Subject: The "specialist"
August 10, 1999

Dear friends and family,

(Mom says this letter looks like a movie title) Yesterday we went to children's hospital and I DIDN"T like it. We saw Dr. Marilyn Woo, a pulminary specialist, who dad says is certianly one of the best in the country. She was round and very funny and made goo-goo eyes at me. But I could tell mom and dad were nervous so I ran around in endless circles and generally earned the name trouble child from the nurses. I was just asserting my climbing, walking and yelling skills. They have a McDonalds there too so I got a happy meal that made me happier.

In Xray a little boy wanted to play with my bunny and so I used my new word and told him NO. In the treatment room they wanted to look in my ears and I said bye bye to the doctor and then pointed to the door and said OUT. However, I will go back because at the end they gave me a stuffed miss piggy which I kissed and which I carry around all the time. They were very nice to me even though I wanted to go everywhere.

Mom will tell you what they said, because it was a lot of talking and looking at X rays. Mom says "they see reversable damage to the middle lobe of the right lung. Some of the muscle and cilia around the bronchial tubes are scared and can no longer remove fluid from that portion of the lung. They have asked us to give Emily nebulizer treatments and pulmonary physical therapy three times a day at home, specifically to help push out any fluid. They say 6 months of work should help Emily because she is constantly growing new lung tissue. She went on antibiotics immeditely with a runny nose and will get them everytime she has a cold. We are asked to be especially careful around ill visitors and get her two different flu shots in the fall. The doctor's remaining concern is that Emily looks so vigorous yet got sick repeatedly. She is concerned there may be a more serious but as yet undiagnosed condition. We go back Nov. 1 and Emily will be watched closely to be sure.

Our own pediatrician saw her today and says she sounds better. They are going to alternate appointments with the specialist and keep an eye on her. Her weight and height were right on target, although a little below where they were at 6 months on the growth chart. The doctor said not to worry and thought Emily was starting to slim down and muscle up as toddlers usually do. Her head size is consistent and still the largest relative statistic. (to hold that big brain!) They gave her polio, tetnus and meningitus immunizations. My reading is that she is tolerating this all pretty well. For example she was very mad to be back at the doctor's today, and yelled loudly with the shots. However, I whisked her out into the lobby one second after her shots were done and she immediately stopped crying so she could watch the fish in the fish tank. This rapid recovery makes me think she is tolerating the discomfort well for a person her age."

Yeah, yeah mom. I'm glad you make them stop and give me a break while they are doing all their doctor things, but I would still rather watch the little mermaid or even eat hot dogs.

If you were here I would say NO and then smile and say hi and bye bye. I would turn in a circle until I fell down. I would crawl on my belly in the sand and eat a popsicle at the same time I was wearing it. I would show you my belly button and want to see yours and say belly so proudly. I would show you how I can sometimes go up and down stairs by myself. I would point out the stars on my ceiling and call them stars. I would sit still while you read to me unless you were to slow. I can do a lot.

Love

Emily