We’ve made jokes from time to time about how Alex seems to get sick on or around significant dates and anniversaries… Well Phil and I just celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary
Guess what happened.
In his defence, this time it was a problem which had been somewhat foreseen, so we were able to resolve it via phone calls to WCH rather than a visit.
About 2 weeks ago after a delightful stay in our home away from home we were sent home with prescriptions for a thyroid medication and a cortisol medication. The results of the tests they had performed seemed to show that Alex’s cortisol levels and response was ok, so we had instruction to just start on the thyroid medication.
Things went well for around a week and a half, then Alex started to not want to eat again. We persevered, but on Monday 26th he started vomiting. Phil got a call from school to please come and get him, which he did (a big thank you to his amazing boss’ Deb and Maria). Since we had been aware this might be a problem the endocrine nurse Kate had given us a blood glucose tester – just like the ones diabetics use – because measuring blood glucose level (BGL) gives you a reasonable measure of your cortisol level, since the two correspond with each other.
If your blood sugar is low, typically you will feel sleepy and grumpy, and boy oh boy was Alex typical!
A “normal” BGL is in the range of 3 to 5. When we got Alex home on Monday his BGL was 1.8. We rang the hospital and spoke to Kate, she prescribed an immediate infusion of sugary liquid 🙂 We convinced Alex to have some ginger ale and in fairly short order was able to get him up to 5.6, with an immediate improvement of his mood.
After a few phone calls from nurse Kate and Dr Jan it was decided to just start him on the cortisol medication, as it was overwhelmingly likely to be the problem.
It is now, as I type, Thursday, and after only three and a half days on the new medicine Alex is like a different boy. Hopping off his taxi bus, home from school on Tuesday, he asked for a snack! He played with his Lego rather than curling up on the couch. He was happy and cheerful, and wouldn’t stop talking!
Today was the same.
I don’t want to jinx it, but we are starting to see the usual effects of growth hormone, and honestly it’s amazing.
So, fingers crossed that the hormonal balancing act stays balanced, and that there aren’t more hiccups looming, it would be nice to have another normal Christmas!
With a bit of luck we won’t have anything more to blog about before the festive season, so we would like to wish you all a safe and joyous Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.
