Results!

Just a quick post because it's late and I'm tired :)

Lynae's bloodwork results came back and they showed low hemoglobin AND low iron! YAY!  This is a very good thing and means she just needs supplemental iron.  Though Brianna's results aren't back yet, the similarities of the two girls' bloodwork and something to do with some of the additional tests that were done for Brianna gave both the Endo and our Ped the impression that we may have been dealing with a type of hereditary anemia which is NOT iron deficient anemia.

The other type that they told me about is more in the family of Sickle Cell and those conditions.  Of course it isn't Sickle Cell, but that's the one people are most aware of.  The severity differs but based on the girls' test results, the outcome would be regular blood transfusions, significant issues as a side effect of those including additional issues with the heart (Brianna had open heart surgery and Lynae is having an Echo on Thursday due to a murmur).  The condition is life threatening.

THANKFULLY THIS IS NOT WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH-- at least not for Lynae and not likely for Brianna since the reason it was brought to the table is because BOTH girls' tests showed multiple symptoms for it.

Now... still not sure what we're dealing with for Brianna since I don't have those test results, so continue to pray for her please!  In the mean time, I bought a bottle of liquid iron today and Lynae will start getting that daily :).

I bought the iron at the same time as I picked up James' new medication... Thyroid meds.  His hair has been just awful lately, so coarse and thin and I was almost hoping that this is what was gone since it would explain it all and be treatable.  Otherwise I was going to be afraid that it was something more severe and complex.  His levels of TSH weren't off the charts, but they were high and enough so that he was started immediately on meds to help regulate them.  He will go back for bloodwork in a month and see the dr again in 3 months to adjust meds as needed.  Unfortunately, Hypothyroidism is an 'official and forever' type of diagnosis and James will likely be on medication fort he rest of his life.  Thankfully, it is easily managed with meds and I hope that having this medicated will improve his hair... and may even help with some of the 'helpless' behaviors and laziness that could be legitimately from being tired (or could be because he's 4 or jealous of the new kids, or just because he's James :) ).

We also saw the GI doctor today and we're continuing on as we have been... He's staying on his Prevacid which has worked well lately and with the EryPed for motility.  He's not quite 6 months out from his bout with Salmonella and in April when he goes back to GI we'll likely do two gastric emptying studies... one for liquids and one for purees.  He's been spitting up purees when we give them so we've significantly backed off on those and he's back to almost all Pediasure... This could be a temporary thing or he could be having issues causing this.  We're going to try some purees through the tube soon and see if he keeps those down better than when we give the purees orally.  We shall see...

For now James' GI stuff is the same, added a med for Thyroid, added Iron for Lynae, and I am ready for bed :)

LOVING my Medical blog too with all the scheduling of appointments and looking up prior info from appointments.

Tomorrow is Kristopher's awards at school, April's coming so I can unearth my house a little bit, then Pulmonology for Brianna in the afternoon.  Youth group in the evening for Kristopher.  It promises to be another eventful day!

PRAISE GOD for good bloodwork results for Lynae, and please continue to pray that Brianna's will be just as favorable!  THANK YOU!