sadie update-July 2011

I haven't posted in such a long time and so many happy days have gone ahead of this one... it's a shame that they aren't included in this little record of our lives... but for today, it's Sadie again. I know my extended family reads this as it is passed around so it has become an easy way to update everyone at once as to what is going on with Sadie. We had our follow-up appointment with endocrinology this morning at 8am in the city. The last MRI showed (again) more thickening (a 3mm thickening of Sadie's pituitary, which is considered "abnormal"). Pediatric Oncology was supposed to weigh in on the results from this May 10th scan but after 3 calls this morning, he still has not compared scans. I received an apology and a promise to get it done right away and an excuse that he has been away and that he was not sure whether to leave it or not as there hadn't been a change in any other area. There has been a change though...and after typing this part 4 times over, i'll say it as simply as i can. Her growth hormone byproduct (which they tested recently) is low. While "normal" is between 50 and 248, hers is at 32. This finding, put together with her growth chart, which today showed a dip instead of of a continual up-ward curve in the height department is leading us to the next step. Sadie will be admitted again for a 4-5 hour test in which they will inject a medication which should force her body to produce growth hormone so they can measure the growth hormone directly (and not just the by-product of the hormone). Her blood will be tested repeatedly over the 4-5 hours. If she passes this test and peaks at "8", we're off the hook. If she does not peak at "8", she will need growth hormone injections daily. Just like her Vasopressin deficiency, the growth hormone deficiency would be a permanent thing. Please pray with us that this hormone has not been wiped out as well!...and if it has, that we will have the wisdom and strength to deal with the journey in that direction towards pediatric oncology. Thanks for reading this if it was passed on to you... and if our little one comes to your mind please lift her in prayer to our Heavenly Father who knows and loves us all best.