I give you fair warning-- this post is full of whiny complaints. If you don't want to read whiny complaints I suggest you move on. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Yep. Its true. I'm short.
Kai stopped growing when he was 4. The pediatrician first noticed that Kai's height wasn't increasing the way it should at his 5 year check up. He said it probably wasn't a big deal because I'm short so the boy is probably going to be short too. Besides kids drop off their curve all the time and they jump back on soon enough.
A year later he referred us to an endocrinologist who at the first appointment said, yes his growth (or lack there of) was concerning but wanted to make sure that I understood no matter what, he'd probably be short. Uh. Yeah. I get that.
Six months later the endocrinologist referred us to a gastroenterologist. We went over it again. Yes I'm short but yes he should be growing.
About six months later she and my pediatrician referred us to a geneticist. We got on a list and waited 6 months to get an appointment to see the geneticist. We saw him today. He said that he plotted where the boy is on the growth chart and because the boy is the same distance from the bottom curve as I am there isn't really a problem. And maybe if his growth (or lack there of) continues I could send him an email in 3 years. When my 11 year old child is still the size of a 4 year old I'll be sure and send a note his way.
He then went on to insinuate that I'm just upset because he's not going to be tall, as if I have grandiose dreams of raising a basketball player. He obviously hasn't spent a lot of time with Michael. He said that kids stop growing all the time. Mike said, "for FOUR years?" "Well," he said, "that is a little long and the fact that he's only grown 3 centimeters in 4 years is a little alarming. But it isn't like he's in and out of the hospital all the time so just enjoy him."
I find it very insulting that a doctor would think I would put him through all this just because I don't like the fact that he's short. Maybe my concern (as well as the other doctors that referred me to him) is that his lack of growth is obviously being caused by something. That something needs to be figured out in case there are other things it is also causing that we don't know about yet.
There I'm now officially done with my whiny complaints. Though the endocrinologist does have the boy scheduled for a growth hormone stimulation test as well as whole battery of other tests on Monday. So stear clear I may be in a bad mood then too.
Visual Anarchy: My increasingly chaotic trip to insanity.
10 comments:
If it's any consolation, Jonathon is officially six feet tall. Maybe we should have him checked because he's, you know, tall. But wait, his dad is tall, so I guess it makes sense and maybe I should just enjoy him. I mean, goodness knows I don't want to raise a basketball player, and if this keeps up, he just might turn into one. And what about him growing so much? Shouldn't he stop by now? He's been doing it since he was like, born, and he just won't stop.
I hate stupid doctors. Especially stupid doctors who try to make you feel stupid.
Wow. wow. Seriously. If he didn't think his lack of growth is a genetic problem, that was all he really should have said. As frustrating as that would have been, it's better than him hinting that this is all a "being short complex." So sorry, medical providers can be real jerks sometimes.
Did you stop growing for four years?
Good point, Sparklebot!
I say, keep the bad mood and use it to intimidate the next doctor into looking seriously at his condition. I say "next" because this one, you should dump and make a complaint to his medical board in that order. "Email me in three years if he doesn't grow by then" is NOT an appropriate diagnosis.
You are short, but HE is an idiot and insensitive and there's no cure for that! Tell him that you would kick his ass..if your tiny little legs could reach it!
The Man's mom is WAAAY shorter than you are, she has to sit on a pillow to drive and she actually qualifies for a handicapped license plate, and her kids never stopped growing...at 4.
It's a good thing Brig has a positive attitude/isn't afraid to beat up kids twice as big as him.
you tell those Drs- umm, boo!
Sorry, Lis. What a sucky experience. Sounds like this guy may have been smart enough to get through med school, but doesn't have the IQ of a retarded clam when it comes to relating to actual people. Bit of a jerk, if you ask me. I don't get the thought that the only reason you're going to all of this trouble and expense is because you're pissed that he's related to you and shares your traits. It's like he did you this huuuuge favor by informing you that YOU are short, so Kai might be too. Really? No freaking shit, Doc. Thanks for the big tip. Moron.
Could it be that the REAL problem, the thing that is "a bit alarming", is that he's only grown an inch in four years.
Wouldn't it be nice if he could focus on the thing that is "a bit alarming" and find out what's going on, rather than just blowing flowers up your butt and singing kumbaya, telling you that, wonder of wonders, he's short just like you and just to live with it?
Hopefully the tests on Monday will be more revealing and helpful.
It would sure be nice if they could even say that hey, he's not growing now, but we expect that he will, or won't, but he's perfectly fine and it's just what his body is doing, but have a medical reason for it, not just looking at you and saying that since you're short, he won't grow. It doesn't seem to me that the issue, for you guys, is how tall he is, but rather you want to make sure that he's healthy. If he grows up and is only as tall at 20 as he is now at 8, but he's perfectly healthy, then I don't think that would be catastrophic for you OR him. But if something else happens because his body is not, in fact, working the way it should, then that will be a problem, and you just want to find out now.
Which I think is perfectly reasonable.
Good luck to you guys. Hopefully things will get figured out, and soon.
Lis, you're not short. You're "fun size".
what an ass.
(not you, you're "funsize". That was funny, carrieanne!)
Lis- Ali thinks you have a nice ass...At least, that's the inflection I read it with. ;-)
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