Thanks Clod. We were referred to a genetic counselor, which is kind of an awkward thing to discuss... I'm interested for sure, the more info the better.... I think. Eh, we'll see. I just don't want the kids to feel weird about it.

Bummer Jinx. I don't think I knew about the finger thing. Is it disabling or just irritating? Or am I being too nosy?

Do either of you have it too, or is it something that requires both parents to be carriers, or is that what you'll find out? Or am I being too nosy some more?

Spence's right hand had just about every bone deformity you probable never heard of... contractures, deltaphalages camptodactyly, repaired polydactyly, etc etc I forget what else. The fingers of his left hand were just all fused together.
When he was born the doctors were all "no idea why, luck of the draw", and he had surgery to repair what they could. Then ippy came along with 3 major and 1 minor contractures. Todays xrays showed that her affected joints look the same as spencer's affected joints.

Genetics were mentioned but no one in either of our families had these issues that anyone can remember.

So basically the kids have fingers that have very little range of motion. Like 55-150 degrees instead of 0 to 180 (and spence has one that doesnt move at all). Today the surgeon said he could change the range of motion but not likely increase it, and complications from surgery could actually reduce it. Neither kid is interested at this point.

I don't blame them. So if it is genetic, sounds like the chances of them passing it one are very minor. I presume they cope pretty well with most stuff or you'd've mentioned it before. Thanks for answering my questions.

I was worried about meningitis too but I'm glad it is gone.

It's tough to go through those times when things aren't right with kids health but they have two great parents who are over comers so they won't let it hold him back. Not that that makes it any easier. I'm just saying ya aren't hand wringers and that's the best treatment of all.

:eyebrow: :lol: did you mean to do that? or was it just an off-the-cuff comment?

This stuff is news to me, damn it sounds like a serious challenge to deal with. Fingers are mighty important.

Are their feet affected too?

Sounds like a difficult thing to deal with. Let's hope medicine continues to progress.

OMG
no Zen
:eek: :o:thepain::greenface sorry jinx


That means they are not excessive worriers so that it would hinder the kids growth. I wouldn't be flip like that when it comes to something serious.

2 boxes of tea.

I'm sure, by now, jinx and LJ are used to a joke or two. Anyone dealing with a chronic condition in themselves or a loved one learns to use humor to their best advantage.
:comfort:

Yeah, it's not a huge big deal, doesn't really hold them back from much at all. Gloves are difficult... pro baseball isn't in their future. I was just hoping it could be made a little easier for them at this point. Like if they could flatten their hands they could do more gymnastic stuff... nothing really earth shattering.

I didn't notice it. :headshake

I hope so. Because:

:lol:

Ahh, taht strange mixture of genuine sympathy and taking the piss.... I love the cellar.

hey you started it mr funny bone

That takes it, hands down......;)

Wow Jinx, I had no idea. Guess it's not that disconcerting after living with it for a while, you learn to deal, but I understand your concerns for the limitations they might encounter in the future. There are so many amazing parents in Teh Cellar - I only hope I could/can live up to this standard if/when Princess OTR encounters any such difficulties.

Just pray you need not deal with them. TRUST ME, its a far better way to go.

I do daily, and say thanks that I don't.

What is upsetting me most is the stupidly early time I must get up tomorrow, and that we must battle the michigan game traffic to get our everyday stuff done. beyond that, it's pretty much all good

I have been awake for 24 hours. At work. And there is no end in sight. That is all.

Made plans with friend to out tnight to see Piarte Radio and then have dinner. Just found out all of the local theaters have postponed pirate radio over the holiday so they can show more disney and new moon crap. grrrrr.

Dani your post made me cry.
You know I'm sentimental about my father (less and less now I live with the cantankerous old bugger!) and I have huge issues around food.
The story could not have been better pitched to affect my tear ducts.

But your Dad was a stubborn and proud man.
I doubt he suffered as much as you have over the incident.
I'm so sorry for your sake, but you shouldn't torture yourself. If any vestige of him remained he'd be mortifed that you did. And I think he's gone to a plce with no more suffering and no more recriminations. Your memories are where he lives on - they shouldn't be bad ones.

Jinx - I had no idea. Sorry for the bad news.
All I can say is at least they are smart.
Brains are more useful than physical perfection, unless you want to be a model.
Oh, and perhaps not in the event of a zombie attack, when they are simply a comestible.

Love to you and yours anyway, your kids have a great grounding in how to be successful and get the best from life.

Selene and I *both* have the flu, possibly H1N1, but they didn't actually do strain tests.

This is not fun. Definitely putting the kibosh on a nice Thanksgiving.

:(

I hope you both feel better soon.

Having computer (hardware) programs. Yeah, pretty minor stuffs compared to what everyone else is going through, but this is really pissing me off. :p Computer has been showing one problem after another for the past several days. :thepain: It's only 1 1/2 yr. old so no, I shouldn't have to need a new one. :neutral:

By the way, Elspode, I hope you and Selene(your wife?) feel better soon. My friend's mom just passed away from complications caused by the H1N1 flu so hearing anyone having that is just unsettling for me.

The NY State Senate in Albany just voted against gay marriage.

stupid hormones

We had to fire someone today. I like her too. Normally I'm not involved much in that stuff, but this time I had to go get her key from her and her company credit card. Sucks. Bad time to be fired.

Glatt - hopefully she'll have my experience - I got laid off two weeks before Christmas last year (after 15 years on teh same job) - I was devistated - lived on severance and Vodka for a few days.....but found a much nicer, happier, better paying job within two weeks! I've heard similar stories, so there is hope for nice people out there.....

that would be awesome.

skin cancer is back. nothing serious but it is an icky feeling.

So sorry to hear this. :( Cancer sucks, no matter how minor it seems.

And not to seem unsympathetic, I'm gonna bitch now. All four windows in my car is dead and have been for almost 2 years. My brother said he'll get it fixed but taking forever to fix them because he's waiting to get the parts at a cheaper price. :neutral: So my sister decided to take it out to a mechanic. He quoted $360, so we said okay. Two days later, he said there are more problems so it's gonna cost us $580 to fix four windows. WTF! I'm thinking forget and just not roll down the damn windows ever. :mad2:

Sorry that I don't post often and when I do, I just bitch. :greenface

Its one of the truths of life, everything that lives will eventually die. I know that is reality but it still makes me sad. One of my Belgian puppy girls died of renal insufficiency. =(

4 LO123 Fuck Cancer :mad:

Am very sorry to hear that.

I've been waiting and waiting on a package and found out last night from my sister (I used her account so she gets the tracking emails) that the item was already sent and received. Stupid me, this morning I thought of checking directly into Amazon account and found out the package was delivered exactly at 3:54PM on December. I ran out to the front gate (I live in a gated community) and of course, there's no package. The package is simply gone. Got no idea who took it. :mad:

We all missed Hebe's school concert tonight. Instead we sat on the freeway for over two hours, before cars started turning round and going back along both hard shoulders, apparently with no direction from the police. Apparently there was (still is) a downed powerline closing the whole freeway, but to leave us sat there without and redirection was ridiculous. And Hebe has been looking forward to that concert since she learned about it in September -we bought her special blouse two months ago :( :angry:

Aww Man !!!! sorry to hear that Monnie

Tulip Who signed for your package ?? or did UPS just Dump it at the gate ???

Monster: So sorry to hear that. Poor Hebe must be really disappointed.

Zippy: I called the courier and they said no one had to sign for it. The package was just left at the front desk at the gate. Well, today I called the seller today and said NO ONE received the package even though the courier claimed that it was delivered. Amazon is going to send me another package. :D Betcha I'm gonna be on a look out this time! :p

Sorry to hear that Mon - I know how I'd feel as an adult, so Hebe must have been shattered.

Tulip - bloody UPS. Still, it's up to Amazon to make the complaint, as the contract is with them. In the mean time at least you haven't lost out (apart from time and frustration).

This isn't really upsetting, so much as a minor disappointment:
When I opened my bedroom door this morning there was a big, brown cardboard box there. "Ooooh!" I said, only to hear this mimicked from downstairs by Mum & Dad. Secret Santa!

Mum shouted up, "Don't make a mess opening it up there in your nice clean room!"
"No," I replied, "I'm going to bring it downstairs to make a mess opening it down there!"

So with box under my arm and camera in my hand I came down to start the documenting process, and to decide whether I really should save it.

By the time I got downstairs, however, I had realised something. It was posted in the UK. An unlikely Secret Santa. And it was very light for its size. And I'd ordered something from eBay on Mum's behalf that was large but light (a device for fitting surgical stockings, for Grandad).

I don't know who was more disappointed - my parents or me!
I opened it to be sure, and confirmed it was Grandad's device, not a lovely prize for me.

Silly to be adversely affected. It means I don't have to worry about my eBay purchase. And after all I still have a Secret Santa to look forward to. Just somehow I feel cheated!

I know the feeling - nothing worse than that deflated feeling when the parcel contains something ornery when you're expecting something delightful!

My ex-husband.

May he experience the exact sort of pain and frustration he's caused me for most of the time I've been unlucky enough to know him.

the words "controlling" and "MFKER" were surely invented with him in mind.


I am trying to control my feelings, but he really just......errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!!!!!!!!!

Bri, sorry to hear that . . . we really need to swap stories sometime.

I hope the economy picks up. I know it will but I hope it is sooner rather than later. After reading that 'depressing' thread about Santa my heart is racing as I sit here.....day after day filling out applications...online...why is everything online these days?

At least there is retail if worse comes to worse. It's a piddly job but I know people in HR.

It's a faster way to sort out people that can't use the English language and/or have weird names.;)

The more I change, the more I stay the same. :(

Also a good way to eliminate all the applicants who don't have 100% of the mutually contradictory and/or physically impossible combinations of skills and experience that are required, while providing handy statistics for the HR department to use in documenting the value of the HR department.

"Oh, yes, I see" she replied knowingly and with enthusiasm.

My darling philodendron, Amy, is in the ICU courtesy of Spiderman - who continues, despite warnings, to behave in a reckless and irresponsible manner unbecoming a house-pet. Drat drat drat

:( what happened?

near-continuous jumping, leaping and digging. Spiderman hates philodendrons. And Christmas. And my heirloom amethyst ring, 18K. Dammit!!!

ugghhhh - sorry.

I read a text I shouldn't have.
And it was something that I just didn't need to know, so I'm only hurt because of my own actions.
So it's just what I deserve for being nosey. Which makes it worse.

Not a major upset, just a low nagging upset, like a blister, you know. I'll be over it by tomorrow.:sadpace:

And yet another Christmas looms, with me not sending cards...I think I may have missed the date...I must check.

Sundae, hon, I got your card. I was absolutely lovely. I didn't post about it when i first got it because I was in denial about Christmas at the time (anything happening after my current deadline does not exist) :P

Second class today, first class on Monday Dana - get yer skates on!

Don't worry on my behalf Dana. I never send to receive, and the last thing I'd ever want is a gesture of friendship to make someone feel obligated or guilty in any way. It's enough that it got to you.

I've still got to wrap mine. Going to buy ribbon and glitter spray on Monday - the actual wrapping paper is the tissue paper from J&J's parcel. Spray glitter will make it look more festive. And get on everyone's hands, faces, the carpet, the cats.... Christmas sparkle - lovely!

Heh...what Dana said! I suck at Christmas! :blush:

Well, that's one way to have a white Christmas.

And why it only comes but once a year....

Oh Honey, yours didn't make me feel guilty. I know you know what I'm like on stuff like that lol.

The ones that give me a guilty twinge are the ones that come winging their way over the Pennines from the extended famly. They're all so damn efficient and conscientious. I daresay they don't actually expect one to arrive at their house from me...but I also know they probably think it should hahah. In particular the ones that arrive complete with little photos of the mini-rels and suggestions for a family get together sometime soon. Ffs I can barely get my act together to drag myself onto Facebook and say hi :P

Most of my Christmas guilt is usually centred around whatever study deadline I'm working towards/avoiding working towards/in a complete panic about. I can't deal with Christmassy stuff til that's out the way.

Talking of which: off go I to the Happy Thread :)