This is a blog post that has absolutely nothing to do with my writing, except for the fact that I feel like writing about it.
I just got a phone call from my kid's doctor telling me my youngest has a reported 22 on his lead blood test. A normal 3 year old should be below 10 and his is 22. Even an adult should be below 20. Last year we had this scare, his levels were really high and when re-tested, they were reported much lower. At that time we were renovating our upstairs apartments and had a possible explanation for the increase in levels; our babysitter had fallen asleep and wasn't watching him while he went upstairs - where the renovations were being done. We don't know for sure if there is lead paint, we've tested some areas and the majority was wallpaper, with the exception of the upstairs. He never goes up there. Renovations are done in one apartment, and the other apartment just needs to be painted and have a kitchen put in. No lead paint there either. Where are these high levels coming from?
So the doctor would like my older children tested as well. I'm freaking out! What if they're higher too? How? Where is this lead?
The nurse, lovely lady there, suggested it could be the water pipes. She told me to let the water run a while before serving it, but I don't even recall giving my children tap water often. Even when making juice (kool-aid), I let the water run, or use bottled water.
I'm really hoping when they all get tested, it turns out to be nothing. I'm really worried that the lead is somewhere, lurking, like a silent monster ready to strike. My house is old, but still ...
My youngest isn't even home the majority of the time. He's over his great-grandmother's house. Even on the weekends, he's never upstairs or in the basement. Does this mean it really is my pipes? I'm always using water in my cooking, but wouldn't the boiling get rid of the lead - if there was any to begin with?
I don't have the money to remove every single pipe from my house, but this is my children's health and safety we're talking about. They're more important, and I must do anything and everything possible to protect them. Sigh ... Fingers crossed the hospital's blood work/tests come back normal.
I just got a phone call from my kid's doctor telling me my youngest has a reported 22 on his lead blood test. A normal 3 year old should be below 10 and his is 22. Even an adult should be below 20. Last year we had this scare, his levels were really high and when re-tested, they were reported much lower. At that time we were renovating our upstairs apartments and had a possible explanation for the increase in levels; our babysitter had fallen asleep and wasn't watching him while he went upstairs - where the renovations were being done. We don't know for sure if there is lead paint, we've tested some areas and the majority was wallpaper, with the exception of the upstairs. He never goes up there. Renovations are done in one apartment, and the other apartment just needs to be painted and have a kitchen put in. No lead paint there either. Where are these high levels coming from?
So the doctor would like my older children tested as well. I'm freaking out! What if they're higher too? How? Where is this lead?
The nurse, lovely lady there, suggested it could be the water pipes. She told me to let the water run a while before serving it, but I don't even recall giving my children tap water often. Even when making juice (kool-aid), I let the water run, or use bottled water.
I'm really hoping when they all get tested, it turns out to be nothing. I'm really worried that the lead is somewhere, lurking, like a silent monster ready to strike. My house is old, but still ...
My youngest isn't even home the majority of the time. He's over his great-grandmother's house. Even on the weekends, he's never upstairs or in the basement. Does this mean it really is my pipes? I'm always using water in my cooking, but wouldn't the boiling get rid of the lead - if there was any to begin with?
I don't have the money to remove every single pipe from my house, but this is my children's health and safety we're talking about. They're more important, and I must do anything and everything possible to protect them. Sigh ... Fingers crossed the hospital's blood work/tests come back normal.
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