Doctor Visits

Just thought I'd post a quick update on Joel's doctor visits.  We saw cardiology at the end of last month, and everything looked great.  He was extremely well behaved for a toddler past nap time. :)  We were cleared to now see cardiology once annually.

Last Tuesday, we made it up to Legacy Emanuel for G.I.  I was a little worried about this one, as we've changed Joel's fluid and food intake dramatically (without permission, and without a swallow study...)
but it went well.  He's a new doctor, but he was professional.  We got the o.k. to see him every six months, a huge step from where we were in Tacoma.  Unfortunately, Emanuel doesn't have dietary included in their GI appointments, so I have to make an appointment with a feeding team separate from them to talk with a dietitian (annoying.)  Bummer.  So, no swallow study yet.  I've called three times now, routed to different voice mails, with no luck.  I have six days off, starting....oh, 2 hours ago.....so I'll have some free time soon to get to the bottom of the run around.  One cool advantage to Medford is that they have a local feeding team!  Major plus.

Next week we drive to Doernbecker for Respiratory.

Side note:  Joel's trach stoma (stoma is a fancy word for hole) is still open.  It was supposed to close on its own within a month of taking the trach out.  So months later and an out of state move, and we're trying to schedule this surgery to close it up.  This surgery is good because: #1:  Holes in the neck aren't a benefit when you're swimming in pools or taking baths, and #2: It has a striking resemblance to a butthole.  So we knew the cosmetic portion would come at some point, but now that there's some functional issues, we're gonna put a rush on that.  Also, Joel's learned how to "neck fart."  Meaning he pushes air out of his neck....at perfectly inappropriate times.  In public.  And he thinks it's so funny.  It kind of is.  :)

Yes, back to respiratory....we've been having a hard time getting into our Washington surgeon- whom we love so much- because we don't know if they accept our Oregon state insurance.  Still waiting on that, but in the meantime, we'll be seeing a Respiratory doc who may refer us to someone new, or pull strings so that we can see Boseley again in Tacoma.

August 10th we have our first appointment with an OPTHAMOLOGIST.  Yes.  Opthamologist, not optometrist....because by now, I've figured out the difference, and I'm tired of dealing with the two of them, and I want my kid's eye fixed.  A very best friend of mine referred me to a doctor that she personally worked with, and I've decided that if I trust this guy, Dr. Charles Bock, then we'll do whatever he thinks we should do.  Surgery, exercises, whatever.  I just want to get on with our lives.  Of course, Joel is a high risk kid for the corrective surgery not working because of his other issues, so if I end up having him with crossed eyes for the rest of his life, he'll still have lots and lots of pictures taken. :)  And we'll love them just as much.