The Tovington Post

Really? It is kind of like a joke now, isn't it?

Instead of first talking about the boring croup. I want to write about yesterday.

I took Tova to the therapy center where she has Bowen therapy with the most lovely John!

The center also has a bunch of other therapists, I took Tova to the Osteo to fix Tova's ears.

Tova wasn't very impressed, it was similar to the hearing test the other day, where Tova completely lost the plot, with what seemed like fear. Not sure what that is all about, it isn't like Tova to be all freaked out.

Well, this time I was mostly prepared. I had the Ipad, but I took the wrong one. I took the one that has NO WIGGLES! That was stupid of me. But it still has loads of kids games, so Tova was ok during the appointment. Not great, but ok.

So, now we wait and see if the osteo made a difference. We will go back to her again next week for more. I really hope she can get the fluid out of Tova's ears!

I will also search for additional methods to help with fluid and see what I come up with. But NO MORE GROMMETS!

Well, ok, so the croup!

Tova woke up at about 6.30am with that stupid croup cough. I got up and picked Tova up out of her bed and took her into mine. She was all cozy in between Yuval and I. About 15 mins of being semi peaceful she started that cough again, so we gave her Pred.

It did the trick. No hospital yet.

She seems fine, her cough gradually changed from the croup bark to a normal cough during the day. We even made it to Science Works for the afternoon. Wow, that place is so boring. But the kids had fun, and that is why we were there, so it was well worth the trip.

Tova ate well today. She had a huge breakfast, huge lunch, huge dinner and snack in between. I knew something was up yesterday when she only ate half her breakfast and half her lunch and wasn't very interested in dinner. I knew she was getting sick. That is the only time she doens't eat us out of house and home.

She is now in her bed sleeping. I can hear her in the monitor, she seems to be stirring a little. I hope that tonight is as boring as can be! Of course I have butterflies in my stomach and am feeling all anxious. But, hopefully no hospital!

Nissim didn't eat much dinner tonight. Not sure if that is because of all the cheesymite snacks he had today, or if he is also not feeling the best.

Nissim is so funny these days, saying really funny things for example, on the way home from science works, he was a bit grumpy so we were telling him how much we like a happy Nissim. He said "My happiness is gone!" and when I asked him where it went he replied "it is in my bum!". haha. He is a funny one.

Well, I asked and I found!

I have discovered Lively Eaters. A feeding clinic in South Australia.

They offer exactly what I have been desperate to find for the past few years. An intensive feeding program!

As I have said before, I know that I am half the problem with Tova not progressing further with her eating. I know I need to change my attitude and routine. This feeding program will hopefully be the thing that changes us all and helps Tova to move on and start self feeding.

I can only imagine what life will be like with two children taking care of them self at the dinner table. How crazy to imagine sitting down to a meal where I don't have to feed me and Tova. Just feeding me sounds pretty good to me!

Omg, and not having to give her a drink every couple of hours and watching her taking sips from a cup by herself sounds pretty good too!

Not that I am complaining. I LOVE that Tova eats and I don't care how she eats as long as it isn't tube feeding. I am for ever grateful for the 100% success we had in Graz. Our goal was to get the tube out and we did that!

Next goal is self feeding.

So, I am waiting for lively eaters to get back to me. I read about them in a post on the Tube Fed Kids  forum.

It looks like a trip to South Australia is on the cards and hopefully very soon.

Not only will it help in most aspects of our lives (having Tova self feed) but it will also help Tova and the fluid in her ears.

Tova had a hearing test yesterday. For some reason she completely freaked out. She normally doens't care about having a hearing test. I don't know what was going on but she was completely hysterical and wouldn't let go of me, I didn't know she was that strong. It was just horrible. I wanted to run out of there and never go back. But I know it is important to see how her ears are now that the grommets have grown out AGAIN. Actually one nice thing about it was all the full on hugs Tova was giving me. Wow, she was holding on like her life depended on it. My poor baby. I felt so mean. It took me until this morning to get over it actually. I was quite stressed when I got home.

And to make things worse the arse in the hospital cafe (Zouki) was completely rude to me when I went to buy a coffee. If he is having a bad day he should take it out on someone else behind the scenes. Working in a cafe in a hospital means most people that he serves are completely stressed, scared and or depressed, they don't need a jerk to treat them bad just because they ask for soy milk in their coffee. JERK!

I remember what Tova was in NICU and I ate some food from that Zouki cafe. I got food poisoning, gave it to Tova and I wasn't allowed to go to see Tova for about a week! She was put in quarantine and got VERY SICK. Yuval and or I (can't remember who) told Zouki, who offered us a free meal to say sorry. OMG, as if I could ever eat there again. It took me a few  years just to be able to buy coffee from there. I should say that quite often there is a very happy and VERY friendly guy working there, but not yesterday. wow, fart head Zouki guy!

So yes, she has fluid on her ears again and because of that has some hearing loss. She can hear perfectly with working grommets, so we know that she doens't have a permanent hearing loss. 

Now it is just a question of what to do now. Yuval and I have decided not to do grommets again as they can damage her ears that are already very fragile. We will go on a hunt for 'alternative' therapy now. And go to the Australian Hearing thingy and talk about temporary solutions until the fluid clears, which it hopefully will in a matter of time!

Oh so frustrating. Poor Tova. Stupid Premature, stupid body for being such an epic failure when pregnant!

Tova has been a little bit sick since when ever it was that I last posted. However, she hasn't needed to go to hospital. It is wonderful!
I love a 'normal sick Tova'.
Of course it is nerve racking every night, wondering if we will be woken by noisy breathing. But so far so good.
Tova has just had a cold. A very slight runny nose and a cough.
Nissim too, on and off. Me too actually.
Yuval, well perhaps it is still coming for him..

One of Tova's friends from NICU days is back in the children's on CPAP because of such bad asthma. Get well soon Montana, we love you!

Nissim has started creche for a third day a week. It is really nice for me, and for him. He really needs that now. Next year I hope that he will go 4 days a week. Tova too, she really needs more creche. I am far too boring for them to spend too many days with.
I am just not sure how I would fit all Tova's therapy in and 4 full days of creche. She currently does 2 full days and 1 to 2 half days. She would be more than happy to spend 7 days at creche, especially with such AMAZING teachers. Her creche go above and beyond my expectations. They truly are fantastic+.
When kids have birthdays at creche the chef makes a birthday cake, they always puree some cake for Tova too, so she can join in the fun.. So cute!

Not much else to report. I am just happy that Tova has avoided being admitted to hospital for 2 months, and been sick during that time!

We really need to find a therapist that has experience with feeding issues, as we would love to move on with Tova. I would love her to start eating food that isn't pureed and love her to start self feeding. I look forward to the day I can  hand her a Vegemite sandwich and she takes it and eats it.. wow, I can't even imagine how liberating that will be for her and me. The hunt for therapists begins.

A couple of days ago I woke up with a sore throat. I went and got some Betadine gargle and tried not to breath on Tova. Usually when I get any kind of sick, it means Tova catches it and ends up with croup and hospital by ambulance. 

I took Tova to the Bowen Therapists (John whom we LOVE!! ). I mentioned that I wasn't 100% and he had to try anything to prevent Tova from getting sick. He did his magic. We then trotted off down the road to our Traditional Chinese Medicine Man (Udi Tal we love him too). He did his magic!

That was on Thursday. Today is Saturday. 

This morning Tova woke up with that croup cough. Her breathing was ok and she seemed to not have a fever. However, Yuval and I don't risk it now. We gave her Pred and Panadol, she had breakfast and a drink. It all seems to be working. The croup cough now sounds like a normal cough, which is music to my ears. Every time I hear her cough I feel happy. Happy that she sounds like a normal sick child, not a rushed off in an ambulance sick child. 

Nissim has a runny nose, but seems fine. 

Both kids have spent much of today on the couch with tv and ipads. I have been to the gym and lululemon - I want EVERYTHING in that shop!

So, we are hoping that tonight is as boring as bat poo... Croup has a way of sneaking up on Tova when we least expect it and so suddenly.. But perhaps not this time!!!

It has been pretty much 2 months since Tova's last hospital stay because of croup. I hope to eventually write it has been 2 years.. 

Eating is the same.. Of course she isn't eating as much today as she isn't feeling so great, but she is eating. 

Oh and the other night, it could have even been last night (they all blend together), Tova's grommet in her left ear fell out. It was in her ear, I found it when I was about to put the ear plugs in for her bath. It was a strange thing to see. But Fantstic, I just want the other one to come out now, then Tova can have swimming lessons. We will also visit some natural and 'alternative' therapies about fluid in her ears. NEVER grommet again! NEVER!

We have put a heater in Tova's bed-room over night. Hopefully the warmth along with naturopathic drugs and some crossing of fingers will help keep the croup away. So far so good.

Eating is the same. We really need to find someone to help us move forward with Tova's eating. I haven't had much luck finding a speechy who knows much about eating and people like Tova.

Yuval and I put Tova on the scales this evening after dinner and before the bath. Strangly she was 11.2kg, but when we visited the hospital earlier in the month she was 11.9kg on their scales. I think I like theirs! haha. Different scales, different weight. Not to worry, she sure feels heavy.

Both Nissim and Tova are completely happy in their respective child care centers.

Nissim has been going to Swimming lessons for the past few months once a week and loving it. Hopefully next semester (in a few weeks) Tova can start too. I just don't know about those stupid Grommets. I think they have already grown out, but am not completely sure.

Tova has been really interested in using the toilet/potty, so toilet training Tova here we come! That should be a heap of fun.

I have been messing around with this website, so a bunch of pages are not quite in order. It should be all fixed up soon enough.

That's it really. It has been nice with no hospital stay for almost TWO months. LOVELY! I get a sick feeling when I think about having to go back there. It is so horrible for Tova. It is scary and uncomfortable stuff going to that place with a sick child.