I don't want anymore bad news!!

About two weeks ago Sara got a bump on her head, but it was soft. Never had seen a soft bump like that so I took her in to the ER. ER doc said that it was likely just a hematoma and nothing to worry about. I still just had this feeling that something wasn't right, so I called the ped the next morning and got her in. Ped ordered a CAT scan and yes the bump on the outside was a hematoma, but there was also another hematoma next to her brain. So today I took her for another CAT scan, just to be sure the hematoma was going away. Well, this time they saw a fracture and there is a bleed as well so now we get to have an MRI done! YEAH! :S I am so glad that I did not listen to that ER doc!!

But that hasn't been the only thing going on. A few months ago Kyla was in to the ped for strep. The NP heard a murmur while we were there so they sent her to see a cardiologist. That appt was last week. When he was examining her he asked if she'd ever suffered from joint pain and an associated rash. I told him about something that had happened about 7 or eight years ago...

Back then Kyla had complained of joint pain. We had taken her to the ped and she was referred to an allergist who diagnosed her with JRA (juvenile rheumatoid arthritis). After a few months on the meds she was no better so I quit giving her the meds (those were some serious drugs and not to be taken unless one REALLY needs them) I never felt comfortable with that diagnosis. Anyway, after a month or two off the meds Kyla's symptoms disappeared, and we assumed that it was just growing pains and that Kyla was a weanie. She has had a couple other episodes of joint pain since then.

Well after hearing that the cardiologist said that he believed what she had was rheumatic heart disease. That is caused by untreated rheumatic fever which is a result of an undiagnosed or improperly treated strep infection.

Kyla suffers a lot of strep (3 cases in just the last year). With rheumatic heart disease each case of strep causes more damage to the heart. Different parts of the heart can be affected. In Kyla's case it is her aortial valve.

Kyla will have to be on antibiotics for the next 5 years, or more, to prevent future strep infections.

I hope this is all I have to deal with right now...I just don't know if I could take anything else at the moment!