Dermatologist visit...

I'm cold and tired and have a rough day. :(
I really want to go sit in front of the t.v. with a big cup of french vanilla coffee and a warm blanket and watch a GREAT movie. BUT... Trevor is watching some cartoons before his nap time, which is actually now... and I don't have any coffee to make let alone french vanilla coffee... and I know I should be doing a million other things than sitting in front of the t.v. I also shouldn't be sitting here in front of the computer, but I wanted to post about what happened with Lauren today while we were at the dermatologist.

We had to be there at 11:00AM and we made it on time. I got everyone feed, and Trevor dressed, the girls had a bath then got them dressed then I got myself dressed and took the kids one by one to the truck because it was raining. It still is raining... kind of suits my mood. : ( We loaded up and were off to get my dad to go to the doctors appointment with us. Bryan was stuck working, I'm sure he was interested in going to see what this doctor had to say. Plus, we both feel bad that my dad had to leave work again today, because he left work yesterday to go with me to take Trevor to the doctors. Whatta GREAT dad/grandpa we have!! Also, we are lucky that he has the kind of job were he can leave like that to help up out. (last year when Trevor was in 1/2 days of pre-school in town, my dad would take him every morning for me, and then he would ride with me to pick him up b/c I would have the girls.... he also went to graduation with me and some other school functions. (o: )

So, we were there a few minutes then they brought us in the room. Lauren was nervous as soon as we got there, she remembers the last time she was there they did a biopsy. NOT fun! :( I felt bad that she was upset and nervous before even seeing the doctor. We tried to comfort her and change the subject to distract her. The nurse, Debbie, was awesome, she brought in some stickers and some magazines for them to look at while we waited a little bit for the doctor. It didn't take long and he came in the room though. He was friendly and chatty. He looked Lauren over and asked us some questions. He talked to her and held her on his lap... he was nice but she was still really upset and crying. I showed him her pinkie ~ on the bottom of it she has something that looks like a blister. He put some liquid nitrogen on it... she fussed, but I think only because she thought it would hurt and also because she didn't know what he was doing. I was upset too, maybe she was also feeding off of me. They said it was only cold that it wouldn't hurt her. She seemed to get over it fast once they were done and they went out to talk.
I was upset still thinking that maybe it did hurt her. I hate to see any of my children in pain, and really she has been going through a lot lately she doesn't need anything more going on with her. :(
The doctor and the nurse came back in and he was looking her over again and he asked me what kind of biopsy did Dr. F do on her? Did he do a cookie cutter or just use a scalpel? I said I was pretty sure he just used a scalpel. He said okay then, he was going to do a cookie cutter/punch biopsy this time, to get better results on the biopsy results. He said the other report didn't show anything... and that it was "shitty". (his exact words) He also said that he didn't think it could be scabies... but he also said he wasn't sure what it was... but he was going to send this out to the BEST lab. I had to leave the room. As soon as he said the word biopsy, I was hot and crying and had an instant headache. The nurse looked at me with sympathetic eyes and told me that she would be okay. They explained to me that a cookie cutter biopsy is like a punch of skin that it takes more than just the top layer of skin, it gets more cells and what not... and that she would maybe need a stitch or two afterwards to close it up... I told them it was okay to do but I had to leave the room and also take Trevor and Brooke out too. I asked my dad to hold he and he, of course, said he would. We were just outside the door when they gave her the needle to numb her up... she was SCREAMING!! I was crying. We walked all the way to the other end of the hall, I was barely holding myself together. I hate that she has to go through all this. I really feel horrible. I wish it were me... not her. I wish we had an answer already. Enough is enough. At the end of the hall I could still hear her a little bit. Everyone was so friendly and caring. One of the girls brought me some tissues, and the other nurse, Debbie, was hugging me telling me that she was okay. Finally they were done. She survived. My dad said it wasn't so bad, but she didn't like the needles or being held down/still. They did two. UH!! :( 2! One on her wrist and one on her leg. The Dr. wanted to make sure he got something that they could really study and look at and he felt might as well do two now and send them both out then possibly needing to do another one later and waiting longer. I guess better to get it over and done with. I just really hope and pray that we get an actual result or answer from this. I don't know how much more Lauren can take, or me for that matter.
We have to wait about two weeks for the results of this/these biopsy/ies too. They made me another appointment for the Friday after Thanksgiving. I'm anxious and nervous to see what they will tell us.
Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. We are thankful all year long for our health and our family & friends... this year we are thankful for all the same things and thankful that all of you care so much for us and Lauren too, and pray and think of us during this stressful time. Thank you.
There is some more that I want to type about, but I have to get Trevor for his nap otherwise grocery shopping will be more painful than it normally is.

Updates all around.

So, we are home from the doctors. Trevor just has a common cold. His lungs sound clear, which is GREAT for all the horrible coughing he has been doing, and his ears look GREAT. I'm glad ear infections suck. He has only every had one mild ear infection, not even a full blown ear infection, red on one ear and fluid on the other, but we caught it in time. : ) And, he was under a year old. I'm glad it all checked out okay. Dr. G said if he continues into next week with temps, to bring him back just to see what it is, but he should be fine by then. ;o)

While we were there I mentioned Lauren, who was there with me too, and all that is going on with her and what the dermatologist said/thought and the biopsy report and all and Dr. G feels like the report can't just say "bug bites" it wouldn't be so random, it would be more specific and list some things to try or to look for. So she suggested getting a copy of the report, just for us to read and also to take with us to the doctor in Middletown. We are going on Monday to see Dr. Woolf. Not sure what we will think or what he will say, but it is another opinion and it can't hurt. My brother took my nephew there and didn't have anything bad to say about him. I guess he is old though and not a great bed/chair side manor, but I have dealt with that before, and will make the best of it. So anyway. I called the original dermatologist office to get a copy of the report. I spoke to the nurse there and she was very nice. She was going to have it ready for us to pick up this afternoon or tomorrow. I also mentioned to her about the Molluscum. She said that is something definite and would show up separate in the biopsy report but would I like to come in and see Dr. S. He is a dermatologist that comes up from the city and works in their office. It would be another pair of eyes and someone elses opinion on what is or could be going on with Lauren. At first I declined the offer only because I was thinking that I did the scabies treatment on Sunday night into Monday and it says to wait a week to see results and then I have the appointment on Monday in Middletown with the other doctor. So I told her that I would call back next week to set up an appointment with him if things weren't looking better. She told me that the doctor is only in once a month, if I didn't see him tomorrow I would have to wait a month to see him... so needless to say we are going to the dermatologist tomorrow. I hope we get some different answers from this guy.

Also... there is some light and hope at the end of this horrible tunnel... this very dear and generous friend of mine from the twinslist, Martha, wanted to send Lauren some Melaleuca products as a gift from her to see if they would help her out with itching and healing and getting rid of the scabies if that is what it is that is bothering her. I was so touched by her outreach and generosity. She is an amazing person and I hope that one day I can do a favor like this for her family or another family in need. Thank you Martha & family if you are reading this. You are in our hearts forever and we are extremely grateful for your wonderful spirit, generosity and thoughtfulness.

Well I'm going to make some grilled cheese sandwiches and some popcorn for lunch... I'll be back later... maybe.

My Doctor is a Bloody Idiot!!

Yeah. She is. Really. Well, not my doctor, but the kids pediatrician is freakin bloody idiot!!!

She has worked out well for us in the past because my children are rarely, well really never, ever sick. So we just primarily go for check ups and an occasional thing.

I think Trevor has been on antibiotics one time, and he was little, under one year old. And thank God, he hasn't been on one again. He has had a few minor colds, some that lasted a while, but still minor, one or two stomach viruses but nothing major, nothing more then 24 hours actually, and one time he kept spiking fevers of 103.6, so we took him to Urgent care. But that was just a virus, we had to give him Tylenol and Motrin and eventually he felt better. They couldn't tell us anything more then it was a virus. Whatever! Some times I really hate doctors!! I mean really. What the hell did you go to school so freakin long for and spend all that money on?? And, for me to spend all my money on seeing you, for you to just tell me it is a "virus". That is all. Just a virus. What kind of virus? We don't know. A virus. It is viral. ~ Wow. Super genius. I think I could diagnose people better then that with no medical education or training.
Anyway. The girls have never been on antibiotics, except for Lauren this Summer. She got bite by something and itched it. She had it so opened up and raw that she got an infection in her cells. She was on antibiotics for 7 days and then was fine.

Generally though they are in EXCELLENT health. Thank the Lord above!!

So for our regular check ups and shots and all that she was working out fine. The office is close, they have everything there, labs, x-ray, my OBGYN, Bryan's PCP, sonogram machines, everything. One stop shopping. BUT now that we have had a small problem with Lauren, she has proven herself totally inadequate to handle anything more then just a "well check-up". Lauren has marks all over her body. Welts, I guess you can call them, and they itch her and she scratches them, and then once she does that they are open wounds and bleed and puss, and then they form a scab that she then picks, and it takes a while for them to go away, but then never totally go away, because new ones are always coming. She has them on her head, in her hair, on her face, on her neck, back, arms, chest, tush, legs, feet, toes, hands, fingers, every where you can imagine she has a "boo-boo". So I took her to the doctors to see what she thought, and to see what we can do to make this better. She is covered in welts, scabs and scars. Not fun for her. : ( She is always itching and complaining that they hurt her. She even asks for medicine on them.

You know how most children get lotion on them after their baths, well not Lauren, she gets a lovely mixture of Cortaid and triple-antibiotic ointment. Still things are not getting any better. I feel horrible. I was trying so many things at home thinking it would get better and clear up. But, it hasn't. So now I feel like I have dragged this out for her, that I prolonged this uncomfortableness for her. I didn't mean to. I really thought I was doing things to make her better.

So, finally I took her to the doctors. We go in and she asks me what I think is going on. I say that I guess it is bug bites, because I can't imagine what else it could be. She just takes my word on it. She never even looked over her body, at all. She briefly looked at one of her arms, which is the least of the "infected" area. She was ready to dismiss us, when I said that I wanted her on some sort of medicine to help her clear up or get rid of this and make her feel better. She said nothing would really make it go away, but she would give me Zyrtec to see if that would help with the itchiness and get her to stop itching and picking at them. She only gave me 1 oz of it. Lauren needed to have 1/2 a tsp so it lasted me about 6 days. GREAT. Yeah. I know. After 6 days of a new medicine how could you not see any results??? DUH!! I don't know what the hell she was thinking or if she was even thinking. She didn't even want a follow up appointment.

So, I was on the phone with another M.O.M ~ you know Mom of Multiples ~ she has triplet boys, they are 4!! So she was saying that maybe it was a food allergy, so I was thinking that maybe it was. So I called the ped office and asked for the doctor to call me back that I wanted to talk to her about Lauren and the "welts" she has on her. I wanted to know if they could maybe be a food allergy or some other sort of allergy.

She never did call me back, her nurse did, which I guess is all right, I know she is busy. But, anyway, the nurse said (actually, she read off a piece of paper) that the doctor says that it is NOT any kind of allergy that it is bug bites, the symptoms that she saw today, that the patient presented were bug bites, nothing more. ~ So I said to the nurse, well I think, they are something else. Can we come in and maybe have some blood work done on her or something. I don't feel like they could really just be bug bites. And she said, the doctor isn't going to do anything more, because she feels that they are only bug bites. So I asked if I could take her to an allergist, and if she would give me the name of the allergist in the professional building there. She did and I called and made an appointment with him.

We saw him today. My dad went with us, thank God I didn't have to take both girls by myself. Plus then my dad could hear what the doctor had to say and what his opinion was, and if need be voice his opinion of the situation.

Things went great today. First of all I want to say that I love Dr. Du. He was freakin' AWESOME! His nurse was super sweet and friendly and they were just very attentive to Lauren and just a pleasure to deal with and meet.

Dr. Du, after many questions and fully, I mean FULLY examining Lauren, said first of all that they are NOT and I repeat NOT, no way, no how, bug bites, insect bites, bed bug bites, flea bites, nothing like that. (duh!! that was what we were trying to tell Dr. G the ped dr.) But he also ruled out an allergic reaction to something. And it isn't from stress or anything like that. He suggested that we see a dermatologist, immediately and find out the underlying cause for what is going on with her. He said he could give her meds that would make it all better, but it would only treat it, not cure it. He would like to find out the reason for her having all these 'welts'. I do too! I have been saying that all along. I don't want something to be wrong with her, but I want to know what is going on, and find a way for us to treat it so that she gets better and no longer has to deal with this. It is horrible.

So we are seeing a dermatologist on Thursday at 2pm. And I guess we will go from there. Also Dr. Du wanted a follow up with us in two weeks to see how Lauren is doing and to see what the dermatologist said. He also suggested that they do a biopsy on the 'welts' that she has to gather some information about them.

I really hope and pray that it isn't anything major, but I really want some sort of answer. I'm anxious for the appointment and can't wait to see what he has to say. At the same time I'm nervous and thinking the worse, a little bit. I guess that is just what mothers do. I'm also feeling guilty that I hadn't done something sooner. I guess that is another mothers trait to feel guilty and always second guess yourself. : (

Also, tomorrow we have the girls two year check up appointments with Dr. G. I think tomorrow will be the day that I tell her we are no longer going to be seeing her any more.

There is another pediatrician there Dr. Bacarus that I think we will try out, I have seen him one time when Trev had a long lasting cold that I was wondering if it could be allergies, although he didn't have any severe symptoms, I was worried about him. (remember he was my first) :D

I liked him a lot and he did GREAT with Trevor. So we will see.

Well that is all for now. I have to round up the group and see what everyone is doing. I hear them playing in the living room.

You would not believe how long it took me to type this. Wow! I should have just waited for the girls to go to bed, and Trev to be watching some tv before bed. BUT I started when they were all coloring at the table after dinner and then Trevor was playing with cars, then the girls joined him, then they were all over the place.

Anyway, I will keep everyone posted on what is going on with Lauren. Please everyone keep good thoughts for us, and for her, that we will find out the cause of this and get her treatments to make her all better and back to good health. Thank you.