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Monday, November 10, 2008

Medications, Surgeries, Lab Work and the Like

We had an appointment last week with Bucket's "neurological child development specialist" otherwise known as the psych doctor. They just don't want you to think your child needs a psych, so they give it a fancy title and still charge you out the ying-yang.
Ok, enough about my ying-yang. Bucket has been on his medication for about two years, and give or take some issues, have been most successful. Unfortunately, Bucket's doctor moved to North Carolina without saying a word (yeah, some expert on autism, he should know this would be a jolt to my Bucket!) so we had to meet with the pediatric nurse practicioner instead. Most people balk at getting the NP, but not me. I like them because they are just as knowledgeable, without that white coat mentality. And if anyone has read my previous posts, they know I can get...umm..."in your face" with my kids' doctors.
So we meet the new NP, whose name is Pam. She immediately asks us to call her Pam, so I'm already liking her. Bucket started to act up, but I pulled him aside and immediately corrected his attitude. He got on the scale, he weighs 87 pounds! And he is 56 inches tall...don't make me do math. 4 foot 6, right? Somewhere around there.
She examine Bucket's ears, since he has a history of massive ear infections, but he was clear. His tonsils were another matter. She looked and said, "Does he snore?" I said, "yes, we can hear him clear across the house!" She said, "You can either put him on allergy medication, or you can get a tonsillectomy." I immediately prefer the surgery. I know, I know, most people would think I'm insane. But Bucket is already on enough medication for my liking, and all this would do is draw out the inevitable, at least in my thinking. So I have to call Dr. Ajayi in Orlando and set up an appointment for Bucket. Of course I'm not thrilled about my baby having possible surgery, but surgery is not always a bad thing. They may also ask for a sleep study, which would be really difficult for me to do. A sleep study is when they hook up electrodes and measure electrical activity when you sleep. He can't stand stuff that sticks to him, so they probably wouldn't be able to put the electrodes on him until he's asleep. And then I'd have to find someone to be with the two older kids, as they are not ready to be left alone at night.
Next, she asks where Bucket's labwork is. I said, "HUH?" and gave my usual brain-dead gaze so she would know I was properly confused. Apparently, Bucket's medication is so experimental, that children who use it should have labwork done at least twice a year to make sure they are not in liver failure. And we have never done it, because it was never requested. Oh, snap.
Thankfully, Mr. R is home, and will be taking Bucket to the lab to have his blood drawn. Bucket has never done this...and frankly, I don't want to be there. I'm sort of glad to let ol Daddy handle this one.

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