A few weeks ago I felt like I was not doing as well in school as I had been doing and wanted to do better. I felt I was having a very hard time and I did not know why. I spoke with my mom over and over about how I was feeling and afterwards talked with my teachers. I am so glad I did, they completely understood that some days are harder than others and helped me figure out ways to "work though it."
The last 2 weeks were not easy, but all my hard work paid off. Instead of worrying about my classes and all the homework I have, that if I take the time to do my work that it really is not as hard as I think it will be. I was so happy to see my grades went up just with a change of attitude and remembering not to stress out too much.
I have been wanting a new iPhone case, and because I did so well on my tests this week she said she would buy one for me. I picked one on Amazon and although my mom did not like the style we ordered it. I think will come on Friday. I am so happy!
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Day to Day
I spoke with Samantha today about posting on her blog since it has been a couple weeks since her last post. She said "I have school, homework, art class and now I have to study Hebrew for my bat-mitzvah." She feels overwhelmed by the many demands our 12 year old (and middle-schoolers) children have, and frankly I don't blame her.
Samantha has begun the traditional "tween" time of wanting to be a kid and also longing to be a teenager at the same time. She knows there are more responsibilities and demands, and welcomes them, however she also knows that with responsibility comes the maturity to be able to handle it.
It's been almost 240 days of Samantha taking daily shots, and she is still such a trooper. She doesn't complain often about her day to day routine as it has become part of her life. I deeply admire her sense of self and "just power through it" attitude, for it is still difficult for me to watch her every night take her daily dosage of HGH.
As a parent, it's heartbreaking for me to see her give herself shots. What is worse is the feeling I have when she wants me to give the shots to her because her stomach has too many small bruises from self-administering her medication. Needles make marks and at times bruises no matter how good one is at administering shots. When that occurs I tell her to give her stomach a break and I give the shot to her in the arm so her bruises have a chance to heal. They heal within a few days, however if you think about administering one shot per night, at the end of one week you have a child with up to 7 bruises, all healing at different times.
Yesterday was a rough day: I had spent 30 minutes arguing with the specialty medication company which provides us her shots explaining my utter frustration that HGH is a necessary medication for Samamtha. "My kid can't grow the way she is supposed to without this medicine. I don't think you understand. This is not for vanity. This is for her to reach a normal adult height. She won't grow without it."
In an upcoming blog I will continue describing the discussion I had about the cost of this medication and how tragic it is that those whose insurance carriers don't cover it (or refuse) that it is cost-prohibitive for virtually the entire population.
Samantha is steadily growing which is in stark contrast to where she was a year ago. She will unlikely make it to where she "should be" if her pituitary gland was working as it should; however if she can keep the pace she is on now for another 2 years she will get pretty close.
Samantha has begun the traditional "tween" time of wanting to be a kid and also longing to be a teenager at the same time. She knows there are more responsibilities and demands, and welcomes them, however she also knows that with responsibility comes the maturity to be able to handle it.
It's been almost 240 days of Samantha taking daily shots, and she is still such a trooper. She doesn't complain often about her day to day routine as it has become part of her life. I deeply admire her sense of self and "just power through it" attitude, for it is still difficult for me to watch her every night take her daily dosage of HGH.
As a parent, it's heartbreaking for me to see her give herself shots. What is worse is the feeling I have when she wants me to give the shots to her because her stomach has too many small bruises from self-administering her medication. Needles make marks and at times bruises no matter how good one is at administering shots. When that occurs I tell her to give her stomach a break and I give the shot to her in the arm so her bruises have a chance to heal. They heal within a few days, however if you think about administering one shot per night, at the end of one week you have a child with up to 7 bruises, all healing at different times.
Yesterday was a rough day: I had spent 30 minutes arguing with the specialty medication company which provides us her shots explaining my utter frustration that HGH is a necessary medication for Samamtha. "My kid can't grow the way she is supposed to without this medicine. I don't think you understand. This is not for vanity. This is for her to reach a normal adult height. She won't grow without it."
In an upcoming blog I will continue describing the discussion I had about the cost of this medication and how tragic it is that those whose insurance carriers don't cover it (or refuse) that it is cost-prohibitive for virtually the entire population.
Samantha is steadily growing which is in stark contrast to where she was a year ago. She will unlikely make it to where she "should be" if her pituitary gland was working as it should; however if she can keep the pace she is on now for another 2 years she will get pretty close.
Friday, February 12, 2016
222 Days of Growth Hormone Therapy
It has been 222 days for me that I have been taking growth hormone therapy shots and this has changed everything in my life. I am so proud of myself.
Some people can make fun of me and I don't like it. Others ask me "is it worth it to sake shots?" Well, the answer is clearly YES, it is totally worth it.
Sometimes I feel a little left out but I know that all of the medication I take does not hurt me, it helps me which is why I have been taking it for 222 days. I think I have grown about 3 inches in 6 months and I feel taller now. My doctor is so proud of me and says my growth progress is amazing.
Today I needed to take another blood test. I take them every two months to see whether there is enough growth hormone medication in my body and if I need to increase the dose of my medication. I don't like going to take my blood tests and also know that it's really important so my doctor knows I am doing okay on the medication.
I have been told that I have inspired and changed so many people's lives who have read my blog. I am so grateful to them because that inspires me to keep writing and keep fighting.
Some people can make fun of me and I don't like it. Others ask me "is it worth it to sake shots?" Well, the answer is clearly YES, it is totally worth it.
Sometimes I feel a little left out but I know that all of the medication I take does not hurt me, it helps me which is why I have been taking it for 222 days. I think I have grown about 3 inches in 6 months and I feel taller now. My doctor is so proud of me and says my growth progress is amazing.
Today I needed to take another blood test. I take them every two months to see whether there is enough growth hormone medication in my body and if I need to increase the dose of my medication. I don't like going to take my blood tests and also know that it's really important so my doctor knows I am doing okay on the medication.
I have been told that I have inspired and changed so many people's lives who have read my blog. I am so grateful to them because that inspires me to keep writing and keep fighting.
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Another Inch!
We rushed to her endocrinologist appointment at the end of the day, fearing there was not enough time to be seen by her doctor. Thankfully he waited for her arrival.
She grew - another inch. A miracle.
Samantha sees her doctor who is tracking her progress and prescribing her growth hormone therapy every two months. At these visits her height and weight is tracked, along with determining whether her medication needs to be increased. Samantha doesn't mind visiting her doctor; in fact, it becomes a comedy show from the time she arrives to the moment she leaves. The staff and her doctor all enjoy speaking with her about school, her newest art painting, and they always ask about her blog.
I am always nervous when we visit her doctor; for I hope that Samantha's body is positively responding to the medication, that there are no negative side effects to taking it upon her, and I pray that she continues to have as much time as possible to take the medication.
No one knows how long a person needs to take growth hormone therapy; it depends on a variety of factors: whether one's body responds (and continues to respond) to growth hormone treatment, the onset of puberty (which closes the door to the natural end to growing in height), and finally the "bone age" of a person (vs one's chronological age). Those who have a young bone-age will have more time to grow. Those who have that of his/her chronological age usually mirror the curve doctors plot one's progress in growth, and those with an older bone-age will grow for a shorter period of time because the bones only have so much room within the "growth plates" to grow.
The unknown is very challenging:
What is her expected height?
How much longer will she take this medication?
What are all the long term effects?
Will she continue to grow at the pace she has?
I don't know.
Samantha is doing amazingly well in so many ways; however what people don't know is that growth hormone treatment can stop working at ANY MINUTE, without warning, and without any explanation.
Despite the many unknowns about the path we are traveling down; I am inspired by Samantha and her outlook on taking this opportunity and creating much confidence in herself and impacting her community. All you have to do is read her blogs from when she first began "Seriously Samantha" to know that she is a better person for having this experience, as are we all in our family.
She grew - another inch. A miracle.
Samantha sees her doctor who is tracking her progress and prescribing her growth hormone therapy every two months. At these visits her height and weight is tracked, along with determining whether her medication needs to be increased. Samantha doesn't mind visiting her doctor; in fact, it becomes a comedy show from the time she arrives to the moment she leaves. The staff and her doctor all enjoy speaking with her about school, her newest art painting, and they always ask about her blog.
I am always nervous when we visit her doctor; for I hope that Samantha's body is positively responding to the medication, that there are no negative side effects to taking it upon her, and I pray that she continues to have as much time as possible to take the medication.
No one knows how long a person needs to take growth hormone therapy; it depends on a variety of factors: whether one's body responds (and continues to respond) to growth hormone treatment, the onset of puberty (which closes the door to the natural end to growing in height), and finally the "bone age" of a person (vs one's chronological age). Those who have a young bone-age will have more time to grow. Those who have that of his/her chronological age usually mirror the curve doctors plot one's progress in growth, and those with an older bone-age will grow for a shorter period of time because the bones only have so much room within the "growth plates" to grow.
The unknown is very challenging:
What is her expected height?
How much longer will she take this medication?
What are all the long term effects?
Will she continue to grow at the pace she has?
I don't know.
Samantha is doing amazingly well in so many ways; however what people don't know is that growth hormone treatment can stop working at ANY MINUTE, without warning, and without any explanation.
Despite the many unknowns about the path we are traveling down; I am inspired by Samantha and her outlook on taking this opportunity and creating much confidence in herself and impacting her community. All you have to do is read her blogs from when she first began "Seriously Samantha" to know that she is a better person for having this experience, as are we all in our family.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Ouch . . .Mom Forgot to "Prime"
It was a night just like any other night . . . however this one ended with a bit of blood and a few tears.
Samantha was exhausted right before bed, and instead of giving herself her own shot she asked me to give her it in her arm. I removed the "pen" which contains her medication in it from the refrigerator, as I always do when assisting her with her shots, wiped the top of the dispenser with an alcohol wipe, and twisted on the needle. I dialed the dosage on the bottom of the pen; again, just as one is supposed to do so that the appropriate amount of medication is given when the shot is administered. I wiped Samantha's arm with an alcohol wipe to ensure the area was clean and thereafter pushed the button on the pen for the medication to be released.
"OUCH" Samantha yelled. We looked at her arm as a few drops of blood fell down the side of her arm. I then remembered the one step I forgot to complete . . .
Before using a new pen of medication one needs to "prime" it; which entails ensuring that any air where the medication is contained has been removed. There is a specific process involved in completing such, and thus far I have remembered this step each time Samantha has needed to use a new pen of medication. What I forgot was that the night before when I realized she had used all the medication in the pen I had Samantha place the used pen in her biohazard box and I placed a new pen filled with medication in the bag she uses to store her pen in the refrigerator WITHOUT priming it first.
The result: the first shot Samantha received was filled with air. Placing air underneath one's skin using a needle hurts and results in a tad of bleeding. What is interesting is that when Samantha takes her medication nightly, she rarely bleeds; however her skin bruises every single time she has an injection of medication. It takes several days for the bruise, the size is slightly smaller than a dime, to disappear. Even 200+ days later I shutter seeing her upper arms and stomach with tiny circles of bruises of various colors on her skin.
Samantha shed a couple tears; not many. I shed them for her.
Samantha was exhausted right before bed, and instead of giving herself her own shot she asked me to give her it in her arm. I removed the "pen" which contains her medication in it from the refrigerator, as I always do when assisting her with her shots, wiped the top of the dispenser with an alcohol wipe, and twisted on the needle. I dialed the dosage on the bottom of the pen; again, just as one is supposed to do so that the appropriate amount of medication is given when the shot is administered. I wiped Samantha's arm with an alcohol wipe to ensure the area was clean and thereafter pushed the button on the pen for the medication to be released.
"OUCH" Samantha yelled. We looked at her arm as a few drops of blood fell down the side of her arm. I then remembered the one step I forgot to complete . . .
Before using a new pen of medication one needs to "prime" it; which entails ensuring that any air where the medication is contained has been removed. There is a specific process involved in completing such, and thus far I have remembered this step each time Samantha has needed to use a new pen of medication. What I forgot was that the night before when I realized she had used all the medication in the pen I had Samantha place the used pen in her biohazard box and I placed a new pen filled with medication in the bag she uses to store her pen in the refrigerator WITHOUT priming it first.
The result: the first shot Samantha received was filled with air. Placing air underneath one's skin using a needle hurts and results in a tad of bleeding. What is interesting is that when Samantha takes her medication nightly, she rarely bleeds; however her skin bruises every single time she has an injection of medication. It takes several days for the bruise, the size is slightly smaller than a dime, to disappear. Even 200+ days later I shutter seeing her upper arms and stomach with tiny circles of bruises of various colors on her skin.
Samantha shed a couple tears; not many. I shed them for her.
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
We Made it to 200 Days
We made it to 200 days. I say "we" because Samantha has fortunately had the incredible support of her family and friends, and there was a time when I wasn't sure whether we would.
Before Samantha began growth hormone therapy we had some inquiries from both family and close friends asking us "are you sure you want to have her take medication which you don't know if it will even work or the long term side effects (because the medication has only been approved by the FDA for 15 years.) Although concerned we may not have support from some; we forged ahead because we were confident, as Samantha was, that this was best for her.
Luckily, our friends and family, no matter their personal feelings, supported our decision and Samantha. I only hope those who may have disagreed with our decision never have to be in the shoes we are; for such decisions are far from easy to make. I'm thankful we made this choice and haven't looked back.
Samantha has gained self confidence and drive as a result of this experience, and what she has learned about herself is immeasurable. Her "never give up" attitude has increased her desire to move forward despite any challenge which may come her way. These life experiences are critical to her emotional and cognitive development, and I'm incredibly proud of how she has taken growth hormone deficiency "by storm".
Look out, Samantha is just getting started...
Before Samantha began growth hormone therapy we had some inquiries from both family and close friends asking us "are you sure you want to have her take medication which you don't know if it will even work or the long term side effects (because the medication has only been approved by the FDA for 15 years.) Although concerned we may not have support from some; we forged ahead because we were confident, as Samantha was, that this was best for her.
Luckily, our friends and family, no matter their personal feelings, supported our decision and Samantha. I only hope those who may have disagreed with our decision never have to be in the shoes we are; for such decisions are far from easy to make. I'm thankful we made this choice and haven't looked back.
Samantha has gained self confidence and drive as a result of this experience, and what she has learned about herself is immeasurable. Her "never give up" attitude has increased her desire to move forward despite any challenge which may come her way. These life experiences are critical to her emotional and cognitive development, and I'm incredibly proud of how she has taken growth hormone deficiency "by storm".
Look out, Samantha is just getting started...
200 Days!!!
Today is my 200th day of taking growth hormone shots.
If you think about it, it is a really big number.
I am very proud of myself for getting through all of this so far. I feel brave. I feel like no one in this world has the confidence like I do; but I know many other people have this same type of confidence which helps them get through difficult times.
Lately I have told people I take growth hormone shots. People say "OMG: how many days have you taken them for? Does it hurt? Is there blood?" I reply yes to all the answers, well, except to the hurting one - it doesn't hurt that much anymore.
Every day is getting easier for me and my parents because I feel like my parents don't have to worry about me taking my shots anymore. Today I even "primed" my first pen, which by the way is a really big deal! I was able to make sure all the bubbles were out of the pen where the medication is stored in the shots I take. I did this by myself without my mom's help. My dad watched me to make sure I did it properly. I was very excited that I had the opportunity on my 200th day.
Maybe I will keep taking these shots until I am around 15. I don't know. It depends, I will take them until I stop growing and we don't know when that will be. Sometimes I get lazy and tired and don't want to take the shots anymore; but I know these shots help me grow.
I think I can make it to 1000 days because I am strong, smart, kind-hearted, loving, dedicated, and, well, small!
Remember: amazing things come in small packages!
If you think about it, it is a really big number.
I am very proud of myself for getting through all of this so far. I feel brave. I feel like no one in this world has the confidence like I do; but I know many other people have this same type of confidence which helps them get through difficult times.
Lately I have told people I take growth hormone shots. People say "OMG: how many days have you taken them for? Does it hurt? Is there blood?" I reply yes to all the answers, well, except to the hurting one - it doesn't hurt that much anymore.
Every day is getting easier for me and my parents because I feel like my parents don't have to worry about me taking my shots anymore. Today I even "primed" my first pen, which by the way is a really big deal! I was able to make sure all the bubbles were out of the pen where the medication is stored in the shots I take. I did this by myself without my mom's help. My dad watched me to make sure I did it properly. I was very excited that I had the opportunity on my 200th day.
Maybe I will keep taking these shots until I am around 15. I don't know. It depends, I will take them until I stop growing and we don't know when that will be. Sometimes I get lazy and tired and don't want to take the shots anymore; but I know these shots help me grow.
I think I can make it to 1000 days because I am strong, smart, kind-hearted, loving, dedicated, and, well, small!
Remember: amazing things come in small packages!
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