Monday, May 10, 2010

For Your Evening Entertainment

I realize for many of you, it won't be evening when you read this ... but, it's evening here in the Valley of the Sun, so just go with it :)




Jack had a couple of doctors appointments today. The first was with his pediatrician who he hasn't seen in a year and a half. Because his birthday falls during cold/flu/H1N1 season, I decided to wait to take him in for a "well check" until now. It's really a waste of time to take him in, but his pediatrician signs off on his paperwork with the nursing agency, so I think it's only right that he see him on occasion. I asked if he could do some routine blood work because his nurse practitioner had luck getting blood last time we were in. Unfortunately, she was off today, so he asked one of the other pediatricians in the office to try because, supposedly, he is good at getting blood. He took one look (spent maybe 30 seconds looking) at Jack's arms, hands, feet and said he wasn't even going to attempt it. Chicken! I dread the day Jack ever needs a blood draw because he has zero venous access.

Next stop the orthopedic doctor. We wanted to get an x-ray of Jack's spine because we feel like his scoliosis is worse despite the fact that he is fused T-2 to sacrum. Every time our local ortho sees Jack's x-ray he says "man, that's a lot of screws". The good news is that all the hardware looks good and is in place. The bad news is that Jack's left hip is now completely out of socket - which is why his scoliosis looks worse. His left leg is significantly longer than his right leg. It's just painful to see on x-ray. I don't understand how it's can't hurt, especially when he's sitting in his wheelchair. But, it doesn't seem to bother him.

Two doctors appointments, two times lifting Jack out of his chair and UP onto an exam/x-ray table and then back into his chair and now I need an orthopedic doctor for my back!

Hopefully, we're done seeing doctors until October when we make our biennial trip to St. Louis. All our appointments are scheduled and October will be here before we know it. Doesn't it seem like we just went to St. Louis? I swear, times flies .........

Ciao my friends!



2 comments:

worthy said...

urgh, sorry to hear about Jack's hip, poor guy. sorry you couldn't get the bloods done, what a pain.
Loved Eric's piano playing, thanks for sharing that xx

Susan said...

Actually Ann I think the hip is less painful when it's fully out of socket (as opposed to partially out of alignment). So maybe that's not so bad. Sice he's non-ambulatory I suppose they won't do surgery? I can tell you it's NOT fun.

I hope you're back is okay. & LOVE the piano playing, Eric is doing great! I SO wish we had the space for a piano.