Andy was recently notified that he was selected to attend an in-residence professional military school. He'll be attending the Army's Command and General Staff College for a year starting in July '09. The school is located at Ft. Leavenworth in Kansas so we'll all move there in June '09.
Andy was initially hoping to go to the Navy school in Rhode Island and we were excited about the possibility of being on the East coast. However, the Navy cut the number of slots available to the Air Force, so instead, Andy received his second choice, the Army school. This is still an amazing accomplishment seeing that only about 10% of Air Force officers are selected to attend an in-residence school in the first place. Of that 10%, only 5% are selected to a joint school, like the Army school.
We were "Kansans" at our last assignment in Wichita and have some great friends still there. Ft. Leavenworth is located about 30 minutes from Kansas City in a beautiful hilly part of the state. It may only be for a year but we still look forward to seeing old friends in Wichita and exploring Kansas City. As always, you are welcome to visit us wherever the military decides to take us!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Reserve Inspection & Nanna/Bampa Visit
Within a few days of getting back from Cincinnati, I had to work 9 out of 11 days at my Reserve unit. When I first joined the Reserves two years ago, I was named the project officer for a major inspection that our unit hadn't gone through in 20 years. This past weekend (Oct 18/19), it was finally time for the inspectors to grade our unit. Thanks to some really talented and hard working people, our unit not only passed the inspection but got a 95% Outstanding Rating. We were ecstatic!
After struggling to maintain my Reserve status these past two years with Bryce's health issues, it was especially gratifying to be there when the unit received the great rating. I am so thankful to my commander for letting me take a leave a absence during Bryce's first year and to TSgt Christina Reyna who left her three children at home many nights and weekends preparing for the inspection. Of course, I never could have done it without my own family support. I am so thankful to Andy for single parenting it on the weekends, my godparents help/encouragement and Andy's parents visits.
In fact, it was Andy's parents who came to San Antonio for a week to care for Bryce while I worked the crazy hours leading up to the inspection. Thankfully, I think they truly enjoyed being with Bryce for a week and I know Bryce loved it (Brody too!). Below are some pictures from their trip here.
The first two pictures are from a corn maze that Andy and his parents went to. Bryce LOVED being able to touch and play with the gears of the tractor.
Bampa feeding the goats with Bryce.
Bryce continues to like sports. With Nanna and Bampa here, he loved playing baseball with a team. This time, before he would bat, he always got Bampa's hat. It was hilarious and adorable.
Here is Nanna with Bryce at the Zoo. He enjoyed running up and down a small creek, getting wet.
After struggling to maintain my Reserve status these past two years with Bryce's health issues, it was especially gratifying to be there when the unit received the great rating. I am so thankful to my commander for letting me take a leave a absence during Bryce's first year and to TSgt Christina Reyna who left her three children at home many nights and weekends preparing for the inspection. Of course, I never could have done it without my own family support. I am so thankful to Andy for single parenting it on the weekends, my godparents help/encouragement and Andy's parents visits.
In fact, it was Andy's parents who came to San Antonio for a week to care for Bryce while I worked the crazy hours leading up to the inspection. Thankfully, I think they truly enjoyed being with Bryce for a week and I know Bryce loved it (Brody too!). Below are some pictures from their trip here.
The first two pictures are from a corn maze that Andy and his parents went to. Bryce LOVED being able to touch and play with the gears of the tractor.
Bampa feeding the goats with Bryce.
Bryce continues to like sports. With Nanna and Bampa here, he loved playing baseball with a team. This time, before he would bat, he always got Bampa's hat. It was hilarious and adorable.
Here is Nanna with Bryce at the Zoo. He enjoyed running up and down a small creek, getting wet.
Like Father, Like Son
As some of you know, Andy likes to play video games. It used to be mostly flying-related games like Microsoft Flight Simulator but he recently got the new Nintendo Wii. I used to think that I might be able to keep Bryce "shielded from the negative influences" of video games but I've finally realized that life father, like son. Bryce loves to pretend he is playing the games with Andy. In this video clip, Andy is playing a children's cow game.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Mimi and Cleveland Visit
After we were in Cincinnati most of the week, we drove up to Mentor to spend the weekend with Andy's family. Originally, we were going for Barbara's 60th birthday party (Andy's mom). However, on Tuesday evening of the week we were in Cinci, Andy's grandmother (Barbara's mom) passed away.
We will miss Mimi. She was a very special woman who loved and cherished all of her family. Andy was so lucky to grow up with Mimi in his life on a daily basis since her house was only a block away. We also feel blessed that Bryce got to know his great-grandmother. The picture below is from Jan 08.
Aunt Becky enjoying some love from Bryce.
Bampa showing Bryce how to keep the train on the track.
Uncle Kevin chillen with Bryce.
Uncle Scott on train duty.
We will miss Mimi. She was a very special woman who loved and cherished all of her family. Andy was so lucky to grow up with Mimi in his life on a daily basis since her house was only a block away. We also feel blessed that Bryce got to know his great-grandmother. The picture below is from Jan 08.
Aunt Becky enjoying some love from Bryce.
Bampa showing Bryce how to keep the train on the track.
Uncle Kevin chillen with Bryce.
Uncle Scott on train duty.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Fun Cinci Pictures
Thankfully, while we were in Cincinnati, it wasn't all medical testing at the hospital. We also got to enjoy time with family and friends. Below are some of the pictures.
I love this picture of Bryce!
My sister Colette with her boyfriend, Simon, and his niece, Harmony. Colette brought Harmony to the hotel twice during our Cinci visit to play with Bryce.
Bryce and Harmony playing together. Harmony is only 3 days younger then Bryce!
Andy taught my dad and his family how to play "crud" at Dave and Buster's. Crud is a boisterous contact game played on a pool table. It is a popular game in the Air Force, especially among pilots. After about 30-minutes of running around the pool table pushing two balls across the table, Dave and Buster's finally broke up the game.
Bryce with my sister, Kylene.
My brother, Rian, Bryce, my dad and Kylene at Dave and Buster's playing a video game.
One of my best friends, Liz, came to the hotel to visit us. Below is a picture with Liz, her husband, Jeff, and 13-month old son, John.
My mom and Bryce at a park in Wilmington, Ohio. They had fun feeding the geese together.
I love this picture of Bryce!
My sister Colette with her boyfriend, Simon, and his niece, Harmony. Colette brought Harmony to the hotel twice during our Cinci visit to play with Bryce.
Bryce and Harmony playing together. Harmony is only 3 days younger then Bryce!
Andy taught my dad and his family how to play "crud" at Dave and Buster's. Crud is a boisterous contact game played on a pool table. It is a popular game in the Air Force, especially among pilots. After about 30-minutes of running around the pool table pushing two balls across the table, Dave and Buster's finally broke up the game.
Bryce with my sister, Kylene.
My brother, Rian, Bryce, my dad and Kylene at Dave and Buster's playing a video game.
One of my best friends, Liz, came to the hotel to visit us. Below is a picture with Liz, her husband, Jeff, and 13-month old son, John.
My mom and Bryce at a park in Wilmington, Ohio. They had fun feeding the geese together.
Cincinnati Medical Pictures
Here are some pictures from the procedures while we were at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. For the most part, Bryce did pretty well in the hospital. Of course, when they would restrain him or do things that hurt, he cried. But Bryce's personality shined through even at the hospital. My favorite was when they would transport Bryce somewhere. He would always sit on my lap and no matter how tired he was or how many things were hooked up to him, he would always wave and smile at the people in the hallway. He also blew kisses to all the women (and a few men). The women just loved it. Many said it made their day and thought Bryce was just the cutest! He's such a flirt and knows how to get attention:)
Here is the picture of Bryce and I in the hospital room. For the two days that we were in the hospital, I was ATTACHED to Bryce on the hospital bed.
Here is a close up of Bryce. You can see the feeding tube down his nose with tape ALL around it because Bryce tried very hard to pull it out. On his left arm is the IV with a board to keep his arm straight and more tape to keep it in place. Since he was so determined to pull at the IV and tube, we even had to put a restraint on his right arm to keep him from pulling at everything!
This is a picture of the patches they put on Bryce's back that he kept on for 48 hours. Each of the 30 circles contain a small amount of food. The edges of the tape are starting to fold up and the purple numbers are to read the rows once the tape is gone.
A very tired Andy.
Here is the picture of Bryce and I in the hospital room. For the two days that we were in the hospital, I was ATTACHED to Bryce on the hospital bed.
Here is a close up of Bryce. You can see the feeding tube down his nose with tape ALL around it because Bryce tried very hard to pull it out. On his left arm is the IV with a board to keep his arm straight and more tape to keep it in place. Since he was so determined to pull at the IV and tube, we even had to put a restraint on his right arm to keep him from pulling at everything!
This is a picture of the patches they put on Bryce's back that he kept on for 48 hours. Each of the 30 circles contain a small amount of food. The edges of the tape are starting to fold up and the purple numbers are to read the rows once the tape is gone.
A very tired Andy.
More Results, More Questions
The Eosinophilic GI doctor from Cinci called yesterday to give us some more test results. First, the disaccharide intolerance test (explained at post below) came back negative. The doctor wants to test Bryce for Celiac Disease just so we can rule it out as a possibility. From Bryce's blood work came a few things that we need to follow-up with his pediatrician. His white blood cell count was somewhat low so we need to get more labs. Also, a liver enzyme named ALT came back a little elevated so we need to repeat this test. The doctor also suggested that Bryce be evaluated for seizures -- just in case that is what is causing his waking.
Although the results sound scary at first, we're really not too worried right now. We'll definitely follow-up on the labs just to rule out anything but we're not going to be real aggressive about the seizure possibility. To be honest, we are a little tired of doctors and putting our baby through so many tests. Once the official results from Cinci get here, we'll consult with Bryce's pediatrician and go from there. Right now, we just want to let Bryce be a kid and start eating food.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Test Results
We met with the doctors on Thursday and Friday to hear most of Bryce's test results. To sum up everything, the test results mostly eliminated things that are currently not affecting Bryce. We do still have some unanswered questions. We went to Cinci for their internationally-known Eosinophilic Center and for the most part, we're able to answer that piece comprehensively.
First, the scopes revealed that Bryce's GI tract looks healthy and eosinophils were NOT found in his stomach, intestines or esophagus. That is the GREAT news. Unfortunately, we don't know if his GI tract is clear because he doesn't have an Eosinophilic Disorder or if it's because he's been on an elemental (hypoallergenic) diet for over a year. So, the next step is to start food trials and hope the eosinophils don't show up on future scopes.
Second, due to the past foods that Bryce has failed, the GI doctor thought Bryce might not be able to digest carbohydrates properly. He tested Bryce for a disaccharide intolerance and we should have those results in about a week. Apparently, this isn't the only test for a carbohydrate malapsorbtion issue so even if this comes back negative it won't mean it's not still an issue for Bryce. The best test will be to start giving him carbohydrates and see how he reacts. If he starts reacting to all carbohydrates, then we'll do further testing.
Third, the impedance probe showed that Bryce does not have reflux; neither acidic or non-acidic reflux. The doctors also reviewed that previous impedance probe results and concurred that reflux was also not present during the April test. Unfortunately, the Eosinophilic GI doctor didn't have the expertise to comment on the previous probe results that said Bryce had perceived pain upon swallowing or the possibility of functional esophagatis.
Finally, the only thing that showed up positive with the allergy testing was corn when we did the patch testing. The allergist said allergy testing is only 50% accurate and the best test is to just see how Bryce reacts when he eats something. The purpose of the allergy testing is a starting place when we do food trials. Needless to say, we'll stay away from corn for a while.
After all of the testing, we met with the dietitian to form a food plan. This was one of our main goals in traveling to Cincinnati and are excited to have a GI doctor and dietitian that will help manage food trials with Bryce. As we have learned over time, we have to be very deliberate and systematic when trying new foods. We also left with a specific checklist of things to look for if he starts failing a food and can consult with Cinci when/if he starts to fail. We'll introduce one new food about every two weeks and we'll keep a food diary to track intake and reactions. We are very excited to start feeding Bryce!!!
Although we knew we wouldn't walk away from Cinci with any miracles, it was a bit frustrating to leave without more answers. However, we do have someone to manage food trials and have the possibility to take away diagnosis over time! If Bryce can tolerate foods, we'll be able to remove an eosinophilic disorder from Bryce's medical records and I think we can now rule out reflux as a current problem. The search continues to find out if Bryce is truly having pain upon swallowing or if he has functional esophagitus. In the mean time, we're going to work with an Occupational Therapist to see if we can't lengthen Bryce's sleeping times.
Thank you ALL for your prayers, thoughts and good wishes as we made the journey to Cinci. We really appreciate our family who helped at the hospital and visited with us throughout the week! It was certainly humbling to be at a children's hospital where there are children much more sick then Bryce. We are thankful that he is growing, developing and happy despite some GI challenges.
First, the scopes revealed that Bryce's GI tract looks healthy and eosinophils were NOT found in his stomach, intestines or esophagus. That is the GREAT news. Unfortunately, we don't know if his GI tract is clear because he doesn't have an Eosinophilic Disorder or if it's because he's been on an elemental (hypoallergenic) diet for over a year. So, the next step is to start food trials and hope the eosinophils don't show up on future scopes.
Second, due to the past foods that Bryce has failed, the GI doctor thought Bryce might not be able to digest carbohydrates properly. He tested Bryce for a disaccharide intolerance and we should have those results in about a week. Apparently, this isn't the only test for a carbohydrate malapsorbtion issue so even if this comes back negative it won't mean it's not still an issue for Bryce. The best test will be to start giving him carbohydrates and see how he reacts. If he starts reacting to all carbohydrates, then we'll do further testing.
Third, the impedance probe showed that Bryce does not have reflux; neither acidic or non-acidic reflux. The doctors also reviewed that previous impedance probe results and concurred that reflux was also not present during the April test. Unfortunately, the Eosinophilic GI doctor didn't have the expertise to comment on the previous probe results that said Bryce had perceived pain upon swallowing or the possibility of functional esophagatis.
Finally, the only thing that showed up positive with the allergy testing was corn when we did the patch testing. The allergist said allergy testing is only 50% accurate and the best test is to just see how Bryce reacts when he eats something. The purpose of the allergy testing is a starting place when we do food trials. Needless to say, we'll stay away from corn for a while.
After all of the testing, we met with the dietitian to form a food plan. This was one of our main goals in traveling to Cincinnati and are excited to have a GI doctor and dietitian that will help manage food trials with Bryce. As we have learned over time, we have to be very deliberate and systematic when trying new foods. We also left with a specific checklist of things to look for if he starts failing a food and can consult with Cinci when/if he starts to fail. We'll introduce one new food about every two weeks and we'll keep a food diary to track intake and reactions. We are very excited to start feeding Bryce!!!
Although we knew we wouldn't walk away from Cinci with any miracles, it was a bit frustrating to leave without more answers. However, we do have someone to manage food trials and have the possibility to take away diagnosis over time! If Bryce can tolerate foods, we'll be able to remove an eosinophilic disorder from Bryce's medical records and I think we can now rule out reflux as a current problem. The search continues to find out if Bryce is truly having pain upon swallowing or if he has functional esophagitus. In the mean time, we're going to work with an Occupational Therapist to see if we can't lengthen Bryce's sleeping times.
Thank you ALL for your prayers, thoughts and good wishes as we made the journey to Cinci. We really appreciate our family who helped at the hospital and visited with us throughout the week! It was certainly humbling to be at a children's hospital where there are children much more sick then Bryce. We are thankful that he is growing, developing and happy despite some GI challenges.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Easier, Fun Day
Since we were discharged from the hospital, things have calmed down and we've all had a chance to have some fun. Wednesday, the only medical-related thing we had to do was an Education and Lab Tour of the Eosinophilic Center. While Andy and I received some really good information and saw their cool research lab, Bryce was with my dad and sister at the Zoo. Bryce had a GREAT time at the zoo with the animals, other kids, a 3-D movie, his aunt and grandpa! That afternoon, he took a 3-hour nap.
Andy and I enjoyed some time without Bryce during the education event. We also got to go out for dinner ALONE both Tuesday and Wednesday evenings thanks to my sisters, Renee and Colette.
Thursday we meet with the doctor to get test results. We're not sure if we'll get all of the results but hopefully we'll start to get some answers (or eliminate possible conditions!).
Andy and I enjoyed some time without Bryce during the education event. We also got to go out for dinner ALONE both Tuesday and Wednesday evenings thanks to my sisters, Renee and Colette.
Thursday we meet with the doctor to get test results. We're not sure if we'll get all of the results but hopefully we'll start to get some answers (or eliminate possible conditions!).
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