'Our Little Bit of Heaven on Earth...': Growing Pains!!

When he was born, we were so grateful that he had all his fingers and toes! Though his Grandma Golay was a little concerned with the shape of his head during those first few hours after his birth, he was perfect in every way! As time progressed, we began to realize he was very special in every way, but that the doctors words of caution about his development being complicated or delayed-due to the lack of oxygen during the five minutes before an emergency c-section delivery-were beginning to show.

After 10 episodes of chronic ear infections, between 2-14 months of age, the absence of speech became to great to ignore. At two and a half he began speech therapy which produced speech within months, yet it was very unintelligible and accompanied with severe stuttering. Speech therapy continued through first grade and he was able to overcome his stuttering.

Add to this the fact that at 7 months he began to steadily decline on the growth charts at his well-checks. By one year of age he was in the negative fifth percentile. Though very well proportioned with his weight, head, and body size, Triston was extremely small for his age. Then, at three and a half, he reached the 20 lb. mark! I guarantee none have seen such a celebration, as was had the moment the scale was read by his pediatrician, the office nurses, and I.

But then school started to become difficult. In all honesty, the stress we began to experience as his parents and him as a child became so overwhelming that we thought of nothing else but it. Test, after test, after test was done. Learning hurdle, after learning hurdle began to appear. Then, just when I didn't think I could stand to spend one more sleepless, worrisome night or day agonizing about it without going insane, we were lead to the answer to our prayers. I have no doubt in my mind that the spirit was guiding us, and in a instant we picked up and moved our family to the littlest, most remote town in the middle of nowhere with nothing, but a school. There, within two months, progress began to be made due to the qualified, concerned, and loving staff. Well over a year behind, Triston started to make progress, and learn to love school as well as develop ways to learn how to learn.

Then, in third grade, another obstacle appeared. Tourettes Syndrome. This, accompanied with moderate to severe OCD and mild to moderate ADD, began to inhibit his progress. Though I cannot say that this has gotten better since it first appeared, I can say that his teachers, friends, classmates, and family (of course), have been very supportive and made accommodations to allow him to develop ways to minimize it's interference in his day to day life. It is my hope that over time and with his faith (which is so pure and strong), it will lead him to overcome this newest trial in his life. So, to say the least, when we discovered that he was going to need lots of orthodontic care, beginning immediately, once again we were anguished. Why poor Triston?

On April 17th we made the drive to Pocatello for the first day of the two day procedure. By noon the following day he had a mouth full of metal and pain. In addition to a spacer he had an RPE (Rapid Palette Expander) put in. This green, glitter filled, and glow-in-the-dark apparatus caused him to drool excessively, talk funny, and take an hour just to eat a helping of soup, as he had to learn to swallow all over again. This was followed by days and nights of severe pain, tears, and a gap, over an 1/8", between his front teeth which is still growing. Soon, he'll get to add his first set of brackets (there will be many), to begin shifting his teeth to their proper place.

And so, at 52' and 61 lbs., this soon-to-be eleven year old, who wears size 8 and small clothing and a sore mouth, presses on with the sweetest spirit imaginable! Oh, how we love him!!

Triston began with X-rays.