Last week my mom ordered new needles for my medication. They're purple, they're short, and they hurt.
My mom told the lady on the phone when she ordered my medication to make sure that the needles she sent were very small so they wouldn't hurt me as much as the ones I had. I thought that was very sweet of her, but it turned out that these needles hurt more than the bigger ones!
Next week my mom will be ordering more medication for me with a new box of needles. She promised to order the bigger needles - I know it sounds strange, but it's true. The longer ones don't hurt as much as the shorter and thinner ones.
Moms and Dads: If you have kids with Growth Hormone Deficiency, don't order the smaller and shorter needles even if they are purple. The only thing I like about them is their color, and that is just not good enough of a reason to use them.
Friday, May 27, 2016
New Hair Cut
"Dear dumb diary"...
Ha ha ha... it's me, Samantha!
Today I got a haircut. OMG my hair is so much shorter now. It used to be really long, but I love brushing my hair much more now that it is shorter.
The guy who cuts my hair said my hair was so beautiful, and then he cut 5 inches off - that's crazy! I mean, I saw all of my hair by the end of a haircut on the floor, and trust me, it was long enough to make a really long beard.
I had a photo shoot a couple months ago and we just were sent my pictures. I can't wait to write a blog this weekend showing you what I look like. I really hope you guys like it. Bye!
Ha ha ha... it's me, Samantha!
Today I got a haircut. OMG my hair is so much shorter now. It used to be really long, but I love brushing my hair much more now that it is shorter.
The guy who cuts my hair said my hair was so beautiful, and then he cut 5 inches off - that's crazy! I mean, I saw all of my hair by the end of a haircut on the floor, and trust me, it was long enough to make a really long beard.
I had a photo shoot a couple months ago and we just were sent my pictures. I can't wait to write a blog this weekend showing you what I look like. I really hope you guys like it. Bye!
Sunday, May 8, 2016
Art Camp Junior Counselor Interview - I was accepted!
I had a meeting yesterday to be a junior counselor at an art camp and I got the job!
I feel so happy that I actually can help kids be who they are and show them that I'm there for them whenever they need my help. The camp is an art camp where we will do different kinds of art: performing art, cooking, acrylic painting, watercolor, magic, cartooning and so much more.
I'm so excited to actually be working and helping young kids at the summer camp I used to go to as a young kid myself.
I feel so happy that I actually can help kids be who they are and show them that I'm there for them whenever they need my help. The camp is an art camp where we will do different kinds of art: performing art, cooking, acrylic painting, watercolor, magic, cartooning and so much more.
I'm so excited to actually be working and helping young kids at the summer camp I used to go to as a young kid myself.
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Cheerleading Tryouts Round 2 Update!
I really want to be on the cheer team because it means everything to me right now. It is a chance of a lifetime and I feel like I am brave enough and I am the right girl for it. If I don't get on the cheer team, I will be sad and know it is not the end of the world. I also know "there is always next year!" If I don't get on next year, "this girl" will try out cheer in high school until I make make the team!!!
There is a new girl in our cheer group who is trying out. She is very small. My friend used to be the smallest, now the new girl is even smaller! My friend said "I miss being small, I was the smallest!" I used to be one of the smallest, now I am not even close to the shortest girl trying out for cheer this year.
I think I want to stop growth hormone therapy shots in a year. For me, I feel like it is time to start something new. I have been doing this for a long time, and growing is awesome; but being who I am is important too. Whatever height I am going to be, I will appreciate being that height. My mom says that I should not stop the growth hormone therapy until I stop growing which means that I probably will be taking shots for another 2 years.
The one good thing about growth hormone deficiency is that maybe it is making me not go through puberty yet. My doctors say that is not the reason why; but I think so.
There is a new girl in our cheer group who is trying out. She is very small. My friend used to be the smallest, now the new girl is even smaller! My friend said "I miss being small, I was the smallest!" I used to be one of the smallest, now I am not even close to the shortest girl trying out for cheer this year.
I think I want to stop growth hormone therapy shots in a year. For me, I feel like it is time to start something new. I have been doing this for a long time, and growing is awesome; but being who I am is important too. Whatever height I am going to be, I will appreciate being that height. My mom says that I should not stop the growth hormone therapy until I stop growing which means that I probably will be taking shots for another 2 years.
The one good thing about growth hormone deficiency is that maybe it is making me not go through puberty yet. My doctors say that is not the reason why; but I think so.
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
My First Pimple!
Tonight I got my first pimple on my face.
My mom helped me clean my face and put medicine on it so it will go away by tomorrow.
It looks disturbing. There is a huge red mark on my face, well, that's what it feels like to me. My mom says it is so small she can barely see it.
I really don't want it to come back because when one pimple comes, another one comes, and then another one .... and then I will SCREAM!
I think this is the start of puberty for me. I am not nervous about it, well, I kind of am.
My mom helped me clean my face and put medicine on it so it will go away by tomorrow.
It looks disturbing. There is a huge red mark on my face, well, that's what it feels like to me. My mom says it is so small she can barely see it.
I really don't want it to come back because when one pimple comes, another one comes, and then another one .... and then I will SCREAM!
I think this is the start of puberty for me. I am not nervous about it, well, I kind of am.
Trying out for Cheer... Again
Well, next week is 7th grade Cheer Team Tryouts.
I am really nervous. I tried out last year and I did not get on the team. When I did not see my name on the list in the fall I felt disappointed. Maybe I did not try hard enough? This year will be different.
I will try my hardest, I will put all my effort into it, and when I see my name on that list, I will be so proud of myself.
If I don't see my name on the list, sure, I will be disappointed again. However I know that whatever happens it does not change who I am inside and that maybe this is not the time for me to be on the cheer team. There is always something else to experience.
I am really nervous. I tried out last year and I did not get on the team. When I did not see my name on the list in the fall I felt disappointed. Maybe I did not try hard enough? This year will be different.
I will try my hardest, I will put all my effort into it, and when I see my name on that list, I will be so proud of myself.
If I don't see my name on the list, sure, I will be disappointed again. However I know that whatever happens it does not change who I am inside and that maybe this is not the time for me to be on the cheer team. There is always something else to experience.
Sunday, April 17, 2016
Weekend Away From Home
Samantha spent the weekend performing with her singing group from school and having fun with her classmates and friends at both Universals Studio and Disneyland. This was also the first weekend Samantha has been away from home and being entirely responsible for ensuring she had taken her nightly shots.
"Is it really terrible if she misses a shot?" I was asked today after expressing my concern that Samantha may not have followed through with her daily regimen. No, it's not a catastrophe if she misses her shot once every so often; however the body needs a regular amount of growth hormones in it to be available for use by the body.
Samantha was terrific. She made sure that there was a refrigerator in her hotel room she shared with her friends so that she could refrigerate her medication and freeze the ice packs for her medicine. The growth hormone treatment medication must be refrigerated at all times otherwise it is be unusable. Samantha packed her medication, needles, and alcohol wipes in a traditional lunchbox cooler with ice packs. She returned with the used needles so that we can safely dispose of them along with an empty pen of medication.
Samantha ran out of medicine last night and didn't receive her full dose. Although I was surprised that she didn't inform me of such earlier in the day upon her return, I was glad that she didn't have any issues with being without her mom when her medication dispenser was empty. There isn't anything that she could have done differently. I realized when I helped her pack her pen with medication that it was possible she could run out, and I intentionally didn't provide her with a new pen filled with medication because I was unsure whether she would forget it in the refrigerator. I'd rather have 1/4 medication left at a hotel than 1.5 weeks worth. I'm pleasantly surprised at how mature she handled the situations she was faced with: 1) taking her medication without her parents wth her 2) showing her friends who were interested how she administers her own shots, 3) being responsible for the transportation of medication which needs special handling, and 4) not missing her 2 doses, even though she was exhausted after running around all day with her friends and having a great time.
Samantha is a bright and conscientious young lady. She accepts the opportunity for increased responsibility and also knows what she is capable of and what she needs assistance with - for the age of 12 she is incredibly self-aware.
I'm extremely proud of Samantha; and today she added to the list of things she continues to learn: accountability and responsibility. She can and should be afforded the opportunity to make age-level choices, and she has shown us she is responsible and capable of doing so.
"Is it really terrible if she misses a shot?" I was asked today after expressing my concern that Samantha may not have followed through with her daily regimen. No, it's not a catastrophe if she misses her shot once every so often; however the body needs a regular amount of growth hormones in it to be available for use by the body.
Samantha was terrific. She made sure that there was a refrigerator in her hotel room she shared with her friends so that she could refrigerate her medication and freeze the ice packs for her medicine. The growth hormone treatment medication must be refrigerated at all times otherwise it is be unusable. Samantha packed her medication, needles, and alcohol wipes in a traditional lunchbox cooler with ice packs. She returned with the used needles so that we can safely dispose of them along with an empty pen of medication.
Samantha ran out of medicine last night and didn't receive her full dose. Although I was surprised that she didn't inform me of such earlier in the day upon her return, I was glad that she didn't have any issues with being without her mom when her medication dispenser was empty. There isn't anything that she could have done differently. I realized when I helped her pack her pen with medication that it was possible she could run out, and I intentionally didn't provide her with a new pen filled with medication because I was unsure whether she would forget it in the refrigerator. I'd rather have 1/4 medication left at a hotel than 1.5 weeks worth. I'm pleasantly surprised at how mature she handled the situations she was faced with: 1) taking her medication without her parents wth her 2) showing her friends who were interested how she administers her own shots, 3) being responsible for the transportation of medication which needs special handling, and 4) not missing her 2 doses, even though she was exhausted after running around all day with her friends and having a great time.
Samantha is a bright and conscientious young lady. She accepts the opportunity for increased responsibility and also knows what she is capable of and what she needs assistance with - for the age of 12 she is incredibly self-aware.
I'm extremely proud of Samantha; and today she added to the list of things she continues to learn: accountability and responsibility. She can and should be afforded the opportunity to make age-level choices, and she has shown us she is responsible and capable of doing so.
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