Hannah has been much more lively the past month (tummy bug at beginning of March, can't remember if I mentioned it before), although she still has a perpetual runny nose. The molars she was getting are all through, so a teething respite for the moment.
I haven't had her weight rechecked yet, as the anxiety about that was laid to rest the following week when it was found that although she hadn't gained weight, she had grown 5 cm! I plan to have her weighed this week or next.
Eating wise she is still quite faddy and there are not that many things I can get her to eat. She loves bread, crackers, rice cakes, weetabix and other cereal based carbs, but won't eat potato much. Meat is difficult to get into her...I can only manage ham or processed sandwich meat. Pulses and vegetables...big no no. Fruit she does like...anything except white grapes. She is also addicted to bananas..can a child eat too many bananas? I would imagine so, although many tantrums result from the fact I will only allow her one a day. Fortunately she likes most dairy..milk, all kinds of cheese and fromage frais. Anyhow, the main thing is that she is doing pretty well on her own brand of diet :)
Healthwise, we are approaching our local clinic visit at the beginning of May, and bloods just before that, so nerves are starting to creep in. We are not over at Birmingham until the summer. Hannah's tummy looks pretty big to me (but then it always has...lol) and I can see the edge of her liver...don't really like that. I am anxious to see if her spleen has become enlarged...I hope not.
We have finally just got to start on Rifampicin for Hannah's itching last Saturday. She has started on the lowest possible dose. I think there may be a little improvement, but there are still marks on her neck. She has left her ears alone a bit more, I think...it's so difficult to tell when it is naturally fluctuating anyhow.
Otherwise, she is a mini monkey and loves to climb! She is not deterred in the least by falls and is straight back there. Her speech is progressing all the time, and she can manage to link two words together, as well as having a good vocabulary. Of course she can already say "silly mummy"!
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Normal stuff, unhappy Hannah
Since about mid-January Hannah seems to have been constantly suffering from some virus or another. She had two heavy colds/coughs in quick succession and then last Thursday she had a sickness and diarrhoea bug which is still not quite 100% cleared up. She also has back teeth coming through all over the place, is pretty worn out and clingy, and in general is not a happy bunny.
In addition to this she was weighed today and hasn't gained ANY weight in the last four months :( She was on the 75th centile before (!), so this means she has only dropped down to just below the 50th, but I still feel a tad anxious about it...especially as I had been thinking she looked thinner, but I am trying to remember that babies are much fatter than toddlers....:)
I know these are all routine things, but coming all at once they have knocked her sideways somewhat, and I am looking forward to getting my usual, swinging-from-the-lampshades Hannah back
In addition to this she was weighed today and hasn't gained ANY weight in the last four months :( She was on the 75th centile before (!), so this means she has only dropped down to just below the 50th, but I still feel a tad anxious about it...especially as I had been thinking she looked thinner, but I am trying to remember that babies are much fatter than toddlers....:)
I know these are all routine things, but coming all at once they have knocked her sideways somewhat, and I am looking forward to getting my usual, swinging-from-the-lampshades Hannah back
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Friday, January 13, 2006
New Year Update
Far too long since I updated, and Hannah is still doing great! Her clinic visit to the local hospital in November was a slightly mixed bag. We had the first ever completely normal bloods, which was very exciting, and Hannah was on 75th centile for weight and height! Unfortunately her liver was enlarged again, which it hadn't been in the summer (a bit mysterious, but I suppose may be down to how she is growing)but at least that gives some explanation for her big belly.
Shortly after that Hannah took part in a "Diploma of Child Health" exam at our local hospital, where the candidates were invited to examine her abdomen, given a few basic facts, and to name the likely diagnosis. She even got paid! I welcome this sort of opportunity, to help to educate others about paediatric liver disease.
Day to day, Hannah is doing very well indeed. Her development is bang on target, and she still has a very sunny personality, except when she doesn't get her own way! The only problem she has is with fairly mild itching, and I am wondering whether a change in meds may be necessary. She has almost completed a hectic vaccination schedule, the last one is the MMR on Jan 25th, and we also have to hope that her Hep B took, we shall find out about that when she has the MMR. So I am hoping we may have a 'non-medical' stretch following this until her next local appointment in May, and Birmingham in the summer.
Shortly after that Hannah took part in a "Diploma of Child Health" exam at our local hospital, where the candidates were invited to examine her abdomen, given a few basic facts, and to name the likely diagnosis. She even got paid! I welcome this sort of opportunity, to help to educate others about paediatric liver disease.
Day to day, Hannah is doing very well indeed. Her development is bang on target, and she still has a very sunny personality, except when she doesn't get her own way! The only problem she has is with fairly mild itching, and I am wondering whether a change in meds may be necessary. She has almost completed a hectic vaccination schedule, the last one is the MMR on Jan 25th, and we also have to hope that her Hep B took, we shall find out about that when she has the MMR. So I am hoping we may have a 'non-medical' stretch following this until her next local appointment in May, and Birmingham in the summer.
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
One Year Kasai Anniversary
Hannah is one year post Kasai, and gets to drop 5 medicines! Her vitamins ADEK and the prophylactic antibiotic. I feel a little nervous about the last one, although the use of prophylactic antibiotics in BA is not a proven science.
Hannah had her final Hep B vaccination on September 24th, and has a blood test to check for antibodies in January. She also has two flu jabs, pneumonia booster and MMR coming up in the next few months, and routine bloods in a couple of weeks. Hopefully after January she will have another break from being poked for a few months.
Hannah's next clinic visit is 4th November at the local hospital. We will get her blood results back then.
Hannah continues to do very well. She is now running around confidently and on September 20th we got her first shoes. She hasn't been weighed since 3rd August when she was 20lb 13.5 oz, but she certainly feels and looks like she is growing. She has a great appetite.
I still think her belly is big. I have always thought this and keep being told that it is normal (her liver and spleen have not been enlarged and she has not had ascites) but I keep looking at it and thinking it is not right. I think I measure it for a few days to hopefully put my mind at rest.
Hannah is still experiencing fluctuating itching. This is despite being on urso twice daily and antihistamine once daily. I can increase the antihistamine to twice a day, if this doesn't work we will have to look at something else. The itching seems to be more of a mild irritation to her over most of her body but she does still sometimes scab her ears, but not as badly as before. So the itching has become more generalised, and her ears are still the worst, but she is not damaging them so much.
The Kasai anniversary has mixed emotions for me as the memories of last year are not very pleasant, but I am so thrilled at how well Hannah is doing and has done in the past year. And please God may that continue.
Hannah had her final Hep B vaccination on September 24th, and has a blood test to check for antibodies in January. She also has two flu jabs, pneumonia booster and MMR coming up in the next few months, and routine bloods in a couple of weeks. Hopefully after January she will have another break from being poked for a few months.
Hannah's next clinic visit is 4th November at the local hospital. We will get her blood results back then.
Hannah continues to do very well. She is now running around confidently and on September 20th we got her first shoes. She hasn't been weighed since 3rd August when she was 20lb 13.5 oz, but she certainly feels and looks like she is growing. She has a great appetite.
I still think her belly is big. I have always thought this and keep being told that it is normal (her liver and spleen have not been enlarged and she has not had ascites) but I keep looking at it and thinking it is not right. I think I measure it for a few days to hopefully put my mind at rest.
Hannah is still experiencing fluctuating itching. This is despite being on urso twice daily and antihistamine once daily. I can increase the antihistamine to twice a day, if this doesn't work we will have to look at something else. The itching seems to be more of a mild irritation to her over most of her body but she does still sometimes scab her ears, but not as badly as before. So the itching has become more generalised, and her ears are still the worst, but she is not damaging them so much.
The Kasai anniversary has mixed emotions for me as the memories of last year are not very pleasant, but I am so thrilled at how well Hannah is doing and has done in the past year. And please God may that continue.
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