Follow-up on the Legs

Thanks for all the feedback on Wren's bruised legs.  I took him to the pediatrician this afternoon and she explained that the main concern with "excess" bruising is low platelet levels.  If they suspect low platelets then he would need a blood panel (a full blood draw) which we could do at Children's.

However, she is not sure he needs it.  Apparently, his bruises are definitely more than normal but in their location and size they could easily be "normal active boy" bruises.  She showed me what to watch for - more larger bruises, bruises in locations that would not be common from falls and also [WARNING GROSS PICTURE] petechia which are a sign of low platelet counts caused by various ominous conditions.

If Wren gets more unusual bruises we will have his blood levels checked, but he seems to be just unfortunate (or prone to accidents) at the moment.

Anemia or Just Normal Wear and Tear

When I was changing Wren into his PJs this evening I was shocked to see the number of bruises on his little legs.  He looks like he's been hit with shrapnel!

I know he fell over twice this evening (tripping on his Uggs in the dark on the way to the Lunar New Year celebration) and that explains the scrape but what on earth are all the other bruises?

Wren's bruised legs.

I have been googling "child bruised legs" and "bruised shins" and see that this is a common concern for parents of mobile but stability challenged children but this picture looks far worse than any other posted on the topic.

Do you think he might have anemia?  I am considering sending this picture to his pediatrician to see what she thinks.


From Bruised Legs to Brooding Looks
Now, last weekend Josh and I went out to dinner at Tilth and enjoyed a 5 course vegetarian tasting menu.  Quite delicious and not overly filling.  I love this picture of Joshua contemplating his reaction to a braised cauliflower dish.

Joshua, contemplating the flavor of braised cauliflower at Tilth

Now, have to check that Frost's in bed.

Bird of the Day

It was cold today, getting colder over the next few days as strange weather conditions hit much of the US.  

 

But I don't mind because I am thinking about Hawaii! 

This posting is for Mum, who portentously said "if this goes well perhaps we shall have to go to Hawaii again" and I thought "damn sure we will Have To Go Again."

Not having every been before this may be too bullish but even the birds there are brightly colored. After days of almost-sun and half-rain, any saturated colors will do. Actually, secretly, I edited this image below to pump up the saturation. I didn't feel the scan did it justice.

This morning, the sun broke through around breakfast time and I was struck but an urgent happiness and rushed to Whole Foods and bought fluffy white bread (which we never get) and made French toast. Then the sun passed and I returned to my running training, Cleopatra reading apathy - interspersed only by episodes of pinching my belly fat and looking at Josh in a perplexed way, to which he replies matter of factly: "carbs" or "small-things" or "Sugar" depending on what he is thinking at the time.

Anyway, from saturated fats lets return to saturated colors:

PLATE 38:  Hawaiian Native Birds - Yellow, black and red honeycreepers.
From Pratts field Guide to the Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific.

Extinct Bird of the Day: ULA-AI-HAWANE  (top left)
From Pratt:
"Found in historic times only on the Island of Hawaii.  Last seen early 1890s in Kohala.  Extinct.

Other listings theorize that it was too dependent on the hawane palm to survive habitat destruction.

You might see it Bird of the DAY:  IIWI  (top right)
 From Pratt (p 309) A nectar-feeder often found in flowerin gohia-lehua, mamane and many introduced plants like banana poke.  Slow and deliberate in movements, keeps to the interior of leafy branches, rarely in the open.  More difficult to see than apagane, with which it often feeds.  Wings produce an audible flutter in flight....

In native forests above 600m.  Common to abundant Hawaii, Maui, Kauai...."

From Wikipedia we learn:

"One of the most plentiful species of this family, many of which are endangered or extinct, the ʻiʻiwi is a highly recognizable symbol of Hawaiʻi. The ʻiʻiwi is the third most common native land bird in the Hawaiian Islands. There are large colonies of ʻiʻiwi on the islands of Hawaiʻi and Kauaʻi..."

 While not rare, it is threatened because of habitat limitations, diseases and also pigs which create wallows which serve as habitat for avian malaria larva.  Avian malaria and fowlpox are serious threats to Hawaiian birds.  Apparently 90% of exposed Iiwi die.

------

 This weekend Joshua and I had a touch typing contest.  Josh says he thought he was fast and I said I was too.  Because he is Mr Always Right, he was right.  He is a bit faster than me.  He types at about 95 WPM at an accuracy comparable with my 85 WPM.   I can type faster worse and he can type faster-faster worse.  When typing antiquarian English typing tests we both scored in the high 80s but once the constraints of topic and crazy spelling were removed, Josh can do over 100 WPM with some ease.

His oddity is that he talks to himself while he's doing it, sometimes.  Surely I can deduct 10WPM for that?

Hawaii and Serial Thrillers

Last night, as I took my place on the couch at 10pm Frost asked, "Mum why are the only shows you watch ones about Hawaii, serial killers and medical dramas?"

He is frustrated because my standard line is "No, you can't sleep on the couch because its my turn to watch TV." 

He then counters with "I'll stay and watch too."

It being late on a Friday / Saturday / bedtime on a school night, I am not sympatico with this plan and explain that I am going to watch my child-inappropriate show.   Frost understands this to mean something about Hawaii, serial killers or grisly hospital drama.   I confess that he is not far off the mark but I throw in a few episodes of Parenthood, Masterpiece British dramas (about Serial killers or misunderstood troubled youth) and some odd Novas along the way.  Last night I watched Criminal Minds but fast-forwarded quite a bit to collapse the 1 hr screening time into 30 minutes of edited-entertainment. 

Is that sad that I don't even have the attention/time span for pulp television?

This morning, Frost has a cold and is collapsing on the couch reading 39 Clues Book 6.  He is unable to get up to make his breakfast and hopes for french toast, which I provide.

"I am sooo tired because Alex and Eve left random appliances in my bed from a game in which I was some guy with my stuff and they stole my stuff from me.  So I couldn't sleep last night because there was all this STUFF in my bed."

Last night, Josh and I went out to Tilth and enjoyed the 5 course tasting menu.  It was tasty and the Dark and Rainy cocktail was sublime.  Mental note:  try and recreate it with gingerale and various unknown alcoholic ingredients.

This morning, I am going to pilates class.  Courtney and I did a 6 mile run yesterday and I shall try and do another 3 today.  However, I am also thinking of joining a gym so I can do the strengthening exercises recommended by my physio.  I need attached weights to do them easily.   However, I don't know if I have time in my life to go to gym too...

Its hard work being fit!

Frost is hoping to get out of his soccer game today (due to cold, sleeping with debris and the temptation of lying wrapped up in fleece).   I need to get them out the house at some point but that point looks pretty far away.