Doctor's appointments

My poor boys. Generally they are the most healthy energetic kids on the planet, but I've been to more doctor's appointments in the last week than I can even remember... one of them my own. I "could go any time", as my doctor puts it. I'm dilated to a one and 50% effaced (for anyone who likes numbers).

Here's the scoop on Jeff...

Scott and I started noticing that he was always talking super loud. He would also as us to repeat ourselves all the time and would sometimes ask us to "say it louder". We decided we should probably get his hearing tested. After an appointment with the audiologist, we learned that Jeff had fluid behind his eardrums that was causing him to have a tough time hearing. He said other than the fluid, Jeff's hearing wasn't compromised.

Thankful.

He sent a report to our pediatrician who then referred us to an ENT. At the appointment with the ENT he looked in Jeff's ears and told me that not only was there fluid in there, but it had been there long enough that it was now more like glue. He kept asking if anyone had looked inside the kids ears in the last six months... and yes, they had. He asked how many ear infections he had had... and I told him none to my knowledge. Apparently, I was wrong. The ENT wants us to get tubes put in his ears, and possibly get his adenoids out too. Not too bad.

Here's the scoop on Nate

A few weeks ago Nate started coughing, and had a fever for a few days. No big deal... I gave him some Motrin to bring down his fever and let him sleep all he wanted for a few days.

Fast forward two weeks. He still has a cough, only now he coughs ALL NIGHT LONG and vomits up gunk. I decide that this thing isn't going to "just run it's course" so I take him to the Doctor. She listens to his lungs and says that he is wheezing. She gives him a treatment with a nebulizer in her office to see if it helps... she feels it does so we get a prescription for Albuterol, a nebulizer, and an antibiotic because he also has an ear infection.

Fast forward three days. He's not getting any better, in fact, he seems to be getting worse. He throws up regularly now. Scott takes him back into the doctor and comes home with a pharmacy. Steroids, a different med for the nebulizer, a decongestant, and a laxative (that he'll take for the next month or longer... he's not doing so well on his regularity despite giving him prune juice).

The kid is on five different meds now and still doesn't seem to be getting any better. We've purchased a humidifier and propped up his bed so his head is elevated. He still has his three a.m. cough/vomit session each night and is super cranky all day long.

Today I started thinking about why his body isn't beating this thing, and my mind started to run away with me. I almost started sobbing thinking that he must have some kind of cancer or something. Mostly, I'm just exhausted and worried about this little guy. Baby number three will be here anytime now, and I hope by then Nate will be a healthy happy little man again.

Thanks for listening. I just needed to "let it all out". I think this blog is mostly for me. Sorry about that. I just use it as a place to put my thoughts and worries out there so they aren't pent up in my head. Not that there aren't plenty of people out there who listen to my sob stories when I have them, it's just nice to write them down too.

Thanks again.
Sadie