Welllllllll.  Friday Sam had his second botox injections.  He had it done before Christmas, and while his therapists thought they worked pretty well, we didn't think there was all that much to cheer about.  Botox injections paralyze the muscles that are contracting, so we can stretch them and keep them from "freezing" - basically, it just buys us some time and is a temporary solution to another dirty trick that a brain injury plays.

 

He got about 11 shots, I think (I lost count) in his shoulders, elbows, and one calf to loosen his heel cord.  When the doctor puts in the needle with the botox, the nurse then has to wiggle the joint.  It takes a little while.  The doctor's listening to a speaker to find exactly where to put the medicine - it's pretty fascinating, I guess, if you can get past the fact that your baby is lying there screaming in pain.  And I can't get past that.    The whole thing probably only lasted 5-10 minutes, but of course it was horrible. 

 

And then last night he had a horrible night, and I'm not sure why.  He was setting off the heart rate setting of the monitor, and that's pretty weird.  I don't know if it just felt odd to him or if he was in pain or what.  It's always possible the machine just wasn't working right.  But I know I didn't sleep at all. 

 

Today I just held him.  Late afternoon he seemed to feel lousy again; don't know why.  Hopefully tonight's a better night.

Yesterday in physical therapy, Sam sat up on his own, head up and everything for about 90 seconds!  That's a new world record.  (I think we can make up our own world records if we want to.)  I missed it, of course - I was out buying birthday party stuff.  But he did it.  I've been working with him a lot on his head control and he's been doing great.  I lay him on top of me and he raises his head over and over.  There's been a big difference in him lately.  He used to be very angry about working so hard (man, it's hard for him, and it's so hard to watch) but now he's mainly just determined.  It's still a very serious look on his face, but he's not as angry when he's working.  It's a clear difference.  Sometimes he's still mad as can be. 

 

Ben is still set on Sam getting up and throwing off all his medical stuff on his birthday.  He doesn't know how many times I've run through that scene in my head. 

 

I've been hearing a lot more about ABR therapy lately.  That's the place we're supposed to go to in Montreal in the fall.  It sounds like it could really buy us some time for Sam and get his body structure functioning properly.  Crazy the things we have to worry about.