Emma goes Cottaging

Over the labour day weekend we visited friends at their cottage and went for a swim. Emma wasn't quite sure what to make of the lifejacket, cool lake water, and bright sunlight at first, but she got used to it.

Not a Happy Camper (a.k.a. You Can't Make Me - Part II)

Emma had another barium swallow study at CHEO today. As I've mentioned before Emma has a paralyzed vocal cord (related to the PDA ligation she had when she was 2 weeks old). One of the potential problems of vocal cord paralysis is that Emma may inhale liquid into her lungs when she swallows. So far, we've been adding a thickener to everything Emma drinks to make it easier for her to swallow and reduce the risk of aspiration. It's possible that as Emma gets older, she will outgrow the problem, so today's study was scheduled to assess her aspiration risk using thin (unthickened) liquids.

As you may recall, Emma's last swallow study did not go so well and I was really hoping for a different outcome at today's test.

Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. Actually, you can go back and read my post from the previous test in March, because we basically had a repeat performance today. Once again, the test was unexpectedly delayed for an hour and Emma (who had not been allowed to eat prior to the test) was HUNGRY! and not a happy camper. Just like the last time, Emma refused to take more than a tiny sip of the barium solution. As before, we all ended up covered in the stuff as we tried to coax her to take in a bit more. Not only did Emma have it from head to toe (everywhere but her mouth!), but she managed to get the radiology technician, occupational therapist, and mom splattered with the barium too. And let's just say that the floor in Radiology Room 3 at CHEO is going to need a heavy duty scrubbing tonight :)

Like last time, because very little of the barium actually got into her mouth (much less her throat), the radiologist wasn't able to see if she was aspirating. We have another appointment with Emma's E.N.T. specialist to discuss the situation in a few weeks, but I expect we'll just continue to thicken her feeds until next spring. I do NOT want to put Emma through another swallow study ordeal again any time soon ... thank goodness she didn't seem at all traumatized afterwards and was her happy, giggling self within minutes of the test.

Emma has another appointment at CHEO next week for a hearing study. Let's hope that test goes more smoothly!

Sisters

The girls have been inseparable this summer, spending nearly all of their waking hours side by side:




While there have been more than a few squabbles, tears, and high-pitched screaming, Emma and Big Sister can most often be found giggling together and enjoying each other's company:








Michaela can be infinitely patient with Emma and takes her role of Big Sister very seriously. Here she is encouraging Emma to come down the 'big slide'







Sadly, summer is coming to an end and the girls' time together is now going to be much more limited.

Big Sister entered the Big Girl World of Senior Kindergarten this week:



and in preparation of my upcoming return to work, Emma is spending her first couple of half-days with our new nanny.



{sigh} my babies are growing up, and I'm not sure I like it all that much...