Fevers

 Since starting school Benjamin has had two of his fever episodes. These fevers typically last 5 days and at night go up past 105 in spite of using fever reducers around the clock. So, back to the doctor we went and she sent him to infectious diseases to see of they could figure it out. 

I was surprised that he didn't need any blood work. She said that our doctor did great on the blood work. I hadn't realized that she checked for mono, leukemia and other things. Now I know why she was so happy when his book work came out normal. However, we did do blood work when he was in the middle of a fever. In the bloodworm his SED rate was high but returned to normal after the fever left. Based on everything he was diagnosed with PFAPA. Yes, I had to go look it up and honestly I hope that is what he has. There isn't a test for it but on the next onset of a fever he will be given a steroid and it is supposed to stop the fever. If it works then that will be the plan of action. There isn't any way to prevent the fevers and he should outgrow them.

Now we wait for the next fever to see if steroids knock it out. I sure wouldn’t complain if another one never came!

I'm Back

Sorry for disappearing! So much has been going on. I don't even know where to start. 

School has been crazy. I work with kids virtually and in person. All the IEP's are a mess, not much substance to them. Slowly I am redoing all of them. I find that I have a knack for writing them. My mentor says I have surpassed her abilities with them so I am on my own with them now. So many assessments to figure out where the kids are and what they are struggling in. I feel like I spend more time doing paperwork than working with the students.

I started the first day of school and have been having a huge learning curve. My certification is severe and multiple disabilities and this is a LD job. Learning the needs of my students and then trying to figure out what curriculum to use has been a challenge. They don't provide a specific curriculum, I have to find my own stuff. Then learning virtual teaching and what to use with that. Lovely year to decide to take a job.

Honestly, I don't know if I will go back next year. I feel like the Homefront is suffering with me being gone. At least Benjamin is at school with me all day. Sarah is helping with Larissa and we are doing year round so we can pace ourselves. However, Sarah has student teaching next semester so we will see how that goes!

My husband is still working from home. That has really helped with everything going on at home. He actually has taken kids to dental appointments, a new thing for him. He thinks he will go back within the next month. That will leave Sarah home, Anthony is going to school (too many girls at home) while Emma, Michelle and foster teen are doing school virtually.

So, I carry on wondering what I got myself into! If anyone has good online resources for reading and writing let me know! Math I have covered. Any suggestions for middle school spelling, I am open to ideas. That spelling is atrocious!

Benjamin is enjoying the Montessori school. He had his first project on Morocco and chose to do a painting of a mosque. He had his first standardized testing, he is in the 97% for math and 66% for language arts. Obviously he loves math. He doesn't like to write any more for the school than he did for me but he does love to spell correctly, thank goodness!

Continued in next post....