"That Kid"

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The smell is back.  The smell is back just in time for July's heat and humidity.

My 4 year old is carnitine deficient and takes a medication to supply his body with the carnitine necessary to help his body metabolize fats.  The medication comes from fish oils; it can, "sometimes cause an unpleasant body odor".

Taking riboflavin helped get rid of the smell.   For two years now he's been smell free.

Riboflavin tastes terrible.  I mean body shuddering, stomach roiling terrible.

For a long time I got him to take the riboflavin anyway.  But it is more important that he enjoy eating so we slowly stopped the riboflavin.

No smell.  No smell for months.

Buuut...

Now- the smell?  Old tuna.  Old tuna left in a parked car.

My child is, "that kid".  The one who inexplicably smells.

We've re-ordered riboflavin gummy bears from a special compounding pharmacy.  I'm hoping it will work again.  I'm hoping he'll like the taste.

I kiss my son's head and try not to inhale. He takes many baths.

I suddenly wish I could go back to the 6th grade and have compassion on the weird kid that sat on the row behind me.  The kid everyone avoided.  The kid that stank and picked his nose as a side show act.

Did he stink and pick his nose, or did he pick his nose because he stank?  A literal thumbing his nose at the universe?

Suddenly, this is a vitally important distinction.

My 4 year old is doing great.  He's glowing with  health.  He's strong, enjoying summer. He has more energy than he's ever had. This winter when he was doing poorly, and I was despairing for him, this was all I wanted, all I prayed for, all I thought I needed for him.

I was wrong.  I want everything.  Everything, minus the smell.

That kid in the 6th grade?  I bet his mom wanted everything too.  I wish I could hug her.