Friday, May 13, 2011

Sporadic Blogger & Sick Calli

Well I think that should be my new name, when it comes to my blog!
Things have been tough since about November.
I'm good at keeping my chin up, and can always find positive in just about any situation!
But, you do get worn down.
Emotionally. Physically. Spiritually.
So you just don't feel like shouting to the world what all is going on in your little world! Ya know?
Anyway... a quick little update.
My camera is broken - so no pics today, or for a while! :(
My youngest daughter, Calli, has been ill since November.
Very severe stomach pains, and cramping and nausea and vomiting. :(
LOTS of doctors visits, too many ER visits, and not enough answers!
We "wasted" three whole months with a doctor that had an ego the size of Russia, and his office staff were as inept as the size of his ego! Not a good situation! Finally fired him, and found another doctor... had to wait 5 weeks to get in to see him. But, praise God - on the first visit, they did 5 different tests, including a thorough ultrasound, xrays, stool tests and a few others. They were able to eliminate soo many of the possibilities! We spent two weeks doing an agressive flush on Calli's system, and then prepped for a colonoscopy and an endoscopy.
Her pain was constant, but would flare up for 4 or 5 days and keep her doubled over in pain... and then it would just ease up enough for her to function reasonably well.
Do you know how hard it is watching your little (and getting smaller by the day) daughter be in pain for that long??
Let me just tell you... it is THE MOST HELPLESS horrible feeling in the world!
Mommys are supposed to be able to make it all better!! :(
Anyway, she had those procedures done, and they figured out what was going on.
She had a bacteria in her stomach called Helicobacter pylori. Something that is extremely common!! But 80% of people don't show symptoms or even know they have it. ?
So why does it affect the other 20% so horribly??
I have no idea. I asked that question of the specialists and they didn't know either. Their guess is something about DNA.
Anyway, they put her on 2 weeks of doubled up antibiotics, and an acid blocker. Her stomach was already so trashed, with the beginnings of a peptic ulcer. :( Add on peppermint oil to help with the nausea and vomiting, and probiotics. She was taking a pill like every 2 hours through out the day, as they all had to be spaced apart.
Geez. We prayed over her. We laid hands on her.
We kept hoping to see some improvement after the 2 weeks.
Nope.
Ok.. so.. it's not unheard of for this bacteria to take two huge rounds of antibiotics, to kill it off. We were just hoping for the shorter version! :)
Then she got that RSV hummer of a virus that was going around.
Really??
Like she hasn't already dealt with enough?
Two weeks of it... and thankfully she didn't get it all that bad!
She was feeling much better last week. She had her birthday party on Saturday. (can't believe she is 9 !)
And then... on Sunday night she was feeling kind of yucky. By monday morning she sounded like she had croup, and had a fever of 103.
Off to the doctor we went.
Dumb doctor told me - oh it's nothing. Just give her some ibuprofen!
????!!!!!????
*ok.. sorry... insert a little momism here. Moms KNOW their kids! I knew that morning what it was on it's way to being. Doctors NEED to listen to moms! I am a mother of 4 - not a new mom who freaks out over the tinest little thing! Hellooo!*
And of course, by wednesday it was horrible. So back to the doctor we went yesterday.
Now, they have her back on antibiotics (this is not good for her system, you know that right? But what choice do they have?) AND she has pink eye to boot!
omgosh
My heart is breaking for her.
She is so miserable. :(
She's been fighting all this junk for months, and she is just exhausted, the poor baby! :(
And that cough is horrible. I know how much i hurt when i had it a few weeks ago. You never stop coughing, and ya just want someone to shoot you and put you out of your misery!
And she's so little. And it's just wracking her poor little body. :(
Arrrggghh. And I feel sooo dang helpless! I just want to make her feel better!
I wouldn't trade being a mom for ANYTHING.
But as you moms know, sometimes it just plain sucks!!
You don't sleep when your kids are this sick. The worry factor is off the charts. I'm sure i'm not the only mom who hits this point?!
She has missed a ton of school. And he last three days are next week. Praying, praying she will be well enough to go for that last 3 days. She's missed all the fun stuff this last week. Parties, yearbook signing, field trips. :( Hoping we can get her back on the road to recovery this weekend! So she can have those last few days with her friends!
Prayers for her would be wonderful!!
xoxo

11 comments:

Sassafras and Winterberry said...

Oh, you poor dear soul! I feel so for your lovely daughter. She has definitely been through the wringer. Hang in there...both of you. I'll add her to my prayer list, for sure. I teach 10 year olds, so I really know how little they are. Don't for one moment worry about missing school...though missing her fun stuff rots. Hope all goes well in the next week or so...please keep us posted!
Blessings,
Courtney

Chelle (Dana) said...

Poor Calli, I am continuing prayers for her. She has really had it rough and you too. I hope the meds help her and she gets better soon. That is too long to feel that way and those doctors need to step up and get with the program. I'm sending you both big hugs and prayers. Let me know if you need anything.

((((HUGS))))

woollylottrugs said...

OMG Bren, I remember talking to you about Cali in November and I thought she was well and over what she had. I am so sorry to hear this. Prayers for sure!!!! Please let her know I am thinking of her and praying for her and YOU.....email me if there is anything I can do...if you just want to talk, whatever. Poor little girl....hope she feels better. Take care Bren..

Cyndi
xxoo

Julia said...

This story is so heart breaking. I'm so glad that they checked her for that bacteria. It causes stomach cancer and and I've heard that it can even be transmitted even by kissing.

My mom died of stomach cancer and she had that bacteria H. Pylori. My sister took care of my mom and she and brother got checked for the bacteria and and they both had it but had no symptoms. They got treated with several rounds of special antibiotics. It's a nasty bacteria.

I hope that your daughter recuperate quickly. Maybe you should report that doctor to the Medical Society or something. What a moron.

I'll keep Calli in my prayers. JB

Anonymous said...

Hi,
I just happened upon your blog ...You know where you start with one blog and then go to the through links...It started when I googled 'Rug Hooking Blogs'...I just read your post about your daughter and it somehow sounded like my son's food allergies...I don't know if that's an issue? I know you don't need random comments or such, but it just reminded me of some of his pains we dealt with this year...this is also the child who had RSV as a child several times, I can remember holding him all night listening to him breathe.
All the best,
Tamara

Rugs and Pugs said...

Bren ~
Prayers coming your way. It hurts so bad to have a sick child and not be able to make them better.
My thoughts and prayers are with you and Calli.
Hugs :)
Lauren

Dog Trot Farm said...

Sending prayers and blessings to your dear sweet daughter, that is alot for a nine year old girl to handle. I do hope you find some answers soon. Blessings from Maine, Julie.

Alice ~ Folk Art Primitives said...

This is an unbelievable story, Bren! Don't you wonder with all the technology today ~ why in the world would it take so long to diagnosis your little girl?! I feel for you both ~ it is agonizing sitting and watching while nothing happens. I am sending up prayers for Calli that she has a healing weekend and can go to school next week! Hang on, friend!!

Kathy (woolfind) said...

Oh Bren, I thought it was all taken care of. I am so sorry you have to watch her go through this, let alone her go through it again and again. Sooo hard to find a doctor that will listen to you. Big Prayers and Big Hugs are lifted for you today. Praying she will be able to attend school for the last few days. Keep changing doctors if you have too. I know it's a pain, but might be necessary. Soo hard being a mom :(

Brenis said...

Ladies, thank you soo much for your kind comments and prayers!! Guess I just hit my limit and needed to vent. Sadly, it didn't provide any magical cures! LOL!

Tamara - thank you for commenting! Yes, holding them and listening to them breath...you definitely know! :) I'm so sorry your son has gone through so much!! Thank you for your suggestion of allergies. I too thought that might be it, and took out the obvious biggies - dairy, wheat, gluten, nuts, chocolate, etc. The only one that seemed to affect her in any way was chocolate - so she is avoiding that completely. We still haven't totally eliminated the possibility though!

Day three (?)of antibiotics, and the only improvement so far is no more fever. Better than nothing!! Hoping it continues to improve!!
Thank you again for all your support and kind notes! Love you guys!!!
xoxo
Bren

Miccosukee said...

Bren,

Thoughts and prayers from this part of the country for Calli and her family. She is lucky to have such a devoted and dedicated mom. I will keep the good thoughts going to you and the family.

Trisha