Mommy and Daddy took me for my 12 month checkup yesterday. My doctor asked all sorts of questions about how I've been doing, and Mommy and Daddy asked a lot of questions of the doctor. The doctor started checking me and at first it was ok with me. She took out a large metallic disk attached to black rubber tubes that ended in her ears and put the disk on my chest in various places. It was cold but I was more surprised than anything. However, I did not like the ear checkup or when she pressed on my tummy real hard several times because Mommy asked her why I have such as big belly. She said after checking that she thought things were ok. The doctor took my measurements next. I weight 23 pounds and 2 ounces and am now 30 3/4 inches tall and have a head circumference of 18 1/4 inches. Mommy said I haven't grown very much in the last three months. The doctor said that was because I'm on formula now whereas I was on breast milk before. She said breastfed babies grow really fast early on because it is such good nutrition. I'm 75-90% in weight and 75-90% in head size, but I'm no longer 95%++ in height like I was before. I'm only 90-95% in height now. There goes my professional basketball career aspirations. I'll just have to be a CEO or brain surgeon or something now, I guess. :)
After the doctor left, the nurse came in to give me shots. I was very angry and felt very betrayed by Mommy and Daddy, Daddy especially since he helped the nurse hold me down since Mommy couldn't do it. There were so many shots, 4 of them! 1) They punched a hole in my tiny little finger to check my hemoglobin; 2) they gave me a shot to check for exposure to TB; 3) they gave me a shot for MMR; 4) they gave me another shot for the PCV13 vaccine. I was very angry and cried a lot after the shots. Daddy and Mommy felt very bad for me. I will have to come back again soon, after Mommy gets her chicken pox vaccine shot first. The doctor thought it was a better idea to give me a shot after Mommy got her shot because otherwise, I might give her chicken pox and it apparently is bad for adults.
The nurse came back with the results of my hemoglobin test. I'm a little low on iron so they are going to recommend I get an iron supplement. Mommy suspects I inherited thalassemia minor from her. It's doesn't seem to affect Mommy any, so I'm not worried, but I think the measurements of my blood readings will always be slightly off because of it.
And still marathons were possible for a thalassemic!
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