VWD Type 1

Parenting can be really scary business sometimes. And trusting your mommy gut is a real thing and I highly recommend it. 

While changing Luke's diaper one night we noticed this ...

A lot of bruises for one kid who stays home with mommy and hasn't cried or complained of an injury lately. 

And then these 

Immediately my mind when to the worst place possible. My child has leukemia. 

I turned to google and not only did he have the classic bruising he also had about 4 other symptoms in the list. 

I spent about a good hour trying to talk myself down because it was 10pm on a Saturday night but I couldn't shake the mommy gut feeling. 

I called the pediatrician on call. I got about 4 words in before I began crying so hard she couldn't understand me. "I think my son might have leukemia" I sobbed. She was amazing. Super calm and not at all dismissive of my concerns. I sent her the pictures we took and to my dismay she agreed he needed to be seen in the children's ER right away. 

Gigi and Grandpa came to stay with Joshua and off we went. Longest most gut wrenching drive of our lives. 

The doctors ran a lot of tests and all his counts kept returning normal. We could finally take a breath. He did not have leukemia. There were a few tests that would take a week or so to come back but for the moment he was good to go. 

We came home and resumed our normal lives almost forgetting about the ordeal. He was still bruising rather easily but no one seemed concerned. 

Then the call came from the pediatrician. Lucas tested positive for VonWillebrand disease. This is a genetic bleeding disorder that had to have come from one of his genetic parents. Thankfully he has type 1 which is the most manageable. We won't know how severe his type 1 is until we see the hematologist in September. 

What we do know is he will always bruise without significant trauma and head injuries are extra concerning. Surgeries and dental procedures will require extra planning and overall just being cautious. 

Feeling thankful that we found out the way we did. That all of the decisions we've made up until now have kept him safe and without a bleeding episode. And that God chose us to be his parents. Gosh I love this little man ❤️