Update on H1

I constantly feel like we are spinning our wheels only to end up right back where we started.

We took Hayden to the Saturday clinic at our pediatrician's office on the 6th and after waiting for two hours, the doctor told us that he needed to have his tonsils removed and he had a sinus infection.

I called his ENT last Monday because he is the specialist and I wanted to get his opinion.  I took Hayden on Thursday and Dr. C agreed that his tonsils are still rather enlarged, but he doesn't want to put him through a tonsillectomy unless we absolutely have to. They don't just do routine tonsillectomies anymore. I am supposed to watch for snoring, delayed breathing and trouble eating (which he does have). So for now, it is more watching and waiting.

Dr. C is also minimally concerned about his lymph nodes at this point. Again, watch and wait.

We discussed my concerns about his speech and I will probably have him evaluated by a speech pathologist in the near future. He passed his hearing test and his speech has improved dramatically in the last 4-6 weeks so I think we are moving in the right direction. Dr. C and I discussed addressing my concerns now rather than waiting until he's five and he's too far behind to catch up. I'm going to see if he continues to improve and then decide if he needs speech therapy.

Many people have asked why we didn't remove his tonsils when he had surgery back in February. The answer is simple. Yes, he had an adenoidectomy which is often accompanied by a tonsillectomy, but that was not ideal for his case. He has never had any issues with his tonsils until recently so it would not have been necessary at the time. Secondly, his sinuses were the priority and the main reason for the surgery and it would have been a lot for a two year old to recover from that procedure and a tonsillectomy.

I am very much a proponent of non-invasive treatment and I respect our doctor's decision to hold off for now until he deems it absolutely necessary. I realize that kids have tonsillectomies all the time, but it is not something I look forward to especially considering the fact that Hayden stopped breathing after the last surgery.  In the meantime, I am going to continue to look for ways to help him and might even seek a second opinion just for my peace of mind. I am taking him to the wellness center tomorrow where our chiropractor practices. She is awesome and has done great things for Hayden. I wish we didn't have so many medical bills and I would go see her all the time. She is not your typical chiropractor and actually takes a holistic approach to treating her patients through several different methods.

I desperately want to find a way for him not to be sick all the time. Simple things like going to the grocery store completely stress me out because the statement "you are what you eat" is absolutely true especially to a person that already has predisposed health conditions and allergies/sensitivities.  I constantly have this inner struggle as I walk through the aisles. What kind of milk should I buy this time...do I get rice, almond or soy? Maybe I shouldn't let him eat wheat as it is a well known allergen, but should I get potato bread? We should stay away from processed foods and refined sugar. Maybe we should try a gluten free diet...how hard would that be for a two year old? This all natural meat sure is expensive. Why does healthy food cost so dang much? I really need to get these powdered donuts to relieve all the stress from this grocery shopping trip. How bad can they really be?

And then, I realize, that I am not the one in control. I can do all of these things, but Jesus has the final say in how everything works out. I was chosen to be Hayden's mom, but he doesn't really belong to me.  In the grocery store, at the doctor's office, at home, wherever we go, sometimes I just have to stop and listen. Should I do my very best for Hayden? Definitely. Should I let it consume my life to the point that I don't look to the One who already has a plan in place for him? No.

So, that's where I'm at. I'm trying to quiet all of the noise in my head and know that there is a perfect plan for Hayden's life. I am just so very thankful that I was chosen to be a part of it.