The Undiagnosed: Cohen's Update

Timehop can be a wonderful thing... most of the time. I often find so much joy in looking over past pictures and memories... but every once in a while one stops me in my tracks and I find myself face to face with reminders of the difficult times in our journey.  

Today was one of those days...

When I read over the post from two years ago I was filled with so much emotion. 

Johns Hopkins: A Match Made in Heaven

I was in awe over how eerily correct some of Dr. Wood's predictions were (I had forgotten about most of them), but I also felt equally mad about the ones that did not come true... the ones I hung my hopes on.  


As much as I hate to admit it, there have been many times along this path when the wind has been sucked out of our sails.

This past entry reminded me of the hope that I had put into those steps of the journey, only to be left with the crushing feeling of our new reality. Johns Hopkins and the great Dr. Wood were simply one of many stepping stones on our way to healing, but even in knowing that, the sting still lingers. 


However, I am glad that I didn't know what the past two years would hold for Cohen; I'm afraid I would have focused on the fears and struggles and missed out on the joys that were hidden in between. 

Now we are at a new place yet again.... and I can't help but feel very disconnected from our old world of FPIES, a world that two years ago I clung to. Sadly, because of where we are in this journey I feel that I can no longer identify with the majority of that community. 

I realized some time ago that our story is not a typical progression for most kiddos with FPIES and our presences in that world only creates fear for those that are dealing with ONLY that condition... unlike us.

It was also very difficult to watch the world that was suppose to be ours, pass us by. We were suppose to progress like others and outgrow this like others... but our time never came. And instead we began to take steps backwards and in directions I never new existed. It pains me to admit that I had begun to grow a little bitter. Soon it became painfully obvious that we were dealing with more than the diagnosis we had been originally given.

So at this point I don't know where we fit in and to be honest it's a struggle some days to keep from feeling isolated and alone. 

Being medically fragile, with an unknown diagnosis, is like living between worlds. We don't have the support of any group or the comfort and camaraderie that comes along with diagnosable illness communities. 

And our tubes and lines make it blatantly obvious to the "well" world that we are not one them either.

We often stand alone, left to simply wonder about prognosis and question every decision we make because we have no literature to guide us, or support group to validate us. 

Our recent trip to Cincinnati left us with yet again more questions than answers. 

Because Cohen's constellation of symptoms don't fit into any, one single, diagnosis we are left crossing over into many areas of grey. One of our lead doctors believes that we are dealing with something so rare that it has yet to be identified. Another thinks that what we could be seeing is an inflammatory response to EVERYTHING that enters his little body. At this point we are left with only theories and not concrete conclusions.

The painful truth is Cohen's doctors just don't know why he is the way he is... 


So we wait..... for more test results, some of which may take up to a year to get back and with that there are still no guarantees for a diagnosis. 

Life in the undiagnosed world is difficult and scary. We don't know the real monster we are fighting and because of that, this battle is unfair; leaving us with only Whats? and Whys?

But that doesn't change our stance on Hope nor will our faith be shaken. Once again will be still and quietly wait for His guidance and be grateful for the doctors that God has put in our path. 

This past week one of our physicians told me words that helped heal my heart just a little, he said... "I can't even imagine how difficult and frustrating this is for you as parents. I wish I could give you better answers right now. But I want you to know I will not give up, I promise."

We believed then.... We believe now and We will forever continue to BELIEVE!