Dawn,

I can't even begin to imagine how you feel. Please know that you and your family are in our thoughts.

Oh dear....Please know that you have lots of folks out here who are pulling for you and your family, and will be so disappointed with this news. Seems hard to believe that they didn't tell you a long time ago that the diarrhea situation would provide inconclusive results.

I'm sure you'll be discussing this with your doctors but is there any harm in treating for Low IgG if you have not conclusively determined that's what he has?

How frustrating. I'm so sorry.

Sorry to hear it's inconclusive, but that could also mean good news. We're all hoping for the best possible outcome!
As for the Duluth vs. Pt. Townsend debate: I'm much more likely to visit you in Pt. Townsend, so that could be good or bad. ;>)

Then again, I'd bring wine.

I'm so sorry, Dawn.

I wish I could be there in person to give you a big hug.

igloochic--

I don't know if you will be interested in this.....
I am on a large family, homeschoolers digest, (very similar to this type of forum). There is a family with a son, almost 2 who has very similar difficulties. He has failure to thrive, immune problems, mitochondrial problems, etc. To look at him you would never know. They have big food issues with him. He has been on a feeding tube, etc. He can't tolerate eating etc. Huge struggles for sure. I would be happy to email you their blog info. She has contact info and a very nice blog about their trials. Let me know. Sometimes it good to have similar info coming in.

I am sorry for all your struggles, I know how difficult it is.
Kimberly

Dawn, I think the AOL spaminator got my email to you again. I think your Mom would love to come and visit ya'll here in the Baltimore area. You have been to the Inner Harbor- But you aint' seen nothing yet! Horse country, rolling hills, estates. Some beautiful beautiful homes and estates. All within driving distance of the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall,( my office across the street;) )the Lyric Opera House, Inner Harbor etc. ( 1 1/2 hr from King of Prussia Mall in case you gotta get your designer fix) Cindy Wolf's restaurants among others.
We don't usually get hit very hard with the flu stuff- at least not as hard as other areas according to the media. And Jesse could come and play with Cooper and Bailey!! There are old lovely large homes in Roland Park - no new homes to speak of(and the Roland Park Country club house is gorgeous inside in an understated old money way. Green Spring Valley and even in parts of Catonsville-old homes in Oak Forest- near me- where I know you can ride bikes and walk to the library. The Rolling Road Country Club has a great golf course and pool. See I am throwing in all the great golf for your DH ;) The schools in Catonsville have earned blue ribbons from the state- which is difficult to do and the high school is consistently ranked in the top 1000 high schools in the country of public and private. The private schools are good too- can't beat Gilman for a boys school. Baltimore meets all the requirements and you could keep your boat in the Inner Harbor, Middle River, or Annapolis. Or you could live on Gibson Island which is restricted access. And you could keep your boat there. It is just a short jaunt to downtown. And it is to die for. Been there as a guest. lovely. just lovely. Why do I suddenly feel like a sales brochure??? Sue

Dawn,
It is not a step backwards. It is baby steps.
Hugs,
Cotehele

I'm sorry about the return to SWAN-land...
But I know you'll make the best of it, and that this thing, whatever it is, will reveal itself at its own pace.

I wish I could tell you how much you'd enjoy Houston,
but I can't even type that with a straight face!

I've been reading this post and like others are so inspired by your spirit. Your son is so lucky to have you in his corner. I'm sorry that you didn't hear anything conclusive, but I know you won't give up trying to find an answer.

I don't have difficult issues like your son, but getting doctors to actually do everything that they could to find an answer to what was going on with me was a struggle. Ths may sound silly, but sometimes I wished that I had the grumpy "House" and his group trying to find out for me. Hopefully you can find people with that kind of drive and compassion to get to the bottom of this for you.

Oh Igloo,

No news, so sorry to hear that you have to continue your wait for real information! Your son is lucky to have parents like you who won't stop until the truth is known and then will pursue it with all your might. The words may not be so comforting, but your strength is admirable and there are so many of us here wishing you and DS the best.

Please keep us all posted!

ugh, igloo, I am so sorry to hear this. I can only imagine how frustrating. I would totally guess you have thought of this, but any way to keep the diarrhea away for 2 months? I know that's a long time. Please know that many more than even respond here have you in their thoughts and prayers. You are totally right - it was a sucky day for you all today. Hope tomorrow is brand new. Stay strong!

bummer :( I know you (and all of us for you) really had high hopes for some news saying exactly what was going on with your DS... but at least no prognosis is better than a horribly bad prognosis.

Sue, you should do that brochure!! You make B'mor sound wonderful. I know there are some beautiful places - reading your post made me think about some relatives that used to live in Roland Park. They are long gone now but I remember visiting. I never like Baltimore until I moved to Bowie. Now I'm either there or in Annapolis on a regular basis. My ex lives there but closer to Security Blvd. That area has changed so much so he's looking for a new place now. But as you said, the city sure does have a lot to offer.

Igloochic - can't help but have heavy heart for ya kid. Not knowing is sometimes worse than the bad news. I'm thinking about ya. When I think of your little one going through that too...; hugs to you all.

gneegirl

I can't express how much I appreciate the support one can find from a bunch of wonderful tko's! i was feeling a bit sorry for myself (i try not to do that too often) but it did feel good to vent with some pals and once again ya'll lifted my hear.

we are meeting with our ped and confrencing in the wa docs next week...baby steps forward i hope!

i'm having a hard time typing so i'll just answer a couple of q's i can remember...1st you can't treat without definative diagnosis i'm told because the syrum in so expensive and short in supply that they can't afford to waste it on folks like us.

2nd...acountry...i'd love to have that email or blog link! thank you so much!

sue...i apparently need to check spam again! aol is a challenge that way!

now where to live...one thing we did learn from the diagnosis is that if we get a definative eventually...jesse is going to be a child who benefits from relocating to a better climate (if his current levels are accurate) so i'll have to work even harder on our search.

ok now, don't laugh (I did) i said earlier it was a sucky day and it's played out to be true (why does God listen when you whine LOL) i was working on my venetian plaster at the house today and decided to swap ladders since the one someone left on the job site which i was using was a bit shakey. (I'm a nut about ladder safety)

as i climbed down, one leg just folded in two and i fell like a graceful elephant to the floor :0. so to take my mind off of the little guy...i broke several bones in my wrist and hand...and surgery will be on either Wed or thurs :o(

thank god it was my left hand because i have sooooo much more plaster to do LOL i promise...i'm honestly whining! it's actually pretty darned funny! i think my jobsite is cursed LOL

Dawn! OMG ! I hope all goes well in surgery. Is someone telling you to pack up and move now, and never look back?

Oh, sh*t. Sometimes that's all you can say. Group hug.

I'm so sorry for everything on your plate. Hope your hand gets better quick!

Getting a correct diagnosis can be such a frustrating experience. My sister-in-law was ill most of her life and no one could figure out why. She eventually became a doctor and diagnosed herself! Turns out she had Celiac Disease. The diagnose was life changing for her--she's never been healthier.

I really hope you find your answers soon. On the bright side, as you said, you are very lucky to be in a position to move where ever you feel is best for your son.

I wish I had your fortitude! Renovating one house was enough to drive me over the edge. I can't imagine juggling multiple renovations and a child's health issues. I want your organizational skills! ;-)

Hang in there!

Well igloo, things can only get better from here, right? Knock on wood. Oh God, I hope I didn't curse you further!

I can't believe you broke your wrist/hand! I can't believe you didn't get a definitive diagnosis for DS! I can't believe you can laugh about your fall! I'd be whining my butt off and wallowing in self pity. But then, I'm a wus and YOU are the strongest lady I've ever not officially met!;0) You're truly an inspiration to us all.

Thinking of you from hot, muggy, bug and snake infested, bible thumping North Carolina.
Robin

Oh honey, you said don't laugh but I have to be honest and tell you that I did laugh, outloud even, because I SO know what you're going through (no "real" news, once again in a holding pattern, starting to *think* about taking a deep breath and then WHAM! God gives you a new, fun little diversion...) - I remember when Nick had finally stabilized out of his coma, was home but doing hours upon hours of various therapies at Children's each week and reached a big milestone early - the docs told us to take a break for a week and just enjoy things and then BAM! his appendix burst, wrapping itself around his colon making surgery that much longer which resulted in him coding again and being intubated....he and we survived it like it was just no big deal ("honey, take some big deep breaths and they'll pull the tube out and then if you can eat without throwing up and also poop and potty alone, we can go home"...literally 18 hours later we were home!) but I remember shaking my head and thinking "Is this MY normal?" - ugh. You do start to develop a (sick) sense of humor but you also get even stronger than you already are (I know, I know, cliche!). My phrase was, "If God only gives you as much as you can handle, then someone's stolen my identity!"

Hang in there, we're all pulling for you!

D**n! I hope you have a decent support system in your town--if not, so whatever you can to get the help you need so you don't completely fizzle although I can't imagine you doing that).

Don't feel weird about asking to help when you go out--most people are only too happy to help, especially if you have a toddler in tow.

Take care.

Oh geeze. Guess you were right not to trust that ladder ;).

Hope all goes well with your surgery and heals fast!

Oh NO! Well, I hope all goes well & you recover quickly. Not the best way to distract yourself, but certainly effective :)

Take Care,
Tricia

You almost have to laugh because if you don't, you'll cry. Hugs. Here's a silly chicken picture (I think I posted it elsewhere but it might have been lost) to cheer you up.

Here is a link that might be useful: Chicken

OOOh can we sign your cast??? Geez Dawn, you probably were dancing on the ladder, practicing your moves and wham. sheesh. Did I ever tell you the story about how I slipped on a painted line in our work parking lot and dislocated my finger?? they say it would have been better to break it. And everyone calls me Grace and teases me unmercifully to be careful not to slip! as they take giant steps over the painted lines! sigh.
So sorry about the inconclusive results.But in a way can that be a blessing? There are probably things that are now definitively ruled out. And the next step may be a diagnosis. I hope. Life sure can be interesting. New Ladder for Dawn for her birthday. jeweled. matching the lacanche at least! Hope the surgery goes well. Sue who slips on dry paint.

ok this is getting to be a good thread to visit for a laugh! blue that chicken cracked me up!!! i had to save that for our album (the one we show people if we ever finish the house heh heh)

If God only gives you as much as you can handle, then someone's stolen my identity!" mn that killed me! dh and i are adopting it as our motto.

sue ya clutz! lol i'd tease you too. i got a lot of crap myself today about ladder safety. preggers i was up on a 20' one and fine. i won't let my friends use a high one while home alone...and i fall off a 5' one lol checking it to see if it was safe no less...sheesh

i'm having surgery tomorrow. i apparently crushed my ulna (I think that was the bone) they have to put in a couple of plates and more screws than were used to hang our hood because appatrntly there isn't much to screw to. (I never do things half way lol) on the bright side....they're giving me some really fun drugs....i don't like drugs heh heh but if i did i'd be in hog heaven!

i need to think of a sexier story for all of the scaring than falling off a ladder! because they have to work on both sides i'm told i may have that overdone suicide look on my wrist for a while :o( they have to go in on both sides yuck! they asked if i minded being knocked out all the way lol.....oih no i want to be wide awake so i can watch you cut my hand off.....lol i think not!

i'm going to be a really good right hand only typer though! i just can't manage the caps well...i need a little finger extension thingie...i wonder if they make those...oh and something to help me pull on my pants would help! that took a long time this morning and was pretty funny to watch....or at least i think thats what the cats were laughing at...

igloo - I spent last Spring/Summer laid up and on drugs with new hardware in body parts that aren't supposed to have any and then had a repeat performance right after Thanksgiving (long story, old injuries, older body) - my one bit of advice is don't go doing any online shopping (for chickens or the like, especially!!) while you're sitting around in your narcotics fog....my DH's biggest mistake was leaving me with the laptop after he got the kids off to school. Suffice it to say, the UPS man became a member of the family and I got LOTS of *points* on the Amex card :-P

Hoping and Praying all goes well - enjoy your time in la-la-land!!

Hey Dawn, one other thing to consider about Maine. Why I didn't think of this before, I don't know, but right down the road a piece from Portland is the Barbara Bush Childrens' Hopsital. I've hear alot of people put it right up there with St. Jude's.

Um, wine and narcotics do not mix. Just thought I'd remind you, in case the drugs have gone to your head.

igloochic, i have lurked here often and read ur funny, insightful messages. You are an amazing woman!
IGLOOCHIC for PRESIDENT!!
(hey, u will get to live in the white house, that's a pretty old house :-)!!

igloochic,

I just want to say how much I admire you. You are taking on so much right now and still finding a way to smile. Your son is a very lucky little boy to have you keeping spirits so high. This board is also very lucky to have you to keep us smiling, not ot mention all the great advice.

Crystal
I

Oh crap,

You DID have a sucky day!

To add to MNhockeyMom's saying...my sister gave me a fridge magnet that hit home...God put me on this Earth to accomplish a certain number of things, right now I'm so far behind I think I'll NEVER die!

I also wanted to add some more words of encouragement for holding in there with DS. WE had huge medical and behavioral problems with our DS- I used to say if he can just make it alive to his 2nd birthday we'll be fine, the day before, running at break neck speed as was his wont, he ran right into the metal edge of the swimming pool's door, cracked his skull, and of course, you know head injuries, blood all over the place. He survived, is 22, at Royal Military College on a full scholarship, has been on international swimming and life-saving teams, is a Big Brother, volunteers at an Old Folk's home, is in the Military Band, yada yada yada. There were times he was growing up that I thought I might kill him or he'd end up in jail...so I totally agree with your pediatrician, if ya'll can make it through these trying times, he's going to be fantastic!

AND, if you are serious about Vancouver or Victoria, (I live outside Vancouver in a wonderful little town called Fort Langley- have a daughter living in Victoria, and would love to retire near there), Children's in Van has an excellent reputation, and as a resident (don't have to be a Canadian citizen)you would qualify for BC medicare- all expenses would be covered for a small monthly fee.

However, you'd have no luck finding a house for under 1 million.

Here is a link that might be useful: Here's a steal of a deal for under 1.5 mill though

you guys are silly...i'm about as far from sainthood as madonna (not the original one heh heh) i'd bet, given my situation with ds....ya'll would be doing the same stuff as me...but you might be smart enough to stay off the ladder heh heh

actually playing in everyone elses kitchen is really a destressor for me so i get way more back than i give! i love every aspect of design and it's so much more fun than mopping the floor or whatever else i want to avoid :)

i love that house in Canada. thats what we want :) wonderful architecture and a great city!

vin...the skeletons in my closet would make for a very fun campaign!!! i don't even want to run for the school board heh heh but that house would be kinda fun....i wonder what shape the kitchen is in?

ok no wine with the oxy crap...and the warnings with the deladeid stuff was enough to make me check for booze levels in my mouthwash!

so i'm off to bed for a bit...no food or water til after they chop my wrist off tomorrow toodles

You certainly do have your hand full!
But at least you've kept your sense of humor, and that will be the most useful thing of all. I think sometimes it's the only thing standing between us and insanity...

Hope the surgery is uneventful and that your recovery is quick --

Hi igloo
I just skimmed this whole post...boy, you have a lot going on to put it mildly. I hope everything goes well and you have a speedy recovery.

As an aside...did they check for celiac disease in your son? There is recent research detailing a genetic link between the two diseases of IGA deficiency and celiac disease. I would hope they would have worked up your little guy for celiac but just in case they haven't, I wanted to mention it. Also, celiac disease can develop at any age so if he was tested a while back, it might be prudent to either repeat the test (which is not always accurate) or just cut gluten out of the diet and observe for improvement of the diarrhea and abdominal pain. It is one of the most under diagnosed and most common diseases today. The average age of onset is increasing every year too. I suspect I have IGA def and adult onset celiac so I can vouch for how a gluten free diet can dramatically improve abdominal symptoms.

Good luck with everything.

God bless.

Good grief, Lady, you don't do ANYTHING by half measures, do you :~O ??????
If you're getting plates and screws in that wrist, you really did a number on it!! (Did I ever tell you that way back when I was an x-ray tech?) Breaking the ulna instead of the radius (the other bone in your wrist/lower arm) is probably a good thing . . . if there is a good thing in all this . . . because the ulna moves less. Either way, I'm sure it hurts like heck. Hope the surgery goes well and you can get back with us soon. We miss you when you're off visiting hospitals, interviewing houses and bouncing off floors ;^P

I hope the surgery goes well. :( I can't imagine taking care of an active 2-year old when your wrist is broken. Do you change diapers with your toes? (Tip: Throwing a leg over an active toddler, to change a diaper, while toddler is on changing table, results in pulled hamstring. And/or getting your leg stuck propped way up on the table.)

As for a cover story... all I can think of are bad pool-boy jokes. Guess you don't have a pool-boy way up there in the land of no snakes.

Special bonus: airports will be that much more exciting now!

Sending you a virtual glass of wine, assortment of Mediterranean appetizers and European cheeses, and a huge platter of cookies, brownies, and pastries (with only a nibble already taken from each to make sure they taste right :P ).

Hey igloo-- totally forgot about this thread so I posted a note over in conversations (decorating forum). But I see you've not had any successful diagnosis of DS just yet. I'm so sorry. How disappointing. And egads -- wine and ladders do not mix. :-) I got new floors in our old house by falling off of a ladder while sponge painting the family room and dropping ersatzs glazed burnt orange on old carpet. DH suspected I did it on purpose. Heh heh.

Just in case you missed my message (and judging by your broken arm/surgery/son's diagnosis issues I'm guessing you did), we've started Nate on a 7-day trial treatment for GERD. If that doesn't work, the ped is going to try to get Nate moved up the waitlist for the pediatric GI who specializes in growth/development disorders. So we're at step 1 to get him into the feeding disorder clinic (he has to be 2 and has to have 6 months of treatment/diagnosis with the ped GI specialist first) after two weeks of spontaneous vomiting and weight loss.

When you feel like a vacation from all that illness and mess up there in Alaska, let me know. We'd love to share Disneyland and the beach with you and your DS. You're always welcome at our tiny, dated and ridiculously expensive California ranch. :-)

Wishing you the best for your surgery tomorrow! I hope to he$$ you are getting some help around the house and with the little guy during all this!

Now, try your best to watch old movies or something other than think up new projects while you are recovering! Also, remember that you are on meds and don't go thinking you're well enough to start tackling those new projects!

Sending all positive thoughts northward!

igloochic: I have followed this thread for a while and just wanted to offer up my support as you go through this process of obtaining a final diagnosis and treatment plan for your young man. I have taken care of many children with varying degrees of EE (you didn't butcher it too bad LOL!!!) and immune deficiencies and BMT's and I can only imagine how difficult it must be dealing with it on a daily basis. I commend you for the projects you are undertaking in the midst of all this. I wish you all the best and hope that you have a definitive diagnosis and treatment/management plan before too long.

Kristen

Igloo- I'm so sorry to hear about your tumble! I can't imagine having a toddler AND a broken wrist. Sending thoughts your way from Cali........

Now, for the sarcasm (I've got to add to the fun!)- ATTN:fellow Gardenwebbers! I think it is our DUTY to help igloochic, since she's given us many laughs and much needed info during our renos. I suggest we set up a paypal account for donations, and find someone in Alaska that can build Igloochic something sturdy to support her so she can finish plastering. I'm thinking something like this-

What do you all think? :) Couldn't resist!
BTW, don't get too excited- man NOT included!!!

remodelqueen - my neighbor has one of those. Her little one is outgrowing it. I'm sure she'd love to auction it off for a good cause - Igloochic surviving her house remodels - LOL!!

Hey there igloochic - WOW, you just didn't have enough on your plate!! On top of everything else you just proved you are the professional juggler.

My prayers and hugs kiddo, that all goes well with the surgery and for a speedy recovery. Gotta add too that something positive will come about Re your son. Man, it would be great if this was something that doesn't get to be full-blown and he would just plain outgrow it!!!

When you run out of smiles and laughs, you given us enough to throw back at ya. Best wishes!!

gneegirl

lol ummm i already have that ladder thingie...it's in the garage waiting for the new kitchen so ds can bother dh while cooking heh heh
maybe i should get it out for me!

surgery went well but there are some follow up issues with bone density i'm told. i have to start sucking down calcium like a ummm calcium sucker (what eats calcium?) they also had trouble with the iv's so now both hands look as if i've been fighting off polar bears (whicj may be my new story LOL) i must say....being helpless sucks! and this kinda hurts more than it should!

ok i must lay back down before nurse nasty (dh) finds me up!

oh and we have checked celiac :) our sobs nurse has it so we had a fortunate leg up on that which most don't have. and we do go gluten free once every six months to see if ut helps since celiac seems to be a bit if a waxing waning (spell?) issue and our ped wants to be sure!

Oh how about something like this?
{{gwi:1866381}}

She could attach it to a ceiling joist and if the ladder falls, voila! The chicken chic can fly! Of course, remember to keep your cell phone in your pocket so you can call someone to get you down!

Remember, safety first! LOL!

igloo, I go out of town for 2 days and come back to this! OMG! I'm so sorry about your bummer of a week!

Time to help take your mind off all this. I think you need to start a new thread about places to live or not, to continue your search in earnest. My little island town, Port Aransas ("Port A") is fun and funky and has the requisite great restaurants. BUT between the heat and humidity and 5' rattlesnake that DH killed with a boat paddle while wade fishing behind our house and the stuffed head of the 13' long alligator that lives on my DR floor that DH caught with rod and reel and ... well, you get the picture. This is probably a NOT for you. Except that you DO like critters ... nah, never mind.

LMAO ok that last devise might just convince the doc i can go back to work!!!

and the cell phone was in my pocket...the side of the broken bone though so i had to go from door to door til i finall met my new neighbor...the ones i know were all at work, and asked her to dig into my butt pocket to get the dumb thing. lol what a nice welcome to the neighborhood!

ok tx....ya'll know we sold a hopme in houston 2 years ago right? and why???? 3 kinds of snakes....spiders the size of dinner plates...red ants and nasty alligators in the slew! i think you and i aren't going to be neighbors soon lol but i will come to town and have dinner heh heh

Man oh man.. I was away for 3 days and come home to this?! (looks like I cannot trust you all.)
igloochickadee- I feel for you. The uncertainty is the hardest part sometimes. I will have you and your son in my thoughts and prayers.
Bless you really that you are able to maintain with such a great sense of humor.

Crushed your ulna? Is it just me or did anyone else blush too? An ulna just sounds like something we shouldn't be talking about on a forum...well at least this forum. LOL Tell hubby to take care of your ulna until it feels all better, OK?

Seriously, I'm so sorry that it had to happen to you. Your intuition was just a tad too late. I think you better listen to that inner voice a little faster next time, OK? Take care of yourself Igloochic.

So, do we get to sign your cast or what?? hmm? And Nursie DH should probably remove all ladders,stepstools, boxes,chairs, ottomans, anything stackable to protect the broken Igloochicken. Maybe you should wear inflatable swimmies on your wrists to protect them for awhile. Or wrap up in bubble wrap.
Your poor hands- don't you hate it when they have to dig around to put in the IV? as if they think you won't be sore enough with the surgery or what the heck, they will be under anesthetic pretty soon anyway.
Did your neighbor recover ok from grabbing in your pocket for your phone ;) I can just hear the phone call your new neighbor makes back home, "ya won't believe how friendly the neighbors are up here in Alaska, hon!!"
and I bet you won't remember any of this thanks to your pain meds!!! LOL