Reflections of a Year: 2019

Skimming through my posts from 2019, I realized it was a lot more eventful than I thought. No wonder I’m exhausted every single day!

Exactly one year ago, I was reminiscing about 2018, which was an awful year. Awful may actually be too nice. We lost several family members in 2018, and we continued to get more and more confused about Greyson’s behaviors/meds/condition/treatment.

When we started 2019, Greyson was refusing clothing and eating his own feces. We also began 2019 with absolutely zero visible seizures. Hard to believe that G only began having Grand-mal seizures in May of this year, it definitely feels a lot longer.

Along with the first grand-mal seizure, we had lots of “firsts” in 2019: first dentist appointment, first family vacation since being diagnosed, first day of preschool, first ER trip, first extended EEG and first set of stitches. Despite the chaotic day-to-day events in 2019, I am so relieved that we didn’t have a repeat of 2018.

We also learned a lot about Greyson’s condition over this past year. Along with the diagnosis of Autism, G has several different co-morbid conditions that seem to all be impacting his every day life, including Periventricular Leukomalacia (white matter brain disease caused by brain damage at birth) and the genetic mutation of the STAMBP gene. We still have a far way to go, but we have finally settled on the idea that Derek and I may never know what truly is going on with Greyson and what the future holds.

Since my last post, Greyson has begun new medicine for his (possible) Electrical Status Epilepticus in Sleep (ESES) diagnosis. We are currently on a trial medication named Onfi for this particular condition, which is essentially when an individual has continuous spiked waves in the brain while they are sleeping. The plan for this medicine is to continue the Onfi and the Vimpat (his daily anti-convulsion med). We will have another 48-hour EEG in February, this time with admission into CHOP’s pediatric neurology program in Philadelphia. We are also waiting for more diagnostic testing of G’s DNA/Genetic Samples. With the development in science and research on genetic conditions, we are hopeful that someday we will have more answers about the STAMBP gene and Mic-Cap Syndrome.

Roslynn had a tough second half to the year, with a lot of G’s aggression being taken out on her. Luckily, she has been playing and interacting much better with Greyson over the past two months, and I am definitely seeing more reciprocal play between them. She is enjoying her weekly dance class, preschool, playing with her cousins and walking my parent’s puppy, Charlie. She is set to begin kindergarten next year and though I am not ready for that, she certainly is. She loves to learn and has a fun, sweet and gentle personality and is the best behaved 4-year-old I know.

Derek has been extremely busy with his (not so) new job at T.W. Ponessa & Associates. He has been busy seeing clients, completing Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs), making data charts, token systems and most importantly, enjoying having a job that he loves to wake up and go to. I am so proud of him and his accomplishments and look forward to what 2020 has in store for him.

Last but not least, I have been keeping myself busy with the typical: working full-time, managing two children and one grown man’s schedules and appointments and keeping my sanity (or the best I can fake it!). I am going into my 8th year at CADD and loving my new desk/tasks that the end of 2019 has brought my way. I’m looking forward to 2020 and the possible professional and personal endeavors that may come my way.

I always joke that once you hit 25, New Year’s Eve doesn’t matter anymore. I’m honestly impressed that I have enough energy to type this and that I’m not zonked on the couch right now. Kids should be in bed soon and I will be ringing 2020 with Derek, most likely by both of us passing out (from exhaustion) by 10 PM. I am more than okay with a quiet end to 2019 and hope that 2020 will bring peace, comfort and happiness to our family and all our friends, family, supporters, coworkers and all who support us on a daily basis.

Saying goodbye to 2019 by posting some of my favorite photos and cheers to 2020 with sparkling apple juice!