Immunology

We were finally able to get Addy into the Immunologist today. She was supposed to go last Friday but since she'd been sick for a week with the tummy stuff we had to postpone. As you can see, she is feeling pretty darn good right now! Her pediatrician ordered yesterday for her Home-bound services to continue until April 22nd because she is still seeing a ton of illnesses in the clinic. Little Man got over the tummy bug in two days it took Addy eight :( I know he brought it home from day care but we are seeing tummy stuff at school too :(

We met with the Dr. and I think I'm going to like her but she feels that if all of the things that she's going to test come up negative that we need to push more with GI. I think we need to push more with GI anyway but we (and our pediatrician) aren't  getting anyhere. We may have to go to Kansas City at this point. I did NOT like the GI from KC that was  Addy's first GI at all so I just don't know.

The doctor today decided not to put Addy through environmental allergy testing that just doesn't seem to be an issue. (I agree with this). She feels that it is probably a malabsorption problem or an autoimmune disorder. I think she's ordered just about everything to check these things out. She did notice that her liver something (I can't remember what it was) was high while she was inpatient in January.

She ordered a lot of blood tests. She is also going to have a sweat test to rule out Cystic Fibrosis next week. I'm not sure why we are doing this because she was tested for this as an infant before we adopted her, but we will do what we need to to help our precious girl!

We went to the lab to have blood drawn. After an hour and six pokes with no blood we were sent to the hospital to see if they could get it. My amazing little girl barely whimpered and laid as still as can be as the techs kept jabbing (nicely jabbing, they were VERY gentle) her little arms trying so hard to get her blood. I gave her a bolus feed before we headed to the hospital to give a bit more hydration to see if that would help. When we were taken back the lab tech said "Oh Addysen, I remember your stubborn little veins!" Uhmm sorry??? I didn't recognize her but we've seen a TON of techs in our lives! They warmed Addy's little arms up and first poke got some blood! However, it was just one vial and they vein turned on her :( So they had to switch arms and try a few more times before the other 10 vials were drawn. Yes, Addy had 11 vials of blood drawn! My amazing little trooper! If she liked candy she could have all of it she wanted after the morning she had! I'm sure she's going to be more bruised tomorrow, I think she looks pretty amazing tonight!

 The tests that were ordered were: CBC+diff, Vit D, CH50, IgG, IgM, IgA, tetanus ab, H. flu ab, S. pneumo ab (23 stereotypes), mannose bidning lectin, T and B cell quantification by flow cytometry, lymphocyte proliferation to mitogens (pokeweed, phytohemagglutinin), and antigens (candida, tetanus), neutrophil oxidative burst test and the sweat chloride test.  She is also running another stool work up to look at fecal fat, and  fecal WBCs. We probably won't have the results of everything for three weeks so that's frustrating but we've waited this long what's a few more weeks?? Not that I want something to be wrong, but I sooo hope we can find something to help her stay healthy!