Skip to main content

Tuesday Update: 08/26/08

We were able to get in to see Dr. Struck today and discuss the Botox idea. She wanted to go through the pros and cons with us before moving forward. Her biggest concern was that the Botox could create muscle weakness in the injected areas of Matt’s arm/hand. She worried that his grip would be weakened and didn’t know how much of an impact this would have on his daily life. We explained that right now Matt hardly uses the right hand at all except to steady himself while standing, or transferring…and we both agreed the risks were minimal and wanted to go for it. She also broke down the different muscle groups that are impacted, in ways we never really looked at before. The tremor makes Matt’s fingers clench up like a fist and it also makes his wrist move back and forth. Matt agreed that the finger clenching was the most bothersome to him and we decided to try and treat that first. She was a little leery of injecting both areas at once, this first time, even though she really wanted to. So, we agreed to error on the side of caution and ease our way in to things and just injected the muscles which control the tremor in Matt’s fingers. This injection should have effects lasting 4-6 months. We’re supposed to see how things go over the next few weeks and call in…then we’ll go from there. We are both optimistic (cautiously optimistic) but still optimistic, that this might actually bring Matt some relief. She said she was excited to see how it goes too!

The funny thing is, they asked Matt to lie up on the table to do the procedure and were a little worried that it would be difficult for him. Well, of course, we transferred up there with no trouble and both the doctor and nurse were VERY impressed with how much control he had. Matt commented later on how Dr. Struck seemed impressed and I told him it should be a reminder to HIM of just how far he’s come. They’ve seen him at his worst…they REMEMBER what it was like in those early days and they are thrilled to see how independent and capable Matt is. He just kind of shrugged it off…that’s just the way Matt is…but I know he was tickled that she was so pleased in his strength and progress in general.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

WE'RE ADOPTING!!

Bah! I said it…er wrote it…out loud. There it is, in black and white for the world to see. (Pause for a drink and a breath) Matt and I are in the very early stages of planning to adopt. We have had a few meetings with an adoption agency, we are gathering the necessary information, and we are making plans to get this ball officially rolling SOON. It has been a very long and winding road to get us to this point, and honestly I never thought we’d get here. Adoption isn’t what we started out hoping for. It isn’t where we thought we’d end up. But here we are – gearing up for what will surely be a life-changing experience for us with hearts full of hope and excitement. The topic of adoption has come up in the past, but we quickly dismissed it for one reason or another. Matt and I have had our fair share of insecurities about whether or not adoption would be a good option for us. Who would look at our family profile and pick us?? It was a burning question that we probably still have ...
5 comments
Read more

I may as well tell you...

I had a miscarriage. I’ve debated for weeks whether or not to acknowledge it publicly. It’s such a personal thing…and this is such a public medium. But a few months have gone by and I’m no closer to feeling ok about it and truly nothing else on my mind really compares, so here I am, letting the world in on my secret. Over the past few weeks I’ve found very little comfort in the fact that only a small handful of people know about the miscarriage. It became nearly unbearable this week, during all our wonderful family Christmas celebrations. Being surrounded by so many people who love me and support me and have no idea how my heart has been broken – it’s a lonely place to be. Not that I would want them all to bombard me with pity or questions or sad looks in their eyes – I realize I can’t have it both ways. But a little acknowledgement goes a long way and I simply can’t ignore or deny the fact that something major happened in my life and impacted me, impacts me still.   It was a ...
4 comments
Read more

Carrie Anne - The Beginning of the Story

So, I’ve been trying to sort out how to start this story. It’s been difficult to articulate. Difficult to pick which details to share, and which to hold close. But it’s a story too good, too beautiful, not to share – so here goes! When Matt and I first became parents, we thought our family was complete. We envisioned raising Ethan surrounded by loving friends and family – just the two of us. Given all that we had gone through to finally become parents, we felt content with just the one child. The most adorable boy in the whole wide world. Our Ethan was the apple of our eyes – the most amazing gift. We marveled at all of his accomplishments, soaked up all his love and personality, and celebrated the joy of parenthood at every exhausting, wonderful turn. Along the way, we’ve built a strong and loving relationship with Ethan’s birthmother. We visit yearly, and stay in close contact with pictures, emails, and texts. I have attempted to describe my feelings for her many times over the...
1 comment
Read more