Fall

Oh fall.... you have fallen.
And hence our routine of fall allergies, humidifiers, Albuterol, croup & all our other presumed post-preemie crap has resumed.  Umph!

I had an appointment for Olivia with Dr. Thomas (respiratory doctor) scheduled for Monday to hopefully get her back on her inhaled steroids before she plants herself in the hospital (which happened last winter & the winter before was an ER visit for pneumonia).  We successfully self wean her off those steroids every summer.  Give her body a break.  And she does well.  No more respiratory issues per say than the boys in the summer months. 

And as fate would have it.... Sunday night sucked. 
Humidifier.  Albuterol.  Cough, cough.  Retract, wheeze.  Toss, turn.  ZERO sleep. 
Sucked.

So when Dr. Thomas said at the beginning of the visit "So the question is do we re-start steroids this winter or try her without after the summer success?"  I more or less replied... let me tell you about last night & have you take a listen to her first.  Then lets re-visit this discussion.  So after a double dose breathing treatment of Xopenex (to top off the Albuterol she had before we left home) the lung "squeeks" (as Dr. Thomas called them) resolved & we got a new prescription for steroids, a new Albuterol inhaler & spacer & hit the road.  Will see her again in spring & work out a plan for summer.  (Or we'll be bad patients like we usually are, skip that visit, wean her off ourself & go back in fall?)  Guess it depends on how the winter goes?  After last winter I just didn't have in me to go to one more dr. visit!

Then the kids & I ran errands.  Had a mommy-kids lunch date.  Went shopping for some fall clothes.  Everyone was healthy breathing, ornery & in great spirits.  I was sure Livi's issue was all just allergy related.

Infact, we briefly discussed the possibility of allergy testing her.  But since she has no food allergies (at least that we know of), we decided we already more-or-less knew what the results would be.  She is allergic to all the fall allergens.  Pollen, ragweed, etc., etc.  And furthermore, the course of treatment would be no different if we had results.  A daily antihistamine (Claritin), fall inhaled steroids & Albuterol as needed.  So we'll spare her that torturous test for now. 

So we had this busy & fun morning.......then they napped.

And then Hayden woke up.  Croupy.  CROUPY.  Inspiratory stridor with activity, barky-barky cough.  Croupy.  Crapy.  Retractions between those lungs when he breathed.  So off to Urgent Care a 6pm he went.  Some steroids.... and he's on his way home.  (Take that 3am ER visit- we just outsmarted you!!)  Jeff actually took him.  I think thats the first time I haven't gone to an urgent type visit.  I was pacing at home!  And Jeff enjoyed an actual 1-on-1 discssion with the doctor to learn a few things. 

Sadly, I feel a little better about Olivia & her winter outlook knowing that Hayden got sick too.  Is that twisted??!  Meaning, hopefully this is something viral vs. a display of her asthmatic tendencies already responding to winter weather/allergens/dryness/etc.  Then there is Logan.  Mr. stuck on a wisp of 12.5cc of oxygen in the NICU for.ever.  Who tends to be our kiddo with the least residual respiratory issues.  Infact even with RSV it was really the 104 degree fever for a week= dehydration that did him in, not his ability to breathe. 

Oh fall.... you're here. 
And while I do enjoy your crisp weather & jeans & boots.
As far as or health is concerned.... I'm ready for summer back.


Oh and for what its worth, Liv & Hayden got weighed at their respective visits (with clothes on & shoes off).
Livi was 29.5 pounds & 37in tall.
Hayden clocked in at 36lbs 2.5 oz!!  Holy buckets!  (\And I would guess that makes Hayden 38in tall.  (No wonder instead of triplet comments, we get asked a lot how much older the older brother is?)
And Logan didn't get weighed, but he's always neck-&-neck with Livi in weight & about an inch shorter.