I need to cross the border

I saw my el doctoro this morning to discuss my latest round of tests to try and figure out why my body acts like the body of a woman twice my age.

Apparently, one of my blood tests came back borderline for rheumatoid arthritis. A negative result is under 20 and my level was right at 20. There was another test run at some recent point that also gives an indication of RA and that was negative.

So, I left the office with a requisition to re-test my RA factor in mid to late January.

The saga continues...MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Nic's Gastroscopy

I took Nicholas in for his gastroscopy on Dec 17th. Like the last 2 times he's been in for surgery, they took his vitals, had me put him in jail striped pjs (the blue ones are sized for a 6 year old and Nic is almost too big for the shirt. LOL He's a MOOSE!) The nurse put the EMLA cream on the back of both his hands and covered them with the plastic bandages (Tegaderm, I think is what they are called) and send us back out to the playroom/waiting room to wait for his name to be called.

As usual, the day ward was running late and Nic was taking in almost an hour after he was scheduled to be taken in. I held him while they poked his hand for the saline block/IV port and as they pushed the sleepy meds. I don't care how "prepared" you are for it, when your child goes dead limp in your arms and their eyes roll back in their heads, it is DISTURBING. I held it together though because I knew that this one was a minor thing.

About an hour later, the nurses called me into the recovery area and I sat with Nic until he woke up. He was nicely sleeping and would NOT wake up. He was happy to be off in Dreamland. However, when he finally decided to grace us with is consciousness, he was up and ready to roll. He quickly polished off a glass of apple juice and slowly savoured an orange Popsicle. The nurse told us to get him up and walking so we did 3 circuits of the recovery area and then they released him.

All in all, he came through it like a pro. According to the doctor, his upper GI (esophagus, stomach and duodenum) is healthy and pristine. He couldn't find the source of all the bleeding that has been happening on and off since August. Nicholas isn't bleeding right now so I'm going to leave it alone to see if it starts up again. If it does, the doctor will order a colonoscopy or a swallowed capsule that will take pictures all the way through the digestive tract. Neither one seems like a fun time for a 3 year old. At least I know that they'd knock him out for the colonoscopy. The prep for that is horrible and being semi-conscious for it isn't a picnic either.

Go ahead, ask me how I know. LOL

Nathan

What am I going to do with this kid?

We got his report card at the end of November and the parent/teacher meeting the following week. Considering this is Nathan's second year in kindergarten, I was expecting a pretty good report...I was wrong.

Out of the 20 letter sounds they had studied (by the time of the meeting), Nathan could only identify 8. When he gets instructions, he looks like he's listening, he seems to be comprehending but when he goes off to do what he's been told to do, he blanks out. If you lead him with one instruction at a time, he can do it but 2 or more instructions and he loses it.

The teacher is checking into what Nathan has been assessed for with his hearing. Was he assessed only for word sounds and simple hearing or did they also assess for retention. Nathan's teacher isn't sure if it is the fact that the instructions are in French or if there is a misfire, missed connection that is the problem.

We are trying an experiment with Nathan. Because his teacher is also the English kindergarten teacher, she offered to let Nathan come in on the English days to see if he starts to "get it" or not. He'll continue in the French class as well so he'll be going every day rather than 2 or 3 days a week. This would at least show us if it is the French that is the problem or if there is something else happening. Maybe he's just not cut out for French Immersion. We'll have to see. This is his second week of trying the English class as well as the French class.

Nathan is also getting over a bad cough. He still coughs some but he's well on his way to healthy. Or as close to healthy as he can get. LOL He's not exactly known for being "normal". LOL Takes after his Mother.

Nicholas

Nicholas goes in next Monday for his gastroscopy. He had his pre-op blood tests today. He's doing better when it comes to the "pokies" but he's still not very happy about them.

He's got a really nasty cough right now. I'm hitting him hard with the inhalers and whatever else I can find (without double dosing) to make him better before next week.

As per usual, he has to get really bad before he gets better. He has hit the stage of coughing until he vomits and now I'm hoping the worst is over and he's on the road to recovery.

Well, I know what it ISN'T

I have FINALLY had my MRI done. The results are in and I do NOT have MS. Yeah me! LOL So, we've been able to rule out anything wrong in the brain (MS, stroke, tumour) and anything dietary (diabetes, cholesterol, vitamin/mineral deficiencies) so what does that leave me with?

I saw my doctor again today to discuss this and she sent me for blood tests. She's attempting to rule out lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. When those are rule out, I get left with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Hopefully the results will come soon.

So basically, I'm pushing the doctor to listen to me and to hear that I'm having troubles and I'm pushing for an explaination. I'm not sure where this will get me in the long run but putting a name to this will be one step in the right direction.