Thanksgiving, Santa Claus, Medical Stuff, and Family Pictures

Is it just me or December just show up out of nowhere? It seems that the first few months of the year kind of dragged on, then it slowly started speeding up into the summer, and now the year is almost over. I don’t know where the last few months went. We weren’t all that busy, so that’s not it. Maybe it’s just the days getting shorter. I don’t know. Anyway, here we are. The first week of December 2017. Hopefully I won’t go to bed tonight and wake up in 2018.

 

Thanksgiving

A handmade turkey craft sits on a countertop. The body is made from brown felt with two googly eyes and an orange felt beak. Behind it, paper feathers in red, orange, and yellow fan out in a semicircle. Household items like a napkin holder, salt and pepper shakers, and a magazine are visible in the background. The overall look is colorful, simple, and clearly made for a Thanksgiving‑themed activity.
James made a turkey at school

 

While most people refer to this time of year as flu season, in our house it is known as pneumonia season. James’ first few Thanksgivings were rough. He seemed to always wind up in the hospital with pneumonia. The last few years, though, he’s made it through Thanksgiving without a bout of pneumonia. I don’t know if it’s his immune system getting stronger, or us getting better at keeping him healthy. Maybe it’s a little bit of both.

This year was another uneventful Thanksgiving. Went to Stacy’s folks’ house, had too much to eat, I took a nap, and we came home. Here’s a pic of James with his cousins:

 

Four children gather in a warmly lit living room. Three of them kneel or sit close together behind James who reclines in a cushioned support seat. James wears a white shirt with a colorful turkey design made from patterned fabric pieces, giving the scene a Thanksgiving feel. Around them are a patterned rug, a brick fireplace, a lamp, a table with food, and decorations, including a small sign that says “GIVE THANKS.” A wheelchair sits near the doorway. The moment feels cozy, familial, and full of holiday warmth.
James with his cousins

 

Santa Claus

You know what comes after Thanksgiving? Christmas. And that means a trip to the mall to see Santa. Our mall has a special “Caring Santa” for the kids with disabilities. They usually schedule him on a Sunday morning before the mall opens when it’s not so busy and not so overwhelming for the kids. We took James to see Santa yesterday. He was wearing Christmas shirt specially made by his momma.

 

James sits in a wheelchair and is positioned behind a large promotional standee for the movie “Despicable Me 3.” The standee features bright yellow Minions in festive outfits, with a cutout where the person’s face appears as part of the display. The background looks like a shopping mall with tiled floors and store displays. Text on the standee announces release dates for digital, Blu‑ray, and DVD versions of the movie.
This display was on the way to see Santa so we had to stop and take a picture

 

James and Stacy are indoors. James sits in a wheelchair wearing a red shirt with a Christmas tree made of penguin shapes and a striped neck support. Stacy stands beside him in a coral jacket and dark pants, smiling toward the camera. The setting looks like a public indoor space with tiled floors, tables, and a cooler in the background. The moment feels warm and companionable, like a simple snapshot of care and togetherness.
James and Mommy waiting to see Santa

 

James sits in a wheelchair in a space designed to look like a snowy, icy landscape. Behind him is a large illuminated structure shaped like an ice formation with a warm orange glow, and a mural of snow‑covered mountains and a frozen lake. Artificial snow appears to fall around him. He wears a red shirt with a festive penguin and snowflake design, and blue jeans. The wheelchair has red and black parts, with tennis balls on the front legs. The scene feels like part of a winter‑themed exhibit or attraction.
In the “snow globe” before we saw Santa

 

A holiday photo shows Santa Claus sitting beside James in his wheelchair. Santa wears the classic red suit and white beard, while James wears a red shirt with a Christmas tree design. Behind them is a snowy forest backdrop with tall, snow‑covered pine trees under a twilight sky dotted with stars, creating a winter‑wonderland feel. A red banner at the bottom reads “2017.” The moment feels warm, festive, and full of holiday spirit.
“Santa, for Christmas this year, I want…”

 

Medical Stuff

I’m sure you may have noticed that James’ mouth is always open. We decided to take James to a craniofacial doctor for a consultation to see if there is anything we can do with the mouth or jaw to get his mouth to close a little bit better. We need to remember not to schedule appointments so late in the day. The doctor was running extremely behind schedule. The appointment was scheduled for 4:50 pm. We didn’t get in to see the doctor until almost 6:00.

We briefly discussed options, but James needed to get a CT scan of his head to see what was going on under the surface so that the doctor could get a better idea of what course of action (if any) was the best route to take.

James just got the CT scan done this past Saturday and we have to wait for the doctor to review them and probably schedule a follow-up appointment to go over them with us.

 

James lies on the bed of a CT scanner labeled “LightSpeed,” secured with a strap and wearing colorful clothing and slippers. A healthcare worker in gloves stands beside him, adjusting or preparing for the scan. The room contains typical medical equipment and supplies, with the scanner’s circular opening framing the scene. The moment feels clinical but calm, capturing a routine medical imaging procedure.
Getting a CT scan

 

James lies on the bed of a CT scanner, covered with a blanket and wearing patterned clothing and red slippers. The scanner is a large white machine with a circular opening and control panels along the side. In the foreground, several computer monitors display medical imaging software and patient information at a control station. The room includes medical equipment, supplies, and red biohazard bins. The scene captures a routine diagnostic imaging setup, calm and clinical.
CT Scan

 

In other medical news, James is still doing good with the seizure drug study. This medication has done wonders for reducing, and some days even eliminating, his seizures. I hope that the other kids in the study are seeing the same results that James is and that this drug gets approved for the younger kids so that they can get the same relief from seizures that James has.

While we were at one of our neuro check-up appointments for the drug study a couple of weeks ago, they had a stack of comic books that they were giving away, so I grabbed one. James has never read a comic book before and it seemed fitting that this be his first one:

 

The cover of a comic book titled “MEDIKIDZ Explain Epilepsy” shows a group of superhero characters in dynamic action poses surrounded by bright lightning and colorful energy effects. Behind them is a large illustrated human head and a satellite‑like object. The title appears in bold red and white lettering, with a tagline at the top about a superhero adventure inside the human body. Credits for the writers and medical reviewers appear along the bottom. The overall style is bold, energetic, and designed to make medical information feel exciting and accessible.
Medikidz Explain Epilepsy

 

Finally, it looks like James developed another ear infection a few weeks back. We took him to the pediatrician who prescribed ear drops and an antibiotic. We were told that ear tubes were supposed to help prevent ear infections. Judging by the number of times James has had an ear infection since getting tubes, I think we were lied to. Or maybe not. Maybe he would be getting more ear infections if he didn’t have the tubes.

 

Family Pictures

We had our annual family picture session back on November 12th and I have a few to share with you. It was cold and rainy so we decided to do indoor pictures this year.

 

Jeff, James and Stacy lie close together on a soft surface. James is in the center wearing a white shirt, with Jeff and Stacy on each side resting their heads near James' head. Jeff on the left wears a dark sweater, and Stacy on the right wears a floral top. The background shows a beige carpet and a brown cushion or blanket. The moment feels intimate, gentle, and full of closeness.

 

Stacy with curly brown hair holds James close. Stacy wears a floral shirt in blue, pink, and white tones, and their face rests gently against James' cheek. James, wearing a white shirt, leans into the embrace with his head on Stacy's shoulder. The background is indoors with soft, neutral walls. The moment feels tender, quiet, and full of closeness.

 

Jeff sits on a red couch holding and assisting James. Jeff wears a dark blue sweater and gently supports James, who is dressed in a white shirt, with his thumb and finger on either side of James' mouth, trying to get him to smile. A window with blinds and a green plant on the sill sits behind them. The setting feels like a calm home environment, capturing a quiet moment of hands‑on caregiving.

 

Jeff and James sit together on a red couch in a living room. Jeff, wearing a dark blue sweater and jeans, has an arm around James, who is dressed in a white shirt and blue jeans. Daylight filters through a window with white blinds behind them. The moment feels calm and companionable, capturing a quiet scene of support and closeness.

 

Jeff, James, and Stacy sit together on a red couch in a living room. James, wearing a white shirt, sits in the middle, looking upward. On the left, Jeff in a dark blue sweater leans in, sticking out his tongue playfully. On the right, Stacy wearing a floral top mirrors the gesture, also sticking out her tongue. A window with white blinds and a beige wall sit behind them. The moment feels silly, warm, and full of family closeness.

 

James wears a dark blue shirt with metallic lettering that reads “STRONG LIKE MOM.” A light-colored button-up shirt hangs open over it. Stacy holds his haand near the bottom of the frame. The image feels simple and bold, centered on the empowering message printed on the shirt.
Yes he is!