Over the River and Through the Woods...

...to the Pediatric Gastroentorologist we go. Okay, so I took a little bit of liberty with the lyrics, you'll get over it!

It's 7:30 a.m. on a Thursday and what's going on at the Allen household? Normally we would be leaving for daycare right about now. Today, Daddy's holding a very fussy baby in the living room trying to see if he'll calm down (since he just spit up on us). And mommy is...well, it's pretty obvious what mommy's doing right now isn't it? Why are we not sticking to our normal routine? Because we're headed to the land of Buddy Holly and Texas Tech today to see a Pediatric Gastroentorologist. Insert dream sequence music here and visualize as I take you back to 9:30a.m. yesterday morning.

I was sitting at work, just like any other day, putting together a big grant proposal that I was to have finished yesterday afternoon. As stated in a previous post, I had made an appoinment with Dr. Habersang today at 2:00p.m. and had called our pediatrician to get Malachi's medical records faxed over. However, as of yesterday, the nurse (hereinafter referred to as Cruella) hadn't called me back on my request. So, I called Dr. Young's office and spoke to the front desk. They told me that they had faxed them over the same day I requested it and that the notes indicated I had spoken to Cruella about it. HMMM...that's interesting, maybe I just don't REMEMBER? Yeah...moving on. I also gave them Malachi's weights for the last couple of weeks as they had told me that's what we were supposed to do. A few minutes later, the head nurse, Terri (hereinafter referred to as Glenda, the good witch from the North) called me very distressed. She and I talked for a few minutes about Malachi's weight loss and what we had been doing. At this point, Glenda knew that we had an appointment with Dr. Habersang made. She asked me to please let Dr. Young examine Malachi one more time to discuss a plan of action before we did anything else. I think proceeded to explain to her how I had just been shoved off by Cruella and that I was tired of being made to feel like a hysetrical first time mom. Glenda, very sweetly, but very forcefully, told me that I was NOT a hysterical first time mom, that I was a MOM with INSTINCTS who KNOWS when something is wrong with her baby. (Gee...that's a novel idea, why didn't I think of that?) She also told me that she looks at all of Dr. Young's patients as her baby and that she was appalled by Cruella's actions. She asked if I would speak to the Nurse Administrator in the office and let her know what had occurred with Cruella. (Anyone up for fried Cruella?) Okay...moving on

She also asked if I could please come see Dr. Young at 2:00 yesterday afternoon. I said sure, I didn't mind that. So, I called Lolli to let her know that either she needed to bring Malachi to me, or I would have Thomas do so. (Okay - it wasn't that dictatorish...just go with me here) It was at this time that she informed me that Malachi's lips and feet were blue and cold. He was breathing FINE, but he just couldn't warm up. He was in a long-sleeved onesy, fleece pants, socks, shoes and they had him wrapped up in a furry blanket, holding him and he just wouldn't warm up. So, I called Glenda back, immediately and they brought Malachi to me for an appointment at 10:00.

Glenda came in, weight Malachi, 14 lbs 13 oz...yep, that's about right...then tried to get his Oxygen. It probably took her about 10 minutes to do that. She just couldn't get a reading. But, when she finally did, it was 94. Not great.

Dr. Young finally came in and we talked about EVERYTHING that had happened. Although I still feel like he was in the defensive mode, this time, he listened to me. I told him everything we've tried (he's not thrilled about the goat's milk) and he, after a lot of talking, told me that he wanted to get Malachi in to see Dr. Higgins or Dr. Feist in Lubbock. They're specialists and should be able to get to the bottom of things. He also said to please just postpone the appointment with Dr. Habersang. He said that he will not hesitate to refer Malachi to him, but he wants to try the pediatric gastroentorologist first. That way, if it doesn't work out, we can cut ties with a Dr. in Lubbock and not a Dr. in Amarillo. Makes sense. They also ordered a HUGE series of bloodwork for Malachi so it was off to BSA we go.

While at BSA lab, we went in the room and Malachi was DEAD asleep. He was so tired. We filled out all of the paperwork and then, they brought him on the table and wrapped him tight in a sheet with his little arm sticking out. (No crying...that's not normal right? I told you he hasn't been himself lately) Then, the idiot nurse (hereinafter referred to as Ursula...remember the Octopus from Little Mermaid?) started talking about this show...you know, Mystery Diagnosis on Discovery Channel? Well...she saw this show where there was a little baby just like Malachi, only younger, that wouldn't keep anything down and was losing weight and he had, like, this disease that only, like, 1 in a million babies have and they had to go to a Dr. in Oklahoma to find out what it was...and they were, like, scared because his cells were, like, attacking themselves. Anyway, she just likes Mystery Diagnosis and maybe we should, like, research that. (Okay, thanks Ursula...that's encouraging) They drew his blood, very little crying, it was over.

We then went to eat at Joe Taco (stick with me, this is going somewhere deep people) right across the street from the hospital. At this point, God started working in a very mighty way. As if the phone call from Terri Glenda wasn't God working in the beginning, He really revealed himself at this point. And, it gave me great peace to know, and be reminded, that He really is orchestrating all of this and STILL is in control. We ran into a friend from church, Andrea Ewing while eating. I have no idea what she does. She came over and was commenting about how big Malachi is getting. It was then that I asked her to pray and told her that we were headed to Lubbock to a specialist. I told her a little about what was going on and she handed me her card. She's a child development specialist who works for...drumroll...Dr. Habersang's office. I told her that I had an appointment with his partner, but that I had to cancel to go to the specialist in Lubbock. She told me that in the future, if we needed to get a second opinion, or couldn't figure it out, to please call her. She told me she would get me into Habersang THAT DAY, if we needed it and to please NOT see his partner, he's NOT as good as Dr. Habersang. Tell me God wasn't working this out. I was fixing to go see a Dr. who wasn't as good as what we needed and forgoing the Dr. that we might need to see, because he wouldn't betray his partner like that, and might not have gotten anywhere.

Thank you God, for intervening, once again on my behalf. You always know what's best. You always know what's coming. You know, right this very second, what's wrong with my son. You know how to fix it and you're going to make sure we get there, as long as it's in YOUR time and on YOUR plan of action. Thank you God for that assurance. This all reminds me of a song that we sing at church a lot. It's Called "For I Know Whom I have Believed" I particularly like the first, second, third...okay, I like the whole song!

Here's what it says!

I know not why God’s wondrous grace
To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.

Refrain

But I know Whom I have believèd,
And am persuaded
that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.

I know not how this saving faith
To me He did impart,
Nor how believing in His Word
Wrought peace within my heart.

Refrain

I know not how the Spirit moves,
Convincing us of sin,
Revealing Jesus through the Word,
Creating faith in Him.

Refrain

I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before His face I see.

Refrain

I know not when my Lord may come,
At night or noonday fair,
Nor if I walk the vale with Him,
Or meet Him in the air.

Refrain

I'll update as soon as I find something out about Malachi. Just keep praying, dear friends, that we will be able to get to the bottom of this and the Lord will bring Malachi through and make him into the strong, healthy little boy I used to have!!!