Giardia, E-coli, or what??

So poor little Abby has had chronic tummy aches for the last month. It began with a nasty case of the flu. She got sick in a cab, on the way to the airport, following our cruise. She threw up the entire way home. She was traveling with my parents, and my poor mother had to beg the flight crew to let them on the plane, after a layover, in Las Vegas. They were going to make them stay overnight, because they didn't want them to infect the whole flight. At this point, we truly thought it was motion sickness (coming off the ship, she often gets sick in the car, etc), and my mom convinced them to let them fly. Unfortunately, it was the flu, because two days later Zach got the flu, and two days after that Seth got the flu, and then the next day Abby got the flu again! (Sorry to all those people on the airplane)

The stomach aches have continued, no vomiting or other flu like symptoms have presisted. She will have a few good days and then a few bad days. I am not an overly sympathetic mom, if I don't see throw up, then you probably should go to school. We have been battling this for a few weeks. I finally laid down the rule that if you don't go to school, you stay in bed and no TV. I thought this would for sure push her to want to go to school. I had to be 'hard nosed' so that I could assess the severity of the stomach ache. (All my kids have taken a few unnecessary 'sick'days, feeling great by 10am). She stayed in bed all day, no tv. I guess she must really have a bad tummy ache.

She felt better for a few days, then the stomach aches reappeared on Easter Morning. We were out of town, attending sacrament meeting, and she choose to sit in the car because she felt so crummy.

What do you do?

I decided it was time to visit the Dr. I talked to the nurse who advised me to try a 'dairy free' diet for a few weeks. I told her we would try that, but I still felt like we need to see the Dr. (I am not the type who runs to the dr for everything). I was just trying to follow my "motherly intuition". Meet with our pediatrician, had a nice conversation, discussed what we had been doing recently. I told her we had been on a cruise. She asked where the cruise had gone, I told her Hondorus and Mexico, and her first reaction was that Abby probably has Giardia, E-coli, or some other freakin bacteria. LOVELY!

It took me 24 hours to coax a 'stool' sample from her, I then got to dissect it into three vials for testing (the joys of motherhood). We are waiting for the results, 2-3 days! I hope this is the problem, otherwise we will have to do some other fun tests. We are treating her with medication for these bacteria's, rather then waiting for the results, may as well. Plus, we are on a no-dairy diet to help the stomach recover.