Noah News

Originally posted January 30, 2009

We went to see Noah's pediatric orthopedic doctor today and were really hoping that he would let us know when he was going to take the cast and fixator off of his leg. We thought it would be sometime soon like the beginning of February, but instead he wants us to come back in 4 weeks for another appointment, and that appointment isn't until March 2nd. So he won't be getting it off in February at all, and since his appointment isn't until March 2nd that means it will still be a little while after that before he gets it off, which is cutting it awfully close to when I'll be having baby #3. The doctor said though that if he takes it off too soon it could risk the bone fracturing if it hasn't hardened enough, and if that happens he'd have to put the whole thing back on again, and we sure don't won't that. So I guess we will wait patiently until Noah's doctor thinks it's alright to remove the fixator and cast and hope that it's before the baby comes.

In other news about Noah, Arron had to go to a meeting at his school the other day. He has been having a hard time this year. His teacher is often letting us know that he's not behaving. He's been talking too much, as usual, and goofing off, and not doing his work in class, and also is not getting along with the other kids in the class. She thought he was struggling in some areas and needed extra help in math and reading comprehension and thought he would benefit from some type of special needs class. Arron and I disagreed. I thought he probably was goofing off and not doing his work because he was bored. That's one thing his teachers in the past have said both years. He gets bored with the work they're doing because once he learns something, he's learned it and wants to move on to something else. And Arron also suggested that his behavior and not getting along with the other kids probably had alot to do with all that he's been through this year. He started 1st grade for a few weeks, then had a very difficult surgery, where he was taken care of and waited on hand and foot because he couldn't walk or do very much for himself and was out of school for over 2 months, and then went back to school and had to get used to his 1st grade class all over again. Going through all of that would be difficult for anyone, especially a 6 year old. Why someone at that school couldn't come up with this revelation though themselves I don't know. It seemed common sense to Arron and I. So anyway, back to what happened at the meeting. Noah's teacher was asked what she thought Noah needed, and she stated what I mentioned above. Well, before they held this meeting someone from the school district came to the school and tested Noah. She gave him several different tests in several different areas to see if his teacher was right. She was also at the meeting and after they heard what the teacher had to say, the lady from the school district went over Noah's test results. Are you ready for this? She said there was nothing wrong with Noah academically. He tested way above average (around 30 points above average) for not only his school but the entire school district on every test she gave him. She said if you give him any extra help academically he will be so far ahead of all the other 1st graders that he shouldn't even be in 1st grade anymore. In fact, she said he could be doing 2nd grade work right now, but he's just not mature enough behavior wise to be in 2nd grade though. Arron said after they went over Noah's test results, the teacher and everyone else that was there from the school for that meeting just sat there pretty much with their eyes big and their mouths open, and Noah's teacher sat there red faced and embarassed the rest of the meeting. Then they finally agreed with what Arron had said all along. The only problem Noah has in school is that his life has been so disrupted this year, and the only thing that they need to work on with Noah is his behavior. Everything he does in school is to get attention because he got used to being the center of attention when he was stuck sitting on the sofa all day long for 2 months while he couldn't walk. They seem to expect him to be just like all the other kids, and to be able to come back to school after two and a half months of being out and jump right back in as if he was never gone, but the other kids have had time to get to know each other and build friendships, and the other kids get to run and jump and climb and play together at recess and p.e. while Noah can't do all those things and has to sit it out and watch the other kids all have fun together. He doesn't get to get his energy out like the other kids because he has metal pins in his leg and a cast that goes up past his knee so he can't even bend his right leg, so I can understand why it's sometimes difficult for him to sit still at a desk in his classroom all day. I don't expect them to give him special treatment though because of all this. I know that won't help him learn the right way to behave at school, but I do think they could be a little more understanding of his situation and all that he's going through. He's 6, and is getting ready to go through his 6th surgery on his leg (his 7th surgery altogether). Most adults couldn't go through all that he has in his short little life and be expected to just be like everyone else and go through the day like nothing ever happened. Why do they expect so much from a 6 year old little boy?