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LostSurprise

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Posts posted by LostSurprise

  1. This is why seizures are confirmed by EEGs. Some 'light' seizures resemble other behaviors. There are also sub-clinical seizures which are not physically obvious. 

     

    One of the first seizure types my son presented with was a Myoclonic seizure. They're typified by hands/arms tightening and pulling up. It looks a bit like they were startled and they pull their hands up quickly and then drop them (and perhaps fall if they're walking along). The whole thing is very fast. If this was a Myoclonic seizure it was a very mild one and it would have been that hand pull near the end of the tape. 

     

    When we brought my son in the neurologist talked about how sometimes we see things in babies (that startle reflex) which are not seizures but related to their immature neurologic system. This means something different in a child with a diagnosed seizure disorder. Sometimes things present in a similar way. The sucking/chewing mouth motion is very common at the end of a seizure. Sometimes a half eye open is too. Seizures often strike at the beginning and end of sleep cycles.

    Because we don't know this person or their child's diagnosis, we really shouldn't judge. It is possible their child was recently diagnosed and they're just trying to catch whatever the doctor is talking about. Unless you've seen a lot of seizures sometimes it's hard to pick things out. 

    • Like 1
  2. I got Photosynthesis (using light to convert little seeds to big trees). We enjoyed it. It was a lot to remember (which direction, who is shading who, planning with the sun). I'm looking forward to trying it again when I have more brain cells. The trees are beautiful and the rules are fairly short. 

     

    We played a Timeline game dh gave me (trying to place countries in a line from least to most while racing the other players). It's a quiz on geography, population, gnp, eco footprint. Each round was a different aspect. Take away: Papua New Guinea is really big. So is Madagascar. It really exposed some of my Euro-centrisms, but I still won. I tend to be good at these games so we'll see how long it lasts. 

     

    DH got Near and Far but it's a bigger rules upload so we haven't played yet. We also got Magic Maze today from friends. 

    • Like 1
  3. If they like words and silliness...Faux-cabulary.

     

    If they're interested in art and creative analogies...Dixit

     

    If they like battling...King of Tokyo

     

    If they like a quick game collecting cute cards...Sushi Go!

     

    If they like polite trading and negotiation...Bohnanza

     

    If they like bluffing and lying to each other...Sheriff of Nottingham

     

    If they like cooperative treasure hunting...Forbidden Desert (or Forbidden Island)

     

     

     

     

    • Like 1
  4. I got dh Near and Far for Christmas. It's a game with a lot of storytelling and building. A friend recommended it and we have the related game Above and Below. He got Raptor for his birthday last month (2 player, 1 player is the raptor mom and babies trying to escape and the other is the scientists trying to corner and capture the babies).

     

    pic2520016_md.jpg

     

    He got me a game (at least one) but I'm not supposed to know about that. ;)

    • Like 1
  5. My oldest was into him at that age (which shows you how long he's been around). The artist also used to wear a big mouse head while playing his music. 

     

    In general, we didn't have any problems with him at that age. I'm not sure ds got into the community very deeply though. He just had the mp3s and a hat and he watched a few live performances. I didn't see anything inappropriate in the live performances. The artist has some influences that appealed to my son (cats, video games, science fiction). I think he was also into Swedish House Mafia and Daft Punk at the time. 

     

    Again, this was 2010 or '12, probably several albums ago. YMMV. Of course, ds is into totally different music now and finds it mildly embarrassing. ;)

    • Like 1
  6. A preschooler with idiopathic (not physically explainable) seizures who has breakthrough seizures on a medication is not too uncommon. 

     

    If your niece has a neurologist, I would encourage her to start a list of questions. 

     

    Some possibilities:

     

    *has the child had an EEG 

    *has that EEG caught any unusual activity

    *does he have a diagnosis

    *if not, would an overnight or 3 day EEG help them get a diagnosis

    *at what point do they suggest an MRI or genetic testing

    *at what point is it a good idea to change medications

    *what seizures types are there and what do they look like

     

    I'd suggest your niece watch her son fall asleep or wake up (sleeping in the same room helps with this) for a week or two. The brain is really susceptible to seizures at that time so she may see seizure behaviors. Any unusual tightening/loosening of muscles, staring eyes, smacking lips, raised arms, enlarged pupils.  If he has other seizures types she should either take a video or write out a description for the neurologist and call their office the next day. 

     

    All that said, a breakthrough seizure of a single type every 3 or 4 months which lasts only a few minutes isn't considered too serious, usually. The medication is doing its job fairly well and perhaps something outside is affecting him (food, sleep, sickness, heat/cold). I like to add them to the calender with notes to help me guess at influences over time. She should definitely report if they start happening more often, stay longer and harder, come in other types, or start to affect his behavior or development. 

     

    She can also request a copy of any labs, tests, and notes. They can help with more questions next time. 

    • Like 1
  7. Freiberg Waffles from The Cuisines of Germany

    6-8 waffles

     

    1 Tbl butter

    1 3/4 c flour

    8 eggs

    1 c sour cream

    1 Tbl sugar

    1/2 tsp salt

    grated 1/2 lemon (if you want, I don't)

    bacon fat for cooking (if you want, I don't)

    confectioner's sugar (for sprinkling, if you want, I don't)

     

    *Not in the original recipe, but I prefer to add 1 tsp baking powder. I tend to space and if you don't mix the eggs enough the lift won't be the same every time. 

     

    Cream butter. 

    Stir in eggs until frothy (this is where I space, often I just start dumping stuff in one after another). Add flour. 

    Add sour cream a spoonful at a time. Mix vigorously.

    Add sugar, salt, lemon peel (if using), and baking powder (if using). Thin with sour cream if necessary. Use immediately in a hot waffle iron (although it never hurt me to let it sit 10m or so). 

     

  8. I use a recipe from a German cookbook called Freiberg Waffles. It uses 8 eggs for 8-10 waffles and doubles well (16 eggs). I often make vanilla pudding/pastry cream to go with it (2 more eggs). 

     

    Waffles can be frozen and reheated in the toaster. 

     

    I don't have the recipe right now but I'll try to check back and post it tomorrow if anyone's interested. 

  9. Story-telling:

    Once Upon a Time

    Skyfall

     

    Games with individual player characters with their own powers or goals:

    Bang!

    King of Tokyo or King of New York

    The Adventurers

    Pandemic (or Flashpoint)

    Space Cadets Away Missions

    Flick 'em Up

    Colt Express

     

    • Like 1
  10. Raising mushrooms

     

    carving

     

    painting or modeling miniatures

     

    bookbinding

     

    finding latitude and longitude the old-fashioned way sextant/compass/whatever

     

    paper airplane design

     

    pickled vegetables or make your own hot sauce

     

    dry-stacking rock walls

     

    kite making

     

    harmonica

     

    knife sharpening

     

    foraging

  11. Graphic Novels aren't my usual genre, but a few years ago I read several from the "Best" lists and now I'm a fan of Gene Luen Yang. Generally less sex, gore, violence, nudity, and short attention span theater and more story. 

     

    I read Girl Genius (Phil Foglio) lately and enjoyed that. Steampunk adventure world. Female inventor. 

  12. I listen to many types of music, but I doubt that my Top 10 covers more than 2 genres. 

     

    Unless you ask my brother, he thinks I only listen to "Folk" music.  :huh:  I think he defines that as 'you can understand the words.' He likes Classical, Swedish Death Metal, and Tibetian throat singing. We're an interesting bunch. 

    • Like 1
  13. Cool!

     

    You should be able to do some research into RPGs (role playing games). There are many different kinds and a lot of them follow a general rules set. I think there are even WikiHow-kind of articles teaching you how to build your own. 

     

    My second son loves RPGs. He's done space ones, alien ones, cthulu ones, merchant-explorer ones. 

     

     

    I played Pandemic Iberia last night. It was similar to Pandemic but had the option to build train routes to help you move around (19th century so no planes) and water treatment to halt epidemics. 

    • Like 1
  14. Blue Hat, Green Hat is our ultimate favorite because everyone loves to yell Oops! with the crazy turkey

     

    Doggies

    The Big Dog and Little Dog series (Dav Pilkey)

    Buenes Noches, Gorila (for some reason my kids thought Good Night, Gorilla was hilarious in Spanish)

    No No Yes Yes (Leslie Patricelli)

    Ollie the Stomper (Olivier Dunrea)

     

  15. To add to the music suggestions...if she likes to sing, I notice that fluency is easier with music. Perhaps a community or church choir would give her a sense of accomplishment and connection. The words just come out easier and memory binds them together in a special way. 

     

    If there are organizations in the area for her first language, it might be easier for her to connect with that. 

     

    Sometimes it helps to be involved in a volunteer organization where she can help people physically without the need for speech. Generally the feeling of acceptance among the volunteers and focusing on others can build feelings of accomplishment and connection. 

     

     

    My MIL underwent a similar procedure when dh was in middle and high school. There isn't necessarily a standard therapy for recovery. With that kind of diagnosis you are considered lucky to be alive and having affected speech, motor, memory is expected. There is enough physical debilitation that therapy is rarely prescribed (which is frustrating for people with lesser impairment who may or may not get something out of it...but what do I know  :glare: ). 

    I didn't know MIL before the situation, but from what I've seen with her it's important that the person have a positive connection to their community and to be able to contribute in their own way to the people around them. It's easy to fall into isolation and then depression. MIL walked all over their small town and volunteered at church. She made friends with people who had their own struggles and was a great listener. We would roll our eyes at the people she brought home sometimes. I miss those days. Now she's going through some mental deterioration and can't walk or talk much. Her frustration is so evident. 

     

    I would say, stay connected and do your best to help your friend to connect to others. Accepting limitations is important but having goals and positive work/impact with the people around her is also important. I'm sorry I can't help you more. 

  16. Yes. 

     

    Sometimes things get better, but they're not the same. They can never be the same. Experience--life--grows and changes us. 

     

    It's not really grief (IMO). It's an understanding of how fragile our lives are. Most parents have a deep need to care for their child. An intense experience where you can't care for them, you have no control over the things that hurt them, strikes you to the heart. You look for the early warning signs, slight as they are, that allow you to control things. Experience has taught you not to take the smallest things for granted. 

     

     

     

     

    • Like 5
  17. We had friends here over the weekend and played Captain Sonar (8 players!). It's like real-time Battleship where everyone has a different job and the subs are chasing each other around and trying to find each other. I was the engineer (puzzley problem management) once and the First Mate (communication). I'd like to be the Sonar Operator (takes down the movements of the opposite side and tries to figure out where they are on the map) next time. Fun. 

     

    pic3175328_md.jpg

     

    DH and I have been playing 

     

    Jaipur~collecting sets of goods (or camels) for trade. 

     

    pic3095505_md.jpg

     

     

    Agility~adopting and training dogs for Agility

     

    CtsMK5qWgAA2CyT.jpg

     

     

    Agricola~a game about starting and running a Medieval farm. 

     

    pic259546_md.jpg

     

     

    All pictures allow for copying by the creator. 

     

    • Like 2
  18. I'm pretty far north. We planted a sour cherry tree  :hurray: this spring and the currants, golden and red raspberries are growing fabulously. I moved the strawberries last fall and added some new roots this spring so I'm not expecting much this year. Something ate the basil. The tomatoes are slow. The dog trampled all the perennials by the back door, including the (I thought) impossible to kill oregano. None have come back so far. 

     

    I have a friend who does (light allowing) row covers for all her brassica because of bugs. The trick is to get them on before the bugs arrive or you have to pick them all off before you cover (and there's always a chance you miss one and leave him under for the brassica buffet). 

    • Like 1
  19. People and cultures vary, sometimes even within a couple. 

     

    My mother loves to visit and doesn't mind spending the night. My father, even when he was healthy, hates visiting and hates my mother leaving him at home. He just doesn't like being out of his comfort zone. After a decade or so they came to a point where my mother would come up herself, for one night, for a special occasion and he realized he was okay visiting and staying in a hotel once or twice a year. We spend more time at the hotel pool than he spends in our home. His mother is one of the 'you must visit me, I'm the grandmother' type. I love her dearly but it's hard to get her to leave her home and be driven across town for occasions like Christmas. She doesn't feel comfortable. 

     

    DH's parents visited often before his mother became ill. They liked to drive and were very spur of the moment (but always calling to ask permission first). 

     

     

    Both sets of parents live 2.5-3 hours away and we visit them far more (every 1-2 months) then they visit us. 

  20. May, but if I had my preference it would have been October. 

     

    DH's older sister got engaged at the same time and picked October. We didn't want battling weddings so we rescheduled for April (after October both families become a crazy ride of birthdays, holidays, more birthdays). The venue we chose couldn't get us in until May so we got married in May...and we ended up not even using that venue! 

     

    After the fact I just wish we'd eloped in October. :P

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