On the Mend

Everett and I made the hour+ drive to see his hematologist yesterday afternoon. There is a strict "one kid / 2 adults" policy there so Brent stayed behind with the big kids. We pulled in to the parking lot and I saw Everett shrink notably in his seat. My sweet baby boy...

I lifted him out of the car to my chest. He melted into my shoulder and wrapped his arms tightly around my neck. We entered via the double automatic doors. He gave me the best hug...ever. If I didn't know he was so nervous, I wouldn't feel quite so guilty saying how much I loved that moment...

We checked in and walked across with our lab paperwork. This place is one of the most efficient offices we've ever visited. Honestly - the most efficient. Somehow, there are no lines, people are patient, soft spoken and courteous. We were taken back immediately for Everett's blood tests.

About 30 seconds later, his vials of life were off and spinning. I had almost 2 hours to use before our appointment time.

We played outside, ate snacks, played in the car and made our way up to the doctor's office with 30 minutes to spare.

We stared at the fish tanks for a few minutes before being called back.

Everett LOVES the toys in those rooms. There are little classic wooden cars and activity cubes - all very clean and in pristine condition. He makes "vroooom" noises as he scoots the cars across the tables and chairs and giggles when they fly onto the floor.

The doctor came in with a smile. The blood work had just been printed and he had a chart comparing his results over time (1st draw, second, and the newest results).

He's improving!!! In fact, he's improving so fast, the doctor decreased his iron dose just a bit.

What does this mean????? Iron deficiency anemia. That's it!! Thalassemia is off the table and we'll continue with 3 more months of iron therapy while the unhealthy old red cells die off and healthy ones take their places.

Aaannnnd in other news: the sweet potato gained 2 pounds in 3 weeks!!

xo,
Heather