Okay, I’ve been holding something back for a while now.
James has been complaining of a very sore leg for a few months. In fact, the first time we simply thought it was growing pains and left it at that after attempting a few of the usual remedies (massages, baths, etc). After something like 2 months, and him telling me that he keeps waking up in the middle of the night crying in pain, I started wondering why the hell no one else took action on this. So, I took him to the doctor’s and he prescribed blood tests and x-rays. We did the blood tests immediately but the results were negative. When I took him back to his mother that weekend I told him about the tests and she later saw his pediatrician and took him for the x-ray. That also did not show anything.
This week, I spoke with her on the phone and urged her to call the doctor to get an appointment for a deeper scan after her previous week’s encounter with his doctor (who still doesn’t believe there’s anything wrong). She finally did it and called me Thursday to tell me it’s scheduled… for November 21st. I picked him up Friday and that night was once again witness to the incredible amount of pain he’s under. I did what I could and had to give him tylenol for the pain. I couldn’t take the helplessness any more since it seems the pain has just gotten even worse. I immediately got him another doctor’s appointment. When I went to see him yesterday, he prescribed a Bone Scan and Garrow and told me that although the hospital’s are busy, if the wait is longer than 2 weeks I should call him so he can push them.
But, after talking a bit, and he being told about the appointment in November, he took the prescription back and said it was the same treatment and that – as much as he can call and push the hospital, it was inappropriate for him to do so. James’ pediatrician should. In the meantime, advil or midol will help with the pain (he alleviated James’ concern about taking drugs for that long a period). So, when I brought him back to his mother last night, I told her about the visit and did a bit more than simply urge her to call.
With that done, I guess what I’m trying to avoid feeling right now is fear. Fear of the big “C” word. After all, that’s one of the main reasons Bone Scans are done. I do, of course, know that there are other reasons (such as: to assess for bone trauma in situations where ordinary x-rays do not reveal trauma, to detect fractures that are difficult to locate, to determine the age of fractures, to detect and/or assess bone infections (osteomyelitis), to monitor certain degenerative bone disorders, to assess unexplained bone pain (all taken from http://www.stjohnsmercy.org/healthinfo/test/ortho/TP019.asp)) but still… The idea of being injected with a bit of radioactive material in order to test/ verify/ see how your bones are doing is a little bit scary.
And thus, I’m staying positive, but there is a side of me that is fighting down the fear of the other side. The waiting is so bloody difficult…