We’ve been asked by LOTS of friends/family what exactly is wrong with Regan. Until now we haven’t had definitive answers. So let’s get on with the process of answering the question.

Thursday was a LONG day of stripping bedding & clothes, baths, diaper changes, and loads of laundry. The Milk of Magnesia CLEANED him OUT. I changed 15 diapers! I haven’t changed that many diapers for Regan in one day in a while. I do not miss it! Never mind the baths and laundry. And it was WAY to cold out to open up the house. Fabreze just didn’t quite help with the smell. (Diapers get taken outside right away, but still the stench would just linger!)

Then we got to wake up at 4:30 AM Friday morning to drive down to St. George for Regan’s Scopes and Biopsies. He had a Colonoscopy and an Upper Endoscopy (EDG), with biopsies taken from both areas. Another LONG day. My Dad met us and took Kaylee off to play with Yaiyai.

The only thing Regan found upsetting about the whole affair was that he couldn’t finger suck when he woke up. They put the I.V. in his finger sucking hand and had it all tapped up. Mister Man did not appreciate that. He has been VERY clingy the last few days. So I am only now getting a chance to do an update.

So we have video and photos of the scopes, but you don’t need to see them. (Jon really wants me to post them.) They are not for everyone. Kind of graphic and gross. But we did get some good information from the scopes. Regan has Colonic lymphoid nodular hyperplasia (LNH). He may also have some mild acid reflux. We get the biopsy results from both scopes on Wednesday. Then we will know if there is anything else going on.

LNH means his body doesn’t react to food allergens until it’s into his large intestine and colon. So once food gets down there his colonic lymph nodes get all inflamed (kind of like hives) and his body cannot digest food and absorb calories and nutrients. It’s a “delayed-type food hypersensitivity”.

Which for Regan results in chunky Butt Vomit (diarrhea), weight loss, malnutrition, anemia……….. Dr. K said it was sort of like anaphylactic shock, but just in a different location. So he won’t suffocate and die immediately like someone with a severe peanut allergy, he will just slowly wither away from starvation. (Fabulous. Right?!)

SO our newest game plan is to do a round of steroids to reboot his system. I guess since his body has been in overdrive for so long it’s just overreacting to EVERYTHING now. We will also be getting a more extensive allergy panel done. The super fun skin prick test to find out what else besides wheat and dairy we need to cut from his diet. Because it’s clear that there IS something that the first test (blood draw) missed.

Jon is working on getting me the pictures. I’ll post those ASAP. The cute ones. Not the gross ones. 🙂