Two Heads are Better Than One

I took Zoe to a new Endocrinologist in Dallas today. Well, she's not new...just new to us. We just wanted to get a second opinion about the Growth Hormone Therapy and I ended up REALLY liking this doctor. So I think that we are going to make the switch and start going to her.

She gave me some really great information today. To start of with, here are Zoe's stats:

Weight 21.5lbs (yay!!! Zoe is finally passed the recommended weight to sit in a forward facing car seat. Mike is relieved that Zoe isn't going to have to drive as a teenager in a rear facing car seat using a complex system of mirrors...)
Height 31.7in tall

We talked a lot about the Growth Hormone Therapy today and Mike and I are feeling more and more comfortable with getting it started. There are a few minor risks associated with taking the Hormones (could cause thyroid problems, headaches, low blood sugar levels, and cause the hip growth plate to slide). These are all very rare though and are easily fixable if any of them do occur. The experts we've seen are in agreement, our Pros list outweighs the Cons list, and we both feel inspired that this is the right decision for Zoe....

The doctor said that once we start the hormones we could see and increase in Zoe's growth within the first three months. Awesome. She also said that she's comfortable starting the Hormones now or within the next year. That way Zoe could have enough time for "growth catch up" by the time she starts school to avoid social challenges with other kids. If we wait longer (age 4 or after) Zoe's rate of growth from the hormones could be significantly delayed. Another concern about waiting too long is that once Zoe hits puberty we only have about another year where the hormones could work. So we really want to give Zoe as much time as possible to grow to her full potential.

Now, I feel like I should be very clear that we are not trying to make Zoe a tall kid or adult. We simply want to make sure she is tall enough as an adult to be able to function well in society and be at a socially acceptable height. We want her to be able to reach the foot peddles in a car without having to manipulate them, reach public counters and toilets comfortably, etc.

Mike and I feel that ultimately the benefits for Zoe outweigh the minor risks and even the fact that we will have to give her a shot every day (until she's old enough to give herself the shots if she wants to) and the life changes that will go along with having to do this.

About the shots. The Growth Hormone will be protein based, not steroid based like we hear a lot about on the news with the major league athletes. Zoe will get a shot once a day in either arm, either leg, cheeks (not on her face), or her stomach. We will do this 6 out of 7 days a week. The doctor likes to divide the prescription up into 6 days so that Zoe (and us!) can get a day off. This will come in handy when Zoe gets older and starts having sleep overs and stuff. And since the serum has to be refrigerated, it's nice to know that if we're traveling or don't have access to a refrigerator that she can go a day without the shot. The nurse showed me a couple of different applicators in the office today so I could see first hand how they work. The needle is longer than I expected (an inch and a half long) but is super skinny. It reminds me of a daily insulin shot. She showed me (using a pillow) how to get the medicine into the syringe and then how to inject it into the skin. I almost started crying in the office watching her do that to a pillow. Great! How am I going to handle doing that to my Zoe?!?! And Mike goes white as a ghost at the sight of a needle..I don't think I can trust his shaking hand and rolled back eyes to administer a shot to Zoe...I'll be lucky if he can handle holding Zoe when she gets her injection (Love ya Babe!). But the bigger concern is, and this was one of the biggest "cons" on our list, Zoe's willingness (or unwillingness) to undergo a daily shot for the rest of her childhood. Any parent who has to watch their kid's face when getting a shot knows what I'm talking about! This all feels very real to me now that I've seen the devices and had a lesson on how to use them.

Once we start the therapy, Zoe will see the Endocrinologist every 3 months so she can monitor how Zoe is handling it.

Also, another thing that's very cool about this new Doctor is that she has a nurse there who will be the liaison between me and the insurance company to make sure the expensive growth hormones are at least partially covered. Thank goodness!

So now that Mike and I have pretty much decided to go forward with the growth hormones, we just need to decide when we'd like to start it. We're definitely going to try to go to the MAGIC convention next summer to see the RSS specialist, Dr. Harbison.

Oh, by the way, did I mention that we are buying a house next week? And I have a marathon in less than a month? And Mike wants us to be a family of hillbilly robots for Halloween? And I decided to paint my dresser this weekend? And we have 70% of our stuff to pack still? I need a Kit Kat break.....

(I don't have any pictures because the camera is probably packed somewhere...more pictures to come another day)