We have wonderful news!

Last night I received the much-awaited call from Wade’s GI doctor, Dr. Willis who performed his endoscopy.  She was calling with the results of the biopsy, and when I saw her number show up on my phone, my stomach dropped a bit, knowing I was about to receive some major news.  Well, I really could not believe my ears when she told me Wade only had 6 eosinophils on his esophagus!!!  I know that number may not mean much to most of you (except maybe Lina if you’re reading?!!), but what it essentially means is that Wade’s Eosinophilic Esophagitis is under good control!  At diagnosis, he had 60 eosinophils.  (A healthy person who doet not have EE probably has zero or close to zero eosinophils, and in order to be diagnosed with EE you need to have around 20 eosinophils.)  We are praising God for this news!

We are waiting to hear from Wade’s allergist regarding our next steps.  Dr. Willis was quick to remind me that Wade still has EE and that it will be a lifelong condition to manage, but that right now he is under good control.  This suggests that some of those 20 foods we’ve removed from his diet were causing his inflammation; now, we’d love to begin the process of adding some foods back into his diet.  Obviously, we’ll have to do that very slowly and cautiously, but it does seem that we will have that option soon, thank you Lord!!!

Having received this news, I feel this lightness, this freedom, and I am just so thankful.  Thankful that the measures we’ve taken have had an impact on Wade’s health.  Thankful that Wade is probably feeling much better when he eats.  Thankful to be making progress with this. 

And while I’m on the subject of being thankful, let me show you some pictures of our Thanksgiving.  We spent it in Lynchburg with my family, where we are always glad to be able to spread out with our kids and relax.  There is lots of help around and Wade absolutely loves spending time at his Mimi and Papa’s house.

I love this next one.  Daddy and his little clone:)

My (maternal)  grandmother meets her namesake (Holland was her maiden name and is my middle name).

Taylor’s girlfriend, Caroline helps set the table.

Sweet taters for the wader-tater.

My little girl loves to be held by her mama and I am soaking it up :)  As my midwife put it, she will outgrow me before I know it, so I’m going to cherish this time of closeness!

This is the chair at my (paternal) grandparent’s house where I was first laid as a little babe.  Now it’s Holland’s turn.

Something made Taylor laugh…

Four generations!

While we were in town, we tagged along with my parents to pick out a Christmas tree.  It was beautiful and SO cold! (do you spy my dad in that onesie-style outfit?…we like to tell him that he fits in well at his Virginia Tech football games in such attire :)

We found our tree! (please enjoy another shot of the onesie.)

Ain’t he cute?  I’ll take the tree and the handsome guy carrying it, please.

Our lovely little tree is now up and decorated, and I just remembered I’d better go water it!!