Nicholas "Dalton" Martini

Born: December 30, 2003 

Daphne’s my space page
 

February 25, 2008

Dalton and Juliette play a little more together now. Dalton seems to be interested when Juliette takes his toys and of course he wants to play with all of hers too! These photos were taken Valentines weekend.

Dalton has learned to sit independently just before Christmas. We can sit him in the floor to play and he is still sitting an hour later. He is trying to learn to pull to a sit position from crawl and can do it with some slight nudging. I hope he can do it someday. Dalton has been a little challenged with seizures lately. His seiz's were increasing so we increased the phenobarbitol and he became a zombie. After three weeks, he still didn't smile and he could not sit independently but for 5 mins, if he even wanted to! So we backed off the phenobarb and he is his old self again. He recently had his implant turned up also in hopes this would help.

Dalton's Great grandpa passed away last night. He was 88 yrs old. He was a mountain of a man!! Just a beautiful man, inside and out. He had a lot of pics of Dalton around his house. We visited when we could but he thought it made him sad to be around Dalton too much so close to the end we didn't visit as much but he loved Dalton very much and had his pictures everywhere.

Dalton is also staying with his Dad until July to give me a break. We have had a few mishaps with Dalton not getting his meds but overall Dad doing an okay job. This is a trial run and if I had to say today whether or not this is a permanent situation to do joint custody splitting the year, I would have to say absolutely not but I agreed to give his Dad a chance. So, I will hold to the bargain. There have been two instances I have thought about changing my mind but haven't for now. Any more mishaps, excuses, blaming games, etc., and Dalton not receiving care he would get here in his own home and he will come back to me sooner than July. Dalton has a wonderful nurse who takes care of him in Austin, where his Dad lives. It's my turn to be on the every other weekend or once a month visitation.

It's tough but I thought a good idea for me and his Dad to switch places to better understand one another and to enable us to work better together, especially on visitation. Plus his Dad is motivated to take good care of him as I gave him back all his child support!! But this does not exclude reason for good care for Dalton, I was just being fair. If in the event I don't think Dalton is being cared for as well as I can, I will have my attorney draft another modification and I will bring Dalton home. I have enough to bring him home already but trying to give Dad a fair shot at it. Please anyone feel free to draft me a line if you think I have not been wise. I would love to hear your opinion.

Daphne
scottanddaphneelliott@yahoo.com

July 20, 2007

Dalton has a new baby sister!! Her name is Juliette. They like to swing together as well as nap together. I cant wait for them to be play buddies but Juliette will need to grow a little first.

Dalton's two oldest brothers are both Marines and stationed in San Diego, Ca. Dalton's big sister, Chelsye is busy taking college classes this summer for college credit even though she will be a senior in high school this yr.

Dalton has some new additional siblings who have come to live with us recently. Tyler-16, Hailey-13, Brooke-9, and Cade-8. The children are all adjusting to living together and seem to enjoy each other so far! We keep our fingers crossed and pray it continues to be blissful!!!!

Dalton had the VNS implant surgery several months ago and it seems to work well. He is still on his seizure meds but the doctors are impressed that he is on minimal doses for his body weight. Thanks to the implant!! He continues to combat crawl and walks in his rifton walker outside 2x's a day.

His latest accomplishment and work has been to learn feeding himself with gerber dippers and recently a spoon. He will also hold a pb&j sandwich cut into quarters and eat this without having to puree it! He does eat some foods mechanical soft and doesn't have to have it all pureed. He gets plenty of milk to drink and I just recently started adding vit D to his diet for his bones.

I hope everyone enjoys the pictures from Easter this year and then more recent photos obviously.

Hugs,
Daphne and Dalton

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Update 10-31-06
Hello, to everyone. I wanted to update Dalton's site. Dalton is doing well and hasn't been hospitalized in a year now. He continues to battle his seizure disorder. He is scheduled for a EEG (6hr) in Dec. and then from there the epilepsy committee will decide what type of treatment he will need. Either back on the ketogenic diet or VNS implant.
  
He has his evaluation for his ppcd class at the public school in Nov. He will begin school after the holiday break in Jan. 07.
  
Here are some photos of Dalton during his pumpkin carving with me and his sister, Chelsye and brother, Garrett. Tonight we are going trick or treating! Dalton is going as Chicken Little!!
  
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!
Dalton and Daphne

Update: August 1, 2008
Dalton continues to do well. He still battles his seizure disorder, reflux, and constipation at times! He is quite the toddler these days whom is mostly happy yet opinionated and if he doesn't like something you will know about it! In the spring Dalton had a chance to attend class at a private school-Kinder Frogs, located on TCU campus (Texas Christian University) This is a school for predominantly Down's Syndrome children but upon evaluation they accept children with similar learning disabilities. He got accepted!!! They feel he has a lot of learning potential and I am not biased at all, of course!! He will attend there soon and if not (waiting list) he will attend public school in Jan. of '07.
  
Dalton is shared between two homes now. Dad has visitation and does his best to get him on a regular basis. Dalton lives with me and his 2 older siblings who spoil him! Dalton is the boss around here for the most part. The pictures of him in the blue bonnets and standing at duck feeder are at Easter '06 and the school pics (TCU) are in May. The Marine holding Dalton in this pic is his oldest brother stationed in Calif. The pic is also of Travis wedding as Dalton was the ring barer(JUly'06)The most recent one is the gait trainer pic taken in July here at home.
  
Please keep a friend of mine, Melissa and her husband and family in your prayers as she is 36 weeks pregnant with a little boy she named Jonathon Ryan he will be here soon! He has been diagnosed with Trisomy 13. They live in Arlington, Texas.