Norah the Warrior

A woman who has a blog about Graves Disease interviewed me about our experience with Norah’s illness, and she published it on her blog today in a post called “Norah the Warrior.”  Check it out!

While we’re on the subject, Norah’s doing great.  Her incision is healing well and I don’t think she’ll have a very visible scar.  She hasn’t had any trouble with the medication, and although she’s back to her feisty, stubborn, independent self, she’s not that crazy-manic kid any more.

Last week I took her for her 4-year pediatrician’s appointment and she had grown 6 inches since her 3-year appointment.  She has also gained 4 pounds since the end of July when she was diagnosed.  Prior to that she was eating and eating but really skinny because of her racing metabolism.  With her thyroid levels under control her metabolism has stabilized and she has been able to gain some weight back.

She’s having labs done tomorrow and we have her 30-day post surgical follow-up Thursday.  We’ll be back with her endocrinologist at Children’s from now on.  I’ll miss the doctors at Yale, but Boston is a much shorter drive.  I was on the YNHH website the other day and I saw that Norah’s surgeon has been busy…one of his research projects is to grow heart valves for kids with heart defects.  He’s cool.