You Grow Girl!

Molly before church today.  She was very proud to have her hair curled for the first time!

Well, Molly's IN!  She's been accepted into phase III of the growth hormone study (see previous post for why this is needed).  This means a few things:

• she will be one of the 70-something children between the ages of 3 and 9 in the U.S. trying out a new treatment for growth hormone deficiency.  She's one of 4 in Dr. Van Meter's practice.
• the purpose of the study is to find a once monthly treatment to replace the usual once daily shot of growth hormone which would be a great advancement in the world of growth hormone patients.
• the difference between the study drug and the regularly used drug is that the study drug has been attached to a protein molecule that makes it last longer thus needing to be given less frequently.
• we trust her doctor implicitly and he has a long professional history with the physician behind the study.
• we can leave the study at any point without penalty.
• it's ALL paid for--the drug, the treatment, the parking, the home-health nurse that administers the drug.  Can I get an "amen"???
• the treatment will continue after the study is over for free until the drug is made commercial. (We were told that Molly would need treatment throughout adulthood--not just until her bones fused.)

We read a long document spelling out the entire study/process and it felt really right and God-sent and peaceful.  This is NOT a matter of us turning our daughter into a guinea pig for medical gain.  Even with blood tests and whatnot she'll be stuck waaaaay less and her growth potential will not be hindered due to testing/placebos/etc.  In face, the dosage should be prime since she's joining in phase III of the study (I could notate that with a 3 but roman numerals look so much more official;).  This is a major answer to prayer and a big relief in this whole process.  We know she has to have treatment. To have the opportunity to have it paid for and make it easier than normal is HUGE and something only God could orchestrate.  And we're grateful!  Thanks for the prayers!  We start treatment with a screening test (to get base readings and such) on June 18th.

In other news...Jack is pulling up...on EVERYTHING:)  Here he is at bedtime tonight before we lowered the matress.