I will not be updating on Blogger as much

It takes so much time to simply log into the blogger and try and update on a consistant basis.

Therefore, I have created a FaceBook page for Dallas where you will be able to comment to him, as well as see his progressing.

The website is:  https://www.facebook.com/dallas.ridings.1?hc_location=stream

Please follow here from now on.  And feel free to send a friend request.  :)

Thanks for all of your support during these much needed times!

More to follow on Facebook.

Denielle Ridings

Progression

Dallas has been getting along pretty well over the last couple of weeks.  

School is going well.  He continues to make more and more friends and everyone is so very helpful.  I have met some of the parents are volunteers around the school, as well as most of the staff, and continue to be surprised by their supportiveness.  

Dallas has went to Chuck E. Cheese a few times over the last couple of weeks.  Once, just to go as a family and have fun.  Another time was for a school fundraiser.  At the fundraiser, he saw a bunch of friends from school and played with them for hours!  He had such a great time.  

He has also had friends over to play on a couple of occasions.  So he continues to build his social status within the community as well as his mental state improving.  

Therapy is going pretty good as well.  This coming Tuesday, he will be going into the pool for his therapy session.  They will be focusing on stretching and strength training from now until surgery.  

Speaking of surgery, Dallas has quite a few reservations about this.  He is very scared and doesn't want to go back through surgery.  There are numerous occasions on which he has cried about this, and we have to console him, and explain to him that it is needed so that he can continue to get better.  

We don't have a surgery date as of yet, but should know at our next visit to Dr. Molnar in April.

Dallas has been signed up for Victory Junction Summer Camp as well.  There is a week dedicated to children who are burn survivors, have skin disorders, as well as facial disorders and disabilities.

Unfortunately, I have found out that the camp week is around the end of June.  So depending on his surgery date, he may not be able to attend.  

I know Dallas is very excited about Spring!  We are already planning trips to the playground, the national forest, looking into going camping, going swimming, and so much more.  Hopefully Dallas will be able to enjoy a few months of fun before having to go through surgery and having a 15+ week recovery period.  

I will take more pictures soon to update the site with.  

Monster Jam!

A couple of weeks ago we received tickets to go to Monster Jam.

Dallas was thrilled!  He couldn't wait to go.

It has been a long time since we have went to Monster Jam, and the last time we went, the kids LOVED it!

Well, this time was no exception.  Dallas and Mac both had a blast!

Thank you for the wonderful gift for Dallas!  He enjoyed every moment!!!

Hey!

Dallas is doing well.  He keeps improving each and every day.
And although he is getting stronger, he still has a long journey ahead of him.

In April we will find out when they will schedule his release surgery.  We have found out that the estimated recovery time for this surgery will be about 15 weeks.  During this recovery, he will be splinted so that he is unable to move his arm.  This is supposed to help ensure that he will have proper skin growth and try and prevent the hypotrophic scarring that he currently has.

This means he will likely miss out on the first few weeks/months of school his first grade year.  Thankfully, the staff at his school is wonderful and accommodating his needs.  We are already discussing getting a homebound teacher in place for next year until he will be able to return.

Speaking of school, it is going great!  He is having a wonderful time and has made so many friends.  Dallas is now spelling, reading, adding, and subtracting, and he is able to write much more legibly (because as you know, he had to relearn how to use his right arm).

So all in all, things are going good.  We are so blessed to still have him with us, and we cherish every day with our kids.

Thank you all for the continued support, prayers, and well wishes!

Until next time.

This update is long overdue.
Sorry that I haven't been around much to keep you all informed of Dallas' progress.

However, here's the latest news.

Dallas had a wonderful Christmas.  He had a blast in Gatlinburg.
He got to spend time with his Nanna and Poppa, his Grandma and Grandpa, his bubba (Tyler), Kiana, Mac, and of course, Travis and me.  It was wonderful spending time with everyone.
Dallas played a lot of mini-golf while we were there.  GREAT exercise for his right arm!  And he did quite well.

He also went to the indoor waterpark!  I think he was a little intimidated at first, but he came around.  Once he got into the swing of things there, he didn't want to leave!  He ran around like a little six year old boy should.  :)

When we returned home, there was a package our neighbors held for us.  Addressed to Dallas.  He was so excited!  Upon opening it, he discovered a welding helmet with the signatures from all kinds of people!  He was thrilled!!  We now have it hanging on his wall, in his room.  And any time anyone sees it, he explains what it is.  :)


Recently, he underwent another round of steroid injections.  He did really well, and didn't show the least bit of fear.  In fact, we asked him if he was nervous.  His response?  "What is there to be nervous about?"  Words far to wise for a six year old.  Sigh.
The procedure lasted about an hour, and he came out of it well.  He was also excited about seeing his PawPaw and Uncle John; as well as his Grandma and Grandpa.  Afterwards, we all went out for breakfast (since he hadn't been able to eat for hours upon hours).

He has to go back for a check up in April.  At this appointment, they will be setting a date for his release surgery.
The doctor seemed to be unhappy about his arm, and some areas of the chest that were causing problems.  So it is our understanding that they will be cutting out all the tight scarring, and regrafting those areas.  :(
He will have to be splinted after this surgery, which is REALLY going to bother him.  I'm not too worried about his pain level from the surgery, as he has developed an extremely high pain tolerance.  I'm more worried about his mental and emotional state.  He will need 15 weeks recovery time from this!  That means he'll be starting the first grade late, he'll be splinted for months, and have very limited mobility.  He will practically be bedridden for the entire summer.  Hopefully we can figure out some things to do that will keep his mind occupied so he doesn't fall into too deep of a depression.

As for school... things are going great.  He is a little behind (mostly his sight words that deal with color) but other than that, he's become very accustomed to the routine.  He does get tired during school, and becomes irritated at his itching, which is becoming progressively worse, but overall, the teachers tell us that he's adapting quite well.

Therapy is also going well.  He is getting more areas of sensitivity in his skin, which are becoming overly sensitive.  This interferes with therapy, as it is becoming more and more painful for him.  But, we try to explain to him that this is a good thing, it means he is healing even better.

Pictures from the holidays and general activities will be soon to follow.

Thanks for keeping up with his progress!!!

Doctor Visit

Wednesday we went to see Dr. Molnar so he could evaluate Dallas' last round of steroid injections.  He was very pleased to see that they have helped out his neck and arm, and said that it even appears some redness has subsided.  YAY!  (hard to tell his redness subsiding since we see him everyday).

He is concerned with some areas of thick scarring and is positive that Dallas will be needing contracture release surgery along with more grafting.  This would include his arm, near the armpit, his elbow area, and the thick band of scarring across his chest.  He advised us that the longest he could wait to have this done would be next summer.

Since Dallas is in school, I believe we will just wait until mid-summer to have him go through surgery.  The surgery will render him immobile for weeks, if not months, so during the school year is out of the question.  He is just now meeting friends and getting adjusted to kindergarten life.  It would be wrong to take him out of it already.

And we don't want to do this at the beginning of the summer and have Dallas completely miss out on his summer again!  So I was thinking maybe mid-July.  This is when it would be too hot to go out and play anyways, and would give him a partial summer.  I think it is something we will be discussing with Dr. Molnar on Dallas' next visit.

We have to go back to Winston-Salem on January 14&15 for Dallas' next round of steroid injections.  The 14th will just be for his physical, to make sure he is in good medical condition to go through with the surgery.  The 15th he will have the injections done.  This time, Dr. Molar wants to focus on his armpit area, inner elbow, and the band across his chest.

Hopefully this next round will help out as much as the first round did!  If so, maybe his surgery will be minimal.

Dallas will still have another 2-3 sets of injections prior to surgery (if we set it in July).

On the way home, Dallas was complaining that his throat was hurting him.  When we got home, he had a low grade fever and did the next morning as well.  So he didn't go to therapy Thursday morning, nor did he go to school.  Last night, his fever spiked to 102.5.  So I took him into the doctor today, and it was deemed that he has an upper respiratory infection.  He was given amoxicillin and if he isn't feeling better by Monday, they want to see him for a check up.

Hopefully the meds will clear it up, as we don't want this turning into bronchitis or worse.

For now, plenty of rest, Ginger Ale, Chicken Noodle Soup, and Applesauce.  :)

I will update his condition over the weekend.

Hope everyone enjoys their weekend, and keep Dallas in your thoughts!

Things are Getting Better

It's been a while since I have last posted.  I am sure that many of you still come around to see how Dallas is doing.  Well... things are going good.

He had his steroid injections about 6 weeks ago.  We will need to go this week for a check up.
It seems to have helped his neck and right arm (in the armpit area) enabling him to lift his arm up higher.  However, it has caused more problems in the elbow area.  He is now completely unable to put his arm straight.
Guess you have to take the good with the bad.
We fear that he will definitely have to have a contracture release in that area... but hopefully another round of steroid injections could loosen it?
I will have to find out what the Doctor says Wednesday.

Dallas has started public school.  I have officially shut down the Homeschool because he wanted to be around other kids.
At first, I was quite fearful of this.  I was afraid of how the other kids would react to him, how the teachers would handle it, IF they would be able to handle a child with this type of injury.  But, he's been going about a month now... and he enjoys every day.  Sure, there are days when he is tired and completely worn out, but overall, he really loves it.  He wakes up every day, ready to go!

And it's absolutely amazing how many people have been completely supportive.  He has SO many friends.
I remember when I was in school, people didn't want to be friends with the "different" kid.  And that is what I was afraid of.  But people just warmed right up to him.  They helped him, and on his very first day, he made his best friend... Ethan.
A week ago, he went to another friends birthday party, where he had a great time!
Things just get better and better for him.  I think socially, this is the best thing for him, and each and every day we take him and pick him up from school, I get to meet another one of his friends.
Kids from Pre-K all the way through Fifth Grade are friends with him, help him, guide him, and are there for him.  It's heartwarming to know how blessed he (and we) truly are.

Dallas had a great Thanksgiving.  He was able to see his grandma, grandpa, and Bubba (Tyler).  He was so thrilled.

He is also ready for Christmas.  We are making it a family tradition to go to Gatlinburg every year, from now on.  2 years ago, we went there for Christmas and the kids had such an amazing time.  This year, we're doing the same.  The kids will be able to go to the indoor water park, walk downtown and see the lights, there are so many crafts and activities, and so much more.  We are really looking forward to this Christmas.  :)

I will update again once we find out what the Doctors say.

Hope everyone is doing well.  And thank you for your support, prayers, and thoughts.