We take our kids out of daycare during the summer, but we had to pay until 6/15, so we kept using daycare even though school was out. This was a huge benefit to me since Dee had to go to a football clinic at the end of the week. I was able to be home ALL BY MYSELF and clean, organize, watch TV, just do whatever I wanted! Surprisingly, I spent little time on the computer, and I also spent no time napping. I just got my house back into shape, and I spent some time finding activities and games to keep us occupied this summer. I even made Emily some folders, one for each day of the week, and every day, we open that day's folder and do the activity or game or project I have printed off.
Emily has also been having swimming lessons with the coach of our high school swim team. She has been teaching kids to swim for ages, and she also happens to have a grandaughter Emily's age. She wanted to work with her grandchild but needed a pool, so I told her she could use our subdivision pool if she gives my kids lessons too--this is a really nice barter. First, she does the 2 girls together, and then I watch them in the baby pool while she does a 15 minute lesson with Ty. He screams through his lesson, but I am amazed--he can hold his breath in the water, and if you put him under, he knows how to reach for the side, pull himself up, and hold on. Emily is swimming like a little fish and is also trained to swim to the side, hold on, and she can walk down the side while holding on and go to the stairs. What they are learning could be lifesaving one day. I am thrilled with their progress!
So now for the awful part. Ty is sick AGAIN. On Sunday, he woke up wheezing and struggling to breathe, so we took him to the doctor. He hasn't been diagnosed with asthma, but when he gets a respiratory infection, it has a tendency to cause his bronchioles to be inflamed. The doctor discovered that he had an ear infection and prescribed antibiotics plus breathing treatments. After we got home, he continued to get worse, not better. He started running a fever, and it was hanging out right around 101.9. By Tuesday, the fever was gone, but his breathing was getting no better. He had also developed a cough. On Wednesday, his breathing was worse than it had been all week, so I took him back to the doctor, they did a chest x-ray, and sure enough, my little boy has been diagnosed with pneumonia! In June!
He is now taking pediatric prednisone in addition to the antibiotic and breathing treatments. He is also back on a bottle because when he had the fever, it was the only way we could get him to take fluids. It's weird because I've been rocking him to sleep (another bad habit we will have to break when he gets better) while giving him a bottle, and I've never done that before since I always nursed him at bedtime. Who would think that I would give my kid a bedtime bottle for the first time at 14 months? He is extremely high maintenance when he is sick (like a typical guy), so I have been babying him too much lately. But it's either that or listen to him whine. Emily has been such a trooper because we've been stuck inside, and I haven't been able to spend as much time with her as I would like.
I don't know if it's my imagination, but after 2 doses of the steroid, he seems to be doing much better now. In fact, he is actually entertaining himself right now. That's why I'm able to blog. Don't get me wrong, I love to cuddle my kids and make them feel better when they are sick, but Ty literally cries if I put him down or look at something other than him for 2 seconds. It had been rather exhausting, and it was not the way I wanted to spend our first week at home together. It doesn't help that he has 4 molars and 4 eye teeth coming in right now. He also has major diaper rash since the antibiotic has caused terrible diarrhea. I can't use wipes or even a wet cloth because he screams in pain. I have to put him in the tub and rinse him with warm water every time he poops which is 1-2 times an hour. Surely this little guy is due for a break!
We would appreciate any prayers on Ty's behalf. He goes back to the doctor on Friday to check his progress, and we will decide what to do from there. I hope there will be nothing to decide and that he will be recovering nicely.
I haven't taken any pics recently, but I have photoshopped a few. Here are 2 of my creations. The first one is Emily in her Halloween costume (Cinderella dress); she loves to wear it around the house. The 2nd one is Ty looking at me through a gazeebo.
If you read the whole thing, I thank you. I'll try not to be so long-winded next time!
8 comments:
Poor baby Ty- I sure hope he feels better soon. And that you guys can enjoy the summer soon! At least you are home with him while he has been this sick. It would have been hard to handle this while working and all that stress. Have you tried Floraster kids to help with the diarrhea? Our ped recommends it each time Hannah has been on antibiotics (twice now). It is dried probiotics that you put in their bottle or sippy cup (or any soft food) that helps their little tummies. You can get it at any pharmacy OTC, but you usually have to ask for it. It seems to have helped Hannah. Praying for you guys!!
That is so weird if you read my post from like a week ago you will find out I went through the same exact thing with Sam! He had pnemonia and had steriods and an ear infection!! He ended up with a diagnosis of Asthma. Crazy! All this to say I will be praying for you all and I feel your pain of the clingingness and the crankiness!
Oh, girl, I'm so sorry. Poor baby! On a positive note, Bree went through all of that and did get the asthma diagnosis, and caught everything, but after year two it started tapering off. Now her asthma only acts up when she's sick, so a typical common cold can turn into something like bronchial pnemonia and such.
If he does wind up with Asthma, it's the worst when it's allergy time and winter. The season changes are rough, and any new environment. Even though Bree's not allergic to animals, if she's exposed to ones she's not used to or too many different things at once - bingo...here comes the sickness.
I hope you get Ty all straighted out. The positive thing is his immune system is building up TONS of antibodies that will help with future infections and he really is building a defense system for the future.
Let me know if you need anything. So did you get to meet up with Darla with all of that going on?
Miss you!!!
P.S. Are ya'll still busy the 4th? Darla's coming over... let me know when you're free and let's get together
One side note: get him allergy tested as soon as they will do it. You might be surprised what you find. Normally allergies/asthma/skin disorders (ezcema) go hand-in-hand. Bree still has very very sensitive skin, frequent yeast infections, and ezcema... Bree had a peanut allergy too and I had no idea. And they change. What they were allergic to at 1 & 2, they aren't anymore, and now there are new things!
Poor Ty! And poor you! What a way to spend your first week at home with the kids.
I love your idea to make folders for each day of the week. I may have to do that for Bethany!
And WOW are those pictures beautiful!!!!!!!!!! I just LOVE the one of Emily - she looks like a model. Of course, the one of Ty is precious, too. You are really good!
BTW.... that picture of Emily is breathtaking. LOVE IT.
We've been praying for Ty here in our household. Poor little guy!!
That pic of Emily is AWESOME!! I agree with Amanda--she looks like a model! The photography is just amazing. Good work, Melissa! Where did you take your photography class?
I love the pictures! I have been wanting to take a photography class- and you are spurring me on!
I hope Ty starts feeling better soon. And I totally understand babying them when they are sick- I do it all the time. I'm glad Em has held her own too. It can make it harder when when the other child is starving for attention.
I love your folder idea. I printed off alphabet sheets and we color one a day and then do activities centered around that letter (eating "a" foods, nature walk, craft ect) But I love the idea of work in a folder. I do it for the kids at school, but never thought about it for my own kids.
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