A letter from Dr. Smith to Dr. Cooke

Dr. Smith (new ophthalmologist) Dr. Cooke (neurologist) 

(with explanations by Shaylee in italics)

Dear Dr. Cooke:

Joseph returned for a follow up. As you know he is a 28 year old young man with markedly decreased vision secondary to previous episodes of optic neuritis related to his Multiple Sclerosis. Optic neuritis is swelling in the optic nerve. It can also be one of the first symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis.

On examination his best corrected vision is 20/300 OD and count finger at three feet OS. The exam is pertinent for rotary nystagmus in all positions of gaze. Nystagmus - involuntary eye movements from side to side, up & down or rotary. Joseph's nystagmus would be considered "acquired nystagmus" because it developed later in life and as a result of his Multiple Sclerosis. His visual field to confrontation show dense loss of his central field. Joseph has extreme blurriness in his central field of vision exclusively, while his peripheral vision remains less blurred. The optic nerve show severe bilateral optic nerve pallor. Pallor also means atrophy meaning the loss of some or most of the fibers of the optic nerve, or damage. The optic nerve is part of the brain and has no capability for regeneration. Hence, the term may refer to serious or mild but always irreversible visual loss due to damage to the optic nerve. Bilateral optic atrophy: Loss of vision in both eyes. Joseph would have the "acquired" type of optic atrophy, secondary to swelling within the optic nerve (optic neuritis). Optic neuritis a result of a Multiple Sclerosis exacerbation or "flare up". We will see him again in one year.

Sincerely,

Dr. Quinn Smith

Another Day, another Doctor visit...

On Wednesday, the 23rd of February, we went to Joseph's new ophthalmologist (his last one retired). Same office though, we  LOVE them! The great thing about seeing a new doctor is that they re-diagnose (just like his neurologist did). He performed the same tests they did on his 1st visit in December of 2009. His nerves look about the same- white, damaged and constantly moving. The doctor said the nerve atrophy is consistent with the vision loss that Joseph is experiencing. The nystagmus (or shaking) is a result of MS. But the doctor was confused as to why the nerve atrophy and nystagmus happened at the same time-and so quickly, it's very unusual. He says that the nystagmus and nerve atrophy are not related. This is where I interjected MS as the cause, he agreed but added MS will usually affect one or the other not both.

He apologized that he can't do anything to improve the situation. we thought that he was a very very kind man - who felt like he was breaking bad news to a young couple (he was but it was basically the same news we got a  year ago). He felt so bad, sweet guy. He did give Joseph a new prescription he should be able to see 20/300 (on a good day). An improvement! There really isn't a better time than tax return season to buy new glasses with no insurance.

I felt a little demanding toward the end of Joseph's appointment- we asked the ophthalmologist to give us a letter stating his findings about Joseph's vision etc. (like the one we had from Dr Deitz,that we've used on countless occasions. We felt like we needed an updated letter from his current doctor) And when we went to pay I asked for documentation for the appointment, specifically the cost to us, to prove "spend down" for government insurance (post about that soon is inevitable). But they were great & we showered them with thanks. Seriously an awesome office and staff to work with (Columbia River Eye Center in Richland, if you were wondering) What a blessing.

I'm in love....

with this man, and this picture! I took it with the Auto-timer and tri-pod in our backyard.. I wanted some pictures of us. I'll probably take some more Sunday.

Elder Oswald...

One of Joseph's cousins out on a mission, Joseph has been able to write him using dearelder.com anyway he recorded this in the MTC. What a stud!

I had a doctors appointment on Jan 24th, I met my new OB/GYN, a meeting that was way over due. I had put myself on the back burner and I was a year late for my "yearly" appointment, if you know what I mean. This doctor came highly recommended by my aunt, he is an infertility specialist, specializing in recurrent miscarriages  (my problem) and bi-cornet uterus' (my aunt's problem, she literally has two)

So the morning of the appointment I went alone, (unusual for me, I like to have Joseph with me- but I figured I'd be there for a long time) I was,  and my i pod was a life saver, I was watching a movie while waiting. Finally my name was called, did all the normal doctor stuff: height, weight, blood pressure- mine was normal by the way! I have what I like to call "white coat syndrome" I DO NOT LIKE DOCTORS, any doctor and when I go into an examining room my blood pressure usually sky rockets, then I'm fine again when I leave.  My guess is that comes from getting bad news a little too often. 

Anyway back to the appointment, after I was in my open back hospital gown and paper blanket I met the man.  He looked over my chart, got down to pregnancy history: 4 pregnancies, no deliveries; surgical history: Laparascopy a couple D&C's etc. To say he was shocked was an understatement. So we talked about what my previous Dr. had done & my current birth control. He wanted to know why I picked an IUD and why we've kept it in so long. So then came the brief (but still long) story of our married life, miscarriages, surgeries, school, moving, adoption, Joseph's blindness and job loss. He asked if I was depressed, I said "not right now", he said that's amazing because he is depressed just listening to our story. Then he returned the favor and shocked me by saying "why don't we remove your IUD today? It will only take like 30 seconds. As your new doctor I am advising you that it's not going to help to wait anymore. I want you to be pregnant, don't you want to be pregnant? Let's take that thing out."  And that's basically verbatim, as it now permanently in my mind. I about fell off the examining table (which would have been a little awkward in a hospital gown). The good Doctor went on to lay out our game plan: " You'll call me the moment you get a positive pregnancy test. You'll come in and we'll do blood work and an ultrasound. Because of your history you'll probably need hormone injections, I will want to see you weekly." He had gone above and beyond my expectations, I had set for myself. And he surpassed my list of demands, so to say of what I wanted in my doctor, (I had a mental list because of some really crappy doctors I had seen previously).  

With adoption out of the picture (temporarily, we hope) pregnancy has crept back into the picture of possibilities. I couldn't make a decision like that without Joseph and definitely not over the phone with him either. So we proceeded with the normal yearly exam & on my way out he had me sign the release forms to get all my old records from Idaho (another reason I hesitated- he needs to see those first) He told me that I am young and healthy and strong- wow. I haven't heard those, at least not in a long while. What a strange day it was, I left the office in a daze, that wasn't what I was expecting at all.. and on my way out he met me in the hall put his hand on my shoulder  and said "Talk to Joe and call me when you decide to pull that thing out."

Cuteness overload!

This is one of my beautiful nieces.
Tori.

"eeeeeee"

"I'm teething, alright!?"

"Tastes sooooo good!"

"MY fish."

Cheese! With a side of drool.

playing with her tongue

Currently I hold the monopoly on title of Favorite Aunt, (Val wasn't here too long, and her other Aunt is off at college.) But still I am the favorite... at least for a little while. We shared: breakfast together a couple times, lots of giggles, loads of  cuddles,  funny faces, discovered the baby in the mirror, played hide and go seek, peek-a-boo,  & follow Shaylee everywhere. She also chased our cat everywhere, and tried to pet and cuddle her. Speckles did really well and didn't hurt her, but there were some warning meows. She accompanied us to Stake Conference (Saturday) while her parents were out on a date. She even said "Shay"... or "Yay". She did say Joe, and "dang it", I about died laughing. She was my little buddy this weekend, at least while I wasn't working. Saturday I got home and lied down on the floor and she came over and lied down next to me and tried to cuddle in, by sliding backwards and head butting me twice, but I felt loved. She walked over to me multiple times wanting up (and for Joe too), and leaned and grabbed for me when she was being held by other people. Man, she made me feel special this weekend, Joseph and Tori are buds too. Aunt-hood is nice... I don't have to change the diapers and if she's really fussy I can hand her back. But Tori is basically an angel baby, really easy going all the time! We'll see if Bready baby #2 is angelic as well, a girl, due in May.

We're Spoiled!

On January 27th I recieved a phone call from Joseph during work.

He usually doesn't interrupt unless he needs something.

Turns out that our Bishop had tickets to Brian Regan,
 and wanted us to go with him, that night!

Fortunately,  my last student had cancelled on me and I was able to go.

Bishop met us at the house,
 and we ended up just hopping in the car with him,

 two of his sons and a daughter-in-law.
What a show! He is hilarious!

 If we weren't laughing at the jokes we were well entertained by the people around us,

 the man next to me was a larger man but he laughs like a girl.

 There were a couple girls behind us laughing so hard they were wheezing

 (in a funny way not an asthmatic way). 

Anyway the show was great,
Brian Regan is a funny man, and he keeps it clean, 

which I really appreciate.

Here are a couple of pictures I was able to take that weren't blurry, he moves around A LOT!

We had such a great night, and laughed so hard 

(got quite an ab workout). 

We were feeling incredibly lucky.

And all thanks to our awesome Bishop.

We love that guy.

Take Luck.

Feelin' the Love

One day last week I woke up feeling quite loved! 

Joseph and I were spooning,

 and our kitty was cuddled up with us,

 laying across both of us purring loudly!

It was a great way to wake up.

It has happened a few times.

I can't complain.

A Tale of a Tail...or two or three

Parties Involved: Joseph, Valerie, Speckles the cat, Spot the snake, a mysterious noise under the fridge & myself of course.

Our silly cat has been stalking the fridge for a couple weeks, which isn't out of the ordinary she has the habit of stalking the dishwasher while it's running. But a few days ago both Joseph & I heard a mysterious noise coming form under the fridge. With Valerie's help we cleared off the fridge and pulled it out . it was dirty back there so we grabbed the broom and mop, I swept across the back of the  fridge and out popped a little brown mouse! Within seconds Speckles had the mouse & ran down stairs with it, and released it! Right into Mom's sewing/ craft area! So we immediately started tearing apart the whole area. Val wearing gardening gloves (to get the mouse from the cat) and I was armed with a flashlight to see into the many areas the mouse could be. That's about when Mom and Dad got home.. to a path of wreckage from the kitchen to downstairs. The cat was going crazy in the confusion. Eventually it came down to one box we lifted it and before any of us could blink the cat had the mouse again, Val grabbed it from her and dashed upstairs to feed it to spot the snake.

The End...

P.S. Mom has now completely reorganized and cleaned her sewing/ craft area. The cat was rewarded with treats and the mouse was eaten by Spot (the next day). Mystery of the noise under the fridge? Solved and Resolved.

You may have noticed...

We are not a private blog any more! Yay. Feel free to follow us and comment at you leisure. Our blog was fast approaching it's allotted amount of readers (blogger limits you to 100) and our blog wasn't as accessible  to read because of being private... anyway we just didn't feel the need to be a private blog anymore.

:)

Enjoy