We saw the specialist

  I am going to make this a short and sweet update. All of Ahren's basic bloodwork was fine, the MRI was totally normal and he scored just a little lower on the neuro-muscular test scale. Next step is a comprehensive genetic screen looking for deletions, mutations and small replications that are linked to known disease states. This involved getting one tube of blood. We should have the results within 4 weeks. The next test after that is a muscle/nerve conduction test. This will again require sedation. Oh joy. Better that way though, than seeing him all freaked out like with the MRI. The doctor was so nice and really genuine. I guess in the end his expertise is worth the delayed timetable. He even offered us his personal work e-mail address to keep in touch and ask questions.

  We spent the morning at the Houston Zoo. The weather was perfect. Cool shorts weather, which is the best time to see the animals. They were all out and most were moving around. We managed to cover everything we wanted to in just over 3 hours. Then we ate a home-packed picnic lunch and headed to the med center for Ahren's appointment. The traffic was horrific and I ended up getting out of the car in the stand-still traffic and running with Ahren down several blocks to get to his appointment on time. Just as we got to the building entrance Ahren tripped and skinned both knees. I dragged that poor crying, scraped up child onto the elevators and up to the office. (He didn't even bleed. I had his hand and saved him from really hitting the pavement. But according to him he was dying!)

  The doctor's office is where the very worst event of the day unfolded. As we sat in the exam room, we began to notice a certain odor. It got stronger and stronger. Chris asked Seth to walk over to me and that's when it hit me. A wave of noxious stench so powerful I saw the wallpaper curl up. Sure enough he had pooped his pants. I tried to get him to sit still while the doctors were in there, but noooooo. He had to hop all around, spreading the fumes like a gas chamber. When we left the office we still had to hit the lab for the blood draw. As we were sitting there waiting to be called, I looked over to catch him with his hand in his pants. I pulled him towards me and realized he now had poop all over his hand, his shirt, his shorts and his leg. I pulled out the only supplies I had in my purse. Kleenex and hand sanitizer. I got some of it cleaned up, but I know I missed a lot. For the record, I can catch vomit in my hands and not wince. Blood doesn't phase me. Pee all over, no problem. But feces? Oh man. Nasty!!!!!

We finally got out of there and when we reached the van I pulled out the pack of wipes, spare clothes, and a plastic bag to contain the putrid clothes. I'm not sure we could have driven home without all that gear and being able to de-contaminate thoroughly. I can still smell poop. I want to scrub my hands with Clorox and sand paper. Maybe an acid bath that removes a few layers of skin would help. All I know is that one small boy is headed for a very warm, very soapy bath very soon. Head to toe de-poopifying. I am afraid to even guess where else the poop is hiding.......