Doster's Week

What a week for Doster!  Last Saturday he started out very emotional, crying at every turn.  We suspected that something might be brewing and that evening he had a headache and fever.  That fever still hasn't broken (it is now a week from Saturday).  We went to the doctor on Monday and strep was negative so we thought it was a fever virus and would run its course.

He stayed home from school all week as the fever remained and his congestion/cough worsened.  By Thursday afternoon I knew something was wrong and was very concerned about how his cough sounded.  I got him in to the doctor early Friday morning and, after a chest X-ray, it was confirmed that he had pneumonia.

Mary Anna had a fever a couple days this week too but we think it was due to a sinus infection.

Doster also has asthma and he was wheezing quite a bit.  They gave him a strong dose of antibiotic via 2 shots (for which he was so brave - no fighting at all!) and then sent us home to rest more with followup this morning.

He threw up as we arrived Friday morning but I think it was from being car sick.

Mary Anna is so watchful and comforting to Doster when he is sick.

Mary Anna's tears after Bubby was so brave getting his shots.  She didn't like to see him in pain. 

They were really painful and made his legs sore.  

We had to wait 20 minutes to make sure he didn't have an adverse reaction to them.  

I took him in early this morning and while his pneumonia sounded a bit better, his oxygen level was low.  Thankfully he responded to the breathing treatment and it rose.
If he hadn't responded to the breathing treatment we would have been sent to Scottish Rite so I was very very relieved when that oxygen level went up.

Because of the wheeze the doctor decided to treat him for double ear infections, pneumonia, walking pneumonia (from what I understand, a bacterial component) and his asthma.  He is on two strong antibiotics and a steroid along with his inhaler.

He closed his eyes and did the 7 minutes of breathing treatment, concentrating on doing it right and breathing deep.  

So proud of how he has handled the new and not-so-fun things this week.

We are to go in Monday morning again and we were told he would be out of school all next week too.

Thankfully, I think we are going to start a preventative "controller" medicine for his asthma during the fall and winter months as he has had trouble a couple times this fall.

It is so hard to watch your kids be sick and not be able to do anything but keep track of all the dosages and times for medicine.  His cough WEARS him out and I hate that for him.  All of this breathing/lung  stuff is new for me so there are lots of questions I am asking and lots of information I am taking in.  Emotionally and mentally, this week has worn me out.

Despite how difficult it has been, it has also been good for me to see things from this perspective.

This week I've been so thankful for the non-permamant position we are in.  I am learning a lot, discovering how to care for Doster's condition and teaching him the same...but we are not headed to a hospital for all these visits and we are not wondering what the outcome will be.  There were a few moments that I let fear get to me but, overall, I have been secure in knowing Doster will be just fine.

For this I am thankful.

For all the co-pays this week has cost us, they are not ER bills and overnight stays we are trying to pay.

Despite the difficulty, the week has also given me a chance to be thankful and realize what we could be dealing with.  I am so thankful that the Lord blessed our family with three healthy children.  I am in awe of how many families are dealing with so much more.