Looking for a Diagnosis

May 27, 2010

Dear Doctors, Nurses and General Smarty Pants of Cedar Sinai, John Hopkins, and Mayo Clinic,

 

I am writing to you because my kids are medical anomalies.

I'm sure their condition is rare and unheard of in most medical communities. I'm not sure how 3 of my kids ended up with this disorder, but there is no dispute that they all are carriers and show varying degrees of being affected. The earliest signs and symptoms started at around age 5 but have progressively become worse over the years.  It's become so bad that I decided to seek professional help.  That is the purpose of this letter.

Brittan has it the worst - we see manifestations of it on a daily basis -  followed closely by Kennedy. Taiden has the most mild case - it comes and goes at times. I'm truly hoping that Shaw has not been infected with it but only time will tell.

I've researched their symptoms on line, but have come up empty handed.  To put it simply and in layman's terms:  there is a chronic connection between my children's bladders and their assignments to do dinner clean up.  Doctors (and nurses and general smarty pants), I'm at a loss of what it is.  Our daily routine is generally the same.  They play outside, or practice the piano, or do homework without bladder issues. Then they're called in for dinner.  Again, no bladder issues.  They eat, chat, laugh, blow bubbles in their milk without a single indicator that there is trouble.  But the minute that the chart is checked and the clean up assigments are made, an overwhelming urgency comes upon each of them.  My poor children.  I'm sure it must be terribly inconvenient to have such pressure and discomfort upon their wee little bladders at a time when they so desperately want to be sweet and obedient children.  Children longing to fulfill their duties and pull their weight around here.   

The connection is uncanny - this peculiar disorder sweeps down on them in an instant and hits them full force.  I would say that the lag time between the job assignments made and the persistent bladder pang is less than 30 seconds. Sometimes, poor innocent souls, there is a deeper and more intense throbbing that coils them into cold sweats and an acute BM dance.  

I'm sure you can understand my concern.  Any direction for a cure or remedy would be greatly appreciated.  Because, as a family, we have been living with this for years, I feel I may have developed a callused attitude towards the whole issue.  It is extremely difficult for me to show sympathy to my children during these times.  In fact, do I dare say that sympathy of any kind is non existent during these moments of squirming and hopping around?  I direct them to do their jobs and then escape to the WC, bathroom, lavatory, or comfort station. Their agonies intensify and they say they may have accidents, explosions, or other eruptions.  I tell them that is fine - they can clean that up as well - just as soon as their job is done.  To date, there have been 0 incidents.

{You may want to investigate mean mom syndrome as well.} 

Any help or guidance would be wonderful.

Sincerely,

Kristen

P.S.  I know this is genetically linked. I, myself, had this exact same condition in my youth.  I got better with time. I'm just hoping that you can give me a remedy that can expedite the road to recovery.