Home Again!

Well it was a long week, sorry to not update, but I didn't have access to a computer and was not leaving her to get it.
Sunday night, Maddie started wheezing on our way home from a family get together. We did a breathing treatment (borrowed some albuterol from Hunter) and put her to bed. She sounded better for all of 5 minutes then progressively got worse. Much worse. About an hour after the treatment we decided to go ahead to the ER. Jeff took her to Baptist East ER, spent 6 hours there and she was no better, so they decided to transfer her to Kosair. Kosair decided to admit her, but no beds were available. They treated her with continuous breathing treatments, steroids and muscle relaxers to try to open her lungs and let the oxygen in. Based on her response to the medications they decided to admit her to the PICU (pediatric intensive care unit). 37 very long hours later we were admitted to the PICU. After a 50 hour breathing treatment (yes, I said 50 hours), they put her on a every 2 hour breathing treatment. From there we went to every 3 and got rid of the muscle relaxer. She continued to respond well and we were transferred out of the PICU to a regular floor. On the regular floor she continued to do well and weaned her to a every 4 hour treatment + steroids.
Let's recap shall we...6hrs and BE, 37 at Kosair ER, 30 at Kosair PICU, and 20 in a regular room. 4 Days and about 12 hours of sleep each, we are home. She is still wheezing a little and also a little labored in her breathing. They do say she should be well enough to continue treatments at home and to follow up with her pediatrician in the next day or so.
Also while we were at Kosair, she was due for an echo and EKG of her heart to check on her heart defects. All the abnormal openings are fully closed and she doesn't have to follow up with them again, unless we start having concerns. YEAH!
Thank you for all your prayers and concern. We love and appreciate you all!

Updates...a little late.

I'm sorry for the lag in updates, and thank you for expressing the desire for updates and for following our blog.

So, a quick recall...We moved into Louisville in October, still haven't sold our house in Taylorsville (any one interested...any one?), but we've settled in nicely here. It's great having everything so convenient to the house.

Hunter is still at The Temple and loving it as usual. He is excited about kindergarten though. Can't wait to start a new school. We took a tour with him in November and he was awestruck by the size and all the "big kids". We are looking at Whitfield Academy here in Louisville. Applications are due in a couple of weeks so I will keep you posted on his acceptance status.

Jeff had 3 weeks off at Christmas Eve into January. But he's back in the swing of things. Well sort of. He's had to use quite a few sick days just in the last couple of weeks being back to work. Between sick kiddos (Hunter has RSV and Maddie a little cold) and doctors appts. I've been unable to help him take them to and from the doc, but he's been a trooper about it. What a great husband I have!

I've started my clinicals back and have about 1.5 weeks left. I've been at Frazier Rehab Hospital working with spinal cord injuries and multiple other diagnoses. It's been fun. I was nervous to leave Maddie after being home with her for 9 months, but it's been good. I still miss being home with her, but it's not as hard as it was to leave her. I know she is fine and safe with her sitter. So not too much longer....any one hiring a PTA in Louisville? :-)

Maddie...well Maddie is still small and still as full of spunk as ever. She has had some weight gaining issues the past several months. Fluctuating between 9lb 11oz and 10lbs. Finally she is over that 10lb mark by 5oz...but we are over it. The doctor and us of course are concerned, so we've been doing some blood work. We are currently waiting on the last tests to come in, but I think regardless of the results we will be visiting an endocrinologist to try to get her growing again. She eats like crazy, as much as babies her chronological age do. I don't know where she puts it. She also has developed a leg length discrepency. Her left leg is a tad bit shorter than her right. Xrays reveal that her hips are normal. We will go see a pediatric orthopedist for this. And she will most likely be starting some therapy as well. OT/PT/SLP....I'm not sure...maybe all. But it's a good thing. She is not doing everything a "normal" six month old should be doing so it's for the better.

We went to South Carolina to my parents house for Christmas this year. The kids had a ball. We did to. It was very relaxing and it's always good to visit with Mom and Dad. Dad got a Wii for him and mom and we all had a great time playing that. I think we had that thing running 6 hours one day. Whew!