Partners in Crime

It’s official.

I know I shouldn’t feel surprised or disappointed….but I am a bit. I’m only human and the momma after all. My educated brain knows that 60% of kids with severe reflux have it, or that’s what all the research I find on-line suggests. I mean, we’re already treating Stanton for it with a daily breathing treatment called Pulmicort. Looking back over the last three years, we’ve treated most of the classic symptoms and flare-ups, however, each doctor, ENT, Immunologist, Allergist, Gastroenterologist, etc. we’ve seen has tip-toed around calling Stanton’s chronic lung/breathing issues what they really are….until today. ASTHMA - today Stanton received a diagnosis of asthma. Asthma and Reflux are truly partners in crime.

Since July 30th we’ve been to the pediatrician three times. On July 30th we went after Stanton crashed. This is what I’ve jokingly describe as his “time of the month.” Every three to three and a half weeks, the bottom just falls out from under Stanton. The mystery dots appear, the refusal of oral intake begins the clear runny nose kicks in, the vomiting eventually explodes and his oxygen levels plummet. On August 10th we went for an ear infection and increased reflux. Today we went for the right on time three week crash.

surviving on Mommy and Daddy's bed

The pediatrician obviously knows our situation and history and understands that getting a prescribed antibiotic down him is impossible. So, poor Stanton received a big shot of rocephin. We have all the inhaled and dissolvable steroids at home…so that’s where we are now, continuing to alternate the breathing treatments between Pulmicort and Xopenex. I’m hoping that Stanton will begin drinking something again by tomorrow so I can hide the dissolvable steroids in his Elecare formula. That’s the only way to get them down without a huge throw-up episode. (He hasn’t had any Elecare since Saturday around lunch).

Once we are over this episode, the pediatrician wants us to increase his daily Pulmicort breathing treatment from once to twice a day and see if that makes a difference. He also suggested we start watching to see if Stanton’s episodes become more frequent now that he is in school. If they do, the pediatrician wants us to seriously consider taking Stanton out of school. He said it’s his either his social development or his health and right now we may not be able to have both. UGH!!!! I thought we had finally arrived at something normal!!!! And Stanton really LOVES his pre-school. We’ve had zero transition issues. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it won’t come to this.



A couple of days before Stanton crashed



Connect the Dots

As I dressed Stanton for school this morning, I noticed the dots. They’re back! All over his torso, sides and slowly spreading to his back. I looked at the calendar and guess what? It’s been three and a half weeks since the last dots occurrence. It really is every three weeks or so. He was super irritable and weepy this morning. However, he wanted to go to school. With no other symptoms, I took him.

Stanton was excited when he walked into the school. He ran right in his classroom and hung up his backpack! When I picked him up he looked tired, but was still all smiles. He even gave every child a hug before leaving. His teacher said he had a good day. When I got him in the car I looked and noticed out of the 10 ounces of formula I sent, he only drank 2. No wonder he seemed tired and lethargic…..I thought. So, he drank another 2 ounces in the car on the way to speech therapy. At therapy he began complaining that his ear and head hurt. Sure enough, his left ear is draining.

As soon as we got home he sat down at our kitchen island and started profusely vomiting…..everywhere. Once I calmed him down, got his wet clothes off, sponge bathed him and settled him down on the couch in just a diaper, he fell asleep. Thankfully his draining ear was facing up, so I dug around in his cabinet and found some left over antibiotic single dose ear drops and gave him dose. I haven’t decided if I’ll take him to the pediatrician or not. I guess I’ll see how the rest of the afternoon goes and if need be, take him in the morning.

It’s only his second day of school. Looks like he’ll miss day three. Bummer!

I wish someone, somewhere, would connect the “dots.” I feel strongly they represent something more going on inside his little body…hmmmm….

Big Boy Stuff

My last post did jinx us a bit. Stanton was very sick last week with the all too familiar upper respiratory gunk. Thankfully this episode stayed in his airway and didn’t seem to drift down into his lungs. But, we were on hourly breathing treatments for 24 hours and then they slowly faded to every two hours, every four hours and eventually only twice a day. By Friday he seemed to be back to his normal.

The breathing treatment cave

Now for our “Big Boy Stuff” news !

Stanton has successfully transitioned into his “Big Boy Bed!” He seems really proud about it too, which is pretty cute! He is sleeping through the night and says it’s “comfy.” We are in the process of painting baby girl’s room, so not all of the furniture has been moved yet. Once Stanton’s room is finished, I’ll post pictures.

The other “Big Boy Stuff” news in our household is that today Stanton started Pre-K! He went right in the classroom, said “hi everybody” and let the teacher help him find his cubby for his backpack and things. I didn’t know if I should feel proud or sad….he didn’t seem to care that I was leaving. This – my little boy who I’ve held through illness after illness for so long. He’s no longer clingy and needy. He’s becoming a little person!

He said school was fun and his teacher is nice. I asked about his friends and names, but Stanton said “I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” I had to laugh, as that sounds like something I’d say! The school sent home two worksheets from class. Both were tracing activities: tracing shapes and letters. Stanton just scribbled on the shapes page, but on the letters page, it looks like he actually attempted to trace a few with a pencil. I really pray the rest of the week goes as smoothly as today!

Enjoying his class