And then there was a diagnosis

Sometimes in life we fragile humans get to a place where we just have to say, I'm done! 

I have been there for about two weeks. I have given all my extra strength to my boy so he would have a full bucket. But I have been running dangerously low.

Then the liver dude called. I have been a ball of nerves on the verge of either throwing up or crying all day waiting for him to call back. I NEED him to call. NOW. I need to hear that we have something to go on. I need...I need. I need a nap.

After my second call to the office, saying I know I know but I'm a mom you have to forgive me.....he called me back. Maybe I was a little more crazy psycho when I called then I thought I was. But he called....so I got my way :)

There is a peace in labels. We can fight all we want but there can be comfort in knowing we are a part of something. A peace in saying I belong to something. Even if what that is sucks. 

My boy has been labeled. A diagnosis is complete. He is living with autoimmune hepatitis.

Now for some medical reference from across the interwebs.....

~~~Autoimmune Hepatitis, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.

~~~About 70 percent of those with autoimmune hepatitis are female.

~~~The immune system mistakes a person's own cells as invaders and attacks them

~~~A person cannot catch the disease from someone else.

So where does that leave things? He is a special young man. Even more than I ever knew. God thinks he is so special he is getting blessed with this as well. And even though it sucks... it is a blessing. Have I mentioned yet that it sucks?

There is a peace in knowing what he is up against, what he will be facing in life. It sucks. And I wish I could take it away.....but now he knows, now we know and we start to fully move forward. Tomorrow he will have blood drawn again. Thursday we follow up and the next phase begins. So far.... he will be treated with daily medications. It may be for the rest of his life, it will probably be for the rest of his life. Once numbers get level it will be relative smooth sailing. The transplant list will wait, I hope that it will go away totally and I will never have to think of it again. And the itemized bill from the hospital showed up today. 

Oh and Wednesday is my dear boy's birthday. That is going to be an evening to remember of its own.....