Summer of 2005; First 4 months of "Geoffrey Updates"
8/12/06: Eliza beat me to it. You can't see it, but from where I'm sitting Geocities tells me that Eliza added that latest post at 2:33am this morning. And I thought I was going to get a chance to write something on here that she hadn't already done. Oh wait, story time. So, when we go to the hospital we have some things that we take with us, one of those is the new phone. When I came home last night I didn't feel like digging out the old phone and Eliza had already hooked up the answering machine and I didn't plan on being home and awake for very long in the morning, so I didn't look for it, or get it out, or plug it in. This morning there was a message from the emergency room telling us that Geoffrey's cultures had grown something and he should come back to the emergency room as soon as possible. “Um, yes…If this is the Porter residence, I’m calling for Geoffrey Porter. My name is Donna, I’m the charge nurse at the Emergency Room of Shands at UF. We need Geoffrey to return immediately, his blood cultures have come back positive. You could leave… NOW… if possible. You can either ask for me when you come in or just come in either way… Thank you very much, bye bye.”I was mildly amused (he was admitted yesterday, Eliza will tell you that when you are done with this story), and a little glad that they had followed up on him and not just pushed the papers around. I eat breakfast and shower and am getting dressed when someone starts banging on the door. I figure that it can't be anything that important, and if it was a delivery they will leave a note and we will pick it up later. They bang on the door some more. It must be important. I look out the little peep hole and the cops are at the door. Hmm, I don't think I did anything illegal recently, and I'm pretty sure Eliza did anything illegal recently, and I know that Geoffrey didn't do anything illegal recently. I throw on my awesome Gator bathrobe that Eliza made for me and open the door. "Do you know Eliza Porter?" "Is this where she lives?" "Do you know where she is now?" I was starting to get a little worried. Then the nice officer takes a breath and mentally backs up and asks me who I am and let's me know that they are looking for Geoffrey because the emergency room people want him back for treatment right away. Ah! I feel bad for them that they went to all that effort when Geoffrey had already gone to where he needed to be, but it was nice that they were willing to go to that effort for him. (then I wondered what they would have done if I told them that we weren't going to take him to the hospital) In other news, school starts on Monday.
P.S. All of the nurses were happy to see how much Geoffrey has grown and to see him with hair. It must be great to see children that you have worked with when they were so sick come back and be so healthy. Well, not completely healthy, but a fever that he doesn't show any symptoms of anymore is a couple of orders of magnitude less than full-blown cancer. It is so fun to see people smile when they see Geoffrey, he is very good at that.
8/12/06: So, we've been admitted. Geoffrey's cultures grew a gram-positive something and we were sent to the hospital. It's no big crisis, but it's a bummer. The nurses are all so delighted at how cute he is with hair. We're doing ok. His port is probably the source of the infection and will be removed on Monday. We may be in for ~10 days for IV antibiotics, hopefully less. We're in 4516B
08/11/06: If Shands made a comercial about our family and yesterdays events it would go something like this... [family siting in an ER treatment room] "This is the Porters, they're having a visit in the ER. It's not such a big deal, because Geoff had Leukemia, he's been through here a lot..."
Geoff got his port accessed/flushed at the clinic yesterday and when he woke up from his nap he had a fever of 101.4. Thankfully it was before 5pm so we were able to call the clinic and get instructions for going to the ER for blood cultures and a dose of Rosephin, and permission to not get admitted. We'll go to the clinic again today for another dose. The NP thinks that there may have been some bacteria hiding out in the port and it got flushed in at the clinic. We'll see what the cultures show. The ER folks insisted on geting a cathetar draw of urine rather than the pee bag aproach. That was really frustrating and if we were the type to get really mad and yell at people, that would have certainly done it.
We're home though, we had a great night at home one we got home at 11:30pm. Geoffrey is fever free today and super cute.
08/07/06: Geoff went down for a nap today that wasn't induced by complete exaustion or crying! The formula for success was waking up at 7:30 am, swimming for 3 hours and a dark room. For an easy nap, I can handle waking up earlier. We had a great party last night for our August birthdays. I made a cake of ice cream sandwiches that was 5x5x6. Now that's a blog entry!
08/05/06: What a day! We had a surprise birthday party for Grandma Porter. Geoff's friend Samantha gave him a baby doll since we don't have any and he'd learned the word from Signing Time. We had a great time going to the PKY band preview and Geoff had a great time wearing his very first band shirt. He enjoyed hanging out with the high schoolers this past week at Band Camp. The kids learned to ask him "where's dad?" and he'd sign and point to his dad.
Geoff signs dad, Geoff sleeps off a very busy day..."With Pride"
8/02/06: We had a frustrating morning, forgotten details wasted an hour of driving around looking for things in the wrong places. Geoff was well behaved for an RS meeting and loved hanging out with GrandmaLois for lunch. We didn't get a nap, but he's still running around happy and funny.
Asleep in the sling. Geoff's feet when he's asleep.
7/30/06: Geoff is the sweetest little boy ever. He's falling asleep in the car about 50% of the time before we can get home. He is sometimes willing to make the transition from the car to bed and still sleep. We're going to Grandma's for a potluck tonight. The pot is always lucky at Grandma's
7/28/06: We had a nice visit with the mom's group today. We carpooled with another mom and baby so the visiting was nicely prolonged. Yesterday at the clinic there was an adult sized youth with a black shirt standing in the waiting room. The 4" white letters declared "I'm not OK" the sad irony of this usual cry for attention still has me wondering.
7/27/06: We had a really long wait at the clinic today. There are several clinics that meet on Thursdays, it's really strange. Every other day of the week is reasonable, but Thursday is always way over booked. But that's the day they want us to come on... Just when we felt like 2 hours was starting to be and unreasonable amount of time to wait in the waiting area, we were called back and given great service by Pam Snyder who got us all done in ~15 minutes. We were in a room all the way over in what is sometimes the GI clinic. They were using rooms all over for different clinics. When it turned out that there was missing blood work, she walked us over to the lab and made sure they knew we were there and what was needed. We also saw an old hospital roommate who looks amazing, Jake Pickett, with hair and eyebrows.
7/26/06: Geoffrey, Phillip and I went out to the Lussier Dairy today! Geoff and I swam, then we got a drive by photo shoot of the cows. Geoff signed cow really well from his carseat.
7/24/06: Geoff is doing great. We've really enjoyed a video the speach therapist left "Signing Time" produced by Two little Hands. I can't believe I haven't posted since then, considering that we've watched that video at least 5 times. Geoff really likes it and signs along with it. The songs are great and the animations are very gentle. It's like Baby Einstein meets ASL.
7/19/06: Geoffrey is going to be just fine. for the last few days he's been making the mmmm sound a lot. Today he put it together with the sign for mom and really said "m-ahm." About an hour later the speach therapist Patti Caswinkle came by and we were able to show her all his new tricks. She let him play with an old school farm set and he even made the mmm for a cow.
Geoffrey enjoys listening to loud music on daddy's ipod. He can really hear it and dances too.
7/16/06: We are the luckiest parents ever. Geoffrey had a stinky diaper today and I went into full cope mode. You'd think he'd hit his head, or woken up at 4:00 am with a fever! You see, Geoff is mostly potty trained in the stinky stuff and I haven't had to change a poopy diaper for at least 1 month. So that is why we are the luckiest. 1 dirty diaper in a month is pretty good. Thanks Geoff.
Geoffrey's hair is long enough to get some serious bedhead
7/15/06: We were looking back at the older updates and are amazed to see how much 2-4 months has made. Geoff's gained 4 lbs in the past 4 months, he's up to 21.5 lbs (in February we were so excited that he was finally 17 lbs) and the hair!
Geoff's actually wearing a wig, but I got you didn't I... I'm so thankful for your continued interest and prayers for our family. This web record that we have is a treasure of an account. I don't have to try and relive the past year, so I can make a record of it. We wouldn't have made the web page or kept it updated if there wasn't such a loving demand. Thank you.
7/14/06: Geoffrey went to the clinic yesterday and found out his IM levels are high enough that he doesn't need anymore IVIG (a four hour transfusion) and his CMV results were negative, so we take another medicine off the list of stuff he takes each day. He does the adorably cute thing where he wakes up and gets out of bed and wanders around looking for his mommy.
7/09/06: On Saturday Geoffrey went down for a nap lounging on Eliza. Today we had a birthday party for Great Gandpa. We're doing really well, Geoffrey is up above 40 signs and around 5 words. He'll say baby words for doggie, baby, help, out, dada. More and more, when we see his old pictures, it's like the old familiar picture has a different baby in it. We really are surprised when we look at them and see how different he looks. His new skill include ducking under obstacles and steering cars.
7/5/06: Geoffrey is cute. He is learning so much and his health is consistently good. His hearing aids are giving us some difficulty because his ears grew so the aids are squealing a lot. Geoffrey took me to Liquid Ginger for my birthday and kept me busy.
Geoff and Phillip at the band shell to watch fireworks on July 3rd
7/2/06: Happy to report that not much is going on for us. Dr. Hunger indicated that Geoff's hearing impairment may have been caused by him contracting CMV in utero, which is not usually supposed to happen. CMV is a virus that 70% of the population has, it's like Mono in both transmission and symptoms. Unfortunately it's like Rubella in its effect on a fetus if the mother catches it while pregnant. I know that I had it before I concieved. The blood bank keeps record of it if you're curious of your own status. I suppose his leukemia possibly starting in utero made it possible for him to contract CMV at that problomatic stage. Bummer. In other news, he's a master climber now and nothing is safe from Geoffrey's curiosity. He's adorable.
6/30/06: And it's back to status quo for the Porters. Having my family in town was great and Geoff had so much fun toddling around after the bigger kids. Had it been one more day, I may have collapsed mid-lunch. It's hard to look after the needs of your own family when you're hosting 25 extended family. It was such fun though. Seen below is Geoff a top the PKY anchor with all but the 2 day old cousin, 2 aunts and 3 uncles for crowd control.
6/23/06: Well, since many of the people who read this update are going to be out of town, or in town visiting me, you probably don't mind that we'll be out of touch for the next 5 days. Eliza's family is in town for a family reunion. We'll have lots of fun, and have lots of pictures to share by the end of it. Geoffrey is doing well, he really is facinated by his 2 cousins staying with us.
6/22/06: Whoa, Wednesday was even more of "a day" with us walking to down town and shopping and enjoying the shops all day. Geoff was a trooper, never cried, never ran amok. He's doing great. While eating lunch Geoff kept wandering to the window and signing "ceiling fan". I couldn't see one anywhere. But, like usual, Geoff was right. Later, at the market, I saw 5 ceiling fans on apartment porches, that could be seen from the restaurant. Maybe we'll call him eagle eye, because he really notices things.
6/20/06: What a day! Geoff enjoyed tagging along with Mary and Eliza who shopped along University Ave. after going to the butterfly museum. His new sign words are "Go, pear, bird, flower" he even says "br br br, when he signs bird!! Yesterday we had a looooong day at clinic, but Geoff is up to 20 lbs and 8 oz, so we don't have to go to the GI clinic.
6/18/06: The beach was great, windy, sunny, and sandy. Geoff enjoyed playing at the waters edge. He did great on the car ride, especially on the way home when he slept! Happy Father's Day.
6/16/06: Geoff's CMV has reactivated so he's on a medicine for that. Like I said, the clinic folks take such good care of us. They called today to tell us the news, set up the medication and made space for us to get IVIG on Monday. Go Pam. Today was great, tomorrow we'll get my sister and head to the beach!
6/15/06: We went to clinic and found out that Geoff's liver function is much better this week. The clinic folks take such great care of us. I misunderstood Jerry's instruction to come back next week, and didn't make an appointment. So we show up 2 minutes late for the time I mixed up (8:45 is the time of next months apointment) and we don't even have an apointment. Lashawnta went back and got a lab sheet from Pam and Pam came out with it and we got to bypass everything. The check in guy was new to us and so at first he was inclined to send us away. Fortunately (~) we are there regularly enough to have many advocates.
06/14/06: A great day, Geoffrey and Eliza went to Lake City to visit a newborn friend and family. We even hung out by and in the post hurricane pool
06/13/06: Hurricane a comin'! We're fine. Geoffrey is blowing me away with his quick learning of signs. His vocabulary is 30+ signs, and more words and signs that he understands but doesn't do. Today he rode around on my back like a little cowboy. We didn't get a good picture, but here's one from the CMN Celebrity Waitor Night that captures the spirit of it.
06/12/06: Geoffrey helped knead the Challa that Eliza tried to make last night. "I wanted to make it with whole wheat flour, even though it wouldn't be as tastey, but it would be more healthy." Geoff took no nap yesterday, and was pretty fussy in the night. You'd think we could handle it, but we were both pretty frustrated, rather, all three of us. This morning we all went on a walk and then Geoffrey and Eliza walked to the post office to send surprises to Uncle Sam, literally. Eliza has a brother in the Army named Sam.
Geoff helps dad get his shoes on.
6/11/06: We're not use to having a busy social life anymore, if we ever were. We had clinic and pool friends Thursday, Choir party Friday, family visits Saturday, and church today. We stayed for the whole 3 hours of mettings. Geoffrey did really well and everyone was very good, giving us plenty of space. Geoffrey is almost old enough for the church nursury (18 months - 3 yrs).
In typical Geoffrey fashion, he has started to sign "Dad" at the forehead, rather than the ear. Just in time for fathers day.
6/08/06: Geoffrey got to see a lot of cows yesterday. We'll remember to bring a camera next time we visit the dairy. We'd gone out to see one of the PKY band kids who is recovering from surgury. Geoff loved seeing the cows, dogs, and gators (UF icons only). Clinic went well today, we were told that there is no bad news, all his tests came back clean.
Geoffrey loves wearing this bear backpack, it's 3/4 his size!
6/06/06: Geoffrey is great.
6/05/06: When Geoffrey was diagnosed with Leukemia we enrolled him in the clinical trial. It was the same treatment either way, though participating in the study meant that they'd take a little more bone marrow. In retrospect the pros and cons leave me glad overall that we did. We were really sheltered from having too make a lot of appointments and paperwork because the people in charge of the study took care of it for us. Today, as I tried to sort out CMS covering some of his hearing expenses, I realize how little we ever had to worry about that with his Leukemia. And that's good. It's frustrating to have to do everything ourselves (calling, paperwork etc...) with his hearing, but I'm amazed to think how much worse the past year would have been if we'd had to do the same with his Leukemia.
6/03/06: A storm foiled blueberry picking plans for today, but that's ok. Geoffrey is showing early aptitude as a DJ. He twists the volume of the CD player, then starts to dance, it's even cuter than it sounds. We've got clinic this week, but it's going to be once a month from here on out.
6/02/06: Today at the post office a lady helloed us as we were leaving. She is an ASL translator and wanted to get to know us. I was surprised at how much I could sign in response. It was pretty easy to follow because she was also speaking. When little kids ask what "those" are I'm more than happy to explain that they make everything louder so Geoff can hear. More often their parents are embarassed for their having asked, but it's ok, I'm glad to expose them to it. Geoffrey and I have been meaning to go to the butterfly museam for some time and yesterday that time arrived. We started the day with a fashion show of sun hats, and then headed off to the museam with Grandma Lois. Geoffrey has flirted with the word "butterfly" but yesterday he mastered it. Ok, so he called the butterflies "cat" half of the time, but seeing his little hands overlap and fingers curl and flex was more than cute enought to make up for it.
6/1/06: Geoffrey started taking a bottle immediately after finishing treatment, I mean, to the day! So here he is, hanging out with Phillip, enjoying a bottle.
Summer of 2005; First 4 months of "Geoffrey Updates"