More Surgery for Dylan

If you scroll down to the previous post and look at the picture of Dylan, you will notice that he has a large adam's apple.  Or that's what we figured it was.  Thought it a bit strange that someone so young would have such a pronounced one (or one that showed up at all, even), but I never would remember to ask the doctor about it.  Well, until yesterday, that is.

I took Dylan to the doctor yesterday and while there happened to mention the adam's apple to the nurse.  She looked at it (have I mentioned that I really like this nurse?  Almost like her better than the doctor) and kind of frowned after she felt it.  She said she was going to go get the doctor to come in and look at it.  At which point I knew it wasn't just a large adam's apple.  When the doctor came in, he took one look at it and said that it was a thyroglossal cyst and needs to be removed.  Which means that Dylan gets to have another surgery.  Well, after we meet with the pediatric otolaryngologist.

If you google "thyroglossal cyst," one result that pulls up is a video on youtube of the surgery to remove the cyst.  I can't bring myself to watch it at this point.  I have watched the video there of open heart surgery to repair truncus arteriosus, but not until at least 3 years after Dylan had his.  Another result was for a website explaining things about it.  According to that website (which I would post a link to but I can't remember which it was), it can be a congenital defect that may not be seen until later.  Also if it's large, it can cause breathing problems.  Large was considered anything bigger than 1/2 inch.  Without measuring, I would say Dylan's is bigger than that.  But he has no breathing issues.

I take Dylan to the otolaryngologist near the end of next week.  I will try to remember to update when I know more.  I just feel bad for him that he will need more surgery.  He was afraid all last night that I would take it out while he was asleep.  He kept saying he likes it there.

First Day of School and Molly's Birthday

This year school started the same day as Molly's birthday. Molly was thrilled. Really, she was. She loves school and was excited to think about starting again on her birthday.  We had cake for her birthday the day before with Russ' family since we were all together for Labor Day.  She wanted a Doctor Who cake.  She did get one.  Wasn't a great one, but she got one.  Several things kept going wrong in attempting to make her cake, so it ended up being a picture of the TARDIS on her cake.  With the extra cake from the previous 3 attempts at making cake (like I said, several things went wrong), I made cake balls shaped like Daleks.  Had I had more time, they would have looked better.  They tasted pretty good though.  At any rate, I'm not posting pictures.  Just don't feel like it.  Molly was happy with her cake, at least.  The day after her birthday we let Molly take one friend and went to the dollar theater and saw Madagascar 3.  It also happened to be the day the city does a car show and free ice cream cones so we went a little early and got ice cream.  Everyone had fun and we thought the movie was cute.

Anyway, back to the first day of school.  Jimmy started the 8th grade.  He's nearly as tall as I am (which isn't saying much), but I'm sure he will easily pass me up before the year's end.   Someone had taken my camera and changed the settings on it, so his picture here isn't great.  He wouldn't really let me take one once I fixed the settings.

Emma started 5th grade.  That one is almost harder for me to believe than Jimmy's being in the 8th grade.  She did tell me just the other day that she actually reads on a 7th grade level.

Molly started the 3rd grade.  This is the first year she doesn't have her cousin in the same class with her, so she was a bit nervous but so far loves it.  She brought home a paper today requesting permission to take part of an SEM study because she has shown creativity, ability, etc.  She will meet with a small group weekly.  In the group, they will be creating their own countries.  She's excited about it.

Alyssa started the 2nd grade.  She was a little sad to find out that a friend of hers wasn't in the same class, but seems to be doing well so far. She is actually the easiest to get to do homework.  I think she likes knowing it's done and she doesn't have to worry about it.

Dylan started preschool two days after the others started back to school.  He loved it.  He was a little nervous about going but had a good time. Helps that he knows a couple of boys in his class.  Rachel seems to miss him the most.  They are very cute together.  Rachel will give Dylan hugs and kisses if he's sad and he does the same if she's sad.