Spring

I know Spring brings change. Spring is the season with a delicate reputation tied to growth, new life, re-birth and all things glorious. Well, for our household, all of those feelings naturally associated with spring arrived in February. The new research medication from the University of MO became a spring board for change. Stanton’s soft tissue x-ray results came back in February and alerted our pediatrician to the fact that Stanton’s airway was severely narrow. I can now look back at this moment and clearly see that this was a defining moment in Stanton’s care. Because of this x-ray, we were referred to an ENT/airway specialist at Ochsners. I previously posted about him here.


Because the ENT was “very intrigued” with Stanton’s medical history and our story (which, by the way, is something you really don’t want to hear a specialist say), he said he’d like to create a team approach to Stanton’s care. Music, sweet music to a mother’s ears. I remember as he said the words “Team Approach,” the room standing still for a moment. I had to concentrate to not think I must be on an episode of Grey’s Anatomy.

The ENT has stayed true to his word and assembled a team of pediatric specialists for us. (all under one roof at Ochsners in New Orleans). First, he collaborated with our new GI and together, they performed Stanton’s most recent scope and procedures. This scope came back clear which gave us the green light to stop all medication and begin food trials. This has been a scary leap for us as Stanton has always taken medicine – multiple times per day. Stanton has now been off all reflux medication for 7 weeks!!!! When Stanton has an episode of vomiting and diarrhea, which is still more often than we’d like, it is now so obviously tied to food. That one lick of pie, or one sip of milkshake always comes back to bite him. Because the scope was clear, the GI also wants to be careful to rule out anything else that could be going on. So, we now have an allergist and immunologist on our team. We are traveling back to Ochsner’s on Thursday for lab work. The allergist and immunologist are also working together so I’m thankful that one trip to the lab will somehow draw enough blood for all the food and immunological testing.

Please keep us all in your prayers. Traveling combined with invasive testing on an awake child makes for a long, hard day.

This is just a fun picture of Stanton playing in his pillows!