Deux MRI

Hello all,

Yes, indeed it has been a long time. I am going to commit to doing more updates going forward. We have just arrived back from our annual Week 17 holiday at Umhlanga Sands. It was an amazing week. I will have more on that later.

Since I last wrote I have had two MRI’s yes count them 2. The initial one was made up of a number of just general mistakes. The reason is obvious, we need an update on the AVM and in addition my right cochlear is not hearing in a normal register and doctors requested more information. Firstly, the night before my MRI I managed to avoid going to sleep till about 12am much to Mom’s joy I am sure… Mom says she packed the ‘hospital’ bag at about 12:30, then went to bed. When we woke up Mom thought Dad had played a trick on her and taken her phone as she had woken up after her alarm should have gone off, then Dad realised we had been burgled.

They came over the roof onto the second floor balcony and walked in the door, took the phone from next to the bed, thank goodness Mom didn’t wake up (Dad now suspects that we were gassed as Mom wakes for anything). They took 2 laptops, all the camera equipment and all Mom’s jewellery.

2 days later our hamster died leading to a further thinking that we were gassed.

We headed off to our MRI, however 3 doses of sedative down I was still fighting and fought till 4pm so we called it off and made plans for a general anaesthetic, the next Monday. I slept 16 hours after the meds finally kicked in.

The next anaesthetic went well and the doctor was very accommodating following Mom explain the PTSD and how to work with me. We were generally left alone and I went under without gas and just being dripped and without tears or screaming I went under well and woke well.

We haven’t heard about the AVM yet, but have heard about the ear. There is physically nothing wrong with the mechanics or nerves of the ear. So why can’t I hear? Well it is baffling, however the ENT has two theories – firstly I had a really bad ear infection, and apparently this can stun the cochlear resulting in very sudden hearing loss. Hearing returns at some later stage just as suddenly. Secondly, the nerve damage is closer to where my brain surgeries were conducted and cannot be detected via the MRI owing to the artefacts in my brain distorting the resonance. Further tests are going to be conducted on Monday afternoon. I’m not thrilled.

I need to note that my Mom teacher has been relentless and I only got two weeks holiday. However I have had a few playdates and we’ve been socialising a little more lately. It’s been fun. I have been coming up with amazing remarks about school subjects and my vocabulary is becoming really good. Even Mom is surprised, and that takes a lot. I have started Grade 3 maths, yes my mother is pushing the envelope. I am soon to be registered for home-schooling with the department of education.

Also my speech and Occupational therapy is going well. My therapists are happy with me. I still have bad day or even weeks but we work around them and get things done. Mom thinks my short term memory is improving but again some days are better than others.

We had a lovely visit with Michelle and the girls and I was lucky to see Elmien my Speech Therapist who was also there. Dad played a trick on me and told me I was there for a lesson but I took it too seriously and kept asking when my lesson was. I had my lesson the next day. It was a very cool day despite the trick.

Moving onto the holiday we had. The beach was awesome as always and I was just in love with the sea. We were there for exactly 1 hour and I had been tumbled and hit my head but I went straight back in. We went into the sea on a launch boat, and I swam in the middle of the ocean with Dad.

We went to uShaka Marine World to see the dolphins and loved their new show, we haven’t been there in a few years. We had an awesome night walk, two braais and lots of curry nights. We also visited my Granny’s friends for a meal.

As soon as we get more info on my AVM we will let you guys know. We are back to school tomorrow. Speak soon.

Love Jarrod

Photo 1 Me and Mom

Photo 2 Passed out kitties

Photo 3 Just Jay-Bee

Photo 4 MRI Attempt 1 – Unsuccessful

 

Photo 5 Dad built a model car!

Photo 6 Found a locust

Photo 7 MRI Attempt 2

Photo 8 Trying to stay brave while being dripped

Photo 9 Success

Photo 10 Waiting to go home

Photo 11 Finally able to eat again

Photo 12 A bath to feel good is a bath, even if it’s in hospital

Photo 13 The Piazza kids

Photo 14 Dad and I building a puzzle

Photo 15 Day Two – finishing the puzzle

Photo 16 Still swimming

Photo 17 I just wrote Zootopia on my own!

Photo 18 Carrying luggage for our holiday

Photo 19 Seven hours later on the beach!

Photo 20 Sunrise

Photo 21 Dad and Matt

Photo 22 Chilling Poolside

Matt decreed that we needed to take LOTS of selfies!

Photo 23 Mom and Dad at Coco’s

We went out to sea on a launch!

Photo 24 I swam about 5km out to sea!

Photo 25 Dad trying to spot dolphins

Photo 26 Loving it!

Photo 27 Very casual and comfy!

Photo 28 Dad swimming in the big blue sea!

Photo 29 Chilled

Photo 30 Smiles all the way…

Photo 31 Dad doing more swimming

Photo 32 The team!

Photo 33 We found a ship! Surprise

Photo 34 Got up close…

Photo 35 Dad checking out the horizon upsidedown!

Photo 36 Last dip…

Photo 37 Inside the aquarium!

Photo 38 Checking out the turtles

Photo 39 Gracie loving the aquarium

Photo 40 Hello

Photo 41 Finding Nemo….

Photo 42 Fishies……

Photo 43 Dolphins!

Photo 44 Hello everyone!

Photo 45 Jumper

Photo 46 Good old Gambit!

Photo 47 Mantra rays

Photo 48 Come back! (BTW that envelope is a pic of me and Grace that I will never let go!)

Photo 49 Dad!

Photo 50 Me, Mickey and Matt

Photo 51 Beautiful siblings!

Photo 52 Mom and Gracie

Photo 53 The grannies

Photo 54 The Mommies!

Photo 55 Dad helping Mom with some kite flying

Photo 56 Looking great

Photo 57 Checking out the ships

Photo 58 No, it’s not beer

Photo 59 Skabenga at The Oyster Box

Photo 60 Getting ready for a night walk with Aaron and Mikey

Photo 61 Found some good light for our night walk

Photo 62 I got the staff to push us around on the trolley!

Photo 63 The boyz

Photo 64 Gracie, storming around reception, exactly like me at that age. Oh to be young again!

Photo 65 Dad and Matt hatching a plan!

Photo 66 Chilling

Photo 67 Pool days

Photo 68 Water battles

Photo 69 Dad prepping Mom’s kite

Photo 70 Lift-off

Photo 71 Cooling off

Photo 72 Good times

Photo 73 Mikey flying his plane

Photo 74 Time to say goodbye

Photo 75 I need to see this!

Photo 76 Can’t wait for this!

Photo 77 Last pre-back to reality ice cream