Dolls

Yeah, I guess I keep running away from that hill!


I hope you guys don't have anything unexpected either. From Eric's trip to the ER and our chimney right on to Justin's hand it's been one surprise after the other

Hope everything goes well today and you feel good about it.

I have an appointment at the credit union, then will be off shopping getting a few things for my out of town company that is coming, then will be home by 8:00 tonight to watch Project Runway. I will check in later tonight to see how things went.

Have a great day!

No, it didn't go so good They think there is more to it than just Ulnar nerve entrapment. I will put the info in Chit Chat.

Wow, I bet you are kind of in shock-I know I am. That is not sounding good. I can't imagine what is going through your mind right now, but it was good of the doctor to wait until Justin is seen by a Neurologist to know for sure what is going on.

Your motherly instinct was right on target to get him in ASAP. Sometimes women's intuition is so freaky....

How are you doing my laydee? And how is Justin doing?
((((major power hug))))

We are doing OK. Justin is spending the night at his best friend's house.

I have been reading tons of stuff and I am still hopeful that it will work out OK. It can be a case of the way Justin always sits with his elbow (where the nerve is trapped) on the arm of his chair (and has forever) and the armrest of the car door. It could be that they just need to fix that. I am not going to panic unless the EMG shows reason too. I read too much tonight that is optimistic. With EMGs they also look for ALS and MS, but Justin has no symptoms of those diseases.

The ortho wrote on the paper he gave me that they are still looking at it as Cubital Tunnel Syndrome and that is what he wants the EMG to focus on. I have a feeling this test is as much about ruling things out as finding things out. They did the same with Rob and determined he just gets the drop foot because of the way he crosses his legs at his desk and while working on certain jobs. He has had it 3 times and it always went away on it's own. He had an MRI and other tests done and nothing else showed up so they just said he had some form of neuropathy, told him not to cross his legs or sit Indian style on the floor and do some therapy.

I read all about the two different types of surgery to fix the nerve. One is pretty simple and can be done with a local and sometimes in the doctor's office! The other they create a new tunnel for the nerve. They put you under for that one, but both are done as out-patient procedures! So that is not too scary.

Anyway, the doctor had me pretty scared at first, but the more I read I see there are several non-serious reasons for the test and the condition so I will focus on that right now. He used the word "serious" a few times because he is concerned about the amount of atrophy that Justin has already. I think that is why he is concerned to get this all done quickly before he loses more muscle. He did say at this point that can still be corrected. It will take a lot of hand exercises and therapy.

Well, it is after midnight and I need to hit the hay!

Talk to you tomorrow! Thanks for the power hugs! I need them!!

Quote :

Anyway, the doctor had me pretty scared at first, but the more I read I see there are several non-serious reasons for the test and the condition so I will focus on that right now. He used the word "serious" a few times because he is concerned about the amount of atrophy that Justin has already. I think that is why he is concerned to get this all done quickly before he loses more muscle. He did say at this point that can stil
l be corrected. It will take a lot of hand exercises and therapy.

I am so impressed with the research you have done! Knowledge is power!

Love you! I think you are approaching this in such a healthy way...
Gotta run to work now! I have an early day!

My company will be arriving tomorrow afternoon, so I will not be around much this weekend. I will be checking in again tonight though!
TTYL!

Thanks! I love you too!

Yes, knowledge is power! But I also needed to reassure myself that it is not necessarily something real serious. The doctor using the word "serious" 3 times did freak the hell out of me, but I need to stay focused on being positive both for me and Justin.

I will miss you this weekend but we are going to be going out to dinner at the golf course Saturday to celebrate both my Mom's and MIL's birthday. It's expensive there but we love it and Rob said "screw it! We need this!" So I am so looking forward to that nice little break from everything. It's a wonderful place in a gorgeous setting with outstanding food! Eric will be working but maybe Justin will come with us. He also loves it there, but my guess is he will be out with friends.

So I'll be out tomorrow and Saturday. Sunday will be cleaning. So all that will keep me busy. I do hope you have an awesome time with your company!

Oh, today is my Dad's birthday! I have put some birthday decorations around his little urn and Justin took some roses to my Mom to put by the large urn! Yes, I am weird!

Have a great day

Luca! The neurologist just called me himself to talk to me and he is squeezing Justin in tomorrow!! We have to be at his office at 1:00 PM!! YAY! This is the neurologist that Eric saw and I loved him then and now he calls me himself and will see Justin ASAP! What a wonderful doctor!

I found a You Tube of the EMG test that Justin is going to have!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0uSpYd_Ics

It does not look too scary at all! I think the needle part will be the worst of it.

I am not sure if he will get the test done tomorrow or if he will just be evaluated and then schedule the test. Considering the test takes from 30 to 60 mins. I do not know how the doc could squeeze the evaluation and test in tomorrow. I would love it if the test was done tomorrow, but I won't get my hopes up.

All the daycare kids were gone by 4:30 so I went to my Mom's and took her grocery shopping since tomorrow we will be at the doc appointment and I don't know what all will be going on. I think after the appointment I will take Justin to lunch and Target to look at an airlift stool he wants for his "newly remodeled room". Better he doesn't build any stools


A girl at PS made this ballerina outfit for her DZ Bunny! How freaking CUTE!!



Her Alice and Rabbit!

That video is cool. That test seems really tolerable and no biggie. How nice that is all he will have to endure now. I am so glad you got in so quickly! That Neurologist does sound awesome and very user friendly! Good luck tomorrow! I will check in tomorrow afternoon before I leave work to see how it went.

I went out for a ride tonight with a friend since I won't be able to ride this weekend. I threw in a quick load of laundry on my way out the door and got home about 8:30-9:00, ate a quick snack, then started dusting and tidying things up so hubby can do the floors, his bathroom, and finish tidying up the guestroom tomorrow when I am at work. I will stop at the store and pick up some fresh salmon to prepare for dinner and our entertaining will begin tomorrow. It is kind of stressfull to have so many projects to finish, but the house is going to sparkle, the yard and property looks better than it has in ages, and I finally got some backyard landscaping and an arbor...overall, the 2 days of putting up with my alcoholic sister-in-law and hillbilly, gambling addicted brother in law will all be worth it. I know i am terrible.

The DZ bunny is super adorable. If I wind up winning anything in the DZ photostory contest, (heck I can dream I guess!) I would like to get one!

Well, have to go collapse now....TTYL!

Ha! You are too funny! Hey, if that's what it takes to get the landscaping done then it IS worth it! Gee, both you are Aerwin are stuck with the "yucky in-law visit" for the weekend! I hope you are able to have a good time even though they sound like the visiting couple from hell! You sound just like me with all the extensive cleaning when there is company coming or a party planned! Parties always get our butts in gear!

Glad you got in a ride before the weekend!

Oh, that would be so very exciting if you won a Bunny! You know I am wishing you ALL the luck in the WORLD to win something!

Yes, I was so excited to find that You Tube! It put my mind at ease that it will not be too uncomfortable. I just wish I knew if he was having it today or if we will have to schedule it. I would so love to have it done today and have some answer really soon. Yes, our family doctor recommended two wonderful specialists for the boys! I thought the orthopedic hand specialist was fantastic! He was so sweet and took such time with us since we were a "squeeze in". I love that he wanted to get to the real cause of the nerve entrapment instead of just treating the entrapment.

I probably will not be back on-line until late this after noon or sometime in the evening. Have a great day and talk to you later!

Quote :

overall, the 2 days of putting up with my alcoholic sister-in-law and hillbilly, gambling addicted brother in law will all be worth it. I know i am terrible.

HEH , that's funny. I have to put up with my misgynostic, homophobic ,loudmouth , carnivore BIL FOR FOUR DAYS!!!

Hey we just ripped paneling off the wall downstairs to get back down to plaster walls and there it sits. I can't do anything about it looks terrible. But my husband has worked 900 hours this week and had to go with me to my Dr's appts AND the air conditioner downstairs went out and we had to get a new compresser. SHEESH! so my house is a mess.

Oh man, I know how you feel Aerwin! I hate when we have a project to do and the room or rooms are a total mess! Makes me crazy! It will be worth when you guys are all done though! Sorry to hear you hubby is working such crazy hours

FOUR DAYS???!!!

Hi!

Hope you are having a nice evening with your house guests.

I put all the info about Justin in chitchat.

It was not a great day for him The tests took 2 hours because the doc wanted to check more things. The EMG was rather painful because he had to make the shocks stronger due to Justin's atrophy. We didn't expect the muscle test with the needles.

I took him to dinner at Applesbees so we could talk about everything. If you had told me two weeks ago that we would be talking about this I wouldn't have believed you. It was two weeks ago today he got his bass It was a happy day.

Gotta to go read some more info on HNPP.

Talk to you later~

This is the November Pullip. Here name is Marianne and I seriously want her! I love her from head to toe!

Oh she is cute. She looks like Marie antoinette! I miss y'all putting up doll pics. I know you are busy though. Remember when you had all those elf names? where did you get those? I am babysitting my friends 2 weeks old puppies and I want to give them some elf and fairy names.

Yes, I believe that is what they were going for when they designed her. Even with her name "Marianne". She is just way too cute!

Yes, I know. We need to get more doll pix here! I've just had so much other stuff going on lately.

Elf Names

Have fun with the puppies!!

I'm back! My company left this morning, and we actually had a pretty nice visit. The time went really quickly. Is your company gone too Aerwin?

Wow, that November Pullip is really lovely

Hopefully, I will have time to get back to doll photos again soon. I seriously need to work on my contest photostory and will need your feeback FC and Aerwin to help with the story part. The photos and putting them together is really time consuming so the story writing effort will have to take a back seat.

Hope you and Justin are holding up ok FC...it is good to know that your 87 year old mother in law is just now having really serious problems and led a full life with this disorder. Hopefully Justin will not have serious problems while he is young like Rob and your MIL.

TTYL!

Good luck on the story and photos! Can't wait to see them.

I'm glad you had a nice visit with your relatives!

What worries me is that MIL had no symptoms until her 80s and Rob none until his 50s. Justin already has them at 17. I am starting to think Eric may have it and that is why his limbs bother him at night and he has trouble sleeping. I am so worried about them and what issues they will face down the road.

You are the most wonderful, caring mom to your boys, I totally understand your concern for your babies. I would hope that maybe with an early diagnosis and awareness of the problem that they will also be able to delay problems until much later in their lives. Have you found anything specifically about cases that are diagnosed in late teens like Justin's? Is it rare for it to show up this early?

Anyway after being off the doll site for a few days, of course I find something I cannot live without...please stop me!

As you know I have been seriously wanting a DES head...
Check out this lovely from France!

Oh my goodness what a beauty!!

Do you have a body for the head you got a while back? Did I miss that? I cannot remember.

I do not know when I will get my next doll. So many medical bills coming up now. Adding to my doll family is probably going to be on the back burner for awhile. I will just have to make the most of the beauties I already have!

That November Pullip has a pre-sale price of $128 Not paying that for a Pullip

The age for symptoms of HNPP showing up is all over the map. Some as young as 12 other not until middle age. I am sad that it is going to effect Justin's young life (and possibly Eric's if that is what is happening to him) but I do hope with knowledge we can hold off the more debilitating issues for as long as possible.

I read that something that helps are those memory foam pads for the bed to ease pressure on the nerves. So last night after we got back from dinner my Mom and I went to Walmart and got Justin a nice thick one and put it on his bed last night. Also one of those foam contour pillows that help with spinal alignment while sleeping. Got one for me too since I tend to wake up with back pain.

Also we can get him elbow pads for sleeping. There are wrist braces and ankle braces for support for people with certain jobs are hobbies that could cause issues. Those small things are all you can really do. No cure, no medicine, no treatment. Just trying to always protect your nerves.

Yes, perhaps if we are lucky and try to follow all advise then maybe Justin (or both of them) won't end up with any complete and permanent numbness or weakness like Rob and MIL.

Last night Justin couldn't open a jar because he cannot grip with the left hand. I am anxious to get that MRI done and see if he will need the surgery.

I still don't have the body yet, but the orders are starting to arrive from the group order that I went in on, so I bet I will have it by the end of the month. If I get that DES head I could share that body with the other head I have...for $105 dollars with that beautiful face-up...I really don't think I can pass it up. The gal that did the face-up is from France though, so shipping could kill the deal. Blank DES heads are going for 80.00 + shipping, so I would gladly pay 25.00 for the face-up and lashes (Eyes don't come with it ) if the shipping is not too bad. Hubby and I do a nice job with the face-ups, but i don't think we could do one quite that nice yet... She would really fit in nicely with the rest of my wood elf clan I think! After that...no more doll stuff for a while!

128.00 for the Pullip seems about right for how elaborate the outfit and everything is. A basic one was going for in the 80's a while ago... I really have no desire to buy more pullips. I still like looking at the ones I have, but know I will not buy any more. In fact, part of me would like to sell them, but I hate to give them away for 60.00 or less and that is what I would probably be looking at.

Back to the HNPP...So the progression of the disease is caused by further injuries from not being really carefull with what activities you do? What limitations would that entail for the boys? That is good you got some memory foam pads, i bet they help with comfort too. Yes, I bet you are anxious to get the MRI done to know what lies ahead as far as surgery or not. When will that happen?

I am waiting to hear from the orthopedic about the MRI. The neurologist had sent a page to him on Friday as we were leaving his office to see if the ortho wanted the MRI done now that the neuro did the EMG and muscle tests. He was leaving it up to the ortho as to whether the MRI should be done. My guess is he will say yes. It is the best way to know just how entrapped the Ulnar nerve is. I would be very surprised if the ortho would say no to it.

OK, limitations would be things like being very careful with your wrists, elbows, knees and ankles. Being careful what you sit on, how you sit (no crossing legs or Indian style), changing position in the chair often, no resting elbows on arms of chairs or floor. Being careful how you get out of bed so as not to put pressure on wrists or elbows. Switching hands frequently while on the phone. No job or activity requiring repeated bending of the elbow or heavy lifting. Wearing wrist braces for a job or activities were their is extensive use of the hands (say typing all day causing repeated carpel tunnel syndrome - a common issue with HNPP) etc. These are just the things I have found out while reading many sites.

I am going to get Eric one of those foam pads too. He got a very expensive mattress about a year ago that is quite firm. Now I am wondering if that is causing his issues. I will be sure and get back to Walmart in the next few days and get one for him and see if that helps at all.

I can see where Marianne would be more costly of a Pullip, just wouldn't want to spend that much on her. If I could sell some things to cover her I might consider her. She is lovely. I think she would fit great with my office decor!

If you can swing a deal on the head then go for it! What fun you will soon have when you have a body with many heads!

The limitations don't sound too bad- I guess. Justin could keep his current job could'nt he? Has he been able to go back to work?

Yes, I agree that Pullip would be perfect in your office! I bet they make a boy to go with her....

I PM'ed the gal from France with the head...no word back yet. I really must have her...she has the sweetest face. I really should'nt do it, but I will regret passing this one up I think. I am going to try to talk her into selling it with the eyes if I can-they are so perfect for her.

Well, I was so exhausted after my company left, I actually took about an hour nap on the couch. I never do that! All that entertaining, cooking, and talking, really wore me out...not to mention the non-stop cleaning and grocery shopping that went on right up until they arrived!

TTY manana!

Well, those limitations are just all you can really do to try to protect the nerves. You can still have pain and other issues. I am really starting to feel that this is Eric's problem also. I know when I mentioned it to the neuro he didn't think so, but after reading that girl's story of aches and soreness at bedtime and not being able to sleep as a teen and testing negative for all those other things - well, it sounds like Eric to me.

Justin was not supposed to go back to work yet, but he did last night. He told his boss he is not allowed to lift heavy boxes. That really isn't part of his job anyway. He is a "facer" where he is to keep all the shelves that "face" the end isles neat, but a lot of times they ask him to help the stock boys in between facing. Now he can't do that. He has decided to look for another job now anyway.

Well, I would only get Marianne if I sold Ala. I haven't bonded with her in any way, shape or form anyway. She is sold out and Scot was asking $98 plus shipping for her before she sold out. Still, I wouldn't get enough for her. Not sure what else I could sell with her to get enough though.

Glad you got to nap!

I hope you get the head and the eyes!

Have a great day!