Another one bites the dust October 10, 2008

I now have kiddo #2 with the respiratory bug.  Actually all 3 had the original cold but now another has had some complications from it.  It used to be that Jennifer would get the worst of the respiratory symptoms and Samuel would be not far behind.  But this year apparently it’s different.

Benjamin has only once had any respiratory issues beyond a cold.  That was bronchiolitis as a 7 month old baby.  A few breathing treatments and he was as good as gold again.  But this bug that they all have must be a bad one as it has even affected him.  He had this cough for about 2 weeks that just wasn’t getting better.  This morning he was coughing so bad that he was gagging and vomiting so I figured it was time to bring him in.  The doc listened and said he not only had bronchitis like Sam but that he was wheezing too!!!  Sheesh Ben NEVER wheezes.

Antibiotics and breathing treatments for him too.  No steroids at least.  He wasn’t a huge fan of the first breathing treatment as he hasn’t had one in so long but he did withstand it. 

It’s only October.  What are we going to do once winter actually starts……………..Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

Here he is getting his treatment:

Surgery was a success……..she passed!!!! October 10, 2008

Yesterday was Jennifer’s post-op swallow study. It has been almost 3 months since her surgery to fix the laryngeal cleft. Ready for the results………………………..

NO ASPIRATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was perfect!! For those who would understand this part:  there was no penetration either!!! No silent aspiration, no nothing. 

She is fixed!! Dr. Rahbar is the BEST doctor in the whole world!!

After such a long journey I never thought we’d see this day. I had such doubts and trials. The decision to do the surgery was not an easy one and the second guessing was huge but in the end it turned out to be the right one after all. Thanks to the Lord!!

The update is coming today as yesterday was quite the adventure!! Her test was at 2pm. We got back there about 2:20 and it literally took about 5 minutes!! A usually swallow study test takes longer but they only needed to see if she was safe for the liquids. When we got done we had to go and see all the ’sights’ meaning all the things she loves at Boston Children’s. The bubbles, the lobster, the balls and especially the garden. We even brought bird food to feed the birds in the garden this time! We could have rushed out of there and gotten right home but the day before when I told her we were going she asked if there would be any boo boos that day. I told her there wouldn’t be but at the same time I wanted to make it as positive an experience as I could. She’s already quite weary about anyone doing anything around her mouth so I just wanted positive.

By the time we got done with the sights and getting a snack it was 4pm. Had some trouble getting out of the parking garage and I’m pretty sure I got charged twice. Should have realized that was a forbearing of the rest of the trip home! I went the wrong way into a toll booth and ended up on the wrong highway. That added 20 min to the trip. Then I missed my exit to get onto the last highway and this one wasn’t as easily corrected. We ended up having to eat dinner on the road and taking a back road to get to the highway we needed. This second mistake ended up adding 1 1/2 hours to the trip!!!! So a 2 hour trip home ended up taking nearly 4 hours!!!

But in the end not much could burst my bubble! I was riding on cloud 9. I can do that trip in my sleep. I think I was just riding on a natural high and driving along thinking about how I never thought she’d get to this day and then ‘Oh there’s my exit’!!!!

Here is a pic of her getting ready to have the swallow study done:

And another of her out in the garden enjoying the birds: