We woke up to snow just as I was thinking we'd been lucky that we had avoided the snow so far this season. No, I didn't count that non-sticking drizzle we had about a week back. Snow is ok after all most of my childhood took place in Colorado. I just don't like driving in it so when I looked out the window early this morning with the white flakes falling to the ground I felt the slightest urgency to cancel Ronan's Endocrinology appointment. After dubbing myself a wimp I got the kids ready for the day and refused to let myself go near the phone.
I made the right decision because by the time I was loading Ronan into the car the snow had stopped and the roads were left with only a slight frost. We arrived at the Endocrinology clinic early because of my fear of receiving a late letter from their office. If you are late at all you are sent a late letter giving a warning. By the third letter they cancel you as a patient from the clinic. Seeing as this is the best pediatric Endocrinology clinic in the area I do not want to be canceled. I think they do this to scare people and it works. I have never received a late letter because after reading these guidelines on my entrance packet I have worked extra hard to comply.
The doctor went over Ronan's chart. She was unsure if she wanted to put him on medication. She said it's one of those things that once you put him on the medication you can never go back. Once the medication is started Ronan will have to take it for life and he will have a lifelong diagnosis of hypothyroidism. She said if he was an adult or even older child they could maybe wait and see but when children this young have it it's much more serious.
She decided she would test him again because their lab is specially designed to test thyroid levels and she thought it might be fluctuating based on the lab which is why he only had high levels at his pediatrician's office. She said she would call today or Monday with the plan. She said even if it came back normal she would keep him as her patient this time to monitor him.
We were sent to the lab and they brought in help to hold them. I explained he probably wouldn't react. The nurse got him on the first try and to my surprise he had a slight reaction. He didn't cry or fight he simply looked up at the lab technician and his lower lip descended into the Ronan pout. "Oh buddy your face makes me feel so guilty." The technician said sympathetically as sheremoved the needle and bandaged his arm. They wrapped a cute blue cars bandage around his arm giving his arm a more traumatic look. We headed back to the car and the sun was now shining and snow long ago melted.
Within an hour of being home I got the phone call from his Endocrinologist. "It looks like Ronan does have hypothyroidism. I'm calling in his prescription and this means I will need to see him every six weeks." She explained a little more about the medication and how she was starting him on the lowest dose and she would slowly increase it so she wouldn't shock his system. She said with frequent blood draws they would determine when they got the medication to the right level to regulate his thyroid.
On the lighter side of things my mom helped Xander and Jadzia make clothes pin reindeer. They were pretty excited about them.
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