Thursday, October 30, 2014

The mysterious trauma

Well the past few days have been interesting to say the least
My oldest is 3 years in remission from a rare pediatric cancer called Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis. He also had a 2nd form of histiocytosis called Juvenile Xanthogranuloma. As our oncologist said he is the rarest of the rare.
Parenting him is different.
Every bump, every pain cauded me to have an internal panic attack while putting on the mask to him that it's fine it's no big deal. All while doing a mental calculation of the symptoms and trying to add up could this be "it"? Is "it" back?
Anyways he had surgery a month ago for a common medical condition in boys.
Pathology came back fine it wasn't histiocytosis just a thing.
Recovery went well and he got the all clear to resume normal activity.
But he started having pain more and more in his knee.
Sunday he complains more and shows me his knee it's painful and swollen.
Internal panic attack and I have to decide who do I want to go to.
Option 1 primary care dr. Option 2 oncologist but they are in dc so not exactly close Option 3  orthopedics Or option 4 er at Hopkins where he did his chemotherapy and where his ortho is
Well option 4 it was and I juggled coverage for the other 3 kids to get him to the er Monday morning
After 9 hours, blood work, iv, xray and mri as well as visits by 4 drs, 3 medical students and 2 nurses. He was diagnosed with a old dislocation of the knee and a tear in the ligament next to the knee
They grilled me on when this "trauma" took place. I have no clue and they have a theory that it occurred during surgery.
Fitted for a knee brace and crutches and home we go.....
Well not for long
Wednesday morning I notice the knee is more swollen. Call ortho....no call back... shocker.
Send Casey to school until I hear from the Dr.
School calls at 130. Knee is bulging out of knee brace so much his veins are popping out
Get him picked up at school. Once again juggle the other kids and back to the Dr we go.
This visit was a quick one only 6 hours. 4 more drs though, 1 medical student and 2 more nurses.
This time it's decided the knee cap is sliding all around in the brace because it's too big
Fitted for smaller brace and sent home.
New ortho thinks it occurred during positioning in surgery.
Followup with ortho specialist on this kind of issue next Wednesday

At this point I don't care when it happened.
I just want him fixed.
I'm glad that 8 drs and 4 medical students have all been educated on histiocytosis. But really enough is enough. I don't want to be a side show In the er where we are a learning case for every medical student and doctor to ask me the same questions over and over. I do get that we are the living breathing example of a medical condition drs only read about and never see but even Casey commented on when.we're they going to stop asking about histiocytosis when there is a thing called Google.
Never a dull.moment around here 

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