First Field Trip in Kentucky

Last week -- all week, Hannah wasn't feeling well -- so of course our first field trip in Kentucky was to the Children's hospital.

Par for the course for our family.

Go to ER before anything else in KY.

Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.

She was complaining of feeling like she was going to throw up plus she had a low grade temperature all week. I knew something wasn't right but just kept hoping it was her tummy adjusting to the new water in KY ... or something like that.

By Wednesday I got her into a local doctor to check her blood counts -- understandably, I was concerned about her blood counts.

OK, concerned is an understatement.

I had a hard time sleeping all week & was worried we were about to be shipped off for a bone marrow transplant if her counts had plummeted.

We spent all morning Wednesday getting an appointment set up & then we spent the rest of the day going to her appointment somewhere that only my navigation system could ever find again on the South side of Louisville.

Well, her blood counts were just fine.

Actually, her white blood count was up to 9.7 (from 8.0 on 5/12).

We came home & Hannah continued to complain of "not feeling good" & that her tummy didn't feel right.

Something wasn't right .......

By Friday afternoon Hannah & I looked up "appendicitis" we figured that must be it! At that point it was too late to get in with a doctor ... so Jim came home & Hannah & I headed off to the ER at the Children's Hospital in downtown Louisville. A babysitter came later to relieve Jim so he could come to the hospital & be with us. (Yes, I have already found some nice babysitters in KY!!)

Well, we got checked in. Everyone was very nice. It was a big change for us to be in a Children's Hopsital where everything is kid-oriented. The doctor introduced himself to Hannah as "Keith" & gave her a high five as he was leaving the room. Very nice.

Xray showed nothing.

Next was check blood levels & get a CT Scan with contrast.

Hannah's veins are shot so it took some time getting a nurse that could get a line going in her. Hannah was SO BRAVE & just rolled with all the punches. No complaining & acted like the champ that she is always is when presented with hospital procedures.

By about midnight we were finally headed to CT Scan. Jim stood by Hannah & I went back with the tech to watch the CT images come up on the screen. I was looking for an enlarged appendix -- which the tech told me wasn't visible. So right away, without her telling me, I knew we had just ruled out appendicitis. So what the heck was going on?

It would take an hour for the CT results to come back.

For that hour waiting for the test results felt like FOREVER. We sat in Hannah's ER room .. her laying on the bed watching Food Network & hooked up to an IV pole (again!?!?!?). I watched Food Network but it was like having picture with no sound because I was lost in my thoughts of "what is going on???".

At some point in that hour we learned that her white blood count was now up to 12.0 ...for Hannah, that is a big jump in 2 days! So, I started thinking we were going to be fighting cancer. Really, that is what I thought.

CT Scan results came in & turns out Hannah has something that any of us can get: basically a virus in her intestines that has caused her lymph nodes in her intestines to be swollen.

Nothing serious.

Nothing that has anything to do with Aplastic Anemia.

Officially it is called "mesenteric adenitis".

We got discharged & were back home by about 2am.

Thank you, Lord!!!! Total relief!!!!!

I kept just trying to tell myself "do not worry about tomorrow ... ". God knows. This is not a surprise to God.

My worry wasn't going to help anything so I just kept giving it to the Lord despite my mind racing down the road of Hannah possibly having something critical.

Yes, my mind was racing with all the worst case scenarios -- I guess that's my spiritual gift.

My sister & cousin had come down from Indy to relieve Lily's babysitter around 10pm on Friday night. Can I just say that my sis & cousin are the best? Thank you, Blair & Miriam!!!. Not only did they come down to watch Lily but they got busy re-arranging & decorating my house. I love them!!! They stayed until Sunday & helped me recover from the emotional roller coaster of thinking Hannah was going to be diagnosed with something serious.

Boy, will that play on a Mom's psyche .... what a week.

Here it is Monday morning.

Hannah still isn't feeling 100% but at least we know what is going on.

Thank you, everyone, for your prayers on Friday night as I was posting to Facebook about what was going on. We are so thankful for the wonderful community of people that love us & carry us through ...even from 2,000 miles away!

We are off this morning to tour Lily's future pre-school.

I will post pictures of life around here when I get a chance ....

All God's best from our new HOME in Kentucky,