You want to do WHAT?!?

We had Jack's follow-up appointment yesterday with the pediatric immunologist at UAB. I'll start with the best part...all of his labwork from our last visit came back normal (yes, all $2500 of it!) That was a huge relief since the doctor had some concerns about a potentially serious disorder. He said that Jack's history and the negative lab results for other conditions lead him to believe that Jack has a cellular immunodeficiency. Here's where I'm a little foggy. We know that he has an IgG deficiency...I'm not sure if this cellular issue is in addition to that or if it's a subcategory of that. Regardless, he explained it as an overall inability to fight off viral infections effectively.

His recommended next course of action was this: he would inject Jack with a cocktail of 23 viruses, bring him back in 6 weeks and run extensive labwork again to see how his body reacted to each of the viruses.

Are you having the same "WHAT?!?" reaction that I had?


Josh and I were already feeling super-uneasy about this plan, but when the doctor told us there wasn't really anything we could do about it even if he was diagnosed with this problem, we graciously bowed out of the "please-use-our-son-as-a-human-guinea-pig" plan. I say that in jest...I know that the doctor was doing his best to get to the bottom of Jack's massive string of illnesses, and we are grateful for his expertise and dedication. But this was way too invasive and aggressive for our comfort...especially when it led us down a dead-end road with nowhere else to go!!

As it stands now, we will go back to the immunologist on an "as-needed" basis as determined by Jack's pediatrician. The immunologist reiterated that Jack will most likely continue to be ill for the next several years (and possibly beyond).

But we have been amazed at the improvement in his health over the past few weeks. And we find it no coincidence that this change has begun to take place as so many people are praying for little Jack.

God isn't limited by a medical prognosis!


I'll probably put another post up later today or tomorrow because a very special someone in our house turned FOUR today! Pictures to come...

Love,
allison