14 Jul 2010 3 Comments
Just a Quick Update
I’m sorry if I haven’t written in so long. As you can imagine, things have been pretty crazy over the past week or two. My family has all been sick thus we needed to cancel our 5th Wedding Anniversary vacation to Crater Lake. Michael and I don’t usually get really sick but it hit us hard this time. I think it’s because our immune system is low from all the stress that has been in our lives lately.
Since going to day care, the Small Fry have had an ear infection, pneumonia and constant runny nose. About a month ago, we also found out that he has a mild iron-deficiency anemia so the doctor prescribed iron supplement for him. However last week after his blood tests, he’s still anemic and not gaining weight. The doctor then ordered another blood test to see if he might have Celiac Disease which is an autoimmune disease where the lining of the small intestine is damaged from eating gluten. Since our Small Fry doesn’t seem to be absorbing all the iron that he’s taking and he’s not gaining weight, the doctor said that he might have Celiac Disease because it can disrupt the absorption of nutrients in the small intestines.
Michael and I dread going to the lab for a blood draw. During our first trip there, the Phlebotomist said she’s been doing this for over 20 years and yet she can never find a vein so she had to poke my Small Fry several times. It just looks like pure torture and we were really pissed! Our baby was screaming and crying and we had to help hold him down — truly heart breaking for any parent.
The good news though is that the recent blood work came back negative (of the Celiac Disease) - thank God! The Small Fry’s doctor told me that it could be just that he’s been sick a lot because of day care and her plan was to wait another month, re-do the blood test and if it’s still not good, then she’ll refer us to a specialist at Children’s Hospital. I told her that the plan is not good enough for me and I want my son to be seen at Children’s NOW. I know that my Small Fry’s been a happy, active baby and hitting all his milestones but for my peace of mind, I want to make sure that everything’s okay and I’m not willing to wait a month to find out that everything’s OK.
So that’s just a quick update to let you all know that I’m still here and hopefully, I’ll get back to writing more soon. But for now, please keep my Small Fry in your prayers that he’ll always be a strong and healthy baby.
Jul 22, 2010 @ 13:00:38
awww…
geez, i wished you lived closer to me because i would of been able to get small fry’s blood on the 1st shot…seriously, i work as phleb for almost 10 years & haven’t missed anyone in about 9 yrs…all the pedi docs near where i work tell the moms & dads to come see me even though i don’t go to work until 4pm & most nights i have a line of 2-3 waiting for me…even when i was out on maternity leave my boss was calling & asking me if i would come in once a week so i could take care of “my regular little ones”…
here are some of the hints i give to moms & dads…
*never ever lie, if they ask if it is going to hurt, tell them yes but only for a few mins…
*asked your doc to prescribe the cream (i for the life of me can not remember the name of it) the numbs the skin…you just have to go to the pharmacy and apply it according to the directions…
*make sure your phleb is using a “butterfly” needle…the needle looks like it had butterfly wings & a tube attached to it…
*ask your doc for back up orders to be able to draw blood anywhere…in CT i can only draw from the arm or hand but sometimes i find it easier to draw from the foot…i know sounds mean but it is easy for mom or dad to hold baby facing them on mom or dad lap & play while i play with their foot…there is something about holding & tugging at their arms that makes them angry & sad before you even do anything…
*sing, sing, sing…i normally sing the a,b,c song
Jul 22, 2010 @ 13:33:31
Oh wow, I really wish you lived closer to us too Michele! Thank you so much for the tips, we can definitely use it on his next blood draw in a couple weeks.
Jul 15, 2010 @ 21:47:15
Ai caramba! I’m so sorry to hear this. :( I sure hope that any and all tests will show that your small fry is perfectly alright. Praying for you all.
P.S. – Also sad to hear you had to cancel your anniversary vacation.