If you haven’t met Ainsley, she has the personality of someone 10 feet taller. Most of the time she never laments over her size. But there are times (usually late at night) she will ask why she is so “little.” We usually tell her that God made her special that way. If that answer doesn’t work, then we tell her that it isn’t her fault that her parents aren’t exactly tall and none of the women in her family are tall (minus Aunt Debra). Her great grandmas were short. Her great aunts are short. Her grandmas are short. Her mother is short. She has just been given the short end of the stick when it comes to height. But we make up for it in other ways. (She had a friend in Nebraska who was younger than her by six months who was always way taller than her but her hair didn’t grow as fast as Ainsley’s. We would joke that all of Ainsley’s growing fuel was being sent to her hair and not her bones!)
So we went to the doctor yesterday for our well child check up (only two months late!) and the doctor says, ” I think we need to investigate Ainsley’s lack of height.” Really?? Really?????? Her family doctor in Nebraska would tell us it was ok that Ainsley wasn’t even on the growth chart because she was strong and healthy. When we moved to Texas, she finally grew enough to make it to the 2% on the chart (YEAH!!!). She has stayed there ever since. At least she is consistent!
But Ainsley has a long history of tummy troubles. We haven’t gone to the doctor about her tummy in over a year. We have just accepted her tummy as part of who she is. It hasn’t terribly inconvenienced our lives. We just work around it. The doctor said that the combination of her tummy and lack of height could mean she has something more serious. She caught my ear on that one. The doctor explained the tests (blood work up and a wrist X-ray). Ok. I am feeling more inclined to follow through. The test aren’t invasive. It is really just my time that it being used up. So we will follow up and get the test done.
The office drew the blood work yesterday (she did stellar and was looking forward to the blood draw so she could get ice cream). Ainsley said when she found out she was having blood drawn, “I’m glad Ben is here. He can talk me through the procedure.” Way to go girl!!
I love how little Ainsley is. She is in 2nd grade and she still can snuggle on my lap. It is awesome! It will not hurt us to go through this process. But after the last several weeks with multiple doctor visits for everyone in the family, I am ready to hang a neon sign on my neck for every doctor to see that lets them know that I am done with doctors, hospitals, tests, and bills. In the words of Chris (the question he asks the children each time they come to him injured), “Are you bleeding, leaking, or broken? No? Then you’re ok.” This is what I want to hear from the doctor at the next checkup!
Leave a comment