Brave Heart

Ironically when I walked into work today there was a Blood Assurance flyer on the door for a blood drive. Typically I've always got an excuse as to why I don't have time to donate blood....really its just my own self being a baby because I don't like needles at all. I must say though my perspective on both giving blood and how tough (emotionally & physically) our little girl really is.

Most of you know the battle we have had with Addi throwing up 2-3x a week if not more. The dr's have never been really concerned because of the fact that she's always in the 50-75th percentile for weight and continued to gain weight but seriously who likes to throw up? Not to mention that it usually happens when we are in a restuarant or if we are at a birthday party (for kids) & we scare the beejesus out of everyone thinking we have a virus or something. And most importantly its just plain sucks to watch her child say "I don't want to throw up" & then there it is. Her sense of smell is ridiculous - she can smell food which then causes her to gag or even throw up. This is just constant. For instance the other day we were laying in bed & I was eating a vanilla oreo. She looks at me, says what are you eating & then gagged. Its just constantly like this & so unfair to her. We addressed it at her 3 year check up so we were given orders for blood work & a stool sample culture.

I got even luckier when I posted on FB that I was dreading taking her to T.C. Thompson for all of this....a girl I played ball with in high school & now see all the time in our slow pitch leagues actually works in the lab there. She told me when she worked & she was so ready for us when we arrived. Deanna, if you happen to read this, you are wonderful.....I didn't sleep a wink for thinking about this & how traumatizing it might be. I was warned they take a good bit of blood, or at least a lot for a 3 yr old. Daddy met us there after working all night & you could tell that both he & I were much more ancy than Addi was. She was discussing with us as we walked down the hall of the hospital "what are they gonna do with my poop?" (let's just say I will not give the details of me racing Addi to put seran wrap on the toilet in hopes of catching poop! She thought that was fun)

I introduced Addi to Deanna, who just so happen have Nemo & Dori ALL over her scrub top, yet another reason she's fabulous. Addi hopped up into my lap, she was very hesitant & was getting to that "I'm not doing anything I don't want to" stage when Deanna started showing Addi my viens and stuff. She said you might feel a little stick - I grabbed my phone & started showing Addi all of our pics from our girls lunch & pedicure with Arden. She was telling Deanna all about it when the next thing I knew the needle was in & blood was coming out.....LOTS of it, uhhhh feeling faint just talking about it.

So hopefully this will give us some answers. They are testing for all food allergies, celiac disease, & so many other things I just don't have a clue what. If this doesn't provide any answers I guess we are back to the drawing board & may visit an ENT to see if the gagging/sensitivity to smell has anything to do with the ears. Keep sweet Addi in your prayers please - its just pitiful to see her go through this when nothing "major" seems to be wrong. I just know that if we don't get some clear answers I may have to quit my job completely when she starts a real day care or school. We all know people tend to freak when they see puke, me on the other hand - well I've learned to just catch it, scoop it, hide it and SANITIZE, SANITIZE, SANITIZE!!!