Sweet 16

Alexis is celebrating her sweet 16th Birthday today. TJ is still out of school due to his concussion, so he was able to join Alexis and her family for lunch (shhhh, I think Alexis played hooky) then shopping at the mall.

He really needed this time away from the house, but it's hard because light and movement (other people moving) over stimulates his brain and he becomes nauseated, dizzy and gets a headache.  

Alexis came back to our house for presents and to just hang with the TJ. Now they are out to dinner with Alexis' family

Happy Sweet 16 th Birthday to one of the sweetest teenage girls I know 

a sweet girlfriend

This is what TJ woke up to this morning  afternoon. Alexis snuck into his room and decorated it with cute signs, snacks and candy. How sweet is that!

TJ is still sidelined, pretty much from life. He has a tutor that comes to the house (through the high school, pretty sweet) for 30 min a day. That is all TJ's brain can handle now. TJ is slowly getting better (AND I MEAN SLOWLY) He will be out at least another week. We see the neurologist on Tue which will be the 3 week mark

My Callahan is studying abroad

Callahan is officially going to Italy for 10 days with his teacher and 9 other students from his middle school. It is a 10 day educational tour...pretty intense from what I've been told. They will visit Rome, Florence and Venice. They are up and out by 8am and go until late evening..sometimes until midnight. It is a chance of a lifetime!

This is the 11th trip his teacher has lead...always to a different country. I am so proud that Callahan was invited to be part of this life changing experience

family

last Saturday Tim and I brought Karrick and Callahan to Sunny Acres Farm in West Chicago. The weather was perfect high 70's low 80's and sunny. TJ didn't join us do to his concussion.

How sweet of Callahan to ride the elephant with Karrick who is hidden

Karrick loves his childrens Bible, anything to keep him reading !

 Tim and I attended my cousins wedding last night in Indiana. It was great seeing my dad, siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles. I just don't get to see them as much as I would like. Plus I got to go out and buy a darling new dress

Photograph by TJ

gets me every morning

football season cut short for TJ

TJ took 3 hard hits to the head at Wednesday's practice...yes, at practice!

The first hit was a helmet to helmet to the back of TJ's skull which stunned him. The second hit was helmet to helmet to the front of TJ's skull which in turn made him trip over a player and slam to the ground head first for a 3rd brutal blow to the skull

 Tim and I were at Callahan's school for a meeting with his Reading teacher who is taking 10   academically aggressive students to Italy for 10 days..Cal being one

That's another blog

TJ called me and he sounded stoned. Friday I took him in to the doc who sent us for a STAT CAT scan with STAT results. The CAT scan was negative (looking for brain bleeds etc) He does have a bad concussion

TJ is not able to go to school or do anything. 

Friday night's game was at West Chicago and was the Rams only chance left to put a 1 in the win column. TJ really wanted to be there, so I drove him and stayed. He hung out on the sidelines by the trainers. GE got their win WooHoo 

 *TJ has an excruciating  headache (no relief from meds)

                               * has short term memory loss (very scary when he asks a question that was thoroughly  discussed an hour earlier) 

*his peripheral vision is all blurry

* can't tolerate loud noise or light

He is most likely done for the season, but still is required to go to all practices and games to see trainers and watch practice. Football is a very fickle sport and all about being tough. No wonder the world is full of brain damaged ex-players

We go back to doc on Thursday morning for a follow up...may end up at the Neurologist before this is over. Lombard schools were closed today and tomorrow (tue) Wed is PSAT for Sophomores and a 1/2 day. Needless to say TJ is not going on Wed.

All concussions are different, but the main things is to let the brain rest to heal 100%

Callahan had light and noise sensitivity for 6 months after his concussion. Another friends daughter had headaches for a year after

To think players used to go right back onto the field is horrifying. TJ thumped down a flight of stairs today to quickly and started to fall and pass out.

Thank God there is a new awareness of  the danger of concussions. 

Mama McGinty has her eye on everyone involved just incase

baaaa

macro

Poms security for homecoming

When TJ told me last week he wanted to do Poms Security, I assumed it meant he would escort the Varsity Pom squad on and off the field during half-time. Sounded great as Alexis is on Varsity pom. TJ got picked up every morning this week at 6:10 am to practice.

 I finally asked "why does security need to practice so much?" 

TJ "it's a joke mom, we are dancing during the pep rally with the poms"

OMG! after the poms performed the "security" came out and danced IN FRONT OF THE ENTIRE SCHOOL, PARENTS AND ALUMNI

Not sure if I felt like I was sitting a a Chippendale show or a bachelorette party.

Whatever it was, it was freakin hysterical and the crowd went wild...no fear of any of these boys becoming dancers, but God bless them for trying

After their dance, the poms came out and did a dance to a nice "G" rated song from "Grease" with the security boys (I have it on video, no pics)

(TJ and Alexis were partners)

TJ looks very large to me (above)

 The worm move below was awesome, they were totally in sync 

                            

I wonder if the reaction would have been the same, had the girls danced lake that?
 I don't think so

Before the pep rally us football booster moms decorated the Soph and Varsity lockers.

OMG!! the smell of a boys football locker room is not pleasant!

They each have a poster with picture, name and # on it and candy all over the locker