JANUARY 1 HAS COME AND GONE

31 December 2009 at 11.50pm.  We sat together on Jonathan's mat, Harith brought out the guitar and we started music worship.  Then Harith led us in prayer and we prayed for many things including getting Jonathan ready for school, prayed for his teachers and classroom.  Prayed for our mothers and good health for all.
We ended the prayer by breaking bread.

Jonathan woke up real early at 7am today.  Got a little upset.  I prayed for wisdom to understand him and found that he actually thought he was going to school today.

Of course he calmed down after I told him "no school today."

January 1st has come and gone.  I look forward to better days ahead.  Although i've come down with another sore throat, that doesn't mean it's a bad start to the new year.  I'm reminded to rest and more so ...  rest in the Lord.

I searched for bible verses for the new year to encourage friends and was encouraged by these verses:

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.(NLT) 

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.(NKJV)

"Lord, I thank you for what we have gone through in 2009.  With 2010 already here, we thank you for a perfect 10 year ahead.  Thank you for your blessings, good health, peace, joy, love and wealth.  Heal those who need healing, protect us all and thank you for being omnipotent that we can draw from You.  Let 2010 be a year of blessings that we can bless in return."

Hope all reading my blog will have a great 2010!

CHANGED WITH DISCOMFORT

Jonathan had his feeding button changed this afternoon.  The registrar had a hard time pulling it out from his tummy and the tugging and pulling didn't do justice to Jonathan who was cringing his face the whole time while the nurse was holding his legs really tight and me holding his hands and kept saying "you're so brave darling!"

Sounds like a torture.  It certainly was because after pulling the button out, the doctor had a hard time putting the new one in.  Probably because he had so much gel on his fingers and the button kept slipping off from the applicator.  I was feeling the pain in my own stomach just watching him do it.

Last year when he had it changed, the lady registrar was more gentle and she was quick with the change.  Today, the indian gentleman doctor was a little rough.  Cos when I turned to see that he was trying to pull the button out, he didn't place the applicator properly when there was a "plop" sound as the button came out.  I guess I should give him a benefit of a doubt.  The applicator may have slipped from it's original position.

I'm just glad I was with Jonathan the whole time.  The nurse suggested I leave the room earlier cos she thought I wouldn't be able to take the sight of blood.  No way am I going to leave Jonathan there with them alone!

Once the button was in, Jonathan said the pain was "no more".  Gave him milk before we came home, but then he started to feel unwell.  Probably cos of the anxious and nervous afternoon kind of stirred his stomach juice.  But at least now he's better.

When the cap stopper broke, I actually thought of using superglue to glue it back but Harith didn't want me to do that ... haha...Just trying to be innovative.  Then I used the tube head but realised that even if I inserted one end of the head into the button hole, the other opening will allow water to leak out.  Somehow, the nurse also showed me the same method.  She said we just need to find a way to seal off one side.  So this is one way we can save money for as long as possible.

Now whenever Jonathan starts putting his hands on his tummy to try and pull the button I will remind him about today and he will move his hand away.  Hopefull he will remember and stop pulling on his button.

My friend May told me about HOJO tape.  maybe I will try that to secure the cap down so this little prince will not yank it open again.

So another S$227 spent for the button.  Seems like there has been a quality control check on the BARD button earlier and production was stopped for a few months.  I think the button quality was not up to par.  The doctor even told me that there has been caps breaking off lately.  This new BARD button looks sturdier.  Hopefully it will last more than 13 months.

The things that our children with special needs have to go through :(

But they are a strong bunch of kids :)

LOVE THIS ...

He woke up on Christmas day morning and I was lying down next to him.  Jonathan loves to snuggle up to me especially when he sees me once his eyes open.

BUTTON'S BROKEN CATCH

It's been slightly over a year since we got the new button changed that I mentioned in my earlier post that now we have to get it changed again.  The last change was November 2008.

The tiny catch on the button cap that covers the button hole after it's closed, broke.  Harith blamed himself for being rough when he was feeding Jonathan some water, but it's not his fault.  Firstly, I think the material they use for the button has now become low quality.  Secondly, Jonathan has been pulling at it so I guess, with the poor quality and the tugging, it just snapped.

It's the weekend so we won't bring him down to the KK A&E cos the first change we did, it cost us about S$450 and the reason they gave was because we didn't go to the clinic and A&E charges are different.  Well then we didn't have any choice because it was either do it now or risk having the other half go into Jonathan's tummy and the doctor said may have to do minor surgery to get it out.  That was then ... and I found out from his surgeon much later that there is no harm because it will come out with when Jonathan does his business ><

Thank God the valve is still ok so I'm taping down the cap after every feed with either a strip of surgical tape around the button top or half a piece of tagerderm to secure the cap down tighter.  At least using tagerderm instead of surgical tape prevents the skin around the stoma from getting red.

Hopefully the paediatric surgery clinic will have a slot for me on Monday.

Why am I still awake at 5.15am?  I don't know.  Just somethings keeping my mind active.  Should go back to sleep soon :z

OUR BOY HAS GROWN

Two days ago, we received this.

It's so obvious that our little boy has grown up.  For every boy in Singapore who turns 13 will get a notification from the Ministry of Defence that we have to apply for exit permits if Jonathan was travelling overseas.

Jonathan will be 13 come February next year.  How time flies.  How fast he has grown.  How we have come so far with him.  How we have seen his progress from a quiet toddler to a boy who now babbles non-stop.

Last night while he was waiting to go to bed, he started babbling and laughing.  I went to his room asked what he was doing.  He said "praying in tongues".  He's grown, has told me he prays for his own healing.  He told the Lord he wants to speak words and start walking.  I'm thankful to the Lord for his maturity.

Since he's grown taller too, his muscles are stronger.  The mat that he's been using has started to peel under his powerful feet kicking and dragging.  First it was a bubble under the cover layer of the mat.  Then, it started tearing.  And so the tear became bigger and Jonathan's hands was always caught under the cover layer.  We decided to peel and cut off along the lines as you can see the cutting knife in the picture below.

 Now the mat looks like this.  But because of Jonathan's constant moving and pushing, the tear has now become gone beyond the white patch haha.  Soon it will be totally white!

My friend will be giving me her mat because her daughter is not using it anymore.  So the time is just right.


Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.  MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND GOD BLESS YOU ABUNDANTLY!

A NIGHT OUT IN TOWN

Harith found out the a handbell choir was performing at the Esplanade Concourse. So we bundled up Jonathan in long pants and thick tshirt (just in case it got cold) and went down last night.

He sat through about 3 songs ...

After the performance, we went to the rooftop for some night viewing ... Jonathan's favourite ... buildings. He was fascinated by the sight cos he's never seen them upclose at night.

This is the Shenton Way view

This the Marina Boulevard view (below is actually the Media Library @ Esplanade)

On the way home, couldn't resist taking a couple of pictures. We got home around 11pm. Jonathan did good. He didn't feel giddy and this time ... yes ... I fed him first before heading home :)

Pictures from the taxi

And now I leave you with a short clip of the performance.

WISHING ALL MY FRIENDS WHO VISIT THE BLOG A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND BLESSED 2010!

CLEANUP

Harith made a point to clean up the house today.  Loads and loads of things that we threw away ... and loads are still around! haha.  But it was good to clear stuff what have accumulated for so long.  To have him help is surely a bonus for me.  I'm thankful he's the clean one! haha.

Me ... sniffling now because I get really affected when my the dust hit my nose.  Now the storage places are neat.

Thank you Jesus :)