The Duffy Family

MY KIDS: WHEEZY AND CROUPY

Well, the fun just never ends!!! Can't you just hear sarcasm dripping all off that statement! Eli and Ella Kate's grandad (Brian's dad) somehow received the name "buzzy" when he was younger because he had bad asthma and was always "buzzy" sounding. Even to this day the nickname has stuck despite leaving asthma behind with his youth. I think my kids are wanting to carry on the tradition of the nicknames. I mean, SERIOUSLY, couldn't they have picked a better thing to carry on through the generations??? Something that doesn't scare their parents so much?!?!?! Saturday morning we had a wake up call about 5 am-Ella Kate living up to her "new name": wheezy. She was quite audible so much so that pulling out the stethescope was truly not necessary. We gave her an albuterol nebulizer which of course wired her and made her a bit jittery so going back to sleep was not an option right then. At least the wheezing stopped though. She did get back to sleep and my wonderful husband let me sleep in until I woke up (which was by the way 10:15, a time I really don't think I've slept to since having Eli)-THANKYOU! He had to give Ella Kate another albuterol at 8 am when she woke up. Then she got her daily pulmocort at 10 am (still wheezing) and finally we pulled out the "big guns" and gave her xopenex at 11 am. That stopped the wheezing, but I called the pediatrician's office since they requested that we notify them whenever we had to use the xopenex. Well, she said, "oh! that's not good...she needs to be seen...take her to the ER". That's really not how I wanted to spend my day and chances are I could tell you EXACTLY what would happen there. And sure enough, we went, waited, had a chest X-ray (that was clear-of course) and were then sent home on orapred (which I had some left over from her big wheezing episodes on her birthday) So, in actuality, we really didn't NEED to go because I had everything I needed but somehow, I felt like a good mom having followed directions and taken care of my baby. We got her home just in time for me to change clothes and go to work that night. I will be really glad when they either 1. Diagnose her officially with asthma (which they won't do with her being so young) or 2. She grows out of it! Right now, it seems like if she is just sitting still (which is rarely ever) she is ok...labored breathing, but okay (no wheezing). BUT as soon as she starts crawling or doing just normal exertion activity, she starts wheezing. She doesn't really act like it bothers her, but it makes me nervous. Kids can change so quickly. As far as I know, she has slept soundly tonight.

HOWEVER-there's always a BUT, right? So, sister can't show him up...enters "Croupy". Brian called me at work about 10ish and said Eli was "barking". He sounded really nervous and I could hear Eli's distress in the background. I told him to give Eli an albuterol treatment and call me back. Well, Eli is at the age where he gets scared easily. He hasn't had to have breathing treatments since he was about 15 months old, so he doesn't remember them. All the distress made him even worse and I think that made Brian even more nervous. Well, it was back to the ER. Brian's mom came over to sit with Ella Kate (who thankfully was sleeping just fine) and Brian went to the ER with Eli. My parents met him there to be his support since I was at work (which was torture by the way) but I know he was in good hands and there would be nothing I could do that Brian wasn't already on top of. So, I waited, and called, several times. Eli was much better after the nebulizer but very hoarse (croup) and barking like a seal when he coughed. After a few hours, they were sent on their way home about 2 am with yet another prescription for orapred (the drug of choice for our family). Hey, at least both my kids are on the same day as far as their dosing schedules go :) So, for the next 3 days, I will have wonderful, steroid induced cranky children, but at least their airways will be okay! Eli told us today he didn't feel good....Maybe we should have listened to him :) I hope both the kids sleep in today and get the rest that they need. You can all pray for us-today being sunday (it's my day to sleep since I worked last night) and we won't go to church with the kids being so sick. Brian won't have had much sleep since he and Eli didn't get home until after 2am and if Ella Kate slept all night, she'll probably be up around 7:30 or 8. I know Brian will be tired so please pray for him as he takes care of the kids today. Pray for stamina and that he won't get sick. The parents have to stay well!!!! Also, a big THANKS to my parents for going to the hospital with Brian. It's scary when your child can't breathe and I know he appreciated the support. It's nice having family close by. Especially family that cares enough to drop everything and come rushing to your rescue! We love ya'll!

Well, that's it....enough excitement to last me a while. Well, I"m going to wrap up things here at work and get home to my family! We'll keep you up dated!