Pink Saturday and Blessings

Today is a very special Pink Saturday. It is a day for not only showing the pinks we love but in celebration of the many blessings we have received. I have been blessed with a wonderful family which consists of eight sisters and two brothers, a mother and father who have since passed away, a very caring husband, two great children (including a daughter-in-law and son-in-law) and four beautiful grandchildren. We have all been blessed with good health. But the past few years have been difficult at times. A beautiful little newphew was kicked in the head by a horse which required several brain surgeries. He is now doing so much better but may require more in the future. It could have easily have been a tragic story but with prayer and faith, Tyler is back in school and acting like any other 10 year old. Then my grandson, Tristan, began having unusual symptoms which the Doctor told us was Tourettes Syndrome. But, not all things are what they seem - and with the help of the internet we soon found out he had Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsyciatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcus - P.A.N.D.A.S. A simple blood test showed his blood titers were off the chart with strep - who would have thought that something that children get all the time "Strep Throat" would cause such havoc in the brain. He had complained several weeks prior to the onset of the symptoms that his throat was a bit sore but no fever. The doctor ordered a round of antibiotics and now he is symptom free. It doesn't mean he is cured but he may never again have the symptoms, and if he does it can be treated with antibiotics. It makes me wonder how many children out there have been diagnosed with OCD, Tourettes and ADHD and may have PANDAS. Please read my earlier post about PANDAS and check out their website www.pandasfoundation.org for more information. Many doctors are still skeptic about this disorder but if you have a child or know of a child who suddenly became obsessive, exhibited motor tics (legs or arms twitching, head jerking) or verbal tics (cursing, yelping), have the doctor check them for PANDAS. It only takes a simple blood test. We have been truly blessed with a little miracle in Tristan, you would not know to look at him that he was ever sick with PANDAS.

Please check out this blog - http://www.katillacshack.com/ - and read about Colette Gauthier's Miracle Makeover. It is an uplifting and inspiring story.

My contribution to Pink Saturday this week is this pretty little pink tin sign that is quite appropriate for this week - "Believe"