Here we are, post-antibiotic diagnostic test, and guess what? We have a new Catherine. A beautiful Catherine. A FUNNY Catherine! Oh, how funny you can be. And SOCIAL. You love having conversations!
We saw a new pediatrician, who referred us to the same doctor our old pediatrician finally referred us to. I didn't give two shits that someone in that doctor's office at Blank Children's Hospital was going to see that two different doctors referred us. Just get us a fucking appointment!
We saw Dr. Malani on Thursday, May 22nd. She was pretty awesome, but skeptical. I had faxed over Catherine's running google doc to her and she actually READ it. I couldn't believe it. Instead of saying things like, "This might just be the way she is" she said things like, "why don't we do this?" She referred us to Dr. Elliot at Blank Children's Hospital. She also referred us to Dr. Young, who is an ENT here in the metro. Both doctors are known for taking on difficult cases and diagnosing them, or helping parents find the best results. Dr. Elliot is the one doctor in the metro who works closely with the immunologists at University of Iowa (oh, yay...) to diagnose PANS and PANDAS. The thing that KILLS me is that, guaranteed, he will see the "good" Catherine and she will be dismissed like so many times before. So I will have to go in there, and have someone simply believe what I am saying without them blaming me for Munchausen by Proxy. Wish me luck.
Now, back to your new appointment. We had your blood tested, but we haven't heard back about results. I should really call, but a lot of things have happened in the past week and quite frankly, when I think about it, it's after-hours or I have too many kids in my house (hellooooo neighborhood!). It's nearly impossible to get things done during the day when I have all three kids, plus the neighborhood kids, running around in our backyard, or running in and out of the house (which I have put a lid on, but it still happens). Just today, I had a half hour to myself, so I quick did some things for Eric's business and then all of a sudden, James and his friends were back, needing lunch, getting James' swimsuit. Then I was buying Adventureland season passes and all of a sudden, time gets away from me. Ugh. But I digress. A lot.
Beyond the two doctors above, we also got a referral to the University of Iowa with a geneticist. Probably to test for autism. WHICH SHE DOESN'T HAVE. In all of my google research, one thing I I have not looked up is if autism is a DNA thing. I will be anxious to know if something comes of that.
Otherwise, I am looking toward the light at the end of the tunnel. Hopefully, this leads to something. But in all of that, I am relishing the moments of happiness that Catherine has given us. She has been giving us new words every day, starting to string together complex sentences, and has many conversations with us (OH how she loves to talk). I love every minute of it. But in all of that, I am waiting for the other shoe to drop. Is the anger over a book at bedtime the start of the next days' temper tantrums that are uncontrollable? I can't help but be on the edge of my seat all the time.
But until the next shitty day with Catherine, I will soak up the good ones. Because when they're good, they're GOOD.
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