Remember that Preschooler?

Benji is about 4 and a half. He will be turning five in December. So far, we have kept him in awesome awesome home daycares. In Boston he was at Las Floritas (Little Flowers) and the hardest part of moving away from the Boston area, by far, was leaving their family. We try to stop by for visits when we are in town, but you know how it is.. time flies. I'm sure I spelled their name wrong. Ben picked up Spanish much quicker than I did. His time there was the reason I am called Otra Mommy.

When we moved to Springfield, we dreaded the daycare hunt. We didn't feel that he was ready for a formal preschool yet, so we chose TT's Tot Lot. Awesome Awesome Awesome. Can't say enough good things about that family.. especially after they cared for Ben as the tornado ripped through their neighborhood about 100 feet from their house. We miss them, but they are close enough to visit.. we just need to find time.. time has been elusive lately.

Now that we're back in CT.. the search has been on again. We moved into town too late for the public systems pre-K program. The school system is debating putting him into Kindergarten so he can receive speech services and any other services he may need. Our plan is to start him at a private preschool in town late next week and then once his testing has been completed at the public school we will work out some sort of hybrid where he will be bussed to North Street for his services and bussed back for the private school's kindergarten, which is more one on one. Assuming he does well, we will then transfer him to public school kindergarten the following year.

As a present for reading all of this.. here are some pictures from baby-benny to current-benji...

Too much information?

Someone commented the other day asking if I'd really want to see a video of one of my seizures.  I have actually given this a lot of thought.  Shiela and Ben know what the expect the best and have seen the most variations.  Fun experiences like falling off the toilet and laying stuck between the washer and dryer and the tub with my ass front and center for when the EMTs arrived.  I'd rather not see a video of that one.

Today I woke up on my knees in front of the couch with my back arched over so that my head and shoulders were on the couch.  I remember thinking that I needed to get up to get my morning meds and then I remember smelling smoke just as I was standing up.. then poof.. next thing I remember was Shiela helping me back on the couch and being in a whole boatload of pain.  Aside from the fall or whatever I did to get into that position.. it must have been a pretty mild one because it didn't seem to take long before I was up and moving/talking again.

I've had several seizures in the waiting rooms at the Emergency Room at Baystate Hospital (ask me how much I hate them).  I've had a few in ambulances.  I've even had a few in the exam rooms at my doctor's office.

Oh wait.. then there was the one I had at Red Robin.  Shiela told me that no one noticed.  Yeah.

I guess that what I'm saying is that there are a lot of people who know what I look like, however graceful or freaky, when I have a seizure.  My cousin was even colorful enough to let me know that I make a "god-awful sound".   I am the one person who knows nothing.  I have no memory of any of the seizures.  I remember smelling smoke each time.  I sometimes remember moving to a safe location.  Then I remember waking up feeling like I spent a few hours running on the beach and swimming in the surf... minus the tan.  Oh.. and my head feels like my skull has been cracked open and broken glass shoved into my eyes. 

I know what Shiela has told me and all of my doctors about what happens during a seizure.  Is that enough?  I am not sure.  I'm not sure I want to see it.  Part of me does.  Part of me is embarassed to know that there is part of me that other people have seen that I am totally unaware of.  Part of me thinks that the lack of consciousness is a form of blissful ignorance.

For the moment.. I won't be hiring a professional videographer.