Health

I wanted to give a health update, as I know many of you have asked and are wondering about news regarding my heart.

I still have not received news of a date for my heart surgery, but all the test results were sent to Halifax, and they will decide what type of surgery I need. My cardiologist was recommending angioplasty rather than open-heart surgery so I am hoping for that as well. The procedure will likely take place in Halifax (and not in Saint John as I was originally told).

My cardiologist suggested that both of the boys be tested for a heart defect, since their chances are three times higher than if they did not have a parent with this condition.

They had an appointment with a pediatrician to set up ECGs and echocardiograms, which may take place in the next couple of weeks. Elwin's heart sounds good; however, Josiah has a heart murmur. Both our family doctor and the pediatrician think that it sounds benign, but they are testing him just to make sure.

Josiah has seemed very ill to me for quite some time. Last Saturday, I just took him to the ER, because I wanted blood work to make sure nothing more serious was happening. Everything came back clear, and the doctor suggested that he is probably just building his immune system by trying to fight off multiple viruses. I still wasn't sure this was it.

While I was at the pediatrician's office yesterday, I was able to ask some other questions that I have been wondering about. And I discovered that I think Josiah has an allergy to chalk. This is a HUGE relief! I have felt sick for some time, watching him struggle, and not knowing what it was. He was fatigued and pale, and always complained of having a sore throat and not feeling well. He has a chalk board in his play area, and he has been chalking up trains lately, pretending that they are dirty and dusty from the tunnels.

I'll let you know if I hear any results about the boys, or if I get a date or details regarding my heart surgery! I am so thankful for the quality of care and treatment we have access to. Thanks for all who have been praying for this. It is greatly appreciated as I struggle with exhaustion and discomfort while I'm waiting.

My Job

Many people ask about my job, and I am beginning to think that the world of psychology is a bit like, dare I say, the weird world of computers. Whenever I talk to someone who works with computers, I try to listen and understand, but I often walk away still unsure of what it is they actually do! I have had similar feedback when people have asked about my job, so I thought I'd give a bit of detail on what I actually do every Monday.

I am a clinical assessor for a psychologist, which means that I administer tests and write reports. Mostly, I do psycho-educational assessments. This may involve people referred by the government (social offices) or human resource companies, wanting to know what their strengths are and what they might be capable of doing for work. Many of the clients have multiple limitations that have prevent them from succeeding. The idea is to get them into the work force, doing something they are capable of and will be good at, and to have a plan that realistically reflects their abilities (many have learning difficulties, etc.).

I administer tests to measure vocabulary/communication skills, learning abilities, skill in areas such as math, reading, comprehension, spelling, writing, general information, memory, and concentration.

Overall, I am really enjoying this job. I love to help people who have not had opportunities in life to see what their true potential is. Most of the people I have worked with so far have been extremely nice and enjoyable to spend the day with (testing runs for an entire day with each client). My boss is very nice, and has been so accommodating to me. In a few months when my maternity leave is done, I will be working two days a week, plus bringing reports home to write, which will end up being about 20 hours a week. Chris will stay home with Josiah on the days that I work. We feel that we are so blessed to be able to do this for now, as we really wanted to have one of us home with Josiah at all times, and this opportunity has allowed us to this!

Hope you all get what I do now, but I won't be offended if you ask again!