Here we go again

Here is Nathaniel at almost 5 months. He is a fat, happy baby. He is teething and can hold his head up well. He hasn't rolled over for awhile, and isn't much interested in sitting up by himself, but that is okay. He babbles a lot! He is very alert and loves to watch his big brother's antics and smile at them. He is now 16 lbs. He is the picture of health, right?

Not exactly. There is something about our boys. They like to go to the hospital. More than that, they like having specialists. At one and a half months Edmund was admitted to the Children's Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia with severe anemia; the normal hemoglobin level is 11-13 gm/dl, Edmund was down to 3. He received three blood transfusions in 24 hours. Over the course of his first year he had multiple visits to the hematologist. They did tests, but never could figure out what the deal was. His iron was fine, his liver and kidneys were fine, his body was producing cells properly, but some how they were dying. He was always borderline anemic, but never seriously again. Now, he is a perfectly healthy, very active boy. But what, you say, does this have to do with Nathaniel?

This past Monday, Nathaniel had a routine checkup. Having been premature, and given Edmund's history, the doctor has been monitoring his hemoglobin. This week it was 7.3. So they called me in to have it checked again, with the same results. The doctor then sent in a referral to the Children's Hospital in St. Louis, two hours from here. The head doctor in the Hematology ward gave an order for us to take Nathaniel in on Monday. He said that he would actually like to have seen Nathaniel yesterday, but knew that that was pretty short notice, given the distance.

So here we go again. Will Nathaniel need a blood transfusion? Will he have to stay at the hospital? Or will they just ask us to take him in for regular checkups? I don't know. All I know is that I want my baby to be healthy and at home. At least if he has to stay at the hospital we will be in St. Louis, near family, this time.

Please pray that all will be well and that there will be nothing wrong except whatever Edmund had. I'll let you know....