12/18 Update on Jenelle

Well, I just realized that my last update about Jenelle was exactly a month ago today. As always, no news is good news but as an added excuse - I've been very busy working on a jury trial in Los Angeles, so there was literally no time to update... and thankfully nothing urgent to update about!

Jenelle's IEP (Individual Education Plan meeting) went very well on November 30, and all of her services remain in place. Her teachers and therapists have been very excited with all of her recent progress, and Jenelle met many of her goals from her last IEP. Some of her goals were modified to accommodate her progress and we added a couple as well. Her teachers say that Jenelle is fun to watch, and that she has an adorable personality. But of course! ;)

On December 1, Jenelle had an appointment with her ophthalmologist and to have her eyes dilated. I had been hoping for good news on her vision because we honestly feel that Jenelle is seeing better these days, however her ophthalmologist disagrees. He believes that Jenelle has made very little improvement on her "tracking" and that her eye movement and "tracking" is actually to sound rather than visual sight. He said this can happen as cortically blind kids get older because they adapt better to finding their way through sound. Again, her eyes are physically fine, but he believes the vision loss is due to the connections in the brain. He agreed she was more alert so that is something. I suppose we can agree to disagree on the "sight improvement" and hopefully at her next appointment in a year things will be different.

While I was commuting to Los Angeles during trial, poor Brett was playing the role of single Dad. I asked him after his first day it went well getting Jenelle to school, and Brett replied that she was having a "bad hair day" because "Daddy doesn't do pigtails!" On Thursday December 6 as I was leaving at 5:50 a.m. to catch the train, I went to kiss Jenelle goodbye and found that she had vomited in her bed. I woke Brett to let him deal with it and ran to leave for my train. Jenelle had been coughing when I woke an hour earlier, so I just figured it was a fluke. Turns out Jenelle had the stomach flu and vomited 5 more times that day. Daddy took very good care of her and she rewarded him by passing on her tummy flu as Brett was sick a few days later. No fun at our home! The good news is that with all that vomiting (and missed seizure meds), Jenelle's seizures did not increase! She is completely fine now as is her Daddy.

Santa and the Grandparents are ready to deliver some exciting toys for Jenelle in a few days. Thankfully we are all well (knock on wood) and we hope you and your family enjoy the coming holidays. I'll keep you posted!