Weight Update

I took Drake into the pediatrician today for a weight check, and to discuss his loose stools and diaper rash. Instead of gaining weight in the last month, he has lost an ounce instead. Dr. Dorsey had the same opinion I did, that it's time to refer Drake to a pediatric GI specialist. I had the forethought to take a dirty diaper in with me today, so they sent a bunch of tests off on his stool. Dr. Dorsey is deferring all lab ordering to the GI specialist, to avoid Drake being stuck two separate times. He also ordered another non lab test that we'll have done on an outpatient basis at the hospital. We see the GI specialist next week, and hopefully after all the blood work he orders, we'll have some answers. Differential diagnoses range from very simple things, to very serious diseases.

We are obviously hoping and praying that there is nothing serious wrong with our little man. In better news, he remains extremely happy. I'm glad that whatever is keeping him from gaining weight doesn't make him feel poorly.

I appreciate any and all kind thoughts, but please don't call me to discuss this. I really don't feel like talking about it, other than what I put on here.

Just seeing "FTT" written on his referral sheet was about enough to send me over the edge. I don't understand why my sweet little man is "Failure to Thrive", but it breaks my heart. I'm just happy that he has no idea he's "FTT". For all of you non medical folks, FTT is a very general description for babies/kids who have poor weight gain.

Part of me is pissed off, because I feel like I've done everything "right". I obeyed all the rules when I was pregnant. I had a natural childbirth that hurt like hell, to spare my child the effects of all the drugs and complications associated with epidurals and C-Sections. I breastfeed, even though it hurt in the beginning, and isn't always the most convenient thing. I make some of my own baby food, to spare Drake all the chemicals and crap in the store bought food. I have him play with wooden toys, to avoid the dangers in the plastic ones. But alas, none of these things have protected him. So here I sit, pissed off at the fact that plenty of women who HAVEN'T done these things have perfectly healthy babies. Tomorrow night, I'll probably go to work and do a C-section on some crackhead whore (literally), who has a perfectly healthy child.

I guess my parents were right. Sometimes life just isn't fair.