She Sticks the Landing

She sticks the landing

Landing at Cook Children's helped Lorelei find relief

When Lorelei first complained of stomach pain in the spring of 2020, her mom, Katy, thought it might be from anxiety brought on by the pandemic. Lorelei's significant weight loss by the summer made it clear that something more was happening.

In August, Lorelei's pediatrician referred her to the Gastroenterology department at Cook Children's, where the medical staff helped her through a colonoscopy and an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) exam. Shortly after, Lorelei was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, a condition that causes chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. After months of worrying about her daughter's condition, Katy said that it was a relief to finally have answers.

"Not knowing what was going on with her for those months was heartbreaking," said Katy. "It was such a relief when Cook Children's was able to tell us what was wrong and that there was treatment for it."

All of the testing and treatments were new experiences for Lorelei. At first, she was nervous, but everyone she encountered at Cook Children's helped her prepare for what was going to happen. Lorelei's team of caregivers at Cook Children's worked to find the fastest and most effective course of treatment for her specific symptoms.

"Everything at Cook Children's has been amazing," Katy said. "They do so much to help her understand. They explained every process that we went through. It was such a relief to have such good care for her, and for her to feel better so quickly."

Now, Lorelei visits Cook Children's every six weeks for infusions. Because her infusions can take several hours, she brings fuzzy socks and a blanket to get comfortable. She looks forward to creating art and seeing the Child Life specialists each month.

"When I go to infusions, I make art," Lorelei said. "I like to paint and make bracelets. I never have to worry about being bored or being uncomfortable, because they always have everything that I need."

There is no cure for Crohn's disease, so Lorelei will continue to receive treatment for the rest of her life or until a cure is found. The treatment she receives at Cook Children's allows her to do the things she loves, like gymnastics.