Home...at last

Below is an "update" that I sent out in an email, (new info below):
The infectious diseases doctor came to see us about 12 o'clock on Tuesday. She talked to us and explained how they had tested for every
disease that they could. All tests came back a little "off," but not
far enough off that they could diagnose her with anything specific. She
also told us that Ella Beth is not contagious. Apparently there is a
horrible virus going around Cumming that a lot of children are coming
down with, but that Ella Beth isn't the source of people we know
getting sick. Whew! Of course, most of them are only sick for a day or
two, but that the GI specialist was coming to see Ella Beth later that
afternoon and explain why her system wasn't able to handle just a
normal stomach bug.

The
GI doctor was a nice man, and took a lot of time talking with us. He
explained that there is nothing that they can do for Ella Beth right
now. Her "gut" (did you know that is the actual medical term that
doctors use for the digestive track? I thought it was funny)...anyway,
her gut is very damaged right now from being sick for such an extended
amount of time. Due to the "damage," there are no tests that he can do
that would accurately report what's truly going on. The doctor did tell
us that he suspects that she is allergic to whey, which is one of the
components of milk. She is off whey until her appointment with the GI
specialist in two weeks. He hopes that her gut will be on the mend so
that he can determine why a stomach virus would cripple her so
severely. Right now he is thinking that whey isn't digested properly
which would lead to an irritation; mix that irritation in with a
stomach virus and bam!

We
were given the option of staying in the hospital to keep Ella Beth on
fluids and allow them to continue monitoring her intake and output, or
we could do it at home. For us, it was an easy decision. There was no
point in keeping her at the hospital (where she is terrified of
everyone) when we could get her back to her normal environment. Alas,
we are home. She is still adjusting, but doing well. Her energy level
is low from not being on fluids 24/7, but she has eaten relatively well
today and has drunk a decent amount of water.

Landon is still
getting sick, but the doctor suspects that he may also have the same
allergy that Ella Beth has. He has advised us to keep him on the same
whey-free diet to see if his symptoms improve. The most important thing
for both of them is to keep them hydrated and eating as much as their
symptoms can tolerate. Both were put on Prevacid to help with the acid
that is in their guts so that their food can (hopefully) stay down and keep them comfortable!

Again,
we can't express our gratitude enough that you prayed Ella Beth back to
health. We are amazed by your friendship! I would like to encourage you
to visit CHOA at Scottish Rite some time when you have a chance. The
children there will change your life. Some times it was actually
difficult for me to pray for my own Ella Beth and Landon because during
my prayer I would shift my focus on another child that I had seen that
day. One with leukemia who was fighting for his life; the children with
severe malformations who will always struggle to live a normal life; or
the precious little girl whose room was next door who suffered from
chronic pain due to Chrones disease. Life was definitely put into
perspective for us.

So, after all that...we get a call from our pediatrician today saying that she needs Ella Beth to come in to the office tomorrow morning (Friday @9:15) in order to test her for Hepatitis A. She told us that Ella Beth's liver readings are out of whack, and with all of the symptoms that she has had over the last 3 1/2 weeks, there is a chance that she could have contracted Hepatitis A. So...my poor, sweet, little girl has to go get "stuck" again tomorrow morning. Hoping beyond hope that she does not have Hepatitis A. There is no medicine for it, and while it only lasts about 3 weeks...symptoms can return full force for up to 24 months. Sheesh.

Our 2009 sure has been a doozie so far. I hope everyone else's has started better...and I'm crossing my fingers that it improves for us. April sounds like a great month to start!