A week ago I took Evan to the Dentist and the Pediatrician for check-ups. The Dentist visit was a huge success for a few reasons. The dental hygienist was wonderful! She took the time to show Evan everything she was going to do, and let him feel the power toothbrush and the suction wand. She demonstrated first, and then he very willingly let her do her thing. He didn't care for the bright light but thought it was cool he could wear sunglasses inside! The bonus (for him) was the new toothbrush, toothpaste and Spiderman sticker! The bonus (for us) was learning he doesn't have any cavities! Impressive feat for a kid who most likely had not been to a dentist for twice-yearly check-ups in his 10 short years.
The next day was a visit to the Pediatrician. Not such a great time for Evan! While he was happy enough being weighed and examined by the doctor, he wasn't happy at ALL to be given a chicken pox vaccine and a TB test, and then have blood taken from him. The blood test (in another part of the building) was the last straw for him, and he collapsed in tears for that process. Luckily they didn't last long when he discovered after the initial needle prick, it didn't hurt at all. After two band-aids and an Incredible Hulk sticker, we were on our way with a reminder to come back Monday to check on the results of the TB test.
This past Monday my mother in law followed me to the pediatrician's office so that she could take Evan back home with her after the appointment, and I could go back to school for my first day back after two weeks at home. Little did we know that was a silly idea! Upon an initial look from the nurse (process was supposed to take "seconds") the doctor was called in. After a more thorough check, the doctor proclaimed it was a positive test! He indicated a chest x-ray would be necessary to be totally accurate, and that if THAT came back positive, a whole bunch of people would need to be tested! Hello, my whole school!!!! So, after a quick call to school to ask for a substitute teacher, down a level we went to the imaging center. Evan was less than thrilled to discover he had to wear a mask over his mouth and nose for protection. Try explaining that without a translator!!
The x-ray technician was also quite patient and showed Evan what she'd be doing. I don't think he totally trusted she wasn't going to give him a shot or other painful process, but he followed the directions as she asked. He was very interested in looking at the pictures when she was done. She showed him his heart, the top of his stomach, and his bones. He grinned when he realized it was a picture of him!
When we got home, my mother in law and I both had to don the masks. That was a ball of fun. She commented that she couldn't wear her glasses without steaming them up! After playing with Evan for about 2 hours, we got the call we were waiting for: chest x-ray came back negative!!! Woo HOO!!! Off came the mask, and the smile returned to our little boy's face. The result is this: he has a latent form of Tuberculosis, but doesn't have an active form of it and cannot spread it to anyone else. He has an appointment this week for some medication to keep it supressed. Can I tell you what a relief it was NOT to have to call friends, family, my school, Tim's school, our church, etc. with the news that they would need to be tested for TB?!?!??! It might have been good to know when we first got Evan home from Ukraine to have him tested right away.
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I just read this. Kole's medical records in Ukraine indicated he either had or tested positive for TB over the past several years. I figured he would not have been in the general population if he had actually had TB. The doctor in Ukraine said she was never sure of the diagnoses for orphanage children. However, she requested a chest x-ray. After, she declared him clean and free to leave the country. At home, however, Homealnd Security had Kole listed as entering the country with active TB. So, we had to go through it all again - chest x-ray and visit to the health department. The health department has still not responded. So, I guess he's not contagious. Kole's dentish report was not so good - he had to have three fillings and two teeth pulled and four office visits. He chewed his left cheek after the third visit - despite warnings not to. The last visit, he managed not to chew his cheek. Tomorrow, we get to visit the urologist. My wife is concerned about his not being circumcised. After that, we have to finish up his immunizations. He's liable to regret coming over with us if we keep this up.
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