"Mom, I can't hear anything out of my ear."

Poor Little Miss. Double ear infections. These are the same ear infections from when we went to Disneyworld. She has a very high pain tolerance. She was the grumpiest little miss yesterday. She didn't real want me, but wouldn't actually leave my side. The ear infections not having gone away and getting worse certainly make sense now. She's sleeping now. That's a good thing as the last couple of nights have not been real great....sleepwise.

The doctor was actually impressed that he actually got to talk to her. He talked to her just because he could. You could see his amazement. She had been so incredibly freaked out by doctors of any type that she would become a leech as soon as she knew we were going. Even weighing was an ordeal. I would step on the scale holding her and then I would unpeel her from my lower body/legs and hand her to a brother then weigh myself so they could get her weight. Then she would SCREAM and fight the whole rest of the time someone was in the room with us.

I have always been honest with her about the pain level of her procedures, but her poor little mind was so traumatized that it simply didn't matter what I said. Even doctors that she had seen since birth that didn't hurt in any way, shape or form became her nemesis. So for the last year, unless it was REALLY, REALLY NECESSARY we haven't gone to any doctors.

It worked. She has stopped fearing doctors and become more compliant.

I've put off her every 6 month testing because of her anguish. It's been almost a year. Dr. F was completely understanding, since this is the first time in a year that she has not been screaming, about the tests coming up and we talked about ways to minimize the trauma so as not to set her mentally backwards again. I need to do some work to coordinate all of her tests from birth to 4 yrs and see if there is significant change or not that would necessitate the amount of tests her urologist would like her to have done.

If she does need all of the tests then I am going to see if they will do the painful procedures while she is sedated. That was Dr F's idea. Both he and I think she looks good and besides ear infections is healthy so I am not rushing into this.

Different urologists have different ideas on how much/often testing should be done. She still has small amounts of blood in her urine, but it is a lot less than when she had her nephrectomy. She is growing well. The pain doctor has given me pain patches (not narcotic) to put on her scar that take away the "sparks shooting out her foot". All in all I think she is doing well. I don't feel that one of the tests is necessary but will probably err on the side of caution while she is still young and it would not be as embarrassing as when she is older.

Perry's birthday is Monday. He is taking the day off work and I am trying to decide if we should go south, take our bicycles and spend the day at Long Beach or go north, take our kites and spend the day at Fort Casey. We love both places. I'm thinking Fort Casey is going to win because Perry likes mountains and I like oceans and Fort Casey has, the appearance, of both.

The bear/or something else has managed to eat all the donuts, but not the donuts in the sock that make the door close. Kinda funny, huh?

The kids and I managed to get valentines made for all of our families far and wide. We even managed to get all but one in the mail. I need to go get some cash to add some birthday money for a certain niece and then I am going to mail it. Soon..........very soon.