Two Facts

Fact #1 I am left handed.



Fact #2 I cannot be trusted with a knife!

(Oh, and just in case you're wondering, I happen to really like Hello Kitty band-aids)

Testing 1...2

Several of you have asked what is going on with Ava, so I'm going to explain it here one time. It is a little complicated, and I am definitely not the expert on these things. (I only know what I have been told and have read.)

Ava is considered FTT (failure to thrive), has sever food allergies, and RAD (reactive airway disease--basically asthma, but they don't technically diagnose asthma until the child reaches a certain age).

About 6 weeks ago, she went back to the allergist for some skin tests. The allergist found a few more allergies and was concerned that her weight was only 13lbs. 6oz. She contacted her pediatrician and they recommended that Ava be seen by a GI doctor (gastroenterologist).

About a month ago, we took her into the GI doctor. Both doctors she saw were immediately convinced she has an eosiniphilic disorder (an autoimmune disorder where the body reacts to the protein in foods). They determined she would need to have an endoscopy and sigmoidoscopy performed to biopsy the tissues in her digestive track. (this is the only way to diagnose an eosiniphilic disorder). Pending the results of those procedures, she would most likely be put on an elemental formula diet with little or no other foods allowed. We are hoping they are wrong.

About 3 weeks ago, Ava's pediatrician ordered another round of testing prior to the scopes. I felt this was a waste of time, but I took her in anyway. Last week the pediatrician called and informed us that a couple of her labs had come back abnormal. Apparently, the first round of labs a couple months ago showed an elevated level of methylmalonic acid in her urine. This time, her urine and blood were tested and elevated levels showed up in both. Long story short, elevated levels of methylmalonic acid present in both urine and blood, is the main diagnostic test for methylmalonic acidemia-- a very rare genetic metabolic disorder. I will not bore you with the details, but basically it means that your body is unable to process fats and proteins correctly and methylmalonic acid builds up in your system causing-- let's just say-- bad consequences. We are hoping they are wrong too.

In addition, Ava has been struggling for the past 5 weeks with her asthma. We can't seem to keep it under control and she basically sounds sick a majority of the time.

So that is where we are. She is scheduled to undergo her scopes tomorrow morning at Children's hospital, and will have an appointment with the geneticist next Tuesday. We are worried with the procedures tomorrow, as there is some concern with her allergies and asthma in conjunction with the anesthesia.

I obviously want everyone to be wrong and have her magically begin to turn this around on her own, but I now realize that I may have to accept some challenges. You can pray all day in vain for something you're not likely to get, but I have found it more productive to accept the things you can't change and begin to pray for the best likely outcome.

So, if any of you feel inclined to keep her in your prayers, we would sincerely appreciate it. We are praying for answers how to help her grow and be happy and healthy, and hoping for the lesser of two evils-- if you will-- in a diagnosis. And....holding onto a glimmer of hope that she will just outgrow all of this and be a normal little girl!

Laugh it off

I guess I've been too stressed to blog lately-- sad, cause that's when you get the best stories-- Like the construction barrel I hit today while on my way to the doctor--we'll save that story for another time, but in restrospect ( after the scathing death looks from Colonel Mustard) it was kinda funny.

The outrageous fees from an independent lab that my insurance won't cover-- not so funny. Neither was the phone call informing me of more abnormal test results for our littlest twit. Or... the pap smear (hate those) I had today... though my doctor's face was priceless when I discussed our form of birth control would be "choppin' 'em off."

Maybe that's my problem. I have failed to laugh enough. Not that everything should be lighthearted, but one can't deny the positive energy created from laughing at your troubles.

So today, the hospital called to run through some pre-procedure questions for Ava. "no, no, yes, no, not sure, don't know yet, yes, no...." And when she got to the last question she said, "Now in regard to her diet... never mind. I'm just going to put that she's allergic to everything." She probably wondered what kind of mother was laughing at her own child's aliments, but in my mind I saw the preview to that movie-- you know the one with the food falling from the sky-- something about meatballs-- and "run for your life!" Literally!

Yeah, I'm crazy, but I feel a litte better now that I laughed it off.

Maybe I'll go up the road and see if I can find the mirror to my car!

Pass the buck

Today I want to quit. Quit trying. Quit working. Quit paying. Quit caring.

Sometimes I think it would be easier to fall into the trap and allow my fellow taxpayers to pick up my tab. If I try a little less, maybe we could qualify for WIC and I wouldn't have to pay for Ava's expensive high calorie formula-- or all of my basic groceries for that matter. Heck, if I try even less than that, I may qualify for food stamps! (I wonder if they accept those at Whole Foods???)

If I gamble a little with my kids' well being, I could probably get them qualified for Peachcare-- and maybe those dreaded medical bills would stop showing up in my mailbox, and Ava's exorbitant cost of healthy existence would cease to concern me. ( Do they cover dental??- Andrew's starting to wear the pocketbook in that department too.)

BUT... instead I'll remember that with great sacrifice comes great blessings, and hopefully someday, I'll experiece the joy of informing my children that they OWE me----BIG TIME!

And...he's off.

Someone once told me that the first was the hardest--letting go of the second one would be easier.

Well... they lied.

Maybe the second lets go a little easier, but Mommy struggled just like she did the first time.

My little Ethan is off to preschool and thrilled to be such a big boy.

Ava and I were both happy to pick him up and take him home. I've never been much for "girl time." I guess Ava isn't either. We like our boys!

6 year old Thank You

Want to know what happens when you give a six year old some cards and tell him to write thank you notes for his Birthday presents?

Charming, isn't he? Grandma and Grandpa-- you'll be receiving this in the mail. Hope you enjoy!

(translation for anyone who can't read "Thank you for the card and the $20 bill. My mom and dad won't let me spend it because they're punks. Love Andrew"-- OK, so I had to correct his spelling a little-- I'll cut him some slack-- he's six!)

Banana Bread

I never knew that craving food could be so mentally exhausting. Usually... I want it, I make it, and I eat it--good to go. This morning proved to be more trying than our weekend excursion at Outback Steakhouse, where I begged the waitress not to spit in my food that was such a pain in the butt to make.
All I wanted was some banana bread--and I wanted it bad. so I thought to myself,

"Hmmm....maybe I could try out that rice flour in the cupboard and see if I can make banana bread out of that. It might be a little dense, but maybe it won't taste too bad. And soymilk has more protein in it-maybe it would work better than the rice milk I've used. Ohhhh......I have to substitute the eggs...............well, I read that soy flour can be used as an egg substitute, I'll try that...............Oh crap- She's allergic to bananas, BUT I do have some shredded zucchini in the freezer--I'll just make zucchini bread..........Dangnabbit- forgot she's allergic to that too............maybe I have some canned pumpkin and I'll make pumpkin bread--it's almost fall, that would............BLEEEP..........she's stinkin' allergic to that too........... BLEEP, BLEEP........@%#$&@%$@##&$*^^#@&#$!@*&**!

(disgruntled SIGH)

Where's the freakin' popcorn?!"