I like to grow, grow, grow

L's appointment at the endocrinologist was last week. Dr.M was just as I remembered him, an obnoxious ass. He spent a good portion of the visit, trying to make me feel badly that we stopped seeing him years ago. One visit to him alone is over $300 and with no insurance, plus no medical need to see him, we stopped going. Her regular doctor in town took over her thyroid testing and we were not convinced back then, especially with all the side effects, that growth hormone was the route for us.

I took his negativity instead of replying, which is very unlike me, just to get him to get on with the visit and focus on Logan. However, if it continues, I will take him aside where Logan can't hear us and let him know how unprofessional he is being and ask him whether he can "handle" seeing my daughter without making personal attacks. If not, I can ask to see Dr.O instead.

We didn't really get the information I wanted either. They tested her thyroid and decided to up her dose from 100mcg to 125mcg. No big deal there. They checked her weight, height, reflexes, strength, etc.
They measured her height while standing and then while sitting. Logan has very long, gazelle like legs. They are fabulous! However, once you hit her bum, she is very small. Its almost as though someone placed a hand on her head and her bum and smooshed her together.

Part of me always wondered if she was small because of all she has been through, ie:chemo/radiation. When she was tested to see where her gh (growth hormone) levels were, she was right on the line of normal and low. No doctor could tell us whether she would grow to her full potential or not and if it was because she was genetically prone to be petite or because of the damage on her body from the cancer. And with gh meds being a shot everyday and all the horrible side effects, we opted to not put my little girl through that. After all, she had justs stopped 2 years of poison to her body and fighting for her life, I feel she needed a break.

So seeing now that L is very petite and that it bothers her, we went back to the endo to see what, if anything he could do. Because Logan is 12 and has started her period, he doesn't think that gh meds would help at all. Once a girl hits about this age, her bones start to fuse together and by then, it makes gh shots pretty pointless. He said however that gh shots could be given for metabolic purposes but wouldn't get into why he would give her it and all that goes along with it. We have that appointment, (the gh/metaboli talk) in 2 weeks. Its an hour long appointment appointment. Great, 1 full hour with Mr.Sunshine...I am really looking forward to it.

He did say that her stature, when measured with her in the sitting position, from spine to head, was very petite. And, that it was not uncommon for children with intense radiation to the whole spine, to have this happen. So in other words, gh meds won't do a damn thing to help her. :/

He also suggested to give her 800mcg of Vitamin C/D every day. So we need to go get some of that. Other than that, not much else to report. Thanks if you got this far.