When it rains...

IT POURS!!

We've had a rough week or so here in the Ober household. This past week, we've been to the doctor SIX different times, between Isaac, Naomi, and Mommy. I'll start with Isaac's woes. First, the poor kid flipped head-first out of a shopping cart in the Lowe's parking lot while out with Daddy. Got a real bruiser on his forehead from that one. A few days later, he fell head-first onto our kitchen floor while hanging on the chin-up bar without using a mat, as he has been instructed to. Guess he just has to learn things the hard way. :( With that injury, we noticed he had what looked like an infected bug bite on top of his head. And another sore starting on his boyish parts. He was also the victim of a nasty horse fly feasting on his back, leaving a bruise there too. Poor kid can't catch a break. We're still putting antibiotic cream on the infected bites. Hoping they clear up soon! Here are some pics from his injuries...

Falling head-first out of a shopping cart is NO fun!

And falling head-first a few days later at home was just as bad!

Infected bug bite. :(

Fly biting wound.

So then we also decided to take Naomi in to see the doctor as well. She has been complaining about back pain for the past year or so. It's gotten so bad at times that she will cry while in her carseat and will not sit properly in her booster seat while eating (she'll sit up on her knees instead of on her bottom)...because it hurts. I've just assumed that it's because she's so boney. But recently (the past four weeks or so), she's been having instances in which her neck causes her EXTREME pain. It's brief and gets better on it's own. But seeing her scream in pain while holding her head/neck is just unnerving for a mama to watch. Combine that with the fact that her arms KEEP coming out of socket (nursemaids elbow), and I wanted some answers.

We were referred to a pediatric rheumatologist, and spent yesterday morning down at Riley. At one point the doctor got real serious and said, "I'm going to be really honest with you here. I was fully prepared to walk into this room and tell you that we will need to admit her." GULP. WHY? "Because anytime a child this age complains of back or neck pain, it's not a good sign. And actually, it's usually an indicator that something is very wrong...like a tumor or leukemia." DEEP BREATH. She went on to say, "However, after doing a thorough exam, my gut feeling is that this isn't the case with Naomi." SIGH OF RELIEF! "Basically, Naomi is a wet spaghetti noodle."

The doctor went on to explain that she has severe hypermobility and flexibility. Her ligaments and tendons are more like rubber bands than the strong cords they should be. This *chould* be the reason why her neck is bothering her. Just like her hips were and now her arms continue to come out of place, it's quite likely that something similar is happening to her neck. But they do need to confirm this. I'm not crazy about it, but we will be going back down to Riley in the next few weeks for her to have an ultrasound and then be sedated for a bone scan.

If all of that comes back clear, then we're looking at physical therapy to strengthen her muscles to help keep things in place. I'll also be continuing on with chiropractic care for her. Good news is that she's been gaining weight like a champ lately!! She's up in the percentiles...at just over 25lbs, she's all the way up to the 5th percentile now! :)

My little wet spaghetti noodle! :)

And then for me. Beginning last weekend, I just started feeling EXTREMELY exhausted and sore at night. I also had a few bouts of heartburn along with some night sweats, but nothing to write home about. Then, after lunch on Tuesday, I began having some INTENSE, stabbing pain in my abdomen...right up under my ribcage. It wasn't constant, but it was crippling. It happened again after each meal. Then my entire body began to ache. It felt as if I had been puking and retching for hours, but I had not. I was just a little nauseous, but not bad. I went to the doctor Wednesday, then to the hospital for an u/s on Thursday. Found out that I have gallstones that are causing all of this pain. I've also been running a low-grade fever this whole time. I still feel quite terrible really. Just waiting until Tuesday afternoon to meet with the surgeon. They have me on some pain killers until then. I think it's very likely that I'll be having my gallbladder taken out in the near future. I just can't believe how much pain I am in. My ENTIRE body aches...and hurts more so around my abdomen. I have gone back and forth about whether I should go to the ER to be seen again...especially when the pain is intense. I keep wondering if something else is going on as well. But I'll just trust that the doctors know what they are doing and that waiting is okay. If it gets significantly worse, then I'll just call the on-call doctor and see what they say. Otherwise, I'm just trying to lay-low this holiday weekend

So that's what's been happening around this crazy house!! :)