6 month well visit

6 month well visit at 6 months, 2 weeks, 3 days:


Stats:

• Weight:  16 lbs 2 oz (17th percentile up from 2nd percentile at 4 months)
• Length:  27 inches (53th percentile up from 40th percentile  at 4 months)
• Head circumference: 43.5 cm (45th percentile up from 35th percentile at 4 months)

Vaccinations:

• Rotovirus, 3rd dose
• Hib, 3rd dose
• DTP, 3rd dose
• IPV, 3rd dose
• PCV, 3rd dose 
• Influenza
• Note:  Held off on Hep B today since flu shot was added.  

He looks great.  Dr. G was pleased to see the increase in the percentiles.  No concerns.

I have to admit I have been going back and reading lots of Freddie's posts to compare.  Need to stop the comparing, but wish I had read Freddie's 6 month well visit post prior to Hans' appointment.  Freddie began lead tests at 6 months and while I think we are low risk living in a new building I do want to ask Dr. G about testing (just the finger prick not venous for now).  No reason not to as far as I'm concerned. 

And since I brought up the whole comparison thing Freddie was in the 5th-10th percentile at this point with the exception of his noggin which was in the 50-75th percentile.  Freddie was also far more mobile, holding to stand independently, and was sitting with a great amount of proficiency.  While Hans is not yet there, I'm not worried.  I need to keep in mind that Freddie hit lots of physical milestones early and Hans will do everything on his own schedule. 

Freddie looks/sounds great as well.  

Next visit:  February 27th to administer 2nd dose of flu shot and 3rd Hep B dose.

Benign

My mole was noncancerous.  Turns out it was a compound nevus, which often mimics malignant melanoma.  I suppose if it's hard for an expert to distinguish, who am I to even attempt to decide which moles are suspicious. 

Another body check in the spring. 

Moley

Being a parent means doing lots of stuff you really don't want to do.  Beyond sitting at birthday parties with far too many kids and no booze, and spending money on cute shoes for the unappreciative children rather than yourself, there's lots of being responsible.  Updating wills.  Getting life insurance. And making sure you're in tip top shape until the kids can pay all of their own bills, and that damn well better be before they're 30.

I (foolishly) delay trips to the dermatologist mostly because I don't want to endure a brow beating about my sun worshipping over the last 20 years.  I'm suffering with wrinkles and ages spots, isn't that enough?  But today I sucked it up, mostly because I was scared silly at the sight of a multi-shaded mole on my neck.  It broke one of the A(asymmetrical), B (Border poorly defined), C (color not the same throughout), D (diameter greater than 6mm) indicators I check for at home.  Ugh.  Cannot go leaving Charlie as a single parent, now can I.

Dr. V, the newest dermatologist, took a quick look and said, Benign.  Whew.  I went ahead and submitted to the full body check.  There's a mole on my belly, which hasn't seen the sun for years mind you, that I had questions about a few years back.  It was preblog or digital calender so no documentation of how long ago that was.  Noticing it with it's unusual border pushed me to the dermatologist office.  After a long lecture about the sun she did a biopsy on another mole and thought the belly mole was just something to watch.  So I've been watching.  No change.  Today it came off and was sent to the lab.  And Dr. V said he's concerned.

He also photographed the mole on my leg for documentation purposes.  He's watching this one.  I told him I've had it for nearly all my life, and I'm actually a little attached to it.  For real.  It can stay for now.  Call in a week for results and be sure to schedule another full body once over every 6 months.  Your insurance pays for it after all.  

The Mama

• Dr. H has lifted all physical restrictions, as in there is no excuse for not losing these last 10 lbs. He was pleased with his work, noting that the scar would fade over a few months.  When he asked if I was happy with it I told him I haven't seen it because of the fat roll sitting on top. 
• My uterus is all back to normal, and the minimal bleeding I am having should resolve itself within the next week. 
• I am pretty bummed about not losing any more weight since giving birth.  
• The boys and I go out each morning for a walk.  Granted it's only 3.5-4.0 miles and a leisurely pace at that, but it's something.  And I am pushing that beast of a stroller.  Still not losing any weight.  I'd like to increase my activity level but right now time doesn't permit.  I've already pushed both boys to their stroller sitting limits with the hour long walk in the morning, and I am not jogging behind that thing.  
• Time doesn't permit a lot right now.  My legs need shaving, my eyebrows need plucking, and I'd like to do something other than sit with one baby on my boob while the other does flips off my lap for attention.
• When Freddie was 6 weeks old I thought about how that is the time most mothers return to work.  I couldn't fathom going back to work and thought about how probably all the ills of American society are rooted in the disregard for motherhood and lack of support for new families.  Well, darlin, what I wouldn't give to get dressed and walk out of this house at 7am with a tall coffee in my hand and return home to 10 hours later to two children and a husband happy to see me.  This is some hard work.  I cannot fathom anything more demanding. 
• I don't really want to leave the boys full time.  Ok, sometimes I do, but my desire to figure something out for myself has never been stronger. 
• I'm going to Dr. H in November to discuss having my tubes tied.  How's that for doing something for myself?

Still sick

My two sickies, watching movies in bed...


Freddie had his first sick visit with Dr. J today. He had some fever weekend before last, and has been battling congestion all week. When his temperature shot up this weekend I figured a secondary infection was at work.

Yep, says Dr. J. Right ear is infected. His chest sounded clear enough to her, although his congestion is definitely migrating from his head to his chest. She said his lungs were fine and thought some antibiotic for the ear should take care of it. She said the congestion from a virus (cold) typically lingers for 10-14 days so hopefully we'll be seeing the inside of his nostrils without having to pin him down one day real soon.

Amoxicillin twice a day for ten days. The kid slurped that pink stuff out of the syringe. Yuck!

And the little peanut weighed in at 17 lbs 11 oz today.

After coming home early from work today, Charlie's headed to the doctor first thing tomorrow. He's been congested for a while too. I'm predicting a sinus infection, although his symptoms are a bit flu-y.

The Mama had one sick day, complete with some fever at bedtime, but I am feeling pretty run down at the end of each day. Thankfully I am managing to stay relatively healthy. Hoping we get these germs out of our systems before the weekend, as things are about to get pretty exciting around here.

My patient

Charlie is still feeling pretty blah after his bout of chronic stomach and back pain late last week. Although he's avoided any severe pain the last few days, he remains uncomfortable.

He finally went in to see the doctor and has had a CT scan and labs, and is going in tomorrow for an ultrasound. The doctor has ruled out anything with the kidneys but suspects pancreatitis and/or issues with the gall bladder. He's scheduled for a follow up to go over test results next week. Hoping the pain doesn't worsen before then and I hope anything serious showing up on the tests means he'll be called in sooner.

This is shaping up to be a low key weekend of catching up on our TiVo line up and Netflix movies, while a pot of chicken soup simmers on the stove.

Yes, that would be my leg

...minus one of my many moles and a suture to replace it.

I broke down and went to the dermatologist today after canceling an appointment 1 year ago because I had a sunburn. Yes, cancelled because I had a sunburn. The last thing I wanted was a fussing from a doctor about how bad the sun is for your skin. So I did the logical thing. I pushed all of my skin cancer and mole concerns aside until the sunburned subsided, and another appointment fit nicely into my schedule.

So here we are, one year later, just returning from the beach with yet another sunburn. Will I ever learn my lesson, you ask? Probably not, but I did manage to take my peeling nose and shoulders into the doctor's office because I have become just that concerned over skin cancer. Although not quite concerned enough to apply SPF 50 religiously, but concerned enough to sit through a dermotological lecture filled with information that I already know.

I've always had freckles and develop 100 or so more each year. And the moles are just integral with my being. On my face, my neck, my belly. They used to bother me, but I have actually become quite fond of them and hated to think they'd ever turn cancerous on me. After all, I have kinda thought of them to be one of my defining physical characteristics, albeit a characteristic I have in common with one Uncle Yetto, kin to Emmy.

After reading my share of skin cancer articles in magazines this year, I thought I may have two suspicious moles, and sucked up my pride, and lotioned that peeling nose and went to the doctor.

That's a blue nevus, she said as I pointed to the first. I'm not so concerned about it, *but* let's take it off.

Not concerned, she says, but she didn't even take a breath before telling me she wanted to "punch" out my mole.

And to the one on my belly: This concerns me a bit more, but we'll just watch this one.

Go figure.

So today I am less one mole and watching another. She didn't quite give me the tongue lashing I expected over the sunburned nose, but she did hand me some "reading material" that I promptly deposited into the trash receptacle as I exited the elevator. But, I have made a promise to myself to be better about the SPF coverage. I'd hate to lose another piece of me, even if it is one of the bumps that gives Charlie the willies!

Work Out Routine

This morning we made it to the Wellness Center. We didn't quite make it for the opening time of 6:30...it was more like 7:00. It took us a few minutes to get packed in the morning and to figure out the best parking situation upon arrival. Charlie's inability to deal with rising early was evident...he was fussy. The girl at the front desk would attest to it as well. He promised to be chipper tomorrow!

We did 30 minutes of cardio on the elliptical machines, and the Charlie headed to the room with the free weights and I to the room with the Nautilus machines. We each spent about 30 minutes trying to get acquainted with the equipment.

Charlie showered but the staff hasn't fully worked out all the kinks in the system, which evidently might cause a hiatus in our routine. The men's showers seem to only have scalding hot water. Not sure how we'll handle this tomorrow, but he's got a few ideas.

I will try the locker room routine tomorrow. The scale in the locker room measured my weight the same as the scale at home, so I was pleased with that and my accurate awareness of my weight loss or lack of.

Then it was off to the cafeteria for breakfast. A yummy breakfast, and only $8 for the two of us. But we figured that in the future it would benefit our health and pocketbook if we'd bring some dry cereal and fruit and purchase a milk, juice (soda for Charles), and a few slices of bacon. Just can't pass up bacon.

Tomorrow I will remember to bring my ipod in case the woman in a peach jog suit who strolled in around 7:30 shows up again tomorrow. She had her music cranked and was singing and singing and not caring who was listening.

I'll also be ready to begin tracking what machines I use and the weight/reps. We will do a three day weight routine, back and bis, chest and tris, legs and shoulders, with abs and 30 minutes of cardio each day. We will do an hour of cardio on the other two days.

And this plan is all contingent on his not being too sore to get out of bed tomorrow!

Such Is the Adventure

4:20am: Alarm

4:30am: Wake up call 1

4:40 am: Wake up call 2

5:25am: Taxi to aeropuerto

5:50am: Arrive at aeropuerto

6:50am: Scheduled flight to Tegucigalpa

10:10am: Flight canceled

Weather in the higher altitude of the capital, Tegucigalpa, has prevented travel today. We sat in the airport for 4 hours as the flight was delayed several times befire it was finally cancelled. After some debate, Senora Pinto, our attorney, decided we will take the first express bus in the morning.

Patience.

My New Best Friend

I am right on track with the Crescent City Classic training schedule, but with high temperatures in the 40s several times this month and last, there is no way I'd been able to do it without my best friend! I am gettting my money's worth out of this machine. It has allowed me to inrease my stamina and improve my distance.

My second best friend is the black box atop the dresser! If there wasn't something on the tube to watch, there'd be no way I could love my best friend the way I do.

What's Up, Doc?

Yesterday I had an appointment with the best doctor I've seen in a long, long time. I'd never been too crazy about my ob/gyn, but hated to start from scratch with a new doctor; there is a certain level in comfort in the doctor knowing my history and having a realtionship, even if it was poor.

Before leaving for her new position in Tennessee, Dr. Richard-Davis, the fertility endocrinologist, recommended the new doctor. He's truly fantastic.

He's oboviously southern in all the right ways, answers all of your questions before you ask them, and takes his time. He is personable, empathetic, caring, and has a calming smile.

He and his wife are parents of two adopted girls, and he was quite open about their experience with fertility treatments and adoptions. I admired his ability to be vulnerable with a new patient and share some of the feelings they both shared throughout it all.

I don't think I will have any reason to see him again until my "well visit" next year, but he made me feel comfortable in making an appointment or calling if I needed questions answered before then.

Classic Training

We are managing to complete the workouts on the training guide for the Crescent City Classic. Tonight we bundled up and leashed the pooches and ran 2 miles. It is chilly when we start, but I warm up quickly. I am too wimpy to start out in only one layer though.

Tomorrow we run 1 mile and walk 1 mile. I have also been doing my regular 4-5 miles each day on the treadmill. In accordance with my resolutions, I am working out harder. I have been walking 1-2 of the 4-5 miles on a 10% incline and the remainder on a 5% incline. I am not seeing drastic weight loss, but I do feel workouts getting easier.

Tonight I registered us for the race, April 7th, the day before Easter. Hope we stick with it!

In Training

83 days until the 6.2 mile Crescent City Classic. The Times Picayune once again published an 83 day training guide for walkers, joggers, and runners.




Naturally we've clipped it, tacked it to the refrigerator, and have made a commitment to be "joggers." Our first day of training (today, January 21st) includes a 1.5 mile walk and a 0.5 mile jog. The plan is to get this done after the playoff games.

Let's see how long we last!