The Pereira Swim Team

Trip to Cincinnati

We finally took Sam to his long anticipated appointments with the doctors at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.  He underwent an extensive evaluation to see if they could determine the cause of his poor weight gain and problems with food intolerances.  It was a hard week for us and him to endure these procedures, but we are thankful to have the opportunity to get this level of care.

The main finding was an abnormally high number of eosinophils in Sam’s colon, which sometimes causes chronic abdominal pain.  The cause may be foods or may be an abnormal immune response to his normal intestinal flora.  We will keep him on his restricted diet and try a new medicine that helps reduce colon inflammation.  The doctor said often kids will eventually outgrow this condition.  We are still do not have a definitive diagnosis, but this is “a target to shoot at” as the doctor put it.  Sam’s symptoms go in cycles, so if he goes into a sick cycle again we can come back to this new GI doctor for another evaluation while he is having problems.

Sam about to rock his upper GI series.

It ended up taking 3 people to hold him down for an hour to get all the images needed.

 

We were so blessed to stay with Jason’s family in Cincinnati.  The boys had so much fun playing with their cousins.

 

We are relieved the week is over and pray that Sam will do well with his new medicine.  I always remind myself that God did not make mistakes when he made Sam, and he will use this to His glory.  Sam, like all of our children, belongs to the Lord!

Heeeeere we go!

Our big trip is finally here.  We are taking Sam to the Cincinnati Center for Eosinophilic Disorders at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.  This opportunity is a huge blessing for Sam and we are hopeful they will be able to secure a diagnosis for us and help manage his problems better.  Here is a summary of our week-

Sunday- clear liquids only all day, laxatives and 3 enemas before bed

Monday- meet with GI doctor at 8:30, undergo upper and lower endoscopy under anesthesia at 12:30.  After that he can eat!

Tuesday- meet with allergist, undergo prick testing and have food patches placed on his back

Wednesday- no medical appointments

Thursday- Follow up with GI doctor to review pathology results

Friday- Follow up with allergist and nutritionist on patch test results

 

This is a huge undertaking for us to bring our whole family on this trip.  Thankfully Jason’s brother has very graciously invited us to stay with them- I hope they won’t regret it as we are quite the family circus.  Please pray for Sam’s safety to undergo the procedure and that he will be consolable through all of this testing.  Please pray that the doctors will have wisdom to help Sam be able to eat and grow and be a happy, healthy little boy!

Making progress

Happy Birthday to Jake!

 

Jake’s 5th birthday party was at Bounce U, or “The Jump-Jump-Slide” as Jake and Ben have coined it.  We had the best time.

Now for the big visit to the pediatrician tomorrow, where two of my children will receive a grand total of 10 vaccinations.  Just a small downer on an otherwise fabulous turning 5 celebration. Lord help us.

The Aftermath

It has been 2 weeks since the flood.  God’s grace and goodness to spare our home is overwhelming.   We are surrounded by constant reminders of the monstrous murky brown waters that rose so quickly to overtake our community.  They have left devastation that will never be fully repaired.  The reality of what has happened is sinking in in new ways for us- it is surreal to be inside your house where everything is the same, but all around us our peaceful street and our world has changed.   Looking out the front door, going to the grocery store… there is debris piled everywhere.  Physical signs of homes and businesses destroyed.  Each day there are five or six search and rescue vehicles parked in front of my house from dawn till dark.  Dump trucks and excavators working on the once quiet riverside trail.  Boats and cadaver dogs.  All signs of life lost, one body not yet recovered.  Red cross relief vans.  Helicopters circling overhead.  Police cars patrolling up and down the street.  Today a couple drove by and said some things had just been stolen from their house. 

The kids are different too.  We could pretend we weren’t scared while the rain kept coming and the water was rising, we told them we are having a rainy day party, with lots of friends over, and Mommy is just organizing some things to pack in the car!  But in the aftermath we cannot pretend that people aren’t hurting, homes aren’t wrecked.  They see it everywhere we go.  And they ask so many questions that are hard to answer without getting into some pretty heavy theology.  Their play is different- lots of narrative about natural disasters, a lot of rescues.  I pray for wisdom that we will make the most of every opportunity to teach them through this experience.  Every night Ben prays, “And thank you God for protecting our house.” 

I am not complaining- we are not suffering.  But we are hurting for the many people whose lives have been turned upside down by this flood.  We are trying to help where we can.  None of us will ever be the same.

USA today article about my neighborhood!

Here

Flood

For all my friends who live other places!

Our house was not damaged, but many homes in our neighborhood were destroyed.  There is so much need it is overwhelming.  I have a few pictures of my own I may post later, but this is a great summary….