Spike Update

Okay, so it has been a week of good news and drama with our sweet little Spike. After his 12 month check up and weighing in at 16lbs, our pediatrician decided it was time for Spike to see an allergist. After a month of waiting, we went to see Jeff's allergist. I told her the story of Spike, the choking/projectile vomiting, the icky poop, the screaming, the food sensitivities, the rashes. Her first words were, "wow, he's really really small." Um, I know that. Beyond that, why is it the end of the world to be small? Anyway, she tells me she thinks he'll need to see a GI, but that we'll do some other testing. They did the scratch test and apparently he has a severe egg allergy, but no immune response to wheat or lactose. This is great news because intolerances are less severe and the chance of him growing out of them is much better. After my lesson in the epipen (which I am to carry at all times due to the egg allergy), I was ready to leave and happy with the day. The doctor said that she thought we should do a "sweat test". I didn't really ask what it was for as I assumed it was something digestive, what with all the talk of seeing a GI. As I went to leave, the receptionist told me my appointment at Primary Children's was at 2:30.

I had some time to kill while Spike napped in the car, so I called Cindy to give her the update. She asked what the sweat test was and I told her I didn't know. As the internet answers all our questions, she said she'd look it up. There was silence on the phone. Weird, awkward silence, and she hung up. Jeff called about 10 minutes later and said, "are they testing him for cystic fibrosis?" I assured him that they weren't...certainly the doctor would have told me. Eventually we got all checked in for the tests at the hospital and as they are beginning, the girl doing the test said, "we're checking for cystic fibrosis only." WHAT!!!! I told the girl that I thought it must be for something else, something digestive. She told me that no, it was for cystic fibrosis and the symptom's could be digestive and my baby was "clearly failing to thrive." KNIFE TO THE HEART!!! Anyway we did the test and finally got home around 6:00 that night, 8 hours after we left the house...a long day for me and Spike.

The results were supposed to be back in 2 days. However, after a week of worrying and avoiding the internet, I called the doctor's office yesterday and freaked out. Anyway, the PA called back and said he definitely doesn't have CF, but she doesn't know what else to do now, because the doctor didn't write it in the notes. As instructed by our pediatrician's office, I called the Primary Children's GI department for an appointment. Apparently they can see him when hell freezes over....or maybe December if I call on a magical day and the phone rings 6 times and the receptionist is wearing purple.

Long story short, after a week of drama, Spike is the exact same now as when it started.I don't think he is failing to thrive. I don't think he has a terrible condition. I think he's a cute little baby who is into everything, whose smile melts my heart, whose giggle is like music, who has a sensitive tummy. That said, I have a call into our doctor and I'm sure months from now we'll see a GI to find out that he is healthy. --Update....I spoke with our regular doctor on the phone and he said that since Spike is growing I don't have to do the GI think. THANK GOODNESS!