Mommy and Me- PKU days
I have 3 very individual and wonderful children. I truly
enjoy spending time with each one of them. They are funny and intellectual. We
have fun as a group, and I really enjoy spending time with each one of them one
on one. With crazy schedules and them
getting older, this is becoming harder and harder. But since Keenan has been 2
weeks old, we have had PKU days. Where we go to PKU clinic, this is just where
we visit the doctor, they take his blood, monitor his developmental progress,
head growth (to make sure his brain is growing) and we discuss diet issues.
When he was 2 weeks old we went to clinic the 1st
time. We then began going once a week until he was 2. Then we went to every
other week, till 3 then once a month till 4. When we moved to Louisiana, they
only wanted him to come every 6 months. We thought this was crazy, but it was
an hour drive vs. the 30 min drive when we lived in Oklahoma so we agreed and
just mailed to blood Tulsa. Then when we
moved here to North Carolina, they only needed to see him every 6 months
because he was 7 and with this move, it was a 3 hour drive to clinic. On 80% of
these visits it has been just me and Keenan. So we get to have got to have some
really great Mommy and me days.
Of course when he was little he doesn't remember much about
them. I do, we would giggle and play with chalk board in Dr. Coldwell’s office.
We would draw his letters on the board when he got older and he would guess
them. There were a few times I took a picnic lunch so we could play at the park
afterward and eat at the park. When we moved to LA, and had to drive so far, we
would pack movies for him to watch in the car on the way there and back. Where
we had to see the Dr. was at the state hospital, it was dirty and awful. I was
always scared to let him touch any of the toys or books. So I kept him in my
lap and we would just play on my phone or just talk.
The North Carolina visits have been the most fun so far, he
is older and the hospital we go to is HUGE and has several cool areas. He and I
wait for the doctor and have fun and intelligent conversations. We laugh and
act silly. Today was the most fun. We spent the wait time laughing about silly
stuff and then talked to the dietitian. This part is always a little tough for
him. He doesn't like to spend to much time talking about his diet. Then we
talked to Dr. Mugay. She is a very cool doctor.
I had drawn a smiley face on Keenan’s belly. She thought that was pretty
funny. Then we went to the hospital cafeteria. Keenan likes to eat there, cause
there are so many choices. They have some really cool cause and effect ball sculptures
there. We love to watch them for a while. Then looked at the doll houses, then
played on the escalators. Then we bought some Starbucks coffee, Keenan’s 1st Starbucks ever. Then we hit the road. Half way between the hospital and our
house is a super fun trampoline park in Winston-Salem, and so we made an hour
long pit stop to jump for an hour. It was great fun! I love spending time with
my little man. We have laughed all day!! 
I know that I only have a few more years of pku days ahead
of us. As he gets older he may take himself at some point or heaven forbid,
want to take a girlfriend with him instead of his MOTHER!! So I do my best to
cherish each and every day that we have just me and him. He is a wonderful boy
and I know he will grow up to be an amazing man. And I am so glad God put him
in my life.
