tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62050535305826229782009-11-11T20:08:05.775+05:30My seven-year-old son is the center of my universe. This is the story of his childhood as it unfolds. Please read the first post, "Why I started this blog," to know more.WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-90224112647410643732009-10-04T21:21:00.002+05:302009-10-04T21:23:25.659+05:30

I can't apologize enough for not having posted this 6 weeks back when we first got the news - which tells me I was doing too much and not thinking straight.Munchkin's Coats is STABLE and our poker-faced, near-reticent doctor went to the extent of saying it was "better" - which must be true, because he's asked to come after SIX months! :o) Now that's what I call GOOD NEWS!Thank you, dear God.

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-87648765770902530362009-05-18T20:53:00.002+05:302009-05-18T21:02:23.758+05:30

The Coats is stable!! Even better, some of the exudates seem to have been absorbed! :-)The wait for the appointment seemed interminable. The April 19th date got pushed to the 23rd, which got pushed to May 16, and then today, the 18th. We called ahead to confirm that Munchkin's doctor had actually come in and then set out to the hospital, a 45-minute drive from our house.When we got there, we

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-76924140924114150512009-04-28T20:59:00.002+05:302009-04-28T21:40:43.227+05:30

Last week, I was prepping my son for his quarterly eye-exam (the doc told us on Jan 19, "I'll see him in 3 or 4 months.") and he finally asked the question I've been dreading ever since he was diagnosed with Coats in July 2007.He was fussing about the stinging he has to bear because of the eye dilation drops they put into both his eyes when he suddenly blurted: "Why did this happen to me, Mamma?"

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-71627429940703506762009-01-19T21:13:00.003+05:302009-01-19T21:27:43.016+05:30

I made a big mistake this morning. I told my son that his eye exam today would not involve dilation drops. I thought I was right because the doctor had never had his eyes dilated so soon after a round of cryo. But this time he did, and I was in the dock for my 'false promise'.Worse, it took inordinately long for our turn to come (which meant I didn't get to work until lunch!) during which time

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-79759596174518055772009-01-17T21:11:00.003+05:302009-01-17T21:17:03.530+05:30

It's been an awful couple of weeks in terms of endurance. The one bright spot has been that the swelling in Poppet's eye is so much lower now. He's going to have a black eye, though, now that the swelling is down.He's been very cranky - throwing tantrums and whatnot. He broke his spectacle frames a fit of anger last week and I've had to shell out a nifty sum for a new pair because the lenses were

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-78152525248716068032009-01-11T18:57:00.003+05:302009-01-11T19:51:10.791+05:30

Munchkin's cryo procedure finally happened last Thursday. He was taken in around 9.30 and was out by 10.30 - on a guerney with a dextrose drip and oxygen mask. A few minutes later, however, he started to thrash around and scream again. The scary memories of his first procedure came flooding back. At that time, he'd been only five-and-a-half. This time, he was nearly seven and it took his father,

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-33143524522529843282009-01-11T18:26:00.005+05:302009-01-19T21:29:45.523+05:30

Munchkin's cryo treatment got postponed last Wednesday. This time, he was aware that he hadn't eaten anything since Tuesday's dinner (late, at 10 pm) and worse, he wasn't the first in line for his procedure at the hospital. There were three babies - all under 2 years old - ahead of him.It was tough on him: the little tyke kept saying he was hungry every half hour. Only my mother had the fortitude

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-42298461108340609512009-01-06T20:50:00.003+05:302009-01-06T20:55:58.300+05:30

This morning, I was...well, not quite functioning. Now, just an hour before bed, I'm strangely calm. Tomorrow morning, we take Munchkin to the hospital for his third round of cryo - there's not too many you can do because cryo is destructive by nature.If you read this, please pray that my son's treatment is successful and the leakage never, NEVER recurs.Tonight, all I have is my son - the best

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-65648944829921637142009-01-04T21:23:00.002+05:302009-01-04T21:28:45.157+05:30

I honestly don't know what's happening to me. I take one look at my son and I feel like dissolving into tears. I'm terrified about the on Wednesday - as I've said over and over, the anesthesia is terrifying. I've myself dealt with it without trouble twice and this is going to the Shreyaan's third time, but somehow, this time I'm coming apart at the seams.A little while back, he was giving me some

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-53262145200435339502008-12-26T21:02:00.003+05:302008-12-26T21:08:07.686+05:30

Tomorrow we leave for my son's first visit to his grandparents' house. We haven't visited my in-laws in years for a variety of reasons (some history and some serious lack of leave). But tomorrow, we're headed there for a quick, week-long trip. There are two shrines to visit and we'll hopefully spend the rest of our time hanging around the house and not being fed to bursting point by

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-19926316808236218952008-12-23T22:30:00.000+05:302008-12-23T22:31:10.834+05:30

On Sunday, Munchkin and I went shopping. First stop, the toy shop for a remote-controlled car. We got one that had it's own pit-stop 'home' and four extra tyres. The little tyke is thrilled.Then we stopped at the optician to pick up a pair of nearly wraparound sunglasses for the post-cryo trip next Saturday.Then the shoe store for a pair of floaters for the growing boy.And then the stationery

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-62474039650673146112008-12-21T15:07:00.002+05:302008-12-21T15:16:02.887+05:30

The leakage has started again. We found out at the hospital yesterday. Munchkin was really irritated about keeping his eyes closed for them to be dilated. And somehow, ever since we left home, I was expecting bad news. We've had three exams in the past year, all of which indicated that my son's Coats was stable. I had wondered whether our good fortune would sustain.This time, the exudates (old

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-53351656425329484252008-12-19T22:11:00.003+05:302008-12-19T22:32:34.391+05:30

Last Christmas, I was thrilled to post that my son's Coats Disease had stabilized after two rounds of cryo and laser. It was my best Christmas gift ever.Now it's that time of the year again. And just like last year, the eye exam has been delayed twice for one reason or another. He's actually not past his due date but I usually start early because I work myself up into such a frenzy that I want to

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-27467386883591505412008-07-05T22:17:00.003+05:302008-07-05T22:26:59.598+05:30

I know, I know...there's no excuse for the laziness that set in. It was a lost opportunity if you really think about it. There's so much that has happened in the past two months that I was a fool not to let the blog fodder do its work. Sigh...Today was our wedding anniversary. Munchkin asked his father: How many years has it been? Ten years, he was told. The boy sulked. "Why are you looking sad?

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-28958815571873658282008-04-10T16:37:00.007+05:302008-04-10T17:04:52.096+05:30

Sorry for the long hiatus. Last Friday was hectic because I had to work late at the office and get everything done before we went off to the beach. And Saturday morning, we went to Munchkin's school to collect his final report card. He's got all A's, except in regularity of attendance - he missed a lot of days when he had the Coats Disease treated - and imagination (in art)! That confused me at

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-64556044230407277112008-04-03T16:41:00.003+05:302008-04-03T16:51:58.275+05:30

Munchkin's facing some discrimination with the kids in the apartment building. His best friend, who's 8, has begun keeping him out of games he plays with boys of his own age. And most kids my son's age are girls. And out of the blue one day, one of these girls told him: "You can't come to my house. My mother says boys aren't allowed."What the...@%#*^!?Munchkin is sensitive so he came away quietly

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-88689155802547749512008-03-27T18:39:00.005+05:302008-03-29T22:12:18.960+05:30

Yesterday, another toddler fell into a 45-ft deep, uncovered borewell pit. This time in Agra, famous as the home of the Taj Mahal. The little fellow saw the story on a news bulletin and asked his grandmother a hundred questions. He was shocked to know that the girl - named Vandana - was even younger than his little friend next door, who is three. This was the third or fourth such case the past

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-85801630607057629142008-03-26T21:46:00.003+05:302008-03-26T22:01:58.037+05:30

On Tuesday, Poppet had an appointment with his eye doctor. It took longer than usual because we wanted to have his vision checked before his eyes were dilated. (We discovered that he has a power of 0.5.) But the real good news was the fact that there has been no fresh leakage since October. The exudates are still there, but the doctor still feels that this could be absorbed by the body over a

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-88477295819297834832008-03-21T12:34:00.007+05:302008-03-21T13:08:16.464+05:30

It was 10.30 am when my cellphone rang. My husband’s number flashed on the screen so I took the call. “Hello?”“Mamma?” It was Munchkin.“Hey, baby. Good morning.” I said. He’d been asleep when I left home this morning. He and his father had the day off – it’s Good Friday – but my office was working. I’d given the little brat a hug and a kiss before I left but he hadn’t woken up. I let him sleep.“

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-40185629497977364052008-03-18T14:58:00.003+05:302008-03-18T15:37:58.170+05:30

I was on my coffee break when the brat phoned. "Mamma, I ate up 11 cutlets and didn't give Gramma a single one!" he announced with mischievous glee.Whoa! Eleven cutlets? I know the size of the cutlets (patties) my mother makes so my brain blew a fuse somewhere. "And I also had roti and ..... and curds too." he rattled off.Okay...*breathe deeply, breathe deeply*"You can move?" I asked him."I can

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-84005183648915753062008-03-17T16:35:00.005+05:302008-03-17T18:52:25.813+05:30

I got a new haircut...kinda like in the picture but I'm not as slim as the woman in the photograph. And my hair is black (well, mostly black...I try to blank out the gray.)I liked the cut, it's like nothing I've ever had. The DH liked it (trust me, I did not ask for an opinion. I've been married almost 10 years so I know better than to ask for an opinion on personal fashion.) Then he asked the

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-616395740009761892008-03-14T10:30:00.001+05:302008-03-14T17:30:24.033+05:30

It's that time of the year. The little brat's summer holidays are going to start beginning Good Friday (March 21). And school starts on June 2! So during this l-o-n-g break, what can you do with a hyperactive six-year-old that will keep said child from:1. driving parents & grandparents insane2. getting into falling-and-getting-hurt kind of trouble3. turning into TV/Video/Online game junkie4.

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-53729329382790442262008-03-10T17:48:00.007+05:302008-03-13T17:39:23.332+05:30

Another milestone. Munchkin's first self-professed crush! He's six. She's five-and-something and his classmate. He's known her since last year but didn't pay much attention to her. The Sports Day Marching Parade changed everything. He was leading it and she was marching beside him, holding up the placard with the name of their class on it.For a while now, Munchkin has had his life planned out. He

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-48504045899685696112008-03-07T18:21:00.003+05:302008-03-07T19:13:50.145+05:30

Here's the latest bedtime update. After never-ending Nemo and the Fleas fetish, Munchkin wants me to sing to him (the play list is decided by the little brat, of course) and answer questions. But first, we have to decide how many questions, otherwise the Q&A can go on past midnight without the little fellow so much as yawning.Inquisitive Offspring: "How many questions can I ask?"Sleepy Mommy:

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6205053530582622978.post-34865337858772290892008-03-05T11:56:00.004+05:302008-03-06T19:15:44.160+05:30

It was the weirdest thing that Munchkin did in a long time. I rang the doorbell of my mother's house he opened the door and looked at me with a blank expression. No jumping into my arms, not even running away to get busy with whatever he was up to. Just this very distracted look on his face and he was quiet. Q.U.I.E.T. This is a kid who babbles even when he's asleep, hums while playing and

WRITING MOMMYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01779176999854361141noreply@blogger.com2