Rebekah had another test done in our pursuit to make sure her growth is going well. It was the Growth Hormone Stimulation (stim) test. Wow, it was brutal for her. She had to have an IV to sedate her. She became scared and was crying hysterically for a very long time, well after the time she should have fallen asleep due to the sedation. I underestimated how much an IV would bother her. And the test lasted for more than 6 hours. Eventually she fell asleep, thank heaven!
Poor girl. This experience has honestly traumatized her.
The reason for this test is to stimulate the pituitary glad into producing growth hormone, thus allowing the amount of growth hormone to be measured. This allows the endocrinologist to then know if the person produces sufficient growth hormone. Rebekah's results are that she produces less than she should. However, because she continues to grow steadily at her own level, yet parallel to the growth curve, this isn't really a problem. Basically this test is ordered and completed because the insurance companies will not prescribe and cover growth hormone (if needed) without these results. Obviously the insurance companies have not had to sit through one of these tests with their own child.
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| Finally asleep |