April 2011: Friends to the Rescue, Wills & Kate, & A G.I. Doctor

April 2011

Singing with Diana & Joanna!

April 1, 2011, brought the exciting arrival of our former neighbors from Michigan. The L. Family was visiting their grandparents who live next to us. My sister and I grew up with the L. Family's two daughters, Diana and Joanna, who are about the same age as us. It was great to see them again, and all the girls had a blast getting caught up. The L. Family came on a Friday and planned to leave the following Tuesday. The weekend was full of hanging out, talking, laughing, and eating. Ethnic food was on the menu several times, and the women of the L. Family know how to cook! Delicious feasts of pot stickers, fried rice, and other Chinese foods were prepared. It was all so yummy! My stomach didn't agree with most of the foods, but once again I blamed the salt from soy sauce as the cause. I pushed past my stomach ache and enjoyed watching the Harry Potter movies with Diana and Joanna. We also recorded ourselves singing an over-the-top version of Katy Perry's song, Firework. I still have the video on my iPod, and it always makes me laugh until I cry when I watch it. My mom treated Diana, Joanna, and myself to an afternoon showing of the  movie Rango. We were the only ones in the theater so we laughed and talked as loudly as we wanted. I had fun, but I was feeling awful. My stomach was so upset, and I felt exhausted. Dinner that night consisted of another Chinese meal that didn't sit well. I hardly touched any of my food. I babysat that night, and my stomach felt just as upset as it did when I had c.diff. I was too tired to think of what the problem was this time. I had a suspicion that it wasn't just the spices in the food.

 The next morning was April 5, and I woke up thinking about a lot of things. Today my brother, Daniel, turned 22 years old. I should remember to text him. The L Family was leaving today. I'm going to miss them. I've had so much fun with the girls. As I sat up in my bed, I reached across my bed to pet my cat, Oliver. I had just started petting him when a horrible sensation came over me. I had experienced this before, and I knew what was coming. I quickly got out of bed (which startled the still-sleepy Oliver) and raced to the bathroom. October, 2010, repeated itself again. Even though I hadn't been eating much, a whole lot of something came out of me all at once. I couldn't believe. I just knew I had a c.diff relapse. When my business in the bathroom was finished, I went back to my bed and laid down next to Oliver. I considered facing the facts of c.diff again, and it was too much to handle. I started to cry as Oliver started to purr. My mom came upstairs to get ready for the day and was surprised to see me crying. I told her what happened, and that I knew I had a c.diff relapse. My mom immediately jumped into mom mode and calmed me down. She decided to do some research while I rested on the couch while doing some easier school subjects. The more I thought about it, the more I was convinced I had c.diff again. After my mom finished her research, she informed me that c.diff usually relapses two months after a person is first exposed to it. 

"That means you have the flu." My mom said confidently.
"Not if I was exposed to c.diff again." I added.
I can still remember my mom's eyes growing wider when I brought up this point. We decided to wait and see what the next couple days brought before we freaked out. I had already diagnosed myself with c.diff. I knew right then and there that I was done volunteering. I would miss spending time with my volunteering partner, J, but I was not going to put up with that hospital's sloppy germ control skills. There was a very weird factor in all of this: when I got c.diff in October, I volunteered on a Thursday and woke up with diarrhea on a Tuesday. This time I volunteered on a Thursday, and woke up with diarrhea on a Tuesday. Was it a creepy coincidence or was the time frame for c.diff symptoms to show up five days?

Flowers from Jonathan

 The next few days brought more diarrhea and a loss of appetite. I was back on my diet of 7up, grilled cheese, quesdillas, instant potatoes, pudding, and other bland foods. I could not believe it. I was so close to reaching my pre-sick weight, and now I was going to lose more weight. I had an appointment for my next (it was also supposed to be my last) weight check at Dr. S.'s office on April 7. We called to ask if we could see Dr. S. while we were there. I clearly didn't have the flu so that meant there was only one other thing it could be: c.diff. You've probably heard of the phrase, "to know when you're beaten". Well, I was beaten.  I was dreading my appointment with Dr. S. I had visions of myself breaking down and crying right there in the mustard yellow exam room. My sister, Rachel, and her boyfriend, Jonathan, had both texted me the day of the appointment. I was obviously run down and hopeless. Sweet Jonathan brought me yummy chocolate chip cookies and flowers. Rachel got a good one! :P

 I walked in to Dr. S.'s office with my mom as ready as I was ever going to be. The shock of getting sick again had worn off, and now it was time to face the truth. We had to wait almost an hour to see Dr. S. He ordered some blood tests (including a test for celiac pronounced "seal-e-yack") disease-the disease where you can't eat any wheat), a urine sample, and a stool sample. The blood and urine came back normal so all that was left was that lovely stool sample that could determine 15 more days on metronidazole, an awful taste in my mouth, and more havoc on my already fragile stomach.

"We'll see what the stool sample says and then see if you need to take that great tasting medicine again!" Dr. S. cheerfully said. It was impossible to be in a bad mood around him! Dr. S. also suggested that we make another appointment to see the same pediatric gastroenterologist that I was supposed to see in January. Dr. S. said there were often waiting lists for these kinds of specialists. An appointment was made to see Dr. D.S. on April 29. 

Art class fun with T.

 Within the next couple days, the sample was shipped off to the lab. To be myself busy, I had a sleepover with Rachel at her college dorm. We had a blast! I experienced cafeteria food (everything was so salty), watched MTV, and stayed up late. I had so much fun that I forgot about my stomach troubles for a while. I also distracted myself by attending an art class that was open for high schoolers in our home schooling group. I had been messaging my best friends, Elizabeth and T., on Facebook and telling them about my latest stomach problems. They were sympathetic and told me that they were praying for me. Both girls were surprised and happy to see me at art class. All the students had to participate in gym class, and gym usually involved some amount of running. I didn't feel up to running so I walked behind everybody else. T. was nice enough to walk with me. I skipped gym for the rest of the class and helped another teacher manage her pupils. T. also accompanied me so I wouldn't be the only person skipping gym class. 

 About one week after my appointment with Dr. S., the results from the stool sample. My heart was racing as I tried to listen in on my mom's conversation with Dr. S.'s nurse, Nurse T. After my mom got off the phone, she had good news and bad news. The good news was that I did not have celiac disease! I then braced myself for the bad news that I had c.diff. I would never have expected the news: the lab refused to check for c.diff. My sample was not in diarrhea form, and the lab had changed their protocol since last November. All stool being checked for c.diff had to be in diarrhea form. I was so mad! Was I just supposed to let the c.diff toxins build up in my body? I was learning about bacteria in biology at the time, and I knew enough to be terrified of the possible bacteria that was in my body. There was absolutely nothing we could do. I wanted to sue the lab for changing their protocol and not telling Dr. S. My mom was also mad and called my grandpa to tell him. My grandpa had taken an interest in my recurrent stomach problems. Both him and my grandma were concerned. I told Elizabeth and T. about the stupid lab, and they were both mad. I wrote that I was ready for all of this to be over, and Elizabeth told me that she was ready for it to be over also. T. said that she was getting frustrated by just reading my messages. I could tell they were both getting worried. Nurse T. suggested we submit another stool sample and see if the lab would test for c.diff. We had no luck. The strange thing was, three other stool samples were submitted to be tests for c.diff, and those samples were not in proper form so they were not tested. At least I wasn't alone.

 I tried to stay busy as I waited to see the stomach doctor on April 29. I was still convinced that I had c.diff. I didn't know what else could be wrong. I had a gut feeling (no pun intended!) that whatever the problem was, it was going to take a while to fix it.

Watching the Royal Wedding at 3:00 am!

  As much as I was dreading April 29, I found myself looking forward to it for other reasons. The Royal Wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton was on that same day! I made plans to get up at 3:00 a.m. to watch the wedding live from London. My mom and Rachel were going to join me, and we made tea and scones. I have always been interested in all things British. My grandma is also interested in the monarchy, and my dad's mom (she passed away before I was born) was also interested in the monarchy. I'm not sure how I came to like England, but I always have and I am British at heart! 

 The Royal Wedding was beautiful; well worth getting up so early! Kate looked so beautiful. I forgot about seeing a stomach doctor as I sipped my tea, nibbled on my scone, and gawked at all those British hats. After the wedding was over, I got ready to see Dr. D.S. Erika, the mom whose kids I watch twice a week, called me to wish me good luck at my appointment and that she was praying for me. Erika had seen me go through mono and c.diff, and she is naturally so caring and kind. 

 I didn't know what to expect as I walked into the hospital where Dr. D.S.'s office was. His office was located in the same hospital where I used to volunteer. My mom had e-mailed the volunteer coordinator telling her that I was being tested for c.diff again and that I was not going to volunteer anymore. I was so worried about running into somebody who I used to work with at the hospital. My mom checked me in with a nice receptionist, and we filled out some paperwork. Shortly, a nurse called me back and took my vials. The office was very small and seemed crowded. The exam room looked like a regular exam room in a doctor's office. After waiting for a little bit, there was a knock at the door and the pediatric gastroenterologist came in. He was a very, very short man probably in his 50's. He had gray hair but not a lot of it. He introduced himself and then told me to sit on a chair by my mom. He asked a lot of questions. Some questions made sense and others did not. No, I've never tried to lose weight. No, I've never been on a diet. No, I don't think I'm a high maintenance. That was seriously one of the questions he asked. What do I want to weigh? I don't know! Whatever is average. Are you seriously asking how many times a day I go to the bathroom?! Who keeps track of that stuff? Ugh, this is so embarrassing. I want to leave. I wasn't sure if I liked Dr. D.S. or not. He seemed quirky but nice. The physical exam he performed still confuses me. In addition to the regular physical exam, he also took a really good look at my feet and hands. Yes, feet and hands. While he commented on my toenail and fingernail polish, I was silently wondering why I even bothered coming to this appointment. Dr. D.S. asked me to lay down on my back while he felt my stomach. He then started tapping on my stomach while asking if I liked being tall. I told him that I didn't like it. He then launched into a story about a girl from China who was very tall, and she had surgery to cut out parts of her legs so she would be shorter. When she woke up the next morning, her arms drug on the ground! I politely laughed. Dr. D.S. immediately switched gears told me this: "I think you have celiac disease." I almost laughed out loud. Here we have this slightly bizarre stomach doctor, who looks at feet and tells stories that are probably made up, telling me that I have a disease that I had already been tested for...twice! 

"I've already been tested for that!" I protested.

 Dr. D.S. nodded and asked me to sit down again next to my mom. He then explained that the blood test for celiac disease had five panels. In my case, only two panels were elevated. Dr. D.S. told us that if even one  panel was elevated, there was a 97% chance of having celiac disease. All my symptoms pointed to celiac disease. I was trying my hardest to block out what he was saying. This could not be happening to me. Unfortunately, things got worse. The only way to confirm that I had celiac disease was to do an endoscopy. I didn't know what that was so Dr. D.S. told me that a small camera on the end of a flexible tube was going to be stuck down my throat and into my stomach and the first part of my small intestine. I would have medicine through an IV that would cause me to fall asleep and not remember anything. Some biopsies of my esophagus, stomach, and duodenum (the first part of my small intestine) would be taken and sent away for testing. Dr. D.S. said that the only treatment for celiac disease was a diet that was free of something called gluten--wheat, rye, and barley--for life. Also, my parents and siblings would need to be tested for celiac disease due to a 20% chance of them also having it. My head was spinning. There were so many things to absorb and think about. When Dr. D.S. left the room, I burst into tears. I was absolutely terrified. I didn't like or trust the doctor, I wasn't comfortable with a tube being shoved down my throat, and I hated the fact that I might never be able to eat wheat ever again. A nurse came in and scheduled my endoscopy for May 2. On the way home, my mom called my grandpa and dad to tell them about the appointment. I sat in the passenger seat and thought about never eating cake, cookies, brownies, Papa Murphy's pizza, bagels, and Applebees ever again. I thought about going on a vacation, going to college, and going to my aunt's house. Could I just pick the bun off the hamburger? What was I supposed to eat? When we got home, my mom told me that she had decided that the whole family would go gluten-free. I told her they didn't have to do that for me, but my mom was firm on her decision. If I couldn't eat it, then nobody else could. I was upset and down in the dumps when I got home. I couldn't bare to think of what was ahead of me. My mom felt like she was poisoning me at every meal because there was wheat in everything we ate. As much as I tried to convince myself that the stomach doctor was wrong, I had a feeling that he was right. Dr. D.S. was recommended by Dr. S., the doctor who was never been wrong. I knew Dr. D.S. had to be a really good doctor if Dr. S. suggested I see him.

 I had three days to prepare for the endoscopy and the results that would follow it. I received a lot of support and prayers from my dear friends, Elizabeth and T. Elizabeth told me that a lot of people on her mom's side of the family have celiac disease. My mom found a box of gluten-free communion wafers at church, and we went to our local Hy-Vee grocery store to check out their gluten-free section. I desperately wanted to feel better, but I did not want to give up gluten.

TO BE CONTINUED!

The Eye of the Storm: January-March 2011

January 2011

Mommy and me celebrating!

Cheesecake!

A new year always brings excitement of things to come. In 2011, I would finish my freshman year of high school, turn sweet 16, get my driver's licence, and the list goes on and on. 2011 started off great with a mommy-daughter celebration. I had declared myself "cured" after four months of being sick. To celebrate, my mom and I went to the Cheesecake Factory and treated ourselves a delectable slice of cheesecake. I also made my mom a collage of pictures that were taken over the last four months. These pictures showed me doing what I loved to do in spite of being sick. The rich and chocolaty cheesecake was a much needed treat after living off a diet of grilled cheese, quesadillas, pudding, and other bland foods. I was also able to drink my homemade coffee drinks, and my appetite was still increasing. I found myself hungry a lot. One time I ate a bowl of macaroni and cheese for a snack. For a snack! My stomach was still a little sensitive to foods that were spicy, salty, or contained a lot of garlic. My mom cut back on strange spices and salt in recipes so I wouldn't have an upset stomach. My appointment with the pediatric gastroenterologist was scheduled for January 11. I had tried to convince my mom several times to cancel the appointment because I was feeling so great, but she wanted to wait and see how my first weight check went. We learned that I only gained one pound in a month when I was weighted at Dr. S.'s office. Nurse T said she was going to check with Dr. S. to see if he thought we should keep the appointment or cancel it. I was, of course, mad. I wanted to leave the office knowing that I would never have to see this "stomach doctor". Half way home, my mom's cell phone rang. It was Nurse T calling with the verdict. My heart was pounding in my chest as I awaited the news. When my mom asked, "Should we cancel the appointment or will you take care of it?" I burst into tears of happiness! No stomach doctor for me!! We stopped by Dairy Queen to pick me ice cream cones for us and Daniel, who was still on Christmas break. In addition to celebrating and eating real food again, 2011 brought a new look for me: I ditched the glasses, switched to contacts, and had blunt bangs cut. I felt like a new woman!

Doing the Jillian workout! :)

  My confidence grew even more on January 15, 2011, when I was able to do the Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred. As you remember from my first blog ("Pre-Sick Sarah"), I was just starting to enjoy-yes, enjoy-Jillian's butt-kicking workout when I got sick with mono. After completing the work out, I laid on the floor and cried (in case you haven't noticed, I'm a rather emotional girl!) because I was so happy, thrilled, and exhilarated.

 As January proceeded, our home school drama group started rehearsals for its 2011 production of "Leaving Iowa". I had the role of "Cart Gal"--an overly excited grocery store employee who really loved to talk about slopes, or as I shouted in my fake southern accent: "Sllllooooooope!" My favorite part of drama was chatting with my dear friends Elizabeth and T.   Elizabeth has been my friend since kindergarten; we are both part of the same church and home school group. T. has been my friend since about second grade; we also met in the home school group.

 February rolled in with a not-so-great weight check. I had lost three pounds in one month. I had to stop doing the Jillian workouts, and I had to start drinking one 360-calorie Boost drink a day. My mom said she felt like she had been drenched in cold water when she saw my weight on the scale. I didn't understand how I could be feeling and eating so great but still losing weight. I was hoping that our annual Super Bowl Party at Grandma's would help me get my weight back. Since 1996, my family and I have been going up to my grandparents' house for a party on Super Bowl Sunday. Grandma always makes a feast of chili, French fries, fruit kabobs, pizza, dips, and desserts. Every year the list of food seems to grow. Daniel wasn't able to join us in 2011 because he was in college, but we still had a great time eating and watching the game. Well, I couldn't care less about football so I usually ate and visited with my grandparents. My grandpa bruised his spinal cord in a farming accident in 1994. He still farms with my grandma and uncle in spite of being in a wheelchair.

 The rest of February was filled with school, babysitting, and volunteering. The more I volunteered at the hospital, the more I thought my future career. I wanted to be a Child Life Specialist--someone who helps sick kids in the hospital understand why they are in the hospital, what is going on with their bodies, and prepares them for hospital testing. I really enjoyed being with kids, and I had always thought it would be cool to work around doctors, nurses, and medical things. Even though this same hospital made me sick, I still enjoyed volunteering with J.

 March brought another weight check at the beginning of the month. I had gained a whopping five pounds in one month! I was almost at my pre-sick weight. I was going to continue drinking Boost for another month to hopefully reach that weight.

My "Leaving Iowa" castmates
and best friends! <3

 Spring was finally starting to bloom in Iowa. "Leaving Iowa" was a hit and enjoyed by all the audience. Spring Break was upon us, and this year both my siblings were home! We had plans to eat out at a new restaurant every evening for dinner. I was enjoying a week of no school and relaxing, but a strange trend was happening every time we ate out. I had an upset stomach after almost every meal. My mom and I put our thinking caps on and came up with our usual accusations: too spicy, too salty, too many strange spices, maybe I ate too much, etc. I started drinking 7up and popping a Tums that I was now carrying in my purse. Even the tradition corned beef on Saint Patrick's Day made my stomach upset. My stomach would be upset all day; nothing could touch it. I just had to sleep off the stomach ache and start again the next day. My mom thought I should start keeping a food journal again. Garlic bread, leftover corn beef, pizza from the drama cast party, and fried chicken all made the list of foods that made me feel sick. What was happening to me?!? My mom was getting worried, and I was losing my ability to cope with this onset of stomach troubles.  I was also having trouble volunteering. Germs were on my mind all the time. I found myself holding my breath while walking around the pediatric floors. My heart would start pounding when it was time to clean toys, and I would feel hot and shaky when entering the hospital. I considered quitting, but I loved spending time with J.

 I didn't know what to expect as March was coming to an end. All I knew was that something wasn't right with my stomach. It was lasting too long to be a virus, but what else could it be?

I titled this post "The Eye of the Storm" for a reason: the eye of the storm is the calmest part of a hurricane. The first wave of storms passes and then there is an eerily calm feeling. While the eye of the storm is a nice break, it is almost foreboding. There is one more wave of storms that follow the eye. In my case, I needed to batten down the hatches because the second wave was fast and furiously approaching.


TO BE CONTINUED!!!!

The Aftermath: To Talk of Things to Come

November 2010

I was learning the hard way that having c.diff and taking metronidazole sucked. My stomach was upset and queasy all the time, I had no appetite, the meds left a terrible taste in my mouth, and also caused my fingernails to stop growing. However, I kept up my usual routine of school, speech class, babysitting, and volunteering. My mom decided to come to the hospital with me to have a little chat with the head coordinator of the volunteers. The only place I would have been exposed to c.diff was at the hospital so my mom wanted me to start wearing gloves for my whole shift. She also wanted me to wear a mask while cleaning toys. My first shift back after being diagnosed with c.diff proved to be a little difficult. I explained what had happened to the hospital employees I worked with, and they told me that there was "no way" I could have picked up c.diff at their hospital. All toys that patients with c.diff used were put into bio-hazard bags and cleaned separately. They didn't have a problem with me wearing gloves and a mask while cleaning toys. When my volunteering partner, J, showed up I told her what had happened. When I said that I had been diagnosed with c.diff, she responded by telling me that she contracted c.diff when she was a patient at the very same hospital! I told J that I was going to have to start wearing gloves, and she decided to wear gloves with me since it was "such a great idea." How sweet!! Meanwhile, my mom was informing the volunteering coordinator about what happened. The coordinator acted like she had never heard of c.diff before, but sympathized with my symptoms. The coordinator also gave me my own volunteering smock that I could bring home and wash. Next my mom stopped in the playroom to see me. I was making rounds with J at that time so my mom talked with one of the employees that I had just informed about my condition. This employee also acted like she had never heard of this infection before. I felt so self-conscious as I cleaned toys in my mask; I could barely breathe and talk with J while cleaning toys. J didn't make a big deal about my mask, and we still had fun volunteering together.



The famous Gryffindor scarf



  My diet was not improving at all. I couldn't stomach the thought of milk or meat so I ate very bland foods and drank 7up or juice. As November progressed, the excitement began to build for the first part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I was still getting an escape and a distraction from my stomach when I read the Harry Potter books. I wanted to go to the midnight showing of the movie on November 19. I planned to re-use my Halloween costume for the midnight showing. Before I got sick, I had started on knitting a Gryffindor scarf. There were 60-some stitches and I was using heavy yarn so knitting was kind of exhausting, especially when I was so weak from the mono. With about 10 days until the midnight showing, I decided to finish my Gryffindor scarf! However, there was a slight problem: I had 10 days to knit 55 inches. Driven by nothing but pure determination and perseverance, I knitted every chance I could find. My wonderful mother pitched in and knitted whenever I couldn't knit because of school or any of my other activities. I knitted so much that my dreams were filled with knitting maroon and gold, and my fingers twitched when I was taking a rare break. Every evening, my mom and I were watching the first six Harry Potter movies to get ready for the premier of the seventh. I was looking forward to November 18 very much because of two reasons: 1) Harry Potter at 12:01...I guess that would technically be the 19, but we were going to the theater on the 18. 2) I would take the last horrid metronidazole pill on November 18! It was going to be a great day....if I could finish my scarf!

 All my perseverance and determination paid off when I finished the Gryffindor scarf on November 17! The finished product was about 67 inches long--almost one foot taller than me.

 November 18 was one of the slowest days ever! I was so excited for the midnight showing and excited to take my last pill. Mom and I finished the sixth movie before an exciting dinner: I took my last pill and ate meat for the first time in a month. It was a little bit of bacon in a casserole, and it tasted so good! Later on that evening, with my Gryffindor scarf in place and my mom and sister with me, I attended my first midnight showing. Even though I was excited about the movie and no more metronidazole, I still didn't feel well. My mom bought me some 7up at the theater to try to calm my stomach down. Once the movie started, I forgot all about it. The movie was, of course, terrific, I bawled like a baby when Dobby died.



Me dressed as Hermione with my
favorite character, Severus Snape!





Thanksgiving was coming up quickly, and my family had plans to go to Minneapolis after Thanksgiving. Daniel and my dad were going to see a football game while the girls went shopping at the Mall of America. Even though I was done taking the medicine, my stomach was still upset daily. Our theory was that the medicine and infection had really messed up my stomach so it might take a little bit to settle everything down. Armed with 7up (the holiday pomegranate flavor, for variety!) I headed to Minneapolis for shopping and fun! We all had a great time. I shopped until I dropped at the Mall of America and drank my first coffee drink since my stomach troubles began. I needed a 7up to help with the chaos that caused, but I enjoyed the mini-vacation nevertheless!

Christmas preparations were in full swing by the time I got back from Minneapolis. Christmas is my favorite time of the year! I love all the sights, songs, sounds, and smells of Christmas. This year, however, Christmas didn't seem to bring as much joy as it did in the years before. I contributed that to my stomach that was still upset on a daily basis. I had tried drinking milk and that was a disaster. I was getting tired of eating Tums and drinking 7up. My mom said that I should start writing down what I ate and how I felt after eating to see if there were any "food trends" that would show a certain food that wasn't sitting well. I was fed up with dealing with an upset stomach every day. On December 6, my mom took me back to Dr. S. My appetite was still gone; I had lost 11 pounds I first got c.diff. Dr. S. was stumped. We had stumped the master. The master, Dr. S., came up with a few more things to try: 1) an ultrasound of my gallbladder. What does my gallbladder have to do with my stomach? An ultrasound?!? Like what pregnant people have done?!?! I was not excited about this idea. 2) My mom overheard Nurse T suggested that Dr. S. test me for some disease called "seal-e-yack" disease. That sounds horrid. What is that?! My mom explained to me that people with this "seal-e-yack" disease can not eat anything with wheat in it. No wheat?!? "Oh, that would suck!" I commented. 3) Dr. S. thought it was time that I see a pediatric gastroenterologist--a doctor who specializes in children and the digestive track. Dr. S. told us that there was a pediatric gastroenterologist located in the same building. Dr. S.'s office is on the second floor and this specialist's office was on the first floor. Dr. S. then told us that there would be at least a two month wait to see this doctor.

"We can't wait that long." My mom said.

Dr. S. then recommended a pediatric gastroenterologist at the same hospital where I volunteered.

Option #3 sounded terrifying. A stomach doctor? Somebody other than Dr. S. taking care of me? No. Absolutely not.

We scheduled the ultrasound and blood was drawn for this strange "seal-e-yack" disease. On the way home from Dr. S.'s office, I looked over my food journal notes to see if any foods from wheat made me feel sick. It was hard to tell, mainly because I ingested wheat at every single meal.

"If I can't eat wheat, I am just going to die! All my favorite foods have wheat in them!" I complained.

My six week long food journal

 The ultrasound of my gallbladder was two days later. I was so nervous. I had to get up early in the morning, and I couldn't eat anything. This was the first test that I had to go through. I thought only pregnant women had to have ultrasounds. I had no idea what to expect as I followed a hospital employee to the ultrasound waiting room. I was very glad I wasn't at the "other hospital" where I volunteered. Seeing people I worked with would have been so awkward. A nice man called my name and told me that he would be doing the ultrasound. My mom sat next to me as the tech squirted the hot and sticky gel on to my stomach and rubbed it around with something that looked like a computer mouse. Images of my internal organs popped up on a screen by the tech. The tech did lots of typing and clicking on his keyboard. This is taking forever! Eventually the tech gave me some towels to wipe the gel off and sent me on my way. I texted my siblings saying that I survived the ultrasound. Rachel responded by telling me that I'll be pregnant the next time I had to have an ultrasound. My sweet mom had also fasted with me so we stopped by Hy-Vee for breakfast. We ate some yummy chocolate chip muffins, and mom treated me with a coffee drink from Caribou Coffee. Now that the worst was over, we just had to wait until the results came.

 The ultrasound was normal! It was nice to know that all my internal organs were fine. The blood results for that awful disease where you can't eat any wheat also came back normal-ish. There are five levels to the test and two of my levels were elevated, but we were reassured that all five levels had to be elevated to be unfortunate enough to never be able to eat wheat--ever again.  However, an appointment was made for January 11, 2011, with Dr. D.S.--a pediatric gastroenterologist or "stomach doctor" as I called him--at the Other Hospital (where I volunteered). Dr. S. also wanted me to come back once a month for three months for a weight check. I started drinking Boost drinks to help with my weight. They were gross at first, but I got used to it. I seemed to be improving a little bit every day though. I occasionally felt hunger pangs and my appetite was slowly returning. I had a strong craving for KFC's Famous Bowl one night for dinner, and I ate 3/4 of it in one setting! I still kept track of what foods I ate and how I felt after eating, but my stomach was much less upset. I wasn't drinking 7up and munching on Tums all the time either. I prayed every night that I wouldn't have to see the stomach doctor. As I was improving, I began to look forward to Christmas with as much enthusiasm as I usually did. My stomach was still upset, but the severity of it was much less. Sometimes a stomach ache even went away by itself! I celebrated Christmas with my family and enjoyed spending a few days at my Aunt Deena and Uncle Roger's house after Christmas. We played with their Wii, watched movies, and experienced riding in a sled that was being pulled by Uncle Roger and his four-wheeler. Rachel and I had a blast!



New Year's Eve

The last four months of 2010 had been rough, but things seemed to be getting better for me and my health. On New Year's Eve some friends from church came over, and we played games and munched on my mom's famous New Year's Eve snacks. I had a lot of fun, but for some reason I could barely eat any of my mom's snacks. I just wasn't hungry and none of the food looked good. I wasn't going to let this random loss of appetite stop me from celebrating the new year. I didn't know what was coming in 2011, but I was ready to handle another year of growing older and learning new things. I did not know then that 2011 was definitely going to be a year of learning. I would learn how to cope with a "annus horribilis"--Latin for a year of horrors.

TO BE CONTINUED!!