Doctor, Doctor

It's been one of those weeks. One full of car seats in and out of the back seat, into this parking garage for this doctor, onto that massive parking lot for that doctor, finally in that waiting room for that doctor.....

This is not a complaint: only one appointment was due to Ruby not feeling well. The others were check-ups. But even if they were all sick visits, we are so blessed to live in Atlanta where we can access this doctor and that doctor (and the other doctor, too).

The check-ups this week for Ruby were the endocrinologist and the ENT. At her 6-month check-up, the doctor ordered another CBC for Ruby and included a thyroid check. The levels came back slightly high (possible indicator of hypothyroid issues), so she recommended we establish an endocrinologist and discuss a plan. The doc was great, as expected, and was not concerned with what the test showed. He did order another test to get more information, and said he'd like to run the same one again in 3-6 months so that we can check the consistencies. I was SO impressed with that doctor and his staff. Every single person in the office was so kind, so gentle and SO kid-friendly. It was like being at Disney World; no one broke character!

Ruby's appointment today was with the ENT. She's been once before, but it was six months ago and it was not too fun. Today was to be some of the same: clean her ears, use a microscope to see the ear drum, do a hearing test with ear drum moment measurements. The doctor was amazing and gentle with Ruby. So much so that she didn't even cry during the cleaning and microscope! The hearing test was not as 'positive' as we'd like, but the doctor wasn't too taken aback by it; he said many factors could have been affecting the outcome. He was able to get a good look at her ear drums during the exam and they looked very healthy to him. He will see her again in three months to compare as well.

My girl was such a trooper. We were at that office from 10AM until just before 1PM. Through her morning nap and second nursing of the day (neither of which she got at the office). She dozed on my shoulder for about five minutes between the hearing test and our final visit with the ENT, but even when she woke as he entered the room, she didn't fuss. Ruby rocks!

The GREAT news he gave us is that we are cleared to get her in the pool. We have avoided any submersion so far in fear of ear infections. He said ear infections from fluid caused by sickness is what they worry about at this age much more than water trapped from a bath or swimming. Game on!!

ENT

One of the many things on our check list of 'things to do the first year' with Ruby is visit the Ear, Nose and Throat doctor. While we've not noticed any issues, it did take Ruby three tries to pass her hearing test at birth and the pediatrician has commented how small her ear canals are. We weren't quite sure what to expect going in, but we were hoping for good 'answers'. (Lehr was able to sneak away from work to accompany me to this appointment.)

When the ENT tried to look into Ruby's ears, she wasn't able to see the ear drum because of how small her ear canals are. If that process didn't upset Ruby enough, going down the hall to the 'microscope room' was traumatic, at best. I got the lovely job of holding her arms by her side while an assistant held her head and the ENT used the regular cone-shaped tool to look into her ears with a more magnified viewer. She then used a small 'poker' to gently move a few flecks of wax out of the way. Holy Moly. My girl who rarely fusses gave us a performance. She cried the saddest cry I've ever heard from her and was absolutely terrified. One side down and I could barely walk around the table to subject her to the exam for the other ear.

Upon viewing her ears, the ENT thought they looked fine, but had a tech of sorts perform one more 'test' on Ruby to verify that her ear drums were in good working order and free of fluid. This test allowed me to hold Ruby in my lap while she inserted small ear buds (like the kind you'd use for an iPod) into her ears, one at a time, to check for movement in the ear drum. Both ears checked out great. Ruby started to cry for this test, but ended up passing out from pure exhaustion instead.

She slept almost the entire rest of the day.