Jack's birthday...a little delayed...

I forgot to post pictures a details from Jack's actual birthday. Jim and Sue drove all the way down in one day, Sunday, to help us celebrate with Jack. It was very thoughtful and Jack was very surprised. The day before, Saturday, Chris, came down from Traverse City to also celebrate Jack's birthday...it was a busy weekend, but both of the boys enjoyed it very much! Thank you to all three of them for coming down!

Dr. Denboer part deux....

So, today was our follw-up apt. with Dr. Denboer. They call it "findings and recomendations" apt. Craig and I were so pleased with what he had to say. First of all, Jack has significant swelling of his C1 vertabrae....which is just behind his right ear, base of head...he said it's "blocked", has lack of motion and is causing brain stem pressure...which translates into- it's messing with his head! He said that the nerve that's being blocked is also the nerve that wraps around the eustacion tube, which causes ear infections!!!! Behavior, brain fog, irritability and function are directly affected by this blockage.....! He said it's 50% of the probelm. 50%!!!!! (we're half-way there then) Manipulation (chiropractic manipulation) will release the blockage and eliminate the swelling and pressure. Second, he also, like other doctors before him, believes that Jack has leaky gut. We are taking a urine sample for toxins in his system; now we already know Jack has toxins, but after a weeks worth of a new detoxer we've never used before, we're taking a urine sample to see how it's working, based on Jack's old toxin levels, which we provided. Jack is an abnormal detoxifier, which we new, so we need to get his liver funcions up and his toxins down...making sense? Thirdly, we are staying on the GFCF diet....but not food sensitivities diet....(thank you, Jesus)...so gluten and casein (milk and wheat) are still out, but that's nothing compared to what we've been doing for the last year! We are putting him on all new suppliments too. Jack will be closely monitored for the next 6 weeks by Dr. Denboer to make sure we are on the right track. He will be getting bi-weekly manipulations for awhile, then weekly.....at 6 weeks we do a full re-evaluation. (whoo! that's a lot of info.)

He enthusiastically commended us on our efforts so far and said had we not done what we've done...we'd be looking at a much different child. (not in a good way) Which made us feel a little proud and gratified in our hard work. Cost isn't an issue when you're saving your child's life....inconvenience.....interupted nights...whatever...as long as the outcome is satisfying. We are, we feel, getting closer and closer to our goal with Jack. This is the next chapter and step to his recovery and improved quality of life. We are so excited!!!

Thanks everyone who was praying for us regarding this visit. Our prayers were answered almost verbatim....a "new" outlook.....a "new" approach.

We'll keep you posted...thanks for logging in and keeping up with our little family.

Florida Trip 2009

Greetings! I want to start off by saying...I'm so glad Scott picked week one to go to Florida! ; ) hahahaha (ok, that was below the belt)

February 6th, we picked Jack up from school and drove to Detroit. We spent the night at a Baymont near the airport. We walked in to the lobby and Heath announced (louder than I'd have liked) that he was going to throw up. Sure enough...he did, luckily I got him to the bathroom in the lobby in time. Ugh. He must take after me; I was sick many a holiday because of excitement induced vomiting. (TMI? Sorry)

The next morning, with some golfers Orlando-bound (who had a bottle of Wiskey on one of their bags in the lobby) we caught a shuttle to the Detroit airport.....

Our week in Orlando was warm and beautiful! 75-80 every day! We hit Disney World after a day at the pool.

It was so fun. A parent's dream to take their child to Disney for the first time. Their reactions were exactly as we'd hoped.

My parents paid for the whole day! (thanks, Mom and Dad...we love you!)

We rode lots of rides- Heath's favorite? "Splash Mountain" Jack's favorite? "Thunder Mountain" They each went on the their favorite three times! So fun!

At the end of 12 hours, for we stayed for the light parade and fireworks, we headed home...this Heath at the end of the day, when we arrived back at the condo.

The last 2 days were mostly spent at the pool....

I enjoyed sitting by the pool reading and swimming...."wine time" with my mom...no laundry, phone calls, appointments, nothing...........so nice........

We also celebrated Jack's birthday a little early with my parents....

On the way home, getting on the airplane bound for Chicago, the flight attendant asked if the boys wanted to meet the captain, who excused himself, after a quick hello to the boys, and allowed them to sit in his chair for 10 minutes, while he chit-chatted with the passengers. Jack turned on the engines to the plane!!!! I got to be up there too, it was so cool for the boys to be in the cock-pit and sit in the captain's chair...while the co-pilot asked them questions and logged their names into the computer. Thanks United Airlines!

Well, that about covers it. A great few days in the sunshine state! Thanks again, Mom and Dad for taking care of us for a few days. We had a blast!

Dr. Denboer

Well, winter is still here. It's cold but sunny and soon me and the fam will be heading down to the sunshine state. My parents are vacationing there for 6 weeks (smart people) during the coldest months of Michigan. We are joining them for a few days next week. Part of their Chirstmas present to the boys was taking them to Disney World, so we'll be doing that one day as well. The weather in late winter early spring is always a crap shoot in Orlando, but it looks as if we're are going to luck out (even though I don't believe in luck) and have sunny and 75 most days we're there. We'll take lots of pictures and post them upon our return!

I mentioned a few weeks ago that we were going to be seeing Dr. Denboer here in Grand Rapids. He is a holistic medicine doctor and chiropractor. He is the perfect mix for me and Craig...I am willing to try anything (remember my voodoo comment) as long as it doesn't hurt Jack, to make him better; Craig is more conservative and needs a double-blind placebo test peer-reviewed and published in a medical journal before he'll consider it. Well, I think we've found that mix in Dr. Denboer. He dazzled me. The way he examined Jack and listened to his body and felt him...it was amazing, a God-given gift for sure. (sometimes those are so obvious in people) I mean any time a Dr. says, "oh yeah, I can hear he has a yeast build up...some fermentation it sounds like...he's definitely having a reaction to something..." you know you've struck gold! He said he isn't into new age stuff (voodoo) and won't do anything that hasn't been tested and proved effective. He took a lot of information from us, as we had a lot to give and we are seeing him in two weeks. I'm excited to get a fresh set of eyes on Jack. I think as a parent of a special needs child it's important to get a fresh perspective every 6 months or so.

Also, we are considering what to do with Jack educationally for the rest of this year and next. I have some feelers out and we have a meeting with Grandville Schools to decide what he qualifies for as far as services. (if we decide to accept them or not) Jack doesn't really fit into the typical education mold, so we are trying to expand our horizons and think outside the box. I will of course keep you posted on all things "Jack".

Heath is fine and I tried to capture him on video yesterday belting out a new tune, but he wouldn't have it so..sorry to all you fans! He has been enjyoing playing baseball in the basement this winter and it is a bi-daily occurence....

Craig is good. He is looking for part-time work to suppliment his lost hours and JDH and has been enjoying his new drums. He is in a men's book study about marriage and has signed up for a couple Bible-theology classes through our church.

I am the same. I finsihed the "Twilight"series last week and find that I am missing my "stories". The series was so good and I enjoyed reading them very much. The movie was excellent too, I saw it 3 times before it left theaters. (no I'm not embarassed or ashamed...but thanks for asking) I'm looking forward to some sun, even if it's only for a few days.

Thanks for checking in and you'll be hearing from me soon, upon our return from Florida!