Life with The Leivas: Visiting Daddy at Work

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Visiting Daddy at Work

Last week we got to stop by Mike's office and have lunch with him. The kids loved seeing his office. Both Olivia and Peter were excited to see so many people in uniform. When we got out of the car Olivia ran straight toward the legs of a complete stranger for a hug. I guess she saw the uniform and was sure it was Daddy before she saw the face. Fortunately I got there just in time. Once we got into Mike's office I was not quick enough to stop Peter from walking right over to another soldier in uniform and trying to climb into his lap. Fortunately he had kids of his own and he was completely happy to let Peter sit on his lap for a bit. I think that is one of the bittersweet aspects of military life. When Mike is deployed I hate seeing all the other guys around in uniform, it is a constant visual reminder that my husband was gone. Now that my kids are old enough to recognize that familiar uniform I have a different perspective. That uniform symbolizes Daddy and it brings them comfort even if it's worn by someone else's Daddy.

1 comment:

Brandy said...: So true. Every time Jonas see's a man in ACU's he yells Daddy!!! Every Army Vehicle is daddy's and every time we hear shooting he say's "Daddy is shooting." It does warm the heart.; Wednesday, February 24, 2010 10:16:00 PM

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MPS/Sanfilippo Syndrome

In October, 2008 Olivia was disgnosed with MPS III or Sanfilippo Syndrome, type B. MPS stands for: Mucopolysaccharidoses. It is a genetic lysosomal storage disease (LSD) caused by the body's inability to produce specific enzymes. Normally, the body uses enzymes to break down and recycle materials in cells. In individuals with MPS and related diseases, the missing or insufficient enzyme prevents the proper recycling process, resulting in the storage of materials in virtually every cell of the body. As a result, cells do not perform properly and may cause progressive damage throughout the body, including the heart, bones, joints, respiratory system and central nervous system. While the disease may not be apparent at birth, signs and symptoms develop with age as more cells become damaged by the accumulation of cell materials.

Babies and young children with Sanfilippo Syndrome appear normal, but symptoms begin to appear with age as more and GAGs build up in the cells of the body. There are 3 stages to the disease. Stage 1 the child begins to lag behind peers and begins to display difficult behaviors. Stage 2 the child losing his/her language, becomes hyperactive, chews on everything, and has sleeping difficulties. Stage 3 the child slows down, becomes dependant for all mobility and loses the ability to chew/swallow. There is no treatment or cure for Sanfilippo. Life expectancy varies.