Recovering nicely

For those not yet in the loop, we definitely now know that Seb has asthma. He developed a sniffle, followed by a wheeze, followed by more serious wheezing and after a trip to our doctor, then ER, he was admitted to hospital Thursday night - well more like 1.30 on Friday morning. So we have managed to avoid Canadian ERs & hospitalisation for allergies, but we fell at one of the first asthma hurdles. And that's probably why we fell. We hadn't been coached, hadn't got the right meds or machinery, and didn't have good judgment...

Anyway, none of the interventions were scary. A very different experience than in February when we didn't know what was wrong with M and he seemed so dramatically ill. Here, it all seemed known and under control; in fact the lovely paediatrician who managed Seb's case said that it was "asthma week" - just after the return to school/daycare, change in temperature and allergens, etc. We got to know a lot about lungs and "sat levels" and were secretly relieved to see that he wasn't the youngest asthmatic there.

It was a tiring few days as M & I played parental tag, trying never to leave Seb alone. It didn't seem like the nurses had any inclination to get to know him or play with him. I know they have a job - but when you see them watching tv or lying down between duties, you kinda think they could be a bit more involved with their patients. But Seb loved his own tv and VCR, the playroom, the yummy food (go figure), and having an adult always around and focused on him.

Suddenly, it was over. His oxygen levels were low but ok; he was almost wheeze-free. A nebulizer (a compressor to vaporise medication into a mask) was shoved into our hands, and he was discharged within the hour (that hour being 8.30 pm on Saturday night). He is on oral steroids for 4 days and the meds via mask every 4 hours for another day or 2. Hopefully, he will then come down to a puffer every 4 hours and then less and less and less until we find the right low-level but constant support for his lungs. It seems that he has multiple triggers - smoke, exercise, colds, cold-hot-cold temperatures.

Sophie was a trooper through it all and didn't seem the slightest bit fazed. I thought she might find it strange to breakfast without Mr. Morning but she didn't show it. She liked the toys and babies on the ward and scooting up and down the long halls on a ride-on toy.

Back at home, it is ups and downs. He is a bit fragile and is really unhappy at the idea of using this nebuliser/face mask on and off for the next umpteen years (or days or even hours). He is frustrated and wails at a drop of a hat. But at the same time he is extra whiny and self-centred, so he is a bit hard to be around and help. Oh well, we will muddle through these young emotions. Any advice especially from parents of young kids with asthma would be great, as there are tips that help. We will be sent to an asthma clinic and get the kid-friendly posters and dvd/books whatever, but still...

Thsi afternoon, he had a happy time helping his dad cut the tiny patch of grass with the new-to-us push-mower. He'll probably be off school until at least Tuesday.

But to cut a long story slightly shorter, I just nipped downstairs to get something. Upstairs, I left a very active Seb engaged in a mammoth train project. Downstairs, I found M asleep on the couch and Sophie asleep in her highchair. It's 5.30pm and I guess they just needed to catch on some zzzzzzzzzz after a long 4 days.

Here's to a quiet week ahead.