Jon's New Shades...

If you see Jon around town, you can be sure he will be sporting these:

Although we have had no luck with any help from an opthamologist yet, Jon has found a bit of much needed relief in the form of these bad boys.   ;)

Over the past several weeks, Jon's right eye has progressively gotten more and more painful and sensitive.  Light has been a major factor since day 1, but any type of wind or even just air, has become the more prominent issue for Jon's eye.  I like to put it this way: Imagine you and a 4 year old child engage in a staring contest.  The person who blinks first loses, so you try your hardest to stare and keep those blasted eyelids open.  We've all played that game at some point in our lives.  And we all know the stinging sensation that hits us after not blinking for, oh, about 15 seconds, right??  Well, because of Jon's paralysis on the right side, his right eye doesn't really blink on its own.  So you can imagine the pain and discomfort that would come with that minor detail.  I mean, don't you think blinking is a minor thing?  I always have.  Who even thinks twice about blinking?  We do it just as easily as we breath in and out.  And yet the moment blinking is taken away from you, its value is truly introduced.  We will be walking outside and I will think the air is perfectly still...  But Jon is sensitive to even the slightest breeze and instantly the pain in his eye is just debilitating.  It has been heartbreaking to see him like this day and night.

So about a week ago, Jon began doing research on different options that might be available to him - something...anything that might bring some relief.  He was thrilled to finally go to a Harley Davidson store and find these awesome sunglasses that have a special foam lining inside the rims.  (Rims?  Do you call them rims?  You know, the plastic part of the glasses..)  ;)  It is similar to how a ski goggle feels and it really helps keep not only the sun out but the wind/air out as well.  It seriously has been life changing!  And can we hear a woot woot for the fact that they look like normal sunglasses and not like goggles??  I mean, he's hot in whatever, but it doesn't hurt that he found a pair he actually likes!

So he now wears them day and night, inside or outside.  Yep, he's "that" guy.  We had our parent/teacher conferences for our oldest 2 kids this past week and a few minutes in, I had to make sure they knew Jon wasn't "too cool for school." ;)   He just really needs his shades!  The teachers were more than gracious.  And to be honest, it wasn't half as bad as 2 years ago when we had a colic-y baby with us and I had to actually nurse during the parent/teacher conference!  Ya, I was "that" mom!  LOL!  Oh man, we've had our share of 'hot mess' moments at the kids school.  I digress...

Anyway, just wanted to share a "Praise" with you all and thank you for praying for his eye.  It's a very temporary "band aid" that isn't fabulous, but it's a definite step in the right direction.  And for that, we are thankful!