Update on Emma

Friends,
Thanks for praying and asking about Emma and her tests over the last weeks.  I have lots of pictures to share, but will just share about her for lack of time right now.

She had an MRI and it came back normal.  They were looking at her pituitary gland to see if there was anything obstructing it, keeping growth hormone from being released.  It went really smoothly, even as she had to be put out for it, and she was actually really funny from the calming drugs they gave her.  She told one of the nurses that she had 4 eyes.

The other test that we needed to get is called a stimulation test.  Its a 4 hour test where they take blood, give you 2 kinds of different drugs at different times and then keep drawing blood.  5 blood draws in all.  The childrens hospital in Louisville was booked until September so they sent us to another hosptial 45 min. away.  Lets just sum up that visit by saying that after the technician tried to stick to large of a needle in my little girls arm, I picked her up and walked out of the test.  It was a bad experience.

Well, we only had about a week left in KY, and I don't have pediatric endocrinologist anywhere else, so Mark and I prayed for God's help.  And it just so happens that the sweet folks we were staying with, told us about their daughter in law's father who is a Dr in another city.  He was gracious and answered our call and had a connection in Cincinnati that would try and get the test and follow up done  before we left.  Indeed they scheduled Emma's test for the next day after getting her records and a dear friend gave up her day(and her Hubs stayed with their 5 kids) so that she could drive Emma and I 2 hours up to Cincinnati to get the test done.  They were great with Emma, but the test itself was not so fun. 5 blood draws from her one little arm, not to mention the second drug that made her blood pressure low, which made her sleepy, but also made her irritable so that her legs went crazy and she couldn't sleep.  AHHHH.  We were glad to get it done and get out of there.

This test if she passed it means that she doesn't have a growth hormone deficiency.  If she fails, it means that she should have daily growth hormone injections.  I asked the nurse how long she would need these. She answered, "until puberty".  Hmm.  Wasn't thinking that long. 

Well, the nurse called me yesterday and said that Emma passed the test!!  Which means no growth hormone deficiency.  From what I understand if your blood results average below 10 you qualify for growth hormone deficiency.  Emma had numbers below 10, but her average was above, so they say she is making some growth hormone.  I'm relieved.  And yet, we wonder still what the cause for her slow growth is.  The nurse said that there was something about her thyroid numbers that was off and that when the DR is back on Tue would look at the tests and then get back to me to see if there is something we can do. 

Thank God that Emma is happy and healthy.  We are thankful for these tests and results.  Please keep praying for wisdom for the Dr's and for us to see if there is anything we can do to help her grow more!