The Master of Disaster strikes again!  This baby of mine is notorious for spraying while he is being changed, pooping immediately after he has a clean diaper on, and now this!  We were at Carruthy’s newly-painted office, and I told him of a little blood in his stool.  So as he checked it out, Dash went to town at the opportunity.  He sprayed Dr. Carruth, himself, and the new paint above his head.  I was cracking up as I was fumbling to find something to cover the culprit.  Unfortunately, it all happened so fast that I wasn’t very successful.  As I was apologizing, all Dr. Carruth said was, “Wouldn’t you know it.  The first patient in our newly painted office, and this happens.”  So I just told him, “Sorry, but we really like to leave our mark wherever we go.”
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And as calmly as any seasoned doctor would do, he calmly picked Dash up, and moved him down to the only dry spot.
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The beginning of the appointment was a little less eventful, but held really good news.  Carruthy walked in and immediately said, “Wow…he looks great!”  He was really happy with Dash’s color (paleness is a byproduct of anemia), and was really pleased with his weight gain over the past week. (He now weighs 10 lbs 9 oz — up from 9lbs 11 oz only six days ago.)  He then went over some concerns I had.  The blood — probably a fissure, and a very minor problem.  A facial rash — a common rash of one month old babies, and a very minor problem that will go away on its own.  A goopy eye — probably a clogged tear duct, and a very minor problem.  So when I asked if he was going to take “real deal blood”, or just prick his heel to get a small sample, Dr. Carruth said he felt like we were out of the woods enough to bypass any blood work at all.  I couldn’t believe it, and was so excited!  And then Carruthy said that in his entire career, Dash was only the second patient he has ever had who needed blood through a transfusion.  While he was expressing his happiness with Dash’s progress, I told him that I was glad he hadn’t told me that before his transfusions.
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I am SO grateful for doctors who are so knowledgeable and calm when big things like transfusions are needed or little things like a baby potty spray down occur!