Our long health journey

Samantha

So this post is going to be a bit long but I think it is important for parents to know.

From birth to about 8 weeks old our little dude was the picture of perfect health. Then he caught a cold from either going to grocery store or daycare. Nothing too out of line with the normal. No fever just a stuffy nose and some fussiness.

So we waited about a week to see if he would improve. When he didn't I took him to the Drs. At this point he was starting to sound gunky in his breathing. They did xrays and it was deemed 'just a cold'.

We waited another week; still no improvement. So husband took him in and was told it was bronchilitis and given albuterol and an inhaler. At this point we now own a battery operated nose sucker and plenty of saline.

So we waited again for another 2 weeks since it can take up to 5 weeks to clear. Still no improvement and we were seeing belly breathing. Again both of us were dismissed. At this point even our daycare provider was getting pissed at the doctors.

Skip forward to Month 3 ( October) of this cold. Daycare calls me to say she was concerned over his breathing. So we jointly called Nurse Advice who recommended EMTs evaluate. I left work while she called 911.

EMTs had us go to children's hospital who again told me it was just bronchilitis. That he was fine and to just keep suctioning. 3 months now- way out of normal period.

Next day I get a panicked phone call. My baby had stopped breathing completely but she had preformed CPR and EMTs were there. He was stable and getting loaded into ambulance. She rode with him while I darted out of work and called my husband.

He stays 3 days at the hospital where again we hear the dreaded 'its just bronchilitis' but at least He was getting some help breathing.

We move to a plug in nasal aspirator. This thing has 2 settings Snot or Soul. After post hospital follow up of being told we have to wait it out this momma starts getting aggressive.

I had a pharmacy in my living room. From a nebulizer for his abuterol, humidifier, saline vials, and the new nose sucker. We get into November and both baby sitter and we are pissed and hurting for this little dude.

I have researched and moved to mixing hypotonic saline with albuterol in his nebulizer to get him some relief. Later I found out this was impressive treatment due to it being a treatment they use in hospital for RSV.

Mind you we have had several more ER visits with him due to his breathing being worse. All of them ended up with us being sent home and him untreated despite bringing videos and timelines with us.

About one week before Christmas babysitter calls again ( this woman is a damn Saint at this point) and says she feels he needs to go back to ER.

So I go and get him expecting a catch and release. That was their initial plan but then he had a reaction to their nebulizer mix. So he was admitted. This was where I finally had enough.

I threw a damn fit. Informed them he would be seen by pulmonologists and that if they told me it was bronchilitis one more time they better have a treatment plan.

It took 2 days to get the specialists. Diagnosis he currently had RSV and chronic inflammation with semi permanent lung damage.

They started him on oral steroids and antibiotics. Amazingly within 24hours he was weaning off the breathing support. By day 2 of meds his breathing was almost perfect.

*I tried to add a video of his breathing but it wouldn't attach.

Trust yourselves and if it doesn't seem right keep fighting.

ETA: He is completely better now. Just inhaled steroids through winter. Back to being supreme leader Sebastian the Pterodactyl.