Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Atelecstasis still lingers

After countless conversations yesterday with the pulmonologist and pediatrician, we now know the atelectasis is still lodged in Rylee's right lung.  The spot we saw on the left lung looks like something from a viral infection.  We'd decided to keep Rylee home today, planning on taking her to the doctor to see if we can keep the latest coughing bout under control and keep her well enough to go to the concert that is just now a week away.  As she was laying with me this morning on the couch, I could hear her breathing, not quickly, but loud.  I got the pulse oximeter, just to check.  92-94%, not really the numbers I was hoping for.  At 11am at the doctor's office, sitting up, her oxygen was 95%, not pleasing to me or her pediatrician.  She's started a dose of prednisolone last night, having two doeses by the time we went to the doctor.  In addition, she's had a nebulizer treatment of Albuterol and Pulmicort, a 20 minute Vest Therapy with 7% saline nebulizer treatment.  The diagnosis from the doctor, bronchitis, possibly viral, so we were told to hold off on antibiotics.  After lunch I got Rylee to settle long enough to fall asleep.  Again I noticed the heavy breathing, so checked her oxygen level with the pulse oximeter.  86-88%, I couldn't believe it.  I waited a few minutes and checked again, 88% was as high as she would get.  These are the types of numbers that land her in the hospital on oxygen.
After calling the doctor's office to ask if there is anything I can do in additional to all the treatments and therapies we're doing now and the pediatrician suggested starting the antibiotics.  We'll start after dinner, hoping it won't be too late.  If numbers fall below 90% tonight, we'll have to head to the ER.  This week could be our first hospitalization of 2013.  For now we'll stay the course and hope that whatever is attacking her respiratory system will budge, soon.
I feel like since diagnosis, things have progressively gone downhill for Rylee.  She's been congested--stuffy or runny nose and coughing since November.  She's beginning to understand more now and ask more questions.  It is so hard to explain to a 4 year old that the next 5-7 years of her life are going to be the hardest, in terms of infections.  I feel like the only great thing for her lately is the Justin Bieber/Carly Rae Jepsen concert next week.  I have got to do everything to make sure she goes to that concert, she deserves it more than any kid I know.  I feel like I've let her down so much lately and I will not let her down next Tuesday night.

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