Tag Archives: medical

0

Medical update #4 – Procedure Day

|

IMG_0482.JPG

Friday, 12 September 2014: One Year, One Hundred and Sixty Four Days Old.

Ayla had her investigative procedure today, to check out her entire digestive system.

The procedure required Ayla to fast from 7.30am, so by the time Ayla went to get ready for theatre at 3.00pm she was hungry, thirsty and tired.

I went in with her, suited up in a white robe and a fancy blue hair net, and held her little hand and brushed her hair while she breathed in the gas and drifted off to sleep.

Ayla was under anesthetic for 40 minutes, while her gastroenterological paediatrician conducted a “gastroscopy” and a “sigmoidoscopy” which included a couple of biopsies and another full set of bloods.

Ayla woke up an hour later, groggy and a little upset with a bit of a cough and a husky voice from the oxygen tube. There was a few tears, but as soon as we met her in Recovery, gave her a bottle and sat with her in a rocking chair, Ayla quickly drifted back to sleep.

We were discharged at 5.30pm with test results due back next Thursday. The procedure went well but the doc seemed a little surprised he found evidence of digestive irritation, apart from that there was no kinks, twists or damage to Ayla’s insides.

We now also have to wait for our next specialist appointment, with a paediatric endocrinologist (ie: growth expert), scheduled for 15 October, and for Ayla’s chromosomal blood tests to come back in the next couple of weeks

0

Medical Update#2

|

IMG_0393.JPG

Saturday, 6 September 2014: One Year, One Hundred and Fifty Nine Days Old.

My Mum (who Ayla and I are staying with) and I had to take Ayla to the Emergency Department last night (Friday) suffering another episode severe impaction.

While this situation was not unusual for Ayla and something Hubby and I have witnessed many times over the past four months, this was the first time we have actually had a team of doctors recognise that what we are dealing with is by no means “normal”, and understand that no amount of probiotics, prune juice, dietary changes or laxatives are going to fix it.

I won’t go into the gory details of what happened, but essentially the doctors at the ED will write a report to our Gastro Paed explaining what they witnessed and suggest he conducted some additional testing when Ayla has her procedure on Friday.

Ayla list of diagnoses is increasing by the day, but unfortunately there’s still no one answer to link them all together. But we’re getting closer.

I am overwhelmed by the level of care we have been receiving here, interstate. The doctors and nurses are proactive, caring, diligent and committed to their patients, or at least to poor Baby Ayla. I am astonished by the huge variation between the hostpials here and the hospitals in our home city, and I am so very glad we came down here, I only wish we’d done it sooner.

2

One Way Ticket

|

IMG_0295.JPG

Wednesday, 27 August 2014: One Year, One Hundred and Forty Nine Days Old.

Today was Hubby’s birthday and while we had a lovely morning together as a family opening presents and eating pancakes, the afternoon was marred with pre-emptive loneliness.

Ayla and I flew out today, on a one way ticket. Her stomach problems, slow growth and a number of other concerns are still undiagnosed, and our local doctors and specialists are either as confused as we are, or so far under the pump that they care little about finding a solution.

The treatments we’ve so far been prescribed attend to the symptoms, but not the cause, and the stress of the unknowing and the fear of the what-ifs are taking thier toll on our little family.

So, Hubby and I made the decision to take matters into our own hands and travel interstate to where specialist care is more accessible and attentive.

Hubby will join us later, if need be, otherwise Ayla and I will return in a week or so, hopefully with a diagnosis and a cure.