THE "A" WORD

Coffee table of a newly diagnosed
asthmatic


LB wanted me to take this for her scrapbook


Loading LB in ambulance


Stickers are cool - even in the ER.


In local ER receiving breathing treatments

It started a few months ago. LB slowly developed a cough that wouldn’t go away. It would worsen at time and I could see how hard she had to work to breathe. I took her to her Dr. 3 or 4 times only to be told she had a virus, or allergies, or croup, etc. given meds, they helped for awhile, then it would all reappear.

Over this past weekend, she was slowly getting sicker and sicker. It started w/ the croup, then fever, then vomiting, loud wheezing, and then hives (?). On Sunday she was really struggling w/ breathing and her lips actually started to turn a light blue/gray color. I rushed her to our local ER (where they know us well - 7 visits in the past 2+ yrs) and her pulse ox was down to 89! Thankfully, they got us right in and gave her 3 different breathing treatments and a dose of steroids. Her number still wouldn’t rise so they transferred her via ambulance to Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital in ATL. They really didn’t do much there (I went thinking they were going to admit us.) We left w/ breathing treatment equipment and a lot of confusion… and by 'left' I mean calling my good friend Chele (who already had my 2 other kids) at 3 a.m.to drive across ATL to pick us up as we were stranded there w/o a car.

Yesterday LB was able to get in to her regular Dr. and was formally diagnosed w/ ASTHMA! It really was no surprise, but scary nonetheless to hear a Dr. actually say it. LB was wheezing again by then and had another treatment. Our wonderful Dr. gave me tons of info, meds, a nebulizer, etc. all in an effort to get this under control. I’m super sad that this has entered our lives, but ready now to face the challenge of giving her precious little body assistance with breathing!