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">$160 for THIS battery rack</td></tr>
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While we were there the audiologist checked his processor on his right ear, because it would not connect to the computer. There was some "residue" on the connector part of his processor piece. She cleaned it and got it working. When we put the battery cage back on it, we could not get it to turn back on. After some trouble shooting we determined that the battery cage was defective for some reason. She gave us one to borrow and I came home to order a new one ($160 OUCH). I will mail the other one back to her when our new one comes in. You can see the picture of it on the right.....this is just the rack, I have the cover that goes over it already...OUCH again.<br />
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The audiologist also told me that it is better to use rechargeable batteries, because when the air circulates through the disposable battery rack cage (not sure of the official name) it can cause issues with moisture and the processors. This may be why she had to clean the connector piece on his processor. For those who don't know what I am talking about the processor is actually two pieces. The top part is the processor and is the "computer" part of his "ear". The bottom part holds the batteries. These two pieces can be twisted apart, so you have two pieces. When we use the rechargeable batteries, that battery twists onto the processor.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJDlJpZ61w9K5kf6ehRZRTiOXY82ySurHi6x9zn4hJYD16ZnxBMC5Rsd1QZnT4DBflxR0my_d3g1Yzommif_J320ZGvcM0heJA0Jonyk7M7odgDSkIORrIe4C1TbwXLLU09G43dQsH4U/s1600/CI+processor.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJDlJpZ61w9K5kf6ehRZRTiOXY82ySurHi6x9zn4hJYD16ZnxBMC5Rsd1QZnT4DBflxR0my_d3g1Yzommif_J320ZGvcM0heJA0Jonyk7M7odgDSkIORrIe4C1TbwXLLU09G43dQsH4U/s1600/CI+processor.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nucleus 6 processor<br />
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I called our insurance company and got some information on how to determine if they are covered. The gentleman in customer service was actually very nice and LISTENED. He finally understood what I was talking about and I provided him with an insurance code. They are considered durable medical equipment (DME) and he gave me the info for the doctor's office to get me a letter or assistance with pre-certification. We also have to meet a deductible, but he is actually CLOSE on his personal deductible. This is not my first rodeo, so I will see what I can do. I do prefer the rechargeable batteries to the disposable ones!<br />
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Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-5870664871757220772016-06-08T21:39:00.000-05:002016-06-08T21:39:01.793-05:00Making the Switch to Disposable BatteriesElijah upgraded to the Nucleus 6 processor back in June 2014. Since that time, he has used the rechargeable batteries that came with his processors. I really like the rechargeable batteries because they last all day and we never have to worry about switching out batteries during the day. He has four batteries and we would switch them out every other day. About a month ago, one of the rechargeable batteries would not take a charge anymore when I put it in the charger. I had already been doing some research and had decided that I would switch him to disposable batteries. Purchasing two rechargeable batteries would cost about $400 and I would have to fight the insurance company to get reimbursed for that. The two rechargeable batteries would last about one year (four batteries lasted about 2 years). <br />
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I can purchase 60 batteries on Amazon for $18.25. This would mean I would need on average about 4 boxes of batteries each year for each processor, costing me $146...approximately. The disposable batteries last about 3 days for each processor. This is a lot cheaper than $400 a year. Now, when Elijah swims he has to use the rechargeable batteries if we use the waterproof coil and sleeve to put around the processor. I want to save the rechargeable batteries that are still functioning to use with swimming. <br />
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Now, we have used rechargeable batteries in the past, so I made sure to have a few packages of batteries in my purse. However, when we go into the recreation center or the library I usually don't take my purse in. So, there we are in the rec center today when one of the processor's batteries dies. Elijah had to go without hearing in one ear for about an hour. He survived and so did I. As soon as we got home, I made sure to put a package of batteries in my key ring holder!Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-56297473534084412972016-05-24T21:25:00.000-05:002016-05-25T17:49:36.672-05:00A Parent's WishI wanted to share this website from Cochlear Americas. It is a website for parents of children with hearing loss. The parents can get more information about cochlear implants. Here is the website:<br />
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<a href="http://www.cochlear.com/wps/wcm/connect/us/IWantYouToHear?utm_campaign=c-c-g-apr_16ped-jenny&utm_medium=pressrelease&utm_source=PRNewswire&utm_content=I_Want_You_To_Hear">IWantToHear.com</a><br />
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I am a strong supporter of parents having the right to choose what communication method they want their child to use. We chose to sign and speech with our son and to have him get a cochlear implant at the age of 17 months. He received his second implant at the age of 4 1/2. I believe that signs were a bridge to him learning language and learning to speak. <br />
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I believe that LANGUAGE is the key for all children but especially for deaf children. Whatever a parent chooses for their child, they also have to follow that child's lead. Parents have to realize that it will be WORK, but it can be fun. It will be HARD, but it will be REWARDING. Elijah chose to be oral after we worked a LONG time for him to learn to speak. He dropped expressively signing, I didn't make him stop. He can still understand what I sign to him when his processors are off. We can't have an in depth conversation, but we can communicate! <br />
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Whatever choice a parent makes...sign or speech or both, it should be remembered that this is about the CHILD and not about what is RIGHT. There is no right, there is what is needed.<br />
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I could ramble on for days, I know, but I will get off of my soap box. ALL parents need to read more with their children (hearing or deaf), spend time with them, have conversations and be their first teachers!Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-65689685249685848712016-05-23T20:28:00.001-05:002016-05-23T20:28:51.394-05:00Sxi Weeks LaterIt has been six weeks since the hail storm and we are just NOW getting our roof fixed. They started two days ago on Saturday and I mean they JUST started. The removed the old shingles and planks from the back side of the house. They have replaced the planks and laid down some other roofing materials that goes under the shingles. They don't work on Sunday (don't blame them) and it rained today, so no work today. It is supposed to rain ALL week. This is ONE reason why it has taken so long for them to get to our roof. The holes in the back were the worst and at least there is new planking now.<br />
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The contractor stated that he wants to get everyone's roofs fixed and then start working on the inside. I am not sure where that leaves us as far as when they will start with the inside of our house, but I am hoping it is before the summer ends!<br />
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Jacob is busy looking for a job. He has had three interviews in three weeks and applied to a LOT of positions. One of the jobs looks promising, but he doesn't want to get his hopes up too high. Elijah and I will be finished with school next week. We are both so ready. My honey will still be working all summer and I plan on continuing to mystery shop. I will also be supervising repairs! We may have to move out for a few days while they replace the ceiling. We don't have any major plans this summer and I am glad of that!<br />
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Keep your fingers crossed we have a new roof by this weekend....it really depends on the rain! Also say some prayers for Jacob, he really wants one of the jobs he interviewed for!Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-16822744374906150222016-04-16T19:43:00.000-05:002016-04-16T19:43:34.962-05:00THE STORMWe had a hail storm here in town this past Monday, April 11, 2016. It was even on the national news. Elijah and I were home alone when it started. OH MY, was it loud. Water started coming in by the back door and when I went to get towels, there was water in the master bath. The water was coming in through the AC vents. There was water coming in from three ceiling fans. It was WILD. The hails stones were huge.<br />
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My honey arrived home right after it started. Thankfully my car was in the garage and she wasn't home so neither of our cars were damaged. We cleaned up some of the water, and then went to look up in the attic. There were HOLES in the roof, I mean HOLES. You could see the sky. While we were doing that the ceiling in the kitchen FELL. It landed on the dinner table and on the floor. It was a mess. We spent three hours cleaning that up. We had just signed a contract with a construction company to fix the roof the Saturday before. The roof had been damaged from a hail storm, a much smaller storm, but still damaged. I called them and they came out to take a quick look. The rain had stopped and he promised to come out the next day to tarp it. I stayed home from work on Tuesday and took care of some things. We had not gone to bed until around midnight because more of the kitchen ceiling had fallen later in the evening. <br />
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The adjuster came out today and cut us a check. I have to get the bank to endorse it since they are the lien holders on the house. Once we do that, the company can begin fixing things. We are getting all of the ceilings replaced....for the entire house, two new ceiling fans, a new roof, new planking for under the shingles, new duct work for the AC, staining the fence and a lot of other things done. I had to buy a new mattress for Jacob because his had gotten wet when water leaked from his fan and it was a lot water. Now we just have to wait until it can all get started. I have added some pictures to show the damage!<br />
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Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-6350539590862809552016-03-15T18:03:00.000-05:002016-03-15T18:03:11.692-05:00Transition<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigLZDwAt2T6Q2f71tIcukbRxWpbyKAYZbN2YFsFMBv8pD2ETIm_LNyu6B3AwhbVuhLO-hAHMg9F7_d0hSBwp-2mG1ABKZMGox4_MgPu8a4gQLxcWVFAgj1ML5_4CDQ2INvlQUeg0B9qCg/s1600/change.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigLZDwAt2T6Q2f71tIcukbRxWpbyKAYZbN2YFsFMBv8pD2ETIm_LNyu6B3AwhbVuhLO-hAHMg9F7_d0hSBwp-2mG1ABKZMGox4_MgPu8a4gQLxcWVFAgj1ML5_4CDQ2INvlQUeg0B9qCg/s1600/change.jpg" /></a>I went up to the high school today here in town to meet with Elijah, two of his teachers and a DARS (Department of Rehabilitative Services) representative. I had asked for the DARS rep to come to Elijah's ARD but she had something come up last minute and could not attend. One of the teachers we met with is the transition teacher at the high school and the other teacher is his case manager. Elijah will be graduating in just over three years and his unique needs require us to start planning now.<br />
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Overall, it was a good meeting. Elijah was not too interested in participating. He had been pulled out of his computer class and he really wanted to get back. He did state that he wants to possibly work on disassembling computers for their parts or maybe working with animals. After he left, we all sat around and discussed what Elijah is capable of. His teachers and I agree that he is smart enough to go to college, but his writing skills are not where they need to be for college. At this point (now remember we still have three more years) we aren't sure about a technical school either. We did agree that when he is doing something he likes that he does a good job. He also needs a schedule and likes to stick to it. He doesn't handle change well.<br />
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The nice thing is the DARS representative works exclusively with deaf and hard of hearing students. She can work with the school for Elijah to find a job his senior year and provide a job coach to assist him at work. When he becomes frustrated or flustered he may melt down or cry. The plan is for him to take a transition type of class his junior year. He would learn about resumes, job interviews, and do some volunteer work through the class (working in the school or working at the local animal shelter) and then his senior year he would have a job. He would be able to leave school early and go to the job. The school would even provide transportation to work and then I would pick him up. <br />
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I wanted he representative from DARS to meet him now so she would have an idea of what he might need. She can then be on the look out for possible jobs for him after graduation. She will attend his ARD (IEP meeting) next January and help in making his plan for his junior year. I am hoping that Elijah will mature in the next three years and that his social/personal skills improve. I am glad we met today and I feel like we are at least heading in the right direction. The DARS representative stated that he had employable skills. Now we just have to continue down this road and see where it takes us!Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-90707952184511315272016-02-13T16:45:00.002-06:002016-02-13T16:45:49.543-06:00Update on Freedom processors and upgradingI finally got a chance to call SunMed and I found out a few things. They are no longer handling the upgrades for Cochlear, unless you have Aetna insurance. Cochlear is now handling upgrades and working with insurance companies. I then asked about Aetna and was told that Aetna will NOT cover upgrades. They will only cover processors if they are NOT working. I am SO glad that I got the N6 upgrade for Elijah the summer before we changed to Aetna (my insurance runs from Sept. 1st to Aug. 31st, not the traditional year) from Blue Cross Blue Shield. I just hate that he has FOUR Freedom processors sitting in a box and not being used for a trade in for an upgrade. I'll just have to be sure to keep Elijah's N6 processors under warranty. The current warranty is good through the beginning of June 2017.Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-14313881519866102072016-01-31T20:21:00.001-06:002016-01-31T20:21:36.275-06:00Freedom Obsolescence Process<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Freedom Processor by Cochlear Corp. is in the obsolescence process. I received an email from them explaining the process.</span> <br />
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<tr><td style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px;"> </td><td style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px;"><div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Jan 30, 2016</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Dear Cochlear Family Member,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Our promise of “Hear now. And always” means we strive to bring you improved sound processor technologies and services designed to help you hear moments that matter most to you. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Did you know the Cochlear™ Nucleus® Freedom® Sound Processor has been in the market for nearly eleven years? This means that the sound processor is reaching its end of life; hence, we begin the obsolescence process. Our records indicate that you may currently use a Freedom Sound Processor. Please make note of the following milestones: </span></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>End of Sale</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>– Effective immediately, the sound processor and associated service plans (extended warranties) are no longer available for purchase. Aftermarket components and accessories such as coil/cables will remain available for purchase contingent upon supply levels until<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_17541654" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">December 31, 2016</span></span>. Warranties for new products purchased will end on<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_17541655" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">December 31, 2016</span></span>.</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Trade-In</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>– Through<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_17541656" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">June 30, 2016</span></span>, Cochlear will give a $2,000 trade-in allowance for the Freedom Sound Processor when upgrading to the Nucleus 6 Sound Processor and using the self-pay option.</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Repair Services</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>– Cochlear will continue to repair the sound processor through <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_17541657" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">December 31, 2016</span></span>. All repair warranties will end on<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_17541658" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">December 31, 2016</span></span>.</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>End of Life</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>– The sound processor is no longer supported after<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_17541659" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">December 31, 2016</span></span>. This means that if your Freedom Sound Processor stops working, Cochlear cannot repair it. Or if you lose a part or accessory, Cochlear cannot replace it.</span></li>
</ul>
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</div>
<div style="margin-left: 15px;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Elijah currently has two Nucleus 6 Processors that are about 18 months old. He also has four Freedom processors that are not being used. I am going to call SunMed tomorrow and see if he can get two new Nucleus 6 processors since the Freedom processors are going obsolete. I figure it is worth a shot. He upgraded to the Freedom processors back in 2006 and then his body worn processors went obsolete about 2 years later and we were able to trade those in for two new Freedom processors. We shall see what happens.</span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivnvL-fTrGb0OBIC8CpcgtGqi-8andba5-vT5tXVSnaPrDU2yL5HRqcWqvEDloqLh1W-iczSTO2I88hI2sNsMK3wR5wiM911SD3-eYoO6u_YynaK3CFuJSlf1xyhASfHr7B0eHbV4TDwU/s1600/freedom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivnvL-fTrGb0OBIC8CpcgtGqi-8andba5-vT5tXVSnaPrDU2yL5HRqcWqvEDloqLh1W-iczSTO2I88hI2sNsMK3wR5wiM911SD3-eYoO6u_YynaK3CFuJSlf1xyhASfHr7B0eHbV4TDwU/s1600/freedom.jpg" /></a></div>
Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-64980338685752951222016-01-10T19:56:00.002-06:002016-01-10T19:56:34.288-06:00Life is Funny<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQ7sN8Qrq3pMi5zI2c8NKI3blNG_flv8ympUSOgI440r-HYQU1Cs9md57wUy3pN4XrERnKizIw4v96Tac8x26v5jKgvSClAbdjqrv3r3KRek8CBLDgy4oHNAaWlZn-85qua8vvyT3HDU/s1600/BWP+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQ7sN8Qrq3pMi5zI2c8NKI3blNG_flv8ympUSOgI440r-HYQU1Cs9md57wUy3pN4XrERnKizIw4v96Tac8x26v5jKgvSClAbdjqrv3r3KRek8CBLDgy4oHNAaWlZn-85qua8vvyT3HDU/s200/BWP+2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Body Worn Processor</td></tr>
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I met a friend of mine at a Mexican restaurant to celebrate our graduation from college and earning our Master's Degrees in Special Education. Elijah went along with me because I didn't want to leave him at home alone. My friend and I talked and we all ate a great meal. Elijah was busy playing games on his iPhone and really didn't pay us much attention!<br />
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My friend and I were talking about the certification test she still needs to take and our future plans in education. One of the managers of the restaurant came over and asked us how our meal was. My friend spoke to him about another manager that works there. She said he husband went to college with the other manager and they spoke for a few minutes. This manager then said, "The reason I came over is my son is deaf and he just got his cochlear implants." I asked him how old his son was and his son is 12 months old. I told him a bit about Elijah and how he was turned on with his first implant at 18 months of age and how he got his second one at the age of 4 1/2 years. He asked me how Elijah was doing and I proceeded to ask Elijah some questions. Elijah answered them all without even looking up from his iPhone. The manager then showed my friend and me a video of his son being activated. It was exciting to see how the boy reacted to hearing for the first time. The gentleman stayed and talked to us for several more minutes and I encouraged him to make sure he took his son to auditory verbal therapy and to TALK all the time to him. His son has the Nucleus 6 processor like Elijah wears now. I told him about Elijah's first processor which was a body worn processor. He was surprised to hear they used to be so big! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9qKOwP5oAnH5koC7CYJzCXUx45V8s0o9Aqt5db08sOnBRpqr990pmz_C8DAk0KALUfdxEvSQnFh8cbaL7gGxTzdiyy6OMHOYwOApP96eWGxLNhM2-ri0tOFjixPkLOctQhD1SDKPph8/s1600/CI+n6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9qKOwP5oAnH5koC7CYJzCXUx45V8s0o9Aqt5db08sOnBRpqr990pmz_C8DAk0KALUfdxEvSQnFh8cbaL7gGxTzdiyy6OMHOYwOApP96eWGxLNhM2-ri0tOFjixPkLOctQhD1SDKPph8/s200/CI+n6.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nucleus 6 Processor</td></tr>
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I also told him that I had continued to sign with Elijah when he was first turned on, and that sign slowly faded as Elijah learned to talk!<br />
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It was a very interesting conversation. The man was very encouraged and thanked me for my time I have not had this happen in a very long time. When Elijah was younger I was approached by parents of deaf children and adults with hearing loss all the time it seemed. I am not sure if it is becoming more common to see CI processors on people or if I just don't have Elijah with me as much as I did when he was younger. It was nice to hear this man's story and see how excited he was about his son's journey with hearing. I am happy that Elijah and I could be a part of that. Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-91363108693175993672016-01-06T20:43:00.000-06:002016-01-06T20:43:51.493-06:00Results!The doctor called with the results of Elijah's genetic testing. It seems that he does metabolize some of his meds differently than others. This means he needs a high dosage of these medicines, which he is already on. The doctor said that it explains why he needs these larger doses that other people don't need. She doesn't want to change any of his medications at this point, but we had already changed one of his ADHD medications by increasing it. We go back on Feb. 2nd to discuss how he is doing. I am not sure if she will want to make changes then or not. Overall, I am glad we did the testing. It helps explain why he needs these larger dosages of medicines. Hopefully we can continue to use this information to assist with future decisions. Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-56228443804692066812015-12-29T15:46:00.002-06:002015-12-29T15:46:36.921-06:00Genetic Testing<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGyd495XTQWDdf8c5TTgGz0P67MzfqEO7Rws9TeGmLZ9MblZCsbuZSjiLdzSXG-e1KWif4iOHKa71yd31euDdLVN7xuvFqiH_kHM5LUEv2hfdvPOUdBnAzM744-J9H3175neGT3uiq-oU/s1600/genetic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGyd495XTQWDdf8c5TTgGz0P67MzfqEO7Rws9TeGmLZ9MblZCsbuZSjiLdzSXG-e1KWif4iOHKa71yd31euDdLVN7xuvFqiH_kHM5LUEv2hfdvPOUdBnAzM744-J9H3175neGT3uiq-oU/s1600/genetic.jpg" /></a>I took Elijah into his doctor today for genetic testing. The nurse swabbed both of his cheeks and will send the samples off to the company to have it tested. The testing will show which medications Elijah's body metabolizes better so that the doctor can decide which medications to try with him. It will cost around $300 and I think it is worth a try. Right now he is maxed on some of his medications and the doctor wanted to try a new ADHD medication for his impulsivity, but what to try? It is a guessing game. She did up his intuniv medication by 1 MG and we will see if that helps. We should have the results next week and they will call me to discuss them. Another parent had mentioned genetic testing at the Tourette Syndrome Support Group meeting back on December 12th and said that the results had really helped with medication decisions. I am hoping this helps the doctor to made future decisions about Elijah's medication. Elijah takes medication for OCD, ADHD and for his tics, and it is always hard to know what is helping him and what isn't. I'll keep you all posted!Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-3946033789165466092015-12-28T20:38:00.000-06:002015-12-28T20:42:58.129-06:00Rechargeable vs. Disposable Batteries<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjukS6dZhIbgzcZKWBhHsMawuhvIfb9b7EQ0DYP9i0rOJiImrq49UxpwzCQO6-31Tz2u872ZTdMqCmDQ4lr-aPwGrt66wcaVuTq-gbOpQjSqu1qsjwwWpzkbQ3wX_K2Q_3ax2QxMq0fxb8/s1600/disposable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjukS6dZhIbgzcZKWBhHsMawuhvIfb9b7EQ0DYP9i0rOJiImrq49UxpwzCQO6-31Tz2u872ZTdMqCmDQ4lr-aPwGrt66wcaVuTq-gbOpQjSqu1qsjwwWpzkbQ3wX_K2Q_3ax2QxMq0fxb8/s1600/disposable.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Disposable batteries</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Elijah has been using rechargeable batteries since he was upgraded to his Nucleus 6 processors. He had rechargeable batteries with his Freedoms, but his FM system had a separate battery rack so we didn't use the rechargeable batteries much until he started using the MyLink FM system. He has had the Nucleus 6 processors for 18 months now and one of his rechargeable batteries is starting to not hold a battery all day. I started doing some research on disposable batteries and found that I can get a box of 60 batteries for $18.25. After doing the math, I would need about 600 batteries, or 10 boxes for one year. That is $182.50. The cost of one rechargeable battery is $199. The only reason to go with the rechargeable battery is for swimming with the Aqua+ kit. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjot4N3BvIt9AidXZe5whLGOsqptSrmGTNuTk0NWC0KtG-3HoE6vw-JQZsbZyZjdJQ0KVZJSerW5_elJ2YdHq0N3UXsvChhMTrPWfyZ3cwCUMUUseKCA8PuECnAZlWS-DWwG_9BSZn8Ut8/s1600/battery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjot4N3BvIt9AidXZe5whLGOsqptSrmGTNuTk0NWC0KtG-3HoE6vw-JQZsbZyZjdJQ0KVZJSerW5_elJ2YdHq0N3UXsvChhMTrPWfyZ3cwCUMUUseKCA8PuECnAZlWS-DWwG_9BSZn8Ut8/s1600/battery.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">rechargeable battery</td></tr>
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I still have some disposable batteries that we can use until I decide what I want to do. One advantage of the rechargeable batteries is they do last all day and we just switch them out at night (he has four batteries for two processors, so one set charges while he wears the other two). The disposable batteries will last for 2-3 days, but can die at any time and then you have to stop and change them. Elijah doesn't like it when his batteries die, so I would have to have a chat with his case manager so she understands that he may not react well if they die at school. He knows how to change the batteries, so that is good. The disadvantage of the rechargeable batteries is they only last about a year, so if we switch them out every other day then they should last 2 years, but you never know. For me to buy four new rechargeable batteries would cost $800 for 2 years. The disposable batteries would cost about $360 for 2 years. I could try to get insurance to cover the batteries, but that is a hassle that I am not sure I want to deal with right now. <br />
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I am curious to find out what others prefer! Please leave a comment.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZVASR0CovRe_SDDDVdEWEqejkv1MqHcJHAf5bJN4E9sJGVCnnnWQ4qC6bwW3jQWbd5jAwJ-eCj41cWimqCl07X1892fBVJVnOzY5m1hwIrzpB1fMk1pFetj2c165qAmo7BU4ULBkZ_Fw/s1600/processor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZVASR0CovRe_SDDDVdEWEqejkv1MqHcJHAf5bJN4E9sJGVCnnnWQ4qC6bwW3jQWbd5jAwJ-eCj41cWimqCl07X1892fBVJVnOzY5m1hwIrzpB1fMk1pFetj2c165qAmo7BU4ULBkZ_Fw/s1600/processor.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nucleus 6 with disposable batteries</td></tr>
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Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-87698425652687494282015-12-22T22:29:00.001-06:002015-12-22T22:29:11.422-06:00Our Christmas Break<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzBYlMeMXFDQCFH3Ms0EWQ5GG474zHZR06gnnboN2BlG3xel4RKx0HFOwAMEpltEbMqKdzMee0SqAeEWrUauGTpO7LdK3aJeRWS_Uqvqn5eluR0Txw0i4AFFfFR2LVA6x1KeprqyWDrk/s1600/xnas+tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzBYlMeMXFDQCFH3Ms0EWQ5GG474zHZR06gnnboN2BlG3xel4RKx0HFOwAMEpltEbMqKdzMee0SqAeEWrUauGTpO7LdK3aJeRWS_Uqvqn5eluR0Txw0i4AFFfFR2LVA6x1KeprqyWDrk/s1600/xnas+tree.jpg" /></a>Elijah and I are off for two weeks for Christmas break and Jacob will be home for a whole month. My hone still has to work, but has the next three days off! We have actually gotten to sleep in a few mornings and we are enjoying the nice weather.<br />
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I completed my Master's Degree in Special Education from Texas Tech University this month. I am not a certified Educational Diagnostician. I am still waiting for my diploma to arrive in the mail! I can't wait to get it. I was able to print my certification out on the TEA website, and that definitely made it feel more real. I can't believe I have my master's degree! Jacob has only one more semester left in school and he will graduate with his associate's degree in May of next year!<br />
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Elijah is doing well. We went to see his doctor for his Tourette Syndrome, OCD and ADHD. She got to see a lot of his impulsivity at this visit. He was persistent at trying to get his way when she tried to talk to him. We are changing his medication a bit, and will go back in about six weeks. She mentioned a genetic test that might help pinpoint which medications would work best for him. The interesting thing, is this was mentioned at the Tourette Support Group meeting we attended back on Dec. 12th. I called the genetic company, and our insurance is not on their list yet, but I was assured the out of cost for me would not exceed an amount that I am willing to pay. I am going to take him next week for a cheek swab and then see what we can find out. The family at the support group meeting said that when they had the testing done, they learned a lot about the medications that would help their son and it has been very helpful. The doctor wants to possibly change his ADHD medication, but it is hard to know what to change him too, but hopefully this testing will help. I am excited about it, but don't want to get too excited<br />
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We are very excited about Christmas. Elijah got a new bed, which my hone, Jacob and I put together yesterday. Elijah helped some, but it was a small room and we needed all the room we could get to put the bed together. He did run some things back and forth for us and keep an eye on our progress. He was so excited to get his bed. Jacob's big gift is the car he is now driving. I have a few surprises for both boys. All of my other shopping is pretty much done. I have a few more things to pack. My honey and I want to go shopping and look at some jewelry. We just aren't sure if we want to fight the crowds tomorrow.<br />
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We have also been busy baking. I have been making snow ball cookies and will be making pralines later this week. We have also been making truffles! Jacob and Elijah love to help make truffles. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMAkxfR1e24f9H2ux8K1sU4KTpUDmLQgUaHZOkNZ0vrYYyDeMQ_JD3Vqsm61RoP_l2o41h6-R9fsbAOE2spUJwB9vGQ4tbKOxj8FYOxR83qrEvTLioCGZqn5mQij_-BWwtyDUcfbyKR3I/s1600/truffles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMAkxfR1e24f9H2ux8K1sU4KTpUDmLQgUaHZOkNZ0vrYYyDeMQ_JD3Vqsm61RoP_l2o41h6-R9fsbAOE2spUJwB9vGQ4tbKOxj8FYOxR83qrEvTLioCGZqn5mQij_-BWwtyDUcfbyKR3I/s320/truffles.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TRUFFLES</td></tr>
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My honey and I roll out the truffles and then put them in the sprinkles. The boys are in charge of making sure the truffles are covered in sprinkles. They then put them in the mini muffin cups. Every 10th truffles requires a taste test for quality control and we each take our turn testing the truffles. We let them know what time we will be making truffles and the boys make sure they are there, or they know they miss out. We have fun as we make the truffles and it is a nice time to talk! We have made several batches of truffles.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU22_e68hJtElvdFEaSwOzLc94kpix-EaP00vuSsCrsOQBszyCifsdT33R_mfKt26L55NcNdY7SZ9tWMD4AlgqVZn8Z7FCiiEn1ek5QmhP9A0bCgU2fTNu7YnC9FHZmyoWBXvsJMpzwp4/s1600/truffles+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU22_e68hJtElvdFEaSwOzLc94kpix-EaP00vuSsCrsOQBszyCifsdT33R_mfKt26L55NcNdY7SZ9tWMD4AlgqVZn8Z7FCiiEn1ek5QmhP9A0bCgU2fTNu7YnC9FHZmyoWBXvsJMpzwp4/s320/truffles+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacob and Elijah making truffles.</td></tr>
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Today my nephew and niece came over and we made Christmas cookies. This is something else I enjoy doing this time of year. We had a lot of fun and the kids got to cut out cookies, bake them, and then decorate them. We use sprinkles on the cookies as well! My honey also has some Christmas favorites she likes to bake. We have been baking for several months. Elijah takes treats to all of his teachers and I hand treats out to my staff. <br />
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I am looking forward to 2016. I can't believe how much has happened this past year!! I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!<br />
Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-85260377691069410232015-11-27T16:09:00.000-06:002015-11-27T16:09:11.636-06:00Decorating the Christmas Tree!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCGI84hrCaQiBpkMxsiVNC4VNZhdlrAP-MlBFm2j_Qt9AUZ3jpQ24JjbeRCLyN2a39hgah8uR-ZXUpexLZkxndrxc9c5EKIR6VKJTq2prfF1Y04ArTaLyw3tnX6_56xsDbkUTEawS4yQM/s1600/IMG_1486.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCGI84hrCaQiBpkMxsiVNC4VNZhdlrAP-MlBFm2j_Qt9AUZ3jpQ24JjbeRCLyN2a39hgah8uR-ZXUpexLZkxndrxc9c5EKIR6VKJTq2prfF1Y04ArTaLyw3tnX6_56xsDbkUTEawS4yQM/s320/IMG_1486.jpg" width="240" /></a>Jacob, Elijah and I spent the day decorating for Christmas! Jacob helped me get all of the boxes and the Christmas tree out of the attic. He then got the box of ornaments that we keep in his room. Grandma Linda made him this box back when he was a baby to keep all of his ornaments in. After Elijah was born, we started keeping his ornaments in there also! These are the ornaments that either my mom or another relative has given them. Some of them are the ornaments they have made over the years. Both boys like hanging their ornaments, along with the other ornaments we have collected over the years. Whenever we travel, I look for ornaments. We now have a "Blue Bell" ice cream ornament from Brenham and an ornament from the birthplace of Texas; Washington on the Brazos!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqxSttuJyydkGk2idTKiMEwTT4ZsR1jNYtSfikL2PEa74CQXlYkOi6t1UeTUGJDB_qUgiBvtK4CFyl60NK5OcKJcVYzY_oAFRalaHvB1o-W-IZkL4otQmHMgTJ_rB-kUZylz7li51q-pE/s1600/IMG_1483.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqxSttuJyydkGk2idTKiMEwTT4ZsR1jNYtSfikL2PEa74CQXlYkOi6t1UeTUGJDB_qUgiBvtK4CFyl60NK5OcKJcVYzY_oAFRalaHvB1o-W-IZkL4otQmHMgTJ_rB-kUZylz7li51q-pE/s320/IMG_1483.jpg" width="240" /></a>One of my favorite ornaments is one I made when I was in the Girl Scouts in 1976. It is a ceramic gingerbread woman! I painted it and it was put in a kiln (I think that is what it is called) and finished, so it has held up nicely over the years. I also have some ornaments that my mom actually made when she first got married. I have ornaments from Fredricksburg, Texas and Gulf Shores, Alabama. I have ornaments that friends have sent me. I have a group of 10 women I have corresponded with for about 18 years and we do an ornament exchange each year. I love finding these ornaments.<br />
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The three of us had a really nice time decorating the tree. It was nice to see that both boys enjoyed it and didn't consider it a burden. They enjoyed finding the ornaments they had made in school. I told both of them that when they are married and have their own families, they will get to have some of these ornaments, and that they will begin their own new memories!<br />
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Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-57227246390559113172015-10-17T21:28:00.000-05:002015-10-17T21:28:03.828-05:00Thirty Million Words<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrb_ycXknUnrejkg9RXHD1LGvykEHgnJ0SJsDNLX4Y2db6B8wpsPdcVAQoQctP3pHvahHsIEM_IvuAQyg2fWt7VvEoqCCcSmgznCieJYyKF5I9QJ1qlmaJJzxoEWmLEzqB5wFB-VS3GXs/s1600/30+million+words.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrb_ycXknUnrejkg9RXHD1LGvykEHgnJ0SJsDNLX4Y2db6B8wpsPdcVAQoQctP3pHvahHsIEM_IvuAQyg2fWt7VvEoqCCcSmgznCieJYyKF5I9QJ1qlmaJJzxoEWmLEzqB5wFB-VS3GXs/s1600/30+million+words.jpg" /></a><em>Thirty Million Words </em>is a book I just bought about a month ago. I read a Facebook post about it and it looked interesting. It is written by cochlear implant surgeon. It is an amazing book! I have only ready the first few chapters and can't wait to read more. It is not about cochlear implants, but more about how very young children learn language. It does discuss cochlear implants and I am telling many parents about this book. These are parents of not just deaf children, but also hearing children. <br />
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I look back at all of the hard work that went in to making sure that Elijah would speak and have language. His articulation is still iffy on a few sounds, but overall he is an oral communicator with a huge vocabulary. Just yesterday, while helping his brother take out the trash he used the word PHOBIA. He freaked out when he saw a dead bug in the garage. His brother told him to get over it and just bring out the trash bag. I then hear Elijah yell, "I have a PHOBIA!!!" I later asked him what a phobia was and he said it was when a person is scared of something. He got most of the definition correct. He then told me he has a phobia of bugs. He then told me that arachnophobia is when you are scared of spiders. WOW! You would think I would stop being amazed by him, but he still amazes me on a daily basis. All of the hard work that we put in at the beginning of this journey has paid off. It has not been an easy journey, and it still isn't over yet, but we are definitely on the right path.<br />
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<em>Thirty Million Words</em> is being sold on Amazon and it is less than $20. Parents should be giving their children the gift of language....hearing or deaf, please talk to your kids. I learned to narrate my life when Elijah was in auditory-verbal therapy and I still do it to this day. It doesn't cost anything to talk to your kids!Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-13184515241860779572015-09-26T17:07:00.001-05:002015-09-26T17:07:28.829-05:00Memories<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxz-fSvlyu2G09WX_u4qWjFD6WdNCsSj6GFhp6o2Lub3ua5Aa6uUWqMjFtJ-WCvxqoMpxRRj_NzBZbSEiHBsiy77ubeMAGHGwaelUV68mDs9Bbes0Smzj-Yqj6IOImmeTZ9TCQTPi_kxE/s1600/elijah+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxz-fSvlyu2G09WX_u4qWjFD6WdNCsSj6GFhp6o2Lub3ua5Aa6uUWqMjFtJ-WCvxqoMpxRRj_NzBZbSEiHBsiy77ubeMAGHGwaelUV68mDs9Bbes0Smzj-Yqj6IOImmeTZ9TCQTPi_kxE/s320/elijah+1.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elijah </td></tr>
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Elijah and I attended a Cochlear event today in the Dallas area. He wears the Cochlear brand cochlear implant and they sometimes have events in our area. We have not been to an even in several years as it always seemed to fall on a day when we had other plans. We were both very excited to go and it was fun. <br />
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We walked in and the first table we went to had all of the Nucleus 6 items, so we walked to it first. I heard the Cochlear employee talking and I thought, "I know that voice." We stood at the table and the woman looked over at me and said, "I know you." I said, "I know you too, Jennifer. Do you remember me and Elijah?" Her jaw dropped as she looked at us and said, "THIS IS ELIJAH". I grinned and said "YES!". She then said, "He is so tall. The last time I saw him he was such a little guy." Jennifer was the audiologist who turned Elijah's first cochlear implant on. She was also there when he got his second implant. She had not seen us in nine years! Seeing her brought back so many memories of his activation and all of the things we did to make sure that Elijah would hear!<br />
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We spoke for about 10 minutes and then more people came up and she needed to speak to them. Elijah and I visited several more tables and we got to see the wireless accessories that he can use with this cochlear implant processor. I got to ask lots of questions about which accessory might work best for him. He got his face painted and he also got some balloon animals! They served us lunch and we ate with some very nice people who also had cochlear implants. Of course, everyone thought Elijah was too cute as he ate his chocolate chip cookies and then asked for more!<br />
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I got a picture of Elijah with Jennifer later and she and I spoke again for a bit. She showed me how the scan technology works on his implant processor and how to use the remote control with it. It was pretty interesting to hear about the different settings that his processor can use to SCAN the room and change his settings for him to have optimal hearing. He got to meet other adults with implants. There were a few kids there, but most of them were younger than him.<br />
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Overall, it made for a very fun day! I got to pick up some "freebies"--Cochlear bag, microphone protectors for his processors, some magnets and some pamphlets! I hope we can go to another one if they have it near us!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd9PLzKXXkHD_IkiNKO65UhtLQDahdLusRTtyjuFbdfU6p17CXSyOnMVAz4zxsipnMwyzNda06j87-lP52kYU9ZcGxQcANVs1DB-OE7q9EtNdddypaFh1AxPMlKw30Qkrrs5ZwOyKU4hk/s1600/elijah+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd9PLzKXXkHD_IkiNKO65UhtLQDahdLusRTtyjuFbdfU6p17CXSyOnMVAz4zxsipnMwyzNda06j87-lP52kYU9ZcGxQcANVs1DB-OE7q9EtNdddypaFh1AxPMlKw30Qkrrs5ZwOyKU4hk/s320/elijah+2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elijah and Jennifer</td></tr>
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Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-90467741682492387542015-08-29T14:02:00.001-05:002015-08-29T14:02:34.972-05:00Back To SchoolI returned to work on August 17th for the inservice and prep for the new school year. Elijah started high school this past Monday on August 24th and I started my last semester of grad school. Elijah had a very good first week of school. There were no major issues, except for him getting on the wrong bus the first morning, but he managed to get to the right school. I managed not to panic when Jacob told me he got on the wrong bus....I am still not sure what happened, but lets just say it ended well and that is all that matter. The bus route did change after the second day, because he was being picked up late and dropped at home around 5:20. Now he is picked up at 8:05 and dropped off at 4:30! This is much better. He is in ROTC and seems to like it. He is also taking a digital media class and that is going well!<br />
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This is my last semester of grad school. I am taking two class, which both involved intelligence and achievement testing. I have to get 160 hours of internship hours through my school. I am going to be practice the testing on my honey and Jacob on the weekend. I have a MAJOR project that is to be completed in place of a Master's thesis or Master's exam. I am still trying to figure it all out. I have a LOT of videos to take....giving assessments, mock consultations with a parent (my sister in law has agreed to help me), interventions (with my niece, but this one is not videos), mock ARD meetings and a few others. Lets just say I'll be BUSY...between family, work and grad school!<br />
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Jacob was home this past week for a few days. His semester starts on Monday at TSTC. He will graduate in May of 2016. He is no taking classes that are all focused on his major, computer maintenance. <br />
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I'll try to post and keep y'all updated, but it may be DECEMBER before you see me again, or at least get more than just a few sentences in a post!Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-88733140704245532782015-07-25T16:14:00.001-05:002015-07-25T16:14:55.486-05:00Teaching Elijah to Tie His ShoesElijah is 15 years old and up until yesterday did not know how to tie his shoes. How could this happen you wonder? When Jacob started kindergarten, we were told part of the curriculum was that he would need to learn to tie his shoes. We practiced at home and he practiced at school. He learned to tie his shoes and that was that.<br />
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When Elijah was born, there were other things to worry about and the least of my worries was him learning to tie his shoes. He spent four weeks in the NICU and then four weeks in the special care nursery. He came home on oxygen and stayed on oxygen for the next seven months. I spent the winter keeping him healthy and alive. From that point on the focus was on his lungs and his deafness. I was constantly taking care of him, Jacob, my husband, trying to work and trying to find answers on how to help Elijah. <br />
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Elijah started school at three in a deaf education preschool classroom in a district that was not in the city we lived in. He started in a signing classroom and then moved to an oral classroom. He had been implanted at 18 months and then in the middle of his second year of pre-k he got his second implant. My focus was still on his lungs as he could get sick quite quickly and on him learning to listen and speak. <br />
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Elijah started kindergarten in another district to receive services from a deaf education teacher in a deaf education classroom. Learning to tie his shoes was not on the curriculum and I didn't have time to teach him. This may sound like I was lazy, but that is far from the case. I had been taking him to auditory verbal therapy from the time he was 18 months old through 1st grade once week. His dad took him for another visit each week. We needed time for therapy at home, homework, my prep for teaching and to hopefully have some fun in there somewhere. When Elijah was in 1st grade he started with occupational therapy for some fine motor issues. Learning to tie his shoes was not a priority. When we couldn't find Velcro shoes I bought LockLaces to uses in his shoes. He also gets frustrated really easily so it was just easier to use the LockLaces.<br />
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What has changed and why does Elijah need to learn to tie his shoes? Elijah wants to be in the ROTC this coming school year when he enters high school. Once he is fitted for his uniform he will be required to wear it once a week, and this means dress shoes. Thankfully, all of this is provided by the school at no cost, but he will need to know how to ties his shoes. I will leave in the morning before he is quite dressed and ready and my honey doesn't want to be tying the shoes of a 15 year old boy each morning who isn't always the most cooperative on a good day. <br />
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Elijah and I spent about 30 minutes yesterday working on him learning to tie his shoes, and me having to really refine the steps as I tie my shoes without even thinking. He stuck with it and by the end of the 30 minutes could tie a shoe with some prompts from me. We practiced again before he went to bed, again this morning and once again this afternoon. He can now tie a shoe but it still requires a great deal of concentration on his part. We will practice every day for the next three weeks and even after school starts. I am proud of him. It didn't take as long as I thought for him to be able to complete the steps and tie a shoe. Now he just needs to get it more automatic and refine his methods. <br />
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Oh and he is a lefty, so I had to tie a shoe using my left hand as my dominate hand....well that gave me some perspective, because I really had to THINK about how to tie the shoe when I was using my left hand. Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5814496803145241624.post-79514703181912694452015-07-10T11:13:00.001-05:002015-07-10T11:13:39.218-05:00Almost Halfway through SummerI cannot believe we are approaching the middle of July! It has been a busy summer. My niece has been coming to stay with us on Mondays and Wednesdays. We have visited one museum, gone to one movie and been to the library several times. The library has a "TEEN ROOM" for kids in the 6th-12th grade, and this is the first year she could go into the room. She was SO excited! She and Elijah hang out there for about an hour or so and I read the paper or look for books. We plan on doing a few more things this summer!<br />
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Elijah, my mom and I all went to Alabama to see our family there. My grandmother just turned 89 years old and I really wanted to see her. I also got to see several aunts and uncles as well as cousins. It was a long drive, but we had a good time!<br />
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My grad school class started on July 7th and boy is there a LOT of work to do. I am not doing many shops for my mystery shops ( I think have three shops scheduled for the rest of the month), so I have plenty of time to do the work. I am driving and seeing two hearing impaired babies this month as part of their early intervention program. Extra pay for me and it is fun to play with the babies, even if it is work. I have also driven into work for a few meetings, but nothing too serious and I also get paid for those. I start my internship in the Fall and that will be VERY interesting. I did get a $7,000 scholarship for the summer class and for the fall, so I really don't need to mystery shop. I got a small grant too. Jacob even got a scholarship for school!! I will be graduating in December!<br />
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Jacob has been home a few times this summer. He is taking a FULL summer semester, meaning 15 weeks of school. He will be graduating in May of 2016! He likes his classes and is doing well living on his own. He does listen and take my advice most of the time!<br />
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We have had NO 100 degree days so far this summer but that may change next week. Elijah has a few more doctor's appointments and he will be seeing the ophthalmologist next week. HE MAY NEED GLASSES! Just one more thing!! <br />
<br />My honey is doing well and working hard. She hopes to have a day off in a few weeks and maybe we will go shopping. I almost forgot, we have gotten the guest bathroom redone. We are still waiting on the vanity, but everything else is done! I am so excited!! I think that is all for now! How is everyone else doing?Mary Shaddoxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730394053015843968noreply@blogger.com0