Hindsight is 20/20

    Sometimes when I am going through something, I get so muddled down in the details that I feel like I don’t think clearly or make the best decisions. Once I get through the situation and am able to look back with a clear head, I often find things that I would do differently. I am in the middle of such a situation right now and I need your help, advice and the wisdom of your “20/20” vision if you have already been through a journey similar to the one I am currently traveling.

    To sum up what has been going on for the past six weeks or so, due to the results of some blood work done in conjunction with her food allergy, it was detected that my youngest, Ally, has some irregularities with her thyroid. After a second round of tests and a trip to see a children’s endocrinologist, her blood work still shows signs of hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid) even though she shows no physical signs. From what I can understand, her levels are only slightly high, so no one knows for sure if she indeed does have hyperthyroidism.

    The endocrinologist called after receiving the results of her third set of blood work, and because all three tests were pointing toward hyperthyroidism, told us we needed to have a scan of her thyroid so we would know for sure. All along each person that we’ve spoken with has reassured us that if she does indeed have issues, it is not a huge deal and can be controlled with medication. He told me nuclear medicine would call to schedule the scan and I was fine with all of that.

    I received the call to schedule the scan and within the course of the discussion with the nurse learned that it was a two day procedure in which she would be required to swallow a pill the size of a Good-N-Plenty, hang out for four hours and then have a 5 minute scan, then return on day two where Ally would receive an IV with medication and then be required to hold still for an hour while they did the scan AND if she couldn’t hold still for an hour (and really, who can?) she would need to be “put under” so that they could conduct the scan. This is where I got concerned. I am not a big fan of her being put to sleep. So, to sum up some very long conversations with various nurses and physicians, we are going to wait a month, do one more round of blood work and go from there. That gives me four weeks to research the medications that they plan to use to relax her and find out what our options are.

    So, here is where I need your help. Am I doing the right thing in waiting? I don’t want to rush into something like this without being well informed so that I can make the best decisions for my daughter, but I also don’t want to rob her of treatment time if she does indeed have hyperthyroidism by waiting a month. My brain feels muddled with details. Thoughts? Suggestions? All are welcome!