Hart has been sick for a week, really sick. High fever, clammy skin, glazed eyes, no appetite, the whole flu shebang. For 48 hours, he had diarrhea so severe, it required me to change his bedding and hose him down every four hours. So I have been housebound for the week, dutifully and cheerfully nursing him.
Hart is not a gracious patient. His speech has devolved into a collection of screeches, shrieks and wails, presumably all meaning, "I feel really lousy;" "Waaaaah," ("Fetch me some water, slave-girl,") and "Maaaaah," ("Come immediately to witness my distress.") Except when he is completely lucid. "Shut up, you are torturing me!" Hey, what did I do? I am just standing here minding my own business.
Jeff is off this week for spring break. So we are all home. I am taking care of Hart and trying to amuse Jeff and keep him from pestering Hart. It is a lost cause. It's a bonanza for him. Jeff can annoy both of us at once.
Update: Hart was entitled to be cranky. He was admitted to the hospital this morning. He was feverish and dehydrated. Once he was on an IV, his complexion started improving immediately. Although Jeff and I spent many hours at the hospital, his behavior was exemplary under the circumstances. The house is notably quiet this evening.Too quiet.
March 27, 2007
March 20, 2007
Kvell
Since I kvetch often, I should also kvell occasionally. Today was Jeff's last speed skating meet of the season. Since there were no other skaters in the "special needs" category, he skated with his age-mates instead. In the races, he came in 4th out of four, but I clocked him on my stopwatch: an impressive personal best! In trying to keep up with the pack of better skaters, he shaved, nay hacked off, over three seconds on lap time. His coach concurs that this is the best Jeff has ever skated. (He won the 1st place trophy in his category.)
March 16, 2007
March 15, 2007
March 8, 2007
March 5, 2007
More Panda-monium
While we are in the throes of Panda fever, I had to laugh out loud at Starlee Kine's New York Times piece, "Scanning the Pandas."
Warning: Don't read this while drinking anything!
Warning: Don't read this while drinking anything!
March 3, 2007
Spelling Homework
Use each of this week's spelling words in a sentence.
The cows on the farm ran away to Wisconsin.
When the cows arrived to Wisconsin, they had a par-tay!
Then the cows went on the track and stole the train.
When they located a car, they went off the train and stole it and went to the country.
One of the cows asked, "Sir, are you using this table?"
All the cows were seated on top of the table.
Then the cows went to math class and did all the division problems for all the kids.
There was a tornado: it effected all the houses. The cows started the tornado.
The cows underlined 700 sentences.
The police saw the cows in the view, and went to the cows. The cows smashed his car completely.
The cows on the farm ran away to Wisconsin.
When the cows arrived to Wisconsin, they had a par-tay!
Then the cows went on the track and stole the train.
When they located a car, they went off the train and stole it and went to the country.
One of the cows asked, "Sir, are you using this table?"
All the cows were seated on top of the table.
Then the cows went to math class and did all the division problems for all the kids.
There was a tornado: it effected all the houses. The cows started the tornado.
The cows underlined 700 sentences.
The police saw the cows in the view, and went to the cows. The cows smashed his car completely.
I loved reading the story you created from your spelling words, Jeff!!!! Ms. D.
March 2, 2007
Plans
Many of my friends are shepherding their first borns, now high school juniors and seniors, through the college application process. These parents fully understand the import of such a decision and the huge financial burden they will incur. To a one, they are being driven to distraction by their sons' indecision and inaction.
I can watch neutrally from the sidelines (Jeff and Hart are only in 7th grade), secure in the knowledge that I will never have to go through this. Frankly, for myself, I can envision a more likely scenario of periodic appearances at parole board hearings, than campus visits.
However, at Jeff's annual IEP* meeting last week, the school district official asked what consideration had been given to mainstreaming experience for Jeff next year. I looked stricken. Hart and Jeff have never had any more mainstream experience than an occasional lunch in the cafeteria when they attended public school, and that was not a success. We, all three of us, are quite comfortable in the caring, nurturing milieu of special education, thank you very much.
She must have sensed my surprise. "Next year when we meet, we will be discussing high school for Jeff, and that will be another major transition." Hardly comforting. The wisdom of her words was irrefutable. Time marches on, swiftly and relentlessly, for both the college-bound and the vocational candidate alike. We may not be making the traditional post-high school plans, but we do have to make PLANS.
* Each public school child who receives special education and related services must have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). The IEP creates an opportunity for teachers, parents, school administrators, related services personnel, and students (when appropriate) to work together to improve educational results for children with disabilities.
I can watch neutrally from the sidelines (Jeff and Hart are only in 7th grade), secure in the knowledge that I will never have to go through this. Frankly, for myself, I can envision a more likely scenario of periodic appearances at parole board hearings, than campus visits.
However, at Jeff's annual IEP* meeting last week, the school district official asked what consideration had been given to mainstreaming experience for Jeff next year. I looked stricken. Hart and Jeff have never had any more mainstream experience than an occasional lunch in the cafeteria when they attended public school, and that was not a success. We, all three of us, are quite comfortable in the caring, nurturing milieu of special education, thank you very much.
She must have sensed my surprise. "Next year when we meet, we will be discussing high school for Jeff, and that will be another major transition." Hardly comforting. The wisdom of her words was irrefutable. Time marches on, swiftly and relentlessly, for both the college-bound and the vocational candidate alike. We may not be making the traditional post-high school plans, but we do have to make PLANS.
* Each public school child who receives special education and related services must have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). The IEP creates an opportunity for teachers, parents, school administrators, related services personnel, and students (when appropriate) to work together to improve educational results for children with disabilities.
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