Camping

We spent the weekend camping near Dwellingup with Mel and Tim. It was very hot - even humid - on Saturday, and a bit overcast on Sunday. Harrison loved his camping experience. When we asked him afterwards what was the best bit about camping, he said "melandtim". Mel made chocolate scones (Harrison-speak for rocky road) for which Harrison has a huge crush on her.

Back home, we're closer to the official coeliac diagnosis (the blood tests were positive), but battling the medical system to get an appointment this year with the sole paediactric gastroenterologist in Perth. You can see his huge swollen belly in the photo of him with Mel on the weekend.

Answers?

We might be closer to finding out why Harrison has been so unwell. The paediatrician is almost certain he has coeliac disease. We go back on Friday for the results of the blood tests they took yesterday, and the next step is a bowel biopsy. Once the diagnosis is made, we'll have to start learning about a gluten free diet and join the coeliac society.

Needles, doctors etc

We've had a torrid time the last week or so. Harrison is still losing weight (he's only 11.5 kgs), he has a huge distended tummy and is just skin and bones. He's still vomiting every day or two. Getting a blood sample was a drama - I took him 4 times to get the sample taken, twice we were turned away because the nurses weren't confident to get a vein, on one visit they spent 2 hours pricking and prodding him tried 8 times in both hands and arms, and still couldn't get any blood to flow. Finally I took him to the lab at the children's hospital and they got the sample first try. Nothing showed up from those tests, and nothing abnormal in his ultrasound, so at least a few things have been eliminated. The search goes on for a reason for this weight loss.

He had a wonderful time with his friend Colin at the zoo on Saturday and seemed keen to eat, so we thought he might be getting better. But he was sick again on Sunday night, so obviously that was wishful thinking on our part. Simon takes him to the paediatrician tomorrow.

Ekka

Well, it's not really the Ekka, because Perth people are way too sophisticated to call it that... It's the Royal Show. We took Harrison along this morning. He thought he was going to the Wiggles concert, so I spent the morning trying to explain why this show wasn't going to be the same as a Wiggles show. I did promise that there might be a ride that was like the Wiggles' big red car, so he rejected tame rides like the merry-go-round in favour of kiddy car rides. He trotted off to get in the cars all by himself, and didn't need his mum or dad.

Unfortunately he's still not particularly well. He is very subdued and seems to have a very long lived tummy bug. So he was probably the least excited 2 year old at the showgrounds, and in fact fell asleep after an hour or so.