Paging Dr. House!

Recently I took Boo for a follow-up with neurology. The best part of the visit was when Boo hit the ALARM button in the hospital elevator. In a crowded hospital elevator. The day would have to get better, yes? We were only going for a routine follow-up.

Maybe with other children. But nothing with Boo is as easy as it appears.


I adore her neurologist. I trust her more than any other physician Boo sees. We had a long talk about the autism diagnosis and what it means for Boo. She asked about Boo's chronic low blood pressure and is surprised that no one is too concerned about it. She asked about Boo's chronic color changes and again showed surprise that no one is too concerned. That although her Raynaud's is manageable it is odd that it presents so young and without any rhyme or reason.

I told her about Boo's newest development: intermittent swelling. That her wrists and hands would swell for no reason. I had taken her to the general pediatrician but by the time I had made it his office she was no longer swelling. As the neuro examined Boo she agreed that one of her hands appeared swollen and asked about her legs. Um...she is always in jeans and sneakers. Honestly (my bad) I never checked. I did say that her legs do get "tight" but we have been stretching them.

Disrobing Boo her neuro said: She isn't tight she is swollen. Very swollen. But it doesn't seem to bother her. (That should be Boo's theme song)

So a parent would think okay what do we do about this?

Her response: call some one else. Okay, not really. But she told me to follow-up with two of Boo's other specialists. That this wasn't really her field.

Deep breath. I called Boo's rheumatologist and was told it (based on a phone conversation) that this swelling does not appear to be rheumatological (is that a word? If not I just made it up like undiagnosed) in nature to "give it a couple of weeks" and then go back to our general pediatrician.

I called Boo's cardiologist and left a message. No return call yet, they must not think it is anything to be concerned about.

But I am. And I am frustrated. How can one little girl have so many abnormalities. Isn't one enough? Does she really need 15? I'm thinking she is getting greedy. 

So here is what I am looking for Dr. House. I am looking for someone with a medical degree to give a crap. I want them to look over Boo's entire history. I want her examined from head to toe and not say they don't know. We are okay with being undiagnosed. We are not okay with no one exploring why.