Little lungs

I suppose this is how it all began. Ellie had RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus) when she was 3 months old. RSV is a common respiratory virus that leads to cold-like symptoms. In adults and older children this usually is not a big deal. In small children it can lead to being hospitalized for IV fluids and oxygen. Thankfully, Ellie was able to be treated at home with an albuterol inhaler and oral steroids. She also had bilateral ear infections.....fun times for us all ;) She recovered and all was well. When kiddos have RSV as infants, they are more at risk for developing asthma later on. Flash forward to 2012.....

We landed ourselves in the Pediatricians office when Ellie was having respiratory symptoms for 4 weeks in February. Yes, 4 weeks!!!! She always seems to have a little runny/stuffy nose but this 4 weeks she had on and off fever, lots of congestion, a cough....and then she started wheezing. Here we are getting another breathing treatment in the doctor's office. She got a chest xray and had pulmonary infiltrates = pneumonia. Antibiotics and a tapering albuterol schedule and she was on her way to recovery.

This Easter weekend we made a visit to San Antonio to spend the holiday weekend with Jon's family. Ellie's "seasonal" allergies were still hanging out and we noticed a very little cough on our drive down to SA. Saturday night I woke up to Ellie wheezing like no other! I could hear it across the room, no need for a stethoscope. It wasn't on my mind to ever pack her inhaler. Shoot! So we made do with mine. It's the same medication but mine doesnt have a spacer or mask. We did our best. Two puffs and she was still wheezing a little but was able to fall asleep after some loving and a dose of benedryl to dry her up. Sunday, Easter morning, she was still wheezing....so more albuterol. She was able to run around and play with her cousins without many symptoms but I never listened to her lungs. Something else I dont carry around with me....a stethoscope ;) I am sure she was probably wheezing this whole time :( On our drive home, more audible wheezing....more albuterol. Monday I made an appointment with Dr Fawcett, an asthma allergy specialist. Ellie has been to her before, less than a year ago, when she was having an unusual reaction to bug bites. Her poor little legs swell up, the site is hard and very red. At this visit, I also mentioned that she is stuffy ALL THE TIME. She recommended Allegra. We have tried Allegra, Claritin, and Zyrtec for her allergies and benedryl to help with the stuffiness at night. I am here to tell you, those things do not work on this kid!!!! So here, we are back at Dr. Fawcett.....love her. She is so kind and makes sure I am mommy and not nurse. She explains things perfectly so my clouded nurse brain can make sense of the information through a stressed out nurse's mind. She reassures me! Ellie was wheezing this morning too! Not audible without a stethscope, though. We got our regimen of meds and were sent on our way to have an allergy panel drawn. I have yet to google what labs we were sent for, but there is a copy of our paperwork. Ellie was so brave! Not one tear!! I took her through McDonald's, so she would have a toy and a High-C to comfort her ;) She sat in my lap, we talked about the tight rubberband around her arm, Norman poking hard on her veins to find a good one, and how Raider & Bailey had just had the same thing done (heartworm test last week). She knew a big ouchie was coming. They told me to wrap my legs around her, so she wouldnt kick the assistant, Pat, and to grab her other arm tightly so she wouldnt swat. Ha! Let me tell you, being a nurse to other people's children is way easier than being mommy to my Ellie in this moment. A 25 gauge butterfly stick and a green bandaid later, all was well. She did quietly say, "mommy" when she saw the blood flowing but that was it. It will be a few weeks until the results are back.

For now, here are her meds, minus the prescription allergy medication....that one is waiting at the pharmacy.

She will be on Xyzal (liquid given at bedtime). Nasonex (nose spray in the morning). Proair (albuterol inhaler) 2 puffs morning and night....and then if we hear wheezing she can have it every 4-6 hours. Flovent 44 (inhaler) 2 puffs morning and night. The Xyzal is Rx form of Zyrtec. Nasonex is a steroid nose spray. Those two are for her allergies. Proair is a quick relief rescue inhaler; a bronchodilator that relaxes and opens the airway to make breathing easier. Flovent is a corticosteroid that prevents difficulty breathing, chest tightness, wheezing, and coughing caused by asthma.

Our prayer is this..........that we will give Ellie these meds for 2-3 weeks until her follow up appointment to discuss her progress on them and her lab results. At this time, her symptoms are controlled and she is back to some sort of normal baseline. Regardless of how long she has to be on these meds, especially the inhalers, our hope is that eventually she can be off of the inhalers and remain on the allergy meds. Hopefully if her allergies are controlled, she wont wheeze, she wont need inhalers. The Lord has Ellie in his hands and I will admit that I am torn on what to pray for at times. Do I just be sooooo grateful that she doesnt have FULL BLOWN asthma and that she has an awesome doctor helping us? Or do I pray for healing? I think my work background has a lot to do with this. I see babies never make it home with their parents, I see disabled kids make it home, I see healthy kids go home. I am just so grateful that she is pretty much 100% healthy and if this is the 'little' thing I have to deal with, fine! It is 'little' in comparison to what I see daily at work. Regardless, I do want a healthy child. I want her breathing to be normal. I want her to breathe clearly. That is my prayer. Thank you Jesus for the skill of Dr Fawcett, thank you Jesus for the medications! Thank you Jesus for your healing power. Thank you that this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God that the Son of God might be glorified in it (John 11:14). Thank you Jesus that You will come and heal her (Matthew 8:7). Thank you that the prayers offered in faith will restore the one who is sick (James 5:15).