Another doctor's visit. Kate started a fever yesterday and it peaked overnight, prompting Daddy P to take her in to the doc. Her diarrhea also came back. So, in to Saturday doc's office. This, as chance would have it, is my love-affair doctor. This doctor saw us when we were in the hospital with Kate and I fell in love. He was kind, careful to explain his thinking, took his time with us, and responded in detail to our questions. He looks a little (in my memory at least) like Beau Bridges, and wore cowboy boots in the hospital which just seemed totally comforting at the time. Today, Daddy P wasn't thrilled with the state of his office (grumpy nurses, not a lot of toys, kinda old looking) but really liked his manner and style. He did a lot of "thinking outloud" so that we feel today more like we know what to get worried about, what the possibilities are, and what next steps might be. As opposed to our doctor who never seems to make me feel better or more in control or sure how much to be worried.
As Daddy P put it, the doc was "flummoxed." Kate's symptoms didn't make a lot of sense to him as a whole. He is currently hypothesizing a UTI as cause for the fever she's having now, and they put a catheter in for a urine sample. Poor kid.
His biggest concerns are the fact she literally hasn't gained a pound in four months and that she's having weird bowel movements. He thinks the sleep problems are a combo of developmental stage and teething. But he isn't sure about the rest. He's going to do another round of stool samples to further check for parasites. He didn't have Kate's record since it was a Saturday so couldn't check to see what the doc had already looked for.
His advice: go back to normal food, continue avoiding dairy, and monitor.
He said if nothing changes in a week then we'll start doing blood tests for bigger problems. (I'm totally and completely consumed with worry right now, but I guess I will try to worry more next week if we get to that point.)
So, that's the update.
2 comments:
I'm sorry to hear that Kate's not doing so hot. :o/ I just pictured a Dr. in cowboy boots with a white jacket and it made me smile. I don't want to make you worry or panic in any means beyond what you're already feeling, but have you looked into celiac disease? The bowel movement stuff and not gaining a pound made me think of it- if they are running tests already, I wonder if they are running one to test for this?
Either way, you guys are in my thoughts ...sending lots of good, healing energy your way...
Lauren
Hey Lauren,
We had a very similar concern. As of yesterday afternoon, we started Kate on a gluten-free diet. We can't get her in to a GI doc until mid-May, so we're trying this in the meantime... thanks for the note... and positive energies...
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