Shan-Roo and Robby

I should have known something was up when Robby texted me this morning asking what his dad was doing. I answered back that we were trying to get ready to put plastic on a greenhouse. He said he'd talk with him later.

Then I forgot about it and went to work. I had a lot to do since I was leaving early to take Shan to her doctor's appointment.

While picking Shan up from school the teacher told me about Shandi not wanting to put away her unfinished math page to start on language. She said she finally got Shan to work on some of the language problems, but not before Shan had pulled her math out to work on it again. When I talked with her this evening about it, she did say she liked math better than language. So maybe because she can do the math and she struggles with language, she would rather do math.

Just as we arrived at the clinic this evening my phone alerted me to text message. I didn't recognize the number, and the message was "what you doing". I replied back that I was taking to the doc. I was asked if she was sick and I replied that it was for a checkup, and who is this.

"Boo" was the answer I got. Boo is the nickname for Paula, one of Robby's first girlfriends, way back when he was still a teenager. Then I get the message that says "Robby says hi". So I say hi back then ask...is Robby there? The answer I received was NOT what I wanted to read. Yes, this is Robby and I've been here a couple of days. Seems according to Robby his boss is in trouble money wise and Robby needed to get out of the area they were working. He got Paula to come get him.

We sign in to see the doctor. The waiting room is full and knowing that we were to finish up Dr. Charles day, I wonder how late does he stay. Big kids, little kids, quiet kids, screaming kids, yelling parents, popping kid parents....it was mayhem in there. After about 30 minutes Shan says the noise is so loud she is getting a headache. I suggested she close her eyes and tune the noise out...which she does.

Our appointment was at 4 and finally at 5:45 we see Dr. Charles. Her urine culture didn't grow anything. This is good because it means her body hasn't become resistent to the antibiotic. Still, with the kidney deflux, he would prefer having the test done to check things out, as would I. So he writes up that order and we will receive a phone call concerning the date later.

Then we talk about Shandi. He still hasn't gotten the recent evaluation from Dr. Jolly. He askes lots of questions about her school work, what help is she getting, and how is her behavior. He believes that medication isn't the answer for Shan, instead she needs help in school-tutoring, special ed, whatever it takes. Still he won't take her off her meds right now.

He told me to keep doing what I was doing school wise--pushing for help. He also said that if the school needed to talk with him, have them call him.

I believe I will contact the SPED contact at school and see if she will call him, or should I call and ask for an evaluation from him. Still, I would rather see the report from Dr. Jolly myself first, which should be coming in any day.

We go back to see Dr. Charles in 2 months. For refills, rather than seeing him monthly, we can call for the prescription and then stop by and pick it up, which is very convenient for us.

Deflux/Reflux, it all runs backwards

All these years I've called Shandi's kidney problem kidney reflux. It isn't reflux, it's deflux.
Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

Today we say Dr. Charles, a pediatrician in McComb. Wow is all I can say. We are so totally blessed, I believe.

When I called I made sure the receptionist knew why we were coming--to discus Shandi's ADD/ADHD and her medication and learning problems. She assured me there was sufficient time set aside to do all this.

Wrong! Pat, the nurse was a totally frustrated, chicken with her head cut off.
What's the problem, she asked. We start to tell her about the UTI. She cuts us off saying, "So, you're here for a follow up."
"Yes, but also to discuss her ADD/ADHD medication," her mom says.
"Did you tell them that when you made the appointment?", Pat asked.
"Yes." Stacie replied.

Hurriedly she grabs a slip a paper and makes the order for a urine sample. Shan and I head out to the lab while Stacie waits in the room. In the lab, we meet up with a very bubbly nurse, who gets us in and cheerily tells us what to do.

After waiting a bit, Shan is able to produce the required specimen. Back to the doc's office we go to wait.

Shan lays down on the exam table and closes her eyes. Doc walks in and announces that he believes we have a possum in the room. Shan doesn't blink. Looking at us, doc asks again, don't ya'll think we have a possum in the room? We agree with him and he walks over to Shan and starts to pick on her, at which point she breaks out in a giggle.

He begins to exam her all the while making noises as though he's passing gas. Shan gets tickled. Then he needs to examine her bottom, but, he warns her to not pee on him. She giggles. He pulls down her pants and as he's checking her, he makes the sound of peeing.....then he says to her, "Now sweetheart, you promised to not pee on me". She is laughing so hard she can't talk.

Then he sits down at his little deskette and says to us....."I'm concerned about these kidneys. If the balloon procedure was successful, she should have NO infections. Did they do a culture?"

I tell him I'm not sure, so he checks, returning with the news that there was no culture done. So he orders one, tells us that now they know to do a certain test at least 9 months following the procedure. He says that if the culture grows anything, then definitely we will have this test done--they insert a catheter and dye into her kidney and then they do a sonogram. Then he says even if the urine doesn't grow a culture, he would like to have one done to find out why she still has UTI's.

He asks questions about testing for dsylexia....saying the psycholigist should have done that. When I tell him that they were only in the room for less than an hour, he concludes that Jolly didn't do the dsylexia test. He asked why I changed doctors. I told him that I felt the other doctor would prescribe whatever I requested. When I told him her name, he agreed with me. I told him I wanted a doctor who was concerned, who would work with us and Shan in finding the best possible helps for her situation.
He asked about special ed and we briefly touched on that problem. He understood the hoops we jump through.

Then he said that first of all we needed to get the kidney problem cleared up. We needed to come back in 10 and he then left and went and personally made our appointment....including sufficient time to sit down and discuss Shan and what is going on with her. He told us that we would finish up his day.

God has truly blessed us, I believe with finding this doctor; actually finally listening to Sylvia's advice and making the appointment. She has encouraged us to try him for months now.

Yes, Sylvia, I hear you.