Thankful For Caring Doctors!

A year ago this month we were in and out of the ER at Childrens and eventually Kailtyn was hospitalized for breathing complications due to a respiratory virus she had. Her oxygen levels were low and they came in every two hours to give her breathing treatments and check her oxygen levels.  We were all exhausted.  She was 10 months old and I just remember thinking how little she looked in that big hospital bed. Ever since then we have had breathing issues with each and every respiratory ailment--sending us back to the doctor or the ER for breathing treatments.

Kaitlyn last September in the hospital.

Kaitlyn and Jacob during her hospital visit last year.

Kaitlyn and me.

Her breathing hasn't been as bad as it was last September.  Sure, she's needed a breathing treatment here or there but after that she sounded better, felt better, and life went on.
Yesterday Kaitlyn was fine.  She wasn't fussy or acting like she felt bad, she seemed perfectly fine.  I put her to bed last night and she was lovey, telling us all, "nigh nigh" and blowing us kisses.  I tucked her in, turned on her lamp and noise maker and turned off her light and we all went about our business. We had plans to go to OSU and battle the herds of people on game day to do the family fun (face painting, inflatables, games) with the kids.  It might be crowded and stressful but the kids would love it--and that's what is important!

This morning, I heard Kailtyn calling, "Mama!"  She does this every morning but it is usually louder.  I went in her room to get her and she was hoarse, wheezing and breathing very heavy.  My heart sank.  "Not again," I thought.  I took her into our room where Jacob and the boys were reading a book together and just stood there so Jacob could hear her.  He made a disapproving face and said, "Doesn't Urgent Care open early? Maybe you should take her."  I said, "That's what I thought, but wanted to be sure I wasn't overreacting."  I fed her breakfast, dressed her and fixed her hair, and got myself dressed and we went to the doctor's office.  Jacob and I had talked about how they'd probably tell us it was croup or a virus and to just put her in a steamy bathroom--that is what they usually tell us and we end up back in the ER.  I prayed this wouldn't be the case, that the doctor would actually listen and try to do something instead of it just being the same old thing.


Kaitlyn's breathing echoed through the waiting room as we waited.  We didn't wait long, though.  A few minutes after signing in they called her back. Her oxygen levels were low and they agreed she was struggling to breathe.  The doctor was very sweet and very patient--grandmotherly, if you will--and she comforted Kaitlyn and encouraged her.  She got a lot of smiles out of my sick girl this morning.  She ran some tests and gave Kaitlyn a breathing treatment.  We were told that she had pneumonia and her oxygen levels were up to 98, which was much better, but they wanted them at 100.  She prescribed an antibiotic, steroids, and a nebulizer with Albuterol for Kaitlyn.

She told us she wasn't going to let us leave until her oxygen levels were raised. She asked about her hospitalization a year ago and seemed shocked that no one has ever prescribed a nebulizer for Kaitlyn. I was so thankful to have a doctor who listened to us and didn't hurry us out of the office to get to the next patient. They gave Kaitlyn a Strawberry Shortcake sticker and we headed to get her medications filled and get a nebulizer.

We are getting extra cuddles from our busy girl today and we are loving every minute of it.  I am so thankful for the doctor who took the time to listen to me, check out everything she could on Kaitlyn to make a diagnosis and make sure Kaitlyn was breathing better before sending us on our way.  I had this fear in the back of my mind that we would end up in the ER later today, but my fears have subsided since we now have a nebulizer to help our little girl breathe. Because, you know, breathing . . . it's kind of important. ;)

Change The World

In our house music is loved and appreciated, but I have to admit that some of today's popular music isn't kid-friendly.  I have a 7-year-old boy who loves to read everything, asks questions about everything . . . and listens to lyrics in songs and will ask what they mean.  There are quite a few songs out there with lyrics that I don't particularly want any of my children to hear (much less understand).  For this reason, while driving around in the minivan I try to listen to music that is positive.  One of my favorite singers is Britt Nicole.  She has a lot of positive songs that are upbeat and fun--Kaitlyn can dance to them and the boys can enjoy them  . . . and my Logan can listen to the lyrics and hear nothing bad.  We were listening to her today and a song came on called "Still That Girl."

Here is the chorus:

You were young, you were free
And you dared to believe
You could be the girl
Who could change the world
Then your life took a turn
And you fell, and it hurt
But you're still that girl
And you're gonna change this world
Woh oh oh oh oh oh
You're still that girl
You're still that girl
Woh oh oh oh oh oh
You're still that girl
You're still that girl

From the back of the minivan I heard Logan's voice say, "Can this song be for boys, too?"  I looked at him in the rearview mirror and said, "What do you mean?"  He said, "Changing the world?  It says, 'You're still that girl and you're gonna change this world.' What if you're a boy and you want to change the world?"  I said, "Boys can change the world too, bubby."  He said, "I'm gonna be that boy who can change the world." 

I pulled into the school drop off line and as we waited I said, "Logan, I don't know what you're going to be when you grow up, but I can tell you with complete faith and honesty that I know you are going to be some one great and you ARE going change this world."  His smile was so big that it lit up the minivan.  He said, "Mom, everyone could change the world if they'd just do their part.  Grown ups could start with being nicer to each other.  Why don't they care about each other?  And we can give and help people.  There is so much to do."  We pulled up a little farther in the line and he said, "Maybe when I grow up I need to work with grown ups and teach them how to be nice to each other.  The world would be a better place if grown ups acted the way they tell us kids to act."  

All I could do was smile.  We made it to the front of the line and he opened the door to hop out of the van.  I said, "Have a good day, bubby.  Listen to your teacher, make good choices, and be a friend!"  He said, "I will, Mama!  I'm going to make some one happy today."  

This kid blows my mind sometimes.  No, he isn't perfect.  He has moments where he cries when he doesn't get his way and he asks for toys and candy and things just like other kids--he has spent time in the time out spot, had privileges taken away for bad behavior--he IS a normal kid, but he is an emotional kid and he cares about people. He is a boy who thinks A LOT and feels A LOT and sees A LOT going on around him. What he said really stuck with me because he's right.  Grown ups say one thing and then go gossip about people behind their backs, they think they are better than others, we take instead of giving and we beat each other down instead of lifting each other up.  

So, grown ups, have YOU made some one happy today?  What are you doing to change the world?  

I have no doubt that this boy is destined to do great things and I can't wait to see what the future holds for him!