A High and a Low
Filed Under: My Daughter, My Son, Parenting
First, the high…
Today was L’s first yoga class at our health club. He is so completely over the hanging-on-my-leg thing that he practically pushed me out the door. He’s now too cool to have his Mom around. I had thought the class was 45 minutes, then the instructor said it was an hour. Ya know what my son says to me? “Now you’ll have a lot of time to work out, Mom!” {Big smile, trots off with his yoga mat to join the other boys.}
Now the low…
Received a note in the mail today from our doctor. C’s white blood cell count is slightly elevated and he wants to monitor it. He also notes, “Apparently not enough blood was drawn to do the carnitine test, so we’ll need to do another draw.”
Are you freakin kidding me? My poor little girl had to be held down and stuck in both arms and there still wasn’t enough blood? You mean she has to go through that AGAIN? Aaaarrrggghhh!
Today’s advice: Do not, I repeat - DO NOT, start looking up symptoms on the internet when you get a little smidget of information from your doctor. In the past couple hours I’ve had The Princess diagnosed with everything from anemia to leukemia. The doctor said her count is just slightly elevated, so friends and family - please don’t be concerned. I am just a freak when it comes to these things and I have to research everything until I’ve scared myself shitless. Hey, then I feel a lot better when it turns out everything is JUST FINE!
PHAT = Parenting, Homeschooling And Technology. That about sums up my life at the moment. 
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mommy_uv_4 | Sep 29, 2005 | Reply
Webogen: The antigen that creates the symptom of one who is freaked out by information on the Web that leads them to believe they actually have the disease Webomatosis.
What’s Webomatosis? A deadly disease that can actually be derived from spending WAY too many hours on WAY too many websites trying to find the source of the symptoms that you didn’t even know you had until you looked other symtoms up on the Web.
Not trying to poke fun, but I have been there MANY times. Looking up Sierra’s night terrors last year led me to believe she had a whole bunch of different things. And since some of those things were actually determined to be genetic within only a few months of the night terror episodes, of course I was in panic mode. And while I was at it, I panicked over the possibility that I might actually have some of those things (those that I do not currently have, that is). And the fact that some of those things don’t even get diagnosed at her age is even more nervewracking, since I basically have to wait her whole life to wait to rule any of those things out.
Looking up the causes for my miscarriages…I won’t even get started about that. If you could catch something just through the sheer panic of reading it, I don’t think I ever would have carried a baby to term!!!
For the record, nothing abnormal has yet been determined with Sierra, partly because of the age thing as I said above.
And yes, she is young yet. Let’s face it, even if she doesn’t ever have any of that stuff, by the time she is fully grown, there will probably be another 1,000,000 newly discovered things for me to look up on the Internet and panic about ;o)
Anonymous | Sep 29, 2005 | Reply
Here are my thoughts:
First, go to the lab around 2 PM - we are typically very slow from after lunch on, but the very best phleb takes lunch from 1-2. John, Meredith, Karen, Shazad or Hans are all excellent. Be blunt but polite - tell them the situation (redraw). While you don’t want to scare yourself silly, do educate yourself on what tests the doctor wants. Many of these tests can be run on VERY LITTLE blood.
I have found that you have to educate yourself and be an advocate for yourself (or your loved one) in hospital situations. The people who work there are wonderful, caring and competent, but they are also PEOPLE who make mistakes. Do your homework, it will help.
I would also want to talk to the doctor - he sent you a NOTE in the MAIL about the results? He did not call you personally? WTF? Also, since I was there that day and saw how much blood was drawn, I know each and every one of those tubes was filled to the correct capacity. In fact, that was why Karen did a second stick, to make sure she had enough. IMHO, the doc is bullshitting you - he didn’t order that test, or the lab screwed up, because there was plenty of blood to work with. My two cents only, of course.
Keep in touch, if I can help in any way, let me know.
{{Hugs}}
Vampire-in-Training
Mother Crone's Homeschool | Sep 29, 2005 | Reply
I can’t help you, as I have done the same thing many times, and have driven myself crazy! Here’s hoping that it all turns out well though. One thing I started doing when my then 4 yr old had repeated shots…take a cup of ice in and ice the spot for a few minutes. It helps numb the pain, and if the pleb is good, they can still get the vein and blood. Here’s hoping!
mommy_uv_4 | Sep 30, 2005 | Reply
You know, I hadn’t originally noticed until someone else pointed it out–I can’t believe he sent you a NOTE!!! That is totally unprofessional and certainly an unorthodox practice on the part of a doctor, not to mention heartless. The fact that you are worried sick is the exact reason why he is be calling you personally, so you can ask questions and get the correct info BEFORE you panic! Ugh, that just doesn’t sit well with me :oP
Carmi | Oct 1, 2005 | Reply
It’s a parent’s job to worry about everything and anything. You are, after all, the most important folks in the little munchkin’s life.
Although I pray it’ll be nothing, I also understand why you’re so worried. I’m exactly the same way whenever any element of our kids’ health is anomalous.
You are all in our thoughts and prayers.