Flash back diagnosis
I was thinking about when Son #2 was diagnosed with asthma. It was his first time in the hospital when the respiratory therapist told us he had asthma. I still remember the shock, thinking 'wait a minute!' I already took him to the pediatrician clutching my wrinkled little article about asthma out of a parenting magazine. Something just didn't seem right. I still felt unsettled when the doctor said there was nothing wrong with him.
The day he was admitted, I took him to the doctor because he had a cold and was sick and coughing. But his color was really off, he looked very pale, had purple circles under his eyes, and his lips were a burgundy color. I just felt something wasn't quite right. So, off we went to the doctor's office. The physician's assistant came in first, then suddenly the room filled with the head doctor and a couple of nurses. I remember Son #2 seemed very sleepy. He couldn't even sit up right when they were doing a breathing treatment, so I had to hold him.
They quickly said I needed to take him to the hospital. Luckily, the doctor's office is connected to the back of the hospital, so if was a quick drive to the front of the building. I still remember calling Hubby at work. He said, "What do you mean they're putting him in the hospital? Why?" All I knew is that he was having a hard time breathing.
Boy, were we in for a new chapter of our lives! He's been admitted 8 times for asthma since then, Kitty has been in 4 times. If I only knew then what I know now......
Trust your instinct and keep pushing. You know your children best. If you feel like there is something wrong, keep searching for answers.
I remember telling the respiratory therapist that I had already visited the doctor to see if Son #2 had asthma, and he had said no. In the 30 pages of information the respiratory therapist printed out for me about asthma, one of the articles had talked about asthma being called the 'hysterical mother's syndrome'. Mothers would be up all night with sick kids, take them to the doctor first thing in the morning, and they would be fine.
Now I know cold air affects them, getting up and walking out to the car affects them. Their oxygen levels do in fact drop during the night when the kids are relaxed and sleeping.
So, I've said it before, but if you think something is wrong, be persistant. I've been told the kids are okay, only to have them admitted to the hospital 4 hours later. Keep a sharp eye on them and get a second opinion. We, as mothers, are our kid's best defense.
The day he was admitted, I took him to the doctor because he had a cold and was sick and coughing. But his color was really off, he looked very pale, had purple circles under his eyes, and his lips were a burgundy color. I just felt something wasn't quite right. So, off we went to the doctor's office. The physician's assistant came in first, then suddenly the room filled with the head doctor and a couple of nurses. I remember Son #2 seemed very sleepy. He couldn't even sit up right when they were doing a breathing treatment, so I had to hold him.
They quickly said I needed to take him to the hospital. Luckily, the doctor's office is connected to the back of the hospital, so if was a quick drive to the front of the building. I still remember calling Hubby at work. He said, "What do you mean they're putting him in the hospital? Why?" All I knew is that he was having a hard time breathing.
Boy, were we in for a new chapter of our lives! He's been admitted 8 times for asthma since then, Kitty has been in 4 times. If I only knew then what I know now......
Trust your instinct and keep pushing. You know your children best. If you feel like there is something wrong, keep searching for answers.
I remember telling the respiratory therapist that I had already visited the doctor to see if Son #2 had asthma, and he had said no. In the 30 pages of information the respiratory therapist printed out for me about asthma, one of the articles had talked about asthma being called the 'hysterical mother's syndrome'. Mothers would be up all night with sick kids, take them to the doctor first thing in the morning, and they would be fine.
Now I know cold air affects them, getting up and walking out to the car affects them. Their oxygen levels do in fact drop during the night when the kids are relaxed and sleeping.
So, I've said it before, but if you think something is wrong, be persistant. I've been told the kids are okay, only to have them admitted to the hospital 4 hours later. Keep a sharp eye on them and get a second opinion. We, as mothers, are our kid's best defense.
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