Two of my children have infection-triggered asthma. Something as simple as a cold or the croup can turn into a huge issue for us, triggering a full-blown asthma exacerbation. Joshua has had wheezing and coughing for about 3 weeks now. Two trips to the pediatrician, three phone calls to the pediatrician, one trip to the ER for chest x-ray, a round of steroids, a round of antibiotics since December 20 and he is still coughing and wheezing.
But today! Today was the day that I was going to get some answers! Today...we saw the pulmonologist! He would know what to do! He would listen to my son's chest and tell me I'm not crazy! He would hear THAT KID IS WHEEZING! But first, I must talk to the nurse. I love Nurse Sharon. But she's gonna wanna know everything that has happened with these 2 kids since we were there last. Every doctor visit, every steroid, every antibiotic.
Can you believe I forgot to mention that my daughter had to visit the hospital in Beaumont when we were there for Thanksgiving? Twice? On the same day? Her birthday? After she threw up all over me in a restaurant? I forgot that...
I couldn't remember what Reagan had antibiotics for in October. Nurse Sharon wanted to know. And I know I didn't accurately remember everything. Things probably work better when the trained medical professionals are given accurate information.
This has happened to me before. Medical staff asking me questions that I couldn't answer and feeling like a complete idiot. In November, when Bubba had his 2nd set of tubes put in, the anesthesiology resident literally wanted me to remember from the top of my head "when the last time he was on antibiotics for something other than his ears". Really? I have no freakin' idea. Mom looks like an idiot and the doctor scores. Must not have been too important. They did the surgery anyway, even though they didn't know when the last time he had antibiotics for something besides his infected ears.
I promised Nurse Sharon that starting this year I would start keeping better tabs on my children's health. I'm going to keep a notebook and write everything down so when someone asks me why antibiotics were prescribed, I'm gonna know.
And Dr. Hadeed did know what to do. My kid was wheezing and coughing, Dr. Hadeed heard him and Dr. Hadeed had a plan. Dr. Hadeed had a plan! Of course it means more steroids and more breathing treatments and more "wait and see", but there is a plan in place and I can live with that. He's not just gonna let my kids cough and wheeze and be sick. Apparently, I'm supposed to be calling the pulmonologist when my kid is coughing and wheezing, not going to the pediatrician 3x a week. Apparently, there are instructions that can be given over the phone, things that can be done at home and in the words of today's great physician, "You wouldn't even have to leave the house."
I'm for that.
2 comments:
I hope everything works out better for you this year with regards to your children s health.
And I am all for doing stuff over the phone.
Woooooooo to the Hoooooooooo! Girl, that's some good news! And if you asked me when the last time a few of my kids have even been to the doctor, I couldn't tell you. The other two, whom we will label the Sickies, I couldn't tell you how many times and for what each time. I'd have to call my pediatrician and tell him to fax their records. It's too much. So don't feel bad. Nobody is Wonder Woman (as much as I'd like to be. I have the bracelet and everything!).
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