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i am a stay-at-home mom living, learning and loving by the bay!I love to take pictures. I love to crochet cozy things for my family and friends.

April 4, 2011

where to begin...

Where to begin...
Well, last Monday night, after martial arts class, Goose sounded terrible.
I could hear her wheezing without putting my ear to her chest.
So off to the ER we went.
Which we are lucky enough to live down the street from.
A Children's Hospital even!
So, after immediately hooking her up to albuterol, they take an x-ray.
She has never had asthma.
The pictures show a bacterial pneumonia!
Well, she isn't responding to the albuterol at all so
we are admitted to the hospital for the night.
At 2am we are transported, by ambulance(Goose thought this was cool), to the hospital's
satellite where they treat respiratory illnesses.
Thank goodness it is only a five minute drive!
Here's a history of what's been going on with Goose in the last several weeks.
She has had stomach trouble, headaches, and she has had some serious frequent urination.
Her doctor, who we visited twice in the last three weeks, said it was all stress.
So back to the hospital, they did a urine sample and the glucose levels were very high.
So they did a blood glucose test which came back very high.
So they did another blood test, a1c, it's called, which gives an average of her blood glucose levels for the past 2-3 months.  It came back showing that Goose was type 1 diabetic.
Well this was not what I was expecting, as you can imagine!
After Goose's breathing was under control we were taken back to the main hospital to meet
with the endocrinologists and prepare for taking home a diabetic child.
This meant two days of education, checking blood glucose levels ourselves and lots of questions!
Goose was scared!  But when she learned how to test herself and got her own insulin pen, she felt a lot better.  Now it looked like Goose was still in the early stages of type 1.  Which meant that her glucose levels were good again and that the pneumonia had caused her pancreas to work overtime which is why her glucose levels were so high.  Basically, that her immune system hadn't killed all of the insulin-producing cells quite yet.  Which is what happens with type 1.  You get sick, like a cold, the flu, or pneumonia, and your antibodies start killing all the "germs" in your body, like they are supposed to.
But, then they begin killing the islets that produce insulin and once they start, they never stop.
Eventually your pancreas loses the battle and completely stops making insulin.
So we were in the "honeymoon" phase of this disease.
There were still enough cells left for her to get by, for now.
We were the classic case as far as how it is usually diagnosed, the right age, the right symptoms and glucose levels.
Well, Thursday night another a1c blood test was done, which they always do before you leave the hospital.
The results were very odd!
They came back in the normal range.
Now, for a blood test that measures your average glucose levels for the past 2- 3 months, it isn't really possible to have such a discrepancy.  And it was a huge discrepancy!
The endocrinologist was shocked.  She fully expected it to be where it was the first time.
So they didn't know what to say, and Friday morning we were sent home.
The conclusion we came to was that one of those tests was done incorrectly.
And now we have to wait for the last blood tests to come back from Colorado
to give us the true diagnosis.  What those are looking for are 4 auto antibodies that would be present, and attacking her islets cells,  if she is indeed positive for type 1 diabetes.
And these results could be two weeks away!!!!!!!!!!
I am already going crazy waiting.
And my poor Goose!  She is scared, exhausted, not feeling well, and terrified that the results will be positive!
She doesn't want to be alone, not even for a minute.
I've had to sleep in her bed since we've been home.
I can only imagine what is going on in her head.  She is worried that her friends will treat her differently if she does have it.  She is worried she might get really sick.  And I don't have an answer for her!

There is so much to do at home, but I think what the kids and I need is to escape for a little while.
I am thinking maybe the zoo today. 
The weather is great and we deserve some fun!!

9 comments:

  1. Oh Lisa, I'm so sorry to hear this.
    Poor Goose!
    Noah and I will be sending lots of healing vibes her way. I hope that things will turn around for the best outcome.
    You are such a great mom and I just know you'll get Goose through this.
    You must be worried out of your mind!
    ((Big Hugs to you both))
    Enjoy the zoo.

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  2. Oh My! The wait must be so terrible for every one, especially poor Goose. My heart is sending out so many calm/healing/ good energy vibes for you all right now. Hopefully it will be all sorted out soon, and you will be on the right path to wellness again. Stay strong!

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  3. Oh gosh ... thinking of you & Goose. 2 weeks must feel like an eternity to wait for results. Keeping you both in my thoughts & prayers. And ... the zoo sounds like a FABULOUS idea!!!

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  4. Oh Lisa, you will be in my thoughts -- I hope you all get some answers quickly and some good news, you certainly deserve some after the week/weekend you've had. Fingers and toes crossed for something good to come your way. Hugs to you both!

    xoxo MaryLea

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  5. what a story! i can only imagine how you all must feel and like the others have said i will be sending love and light your way. poor goose. i must say though in times like these it is another reason why homeschooling can be such a blessing. you can help her through this roller coaster of a time with all your loving attention and as many trips to the zoo that are necessary! be well - peace be with you.

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  6. Lisa~I'm so sorry to hear this news. Damn it. :(

    You will all be in my thoughts and I hope you receive your news sooner rather than later.

    I know how terrible it can be to wait. :(

    Love to you all,
    Jessica

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  7. Oh!!! What a week! All of that is so so scary and then to add a wait and not knowing and a worried sick child. I cannot imagine. Hugs to you both (all of you). Hope you get better news than you expect, and that she feels much better soon.

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  8. Lisa...oh I so know how frustrating this can be! Blessings for you and her! Remember 'the best is now' and keep smiling and believing. You are an awesome mom!

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  9. How can they make a mistake like that one, you poor things, it would be so hard not to know exactly what is going on or where you are at.The HA1C test cant do a back flip like that.Someone made a very not nice booboo on one of those tests!I was diagnosed at 14 as diabetic, its so hard to learn to deal, and there is always worry about peers.As scarey as it is, if Goose is diabetic she will still have a pretty full normal life.Medical science has come a long long way compared to many years ago.Hopefully everything will be sorted soon, but its such a long wait.

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