Dance Recital 2013

Here is the link to the video of Penny's ballet dance at her recital. She is on the far right. Her best friend Heidi is the girl right up front. Tray was videoing and briefly got off-center, but it gets back to normal more or less as you go. We didn't video the tap dance which was later in the show. She had a good time and we were so proud of her!

End of School Performance

Last Tuesday was the end of school performance at Penny's preschool. The four-year-old class got to recite some bible verses and then sing two songs. After the other, younger, classes did their performances the 4 year olds individually walked off stage and hugged their teacher (who is retiring this year). It was very sweet. The video is the bible verses and the first song and most of the second. They are four, so excellent orators and singers they are not. However, we are very proud for her to get up there and sing.

VIDEO

The official last day of school is Thursday, May 16. They are having a big day with inflatable slides and bubbles and parties. I can't believe she (we!) did it. When she started pre-K, I wasn't sure it was the right decision to send her. Now, I am so happy she went. And I'm sad for her that it's over. Hopefully, Kindergarten will be just as much fun next year.
Coming soon: Saturday's dance recital!

Blood work results

We heard back from Penny's blood work in Birmingham. Most of the immune function elements were fine. Her IgE was a little low, but the doctor was not concerned about that really. She had no or low titers to the main virus serotypes that cause pneumonia. Kids are vaccinated against those as part of their regular vaccination schedule. The particular vaccine in this case is Prevnar. It contains 7 of the most common serotypes. However, she either never developed resistance or lost it over time. So, the standard procedure is to give a "booster" shot, which sounds like it should be a small little thing, but is actually a much bigger shot that what she already has had. She'll need the Pneumovax-23 which is the adult one and contains 23 serotypes. Then in six weeks, she'll have blood drawn again to see if she develops any resistance. Right now we are trying to find someone local that can administer the shot. None of the pediatricians have it. It would be a pain to drive two and half hours up and two and a half back just for her to have a shot, so I'm hoping we can find a general practitioner here in town who offers it and would agree to do it.

Immunology

Bear with me on this one. I have a lot of thoughts to try to get out there and I'm not quite sure where to start. Penny has an appointment with an immunologist in Birmingham at Children's on January 14. We feel very conflicted about it. Before Penny had pneumonia, I had spoken to her doctor about the possibility of an immune issue. This was doctor visit number 8 or 9 I believe and she understood where I was coming from by asking. She told me though that it was probably just a tough fall and that usually they would not refer to an immunologist unless a child had had one meningitis or two cases of pneumonia requiring hospitalization.  And then she got pneumonia requiring hospitalization. With sepsis. Again, I find it difficult to write about specifics, but hers was an unusual case of pneumonia. It was in both lungs which I was told is actually not common and other characteristics were atypical as well. So, even though she has only had one case and not two (knock wood), it was very strong and she'd had all those other illnesses back to back to back leading up to it (all of which she'd also presented atypically). That, plus the Kawasaki disease, which is totally unrelated as far as anyone can tell, but which is also a very rare disease, led Penny's pediatrician to make the referral.

Her pediatrician's office called and made the appointment and the nurse called and gave me the date and time. It was for toward the end of February because that was the first available, but he's a really good doctor - one of the best. I said thank you, wrote the date on the calendar, and that was that. A couple hours later, the nurse called me back and said Penny's doctor had called up there and spoken to the doctor directly and they'd moved the appointment to January 14. Which makes me kind of feel like, jeez, they must really want to see her.

So here's the conflict. I really, really, reeeeeeally don't want to make Penny have her blood drawn again. I just don't even want to tell her she has to go to the doctor again. Seriously, I'd probably drive her to Birmingham, to the doctor's office and be in the parking lot before I even told her what we were there doing. Probably not wise to spring things on her like that, but then also not good to let her stew in her own anxiety for any length of time (being her mother's daughter after all). Ugh. I suppose too the further we get away from the hospitalization, the more we think well, she's okay now. Nothing to worry about. Head in sand. Fingers in ears. Lalalalala.

The immune system is so much more complex than I ever thought. There are many elements to it, and numerous diseases that you can be born with in which one or more element is missing in some way. Congenital immune deficiencies (as opposed to acquired).

The one thing that this is not though, is a result of her not having attended daycare. After the Kawasaki's and again with the current round of stuff I've had people (well meaning) imply that that was the case. The thing is, the "hygiene hypothesis" isn't about exposure to illness. Studies have shown that day care kids get sicker earlier on, and non day care kids get sicker later on, but around age 13 they get sick exactly the same thereafter, and it is has no bearing on long term immunity issues. What the hygiene hypothesis actually applies to is exposure to animals. Kids who live on farms or have exposure to farm animals have stronger immune systems than "city" kids. I read one article where the doctor said, "get two dogs and a cat" and your child will be fine. I remember that line because we had two dogs and a cat at that time. And four chickens. And semi-regular exposure to cows. And my house is anything but clean - lol! And in terms of other kids, I took her to library story time and kindermusic and dance and gymnastics and playdates. And as for Kawasaki's, there's a genetic component. Oh, I just get so frustrated at the implication that her illnesses are the result of something we've done "wrong" - namely not sending her to daycare or preschool sooner than age 4. The implication has little basis in scientific research, and is just plain insulting to me as a parent.

I really hope she did just have a "tough fall" though and this isn't a immune deficiency issue. However, I do think testing is justified on the basis of genetics. My father and his younger sister both had meningitis, and my great aunt on my mom's side had bronchiectasis. I think there's enough history there to be suspicious. I just -- I don't know. I just don't want to take her up there. Maybe I'm scared to find out anything. Maybe I'm sure they won't find anything and I don't want to put her through it. And Tray really hates the city of Birmingham (no offense to those of you who live there) and I don't want to put him through it. And I just don't want to worry about my little girl being sick.

Well that was no fun

I have not updated here on the blog since most people were aware of Penny's pneumonia, and also because I just find it hard to write about. There are a lot of painful memories and emotions surrounding her hospitalization. It was a very scary time, and I find the panic rising in my chest even thinking about the details to write them down. So, suffice it to say that she is well now. She is no longer on antibiotics and we stopped doing breathing treatments a few days ago. She's been having residual tummy troubles, but that's almost straighted out too I think.

Personality-wise, she's herself. She's a happy and active 4 year old. She's been back to school since last week and attended dance class on Monday. I confess that I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop. I can count on my fingers the number of fever-free days she's had since mid-October, and everytime one illness would subside, another would begin. So far, she seems to be holding her own though. Thank you to everyone who contacted us or thought of us while all this was going on. Maybe now I can post some fun pictures of holiday activities. Love to you all.

Well

Penny's fever continued to go up over 104 even on Sunday, but by Monday morning she was fine. She's had no fever since and the rash is gone. I am so glad. As of right now (knock wood) all three of us are healthy.

Parvovirus

Penny has human parvovirus which is otherwise known as Fifth disease (because it was the fifth childhood disease described). It's also known as "slapped cheek" disease since their cheeks get super red. She's got the characteristic rash, but one problem -- a fever much too high. Normally fifth disease has low temps of 101 or below. Tonight her's was 104.6. She was also having side pain so I called the on-call physician who happened to be Penny's regular doctor. After talking with her for awhile we went on in to the clinic to meet her there. She checked her over again and everything appears normal. The pain is probably in her spleen but it is not enlarged. So here's hoping the fever breaks in the next couple days.