Tough Cookie

My poor Matthew has been stuck too many times for such a young baby. It all started with his first blood counts when he was a newborn. His platelet count was low because my platelets were low during my pregnancy and his pediatrician had us in the lab several times to monitor the level. They used to stick his heel but after they did it to both feet and couldn't get enough blood they moved to a needle in the arm.

Fast forward a month and his platelet count was normal but his hemoglobin levels were now low. So we started him on an iron vitamin supplement until it made his tummy uncomfortable and interrupted his sleep. Then the hemoglobin came up but the white cell count was low. So back to the lab, but the numbers were not much improved. A pathologist studied his smear and found "nonremarkable cells". I think my Matthew is certainly remarkable, but I guess in medical terms that means normal.

Our pediatrician, who I am still deciding if she is the right one for Matthew (and me), wanted us to see a hematologist. I was hesitant because I felt he was a healthy, thriving, eating, sleeping, happy baby and I figured the counts were a little off due to my blood from pregnancy and Alex and I have always had weird counts. Taking my baby into an office that has hematology/oncology on the door is not what I thought I'd be doing 4 months into his life, and especially since I was cleared by my own hematologist/oncologist just a month or so ago and thought I was done with that medical practice. Also the pediatrician has been concerned about a number of things that did not pan out to be anything. As a new mother, and just part of who I am, my mind races into worst case scenarios and I didn't want to make a stressful issue out of something that in my heart I knew was a non issue. She asked me what my hesitation was to go see a hematologist and rather than tell her I don't think you are right, she followed with, "Are you worried they will find something?" YES!

So I prayed and prayed, asking God to wrap my boy up in his arms and be with him. I knew this was just fear creeping in and I asked for faith that He would take care of the boy that I was so blessed to be given just months before. I prayed that my fears for what might be would not get in the way of seeking and getting Matthew the medical treatment he might need. I also finally decided that since I thought the pediatrician didn't know what she was talking about that seeing a hematologist would be a second and more expert opinion.

Last night and all morning I prayed that when we went to the office today that we would not see any sweet babies and their poor parents there for chemo~ that would really make me sad. And I didn't see one baby in there. We were all alone. But there were far too many files in their cabinets for my liking. I said a prayer for all of them. I needed Alex there with us today, and he came even though he was up all night running paramedic calls. He gave me strength.

So Matthew was seen by an awesome hematologist who gave clarity and perspective to the previous blood work. He said that his best guess, and he said it is detective work, is that when Matthew's platelets were so low at birth his body compensated by making nothing but platelets, so the other cells, red and white, went to the back burner. Now that the platelets are normal, the other two systems are catching up. He wanted to draw blood one more time and was going to have results then and even was going to look at the blood under a microscope. He said the counts were all pretty normal, the white cells right back where they should be, and that under the scope the cells looked "immature" meaning they were new cells recently formed. He suggested doing another count in a couple months, but said there was no cause for concern-- just that Matthew has "his daddy's blood and his mommy's looks". Alex has always had low counts and is never sick. I think his body has all the cells he needs, and Matthew is just like him.

So the only low point of the day was when I told the nurse that his heel was not a good place to get blood. She assured me that she could do it, pricked his foot, he screamed and gave no more than a drop of blood, despite her squeezing his foot for several minutes. So then it was to the finger. Pricked and bled like a pig, and screamed again. She commented how strong he was and how impressive his lungs were as he was flailing his blood all around, somehow on everything except his and my white shirts (what was I thinking?).

Here is our little trooper. He was watching her with much suspicion, especially after he was already shot up three times this week for his 4-month shots.

Thank you to everyone who has prayed for Matthew for so many things, but especially for this issue, and to my cousin, Debbie, whom I constantly bother with emails during the work hours with new mommy questions.