Pediatric Pulmonologist Appt

This morning I took the kids to school. Went to the gym, which I have been going to now every morning 4-5 days a week. Came home to shower. Got Nate from school. Drove to Miles City. Nathan had an appointment with the pulmonologist. Everything looks GOOD!! He hasn't had any major illnesses. Dr told us he could stop taking his Flovent puffer! He was totally excited about that! Just need to follow-up in another 6 months, sooner if any pulmonary issues.

Nathan has been getting a few ear infections as of late, so the Dr did draw his blood to make sure he doesn't have IGA, an immune difficiency. I believe he has already been tested for all the auto-immune diseases. And nothing came back positive.

Autoimmune diseases compromise the immune system. A defective immune system wreaks havoc throughout the host by directing antibodies against its own tissues. That could've been why his lungs were bleeding, his body was attacking the lungs.

Sick & Happy Birthday

So it seems I'm always posting about illnesses. Everyone except ME (knock on wood) is sick. Nathan has been running a fever & coughing since Sunday. Jessica started running a fever last night. Neil thinks he was running a fever yesterday. I kept Nathan home from preschool yesterday. Jessica was SO upset that she had to stay home from school today. As today is her teachers birthday. She threw herself on the floor & just cried. ;( She usually doesn't cry, that is one way I know she is not feeling well, she cries. I mean I'm sure she is sad that she wont get to see her teacher & sing happy birthday to her. Neil did check his temperature this morning before going to work & he was 103!! Guess what?!?! He STILL went to work. Die Hard. I tell ya he is a DIE HARD!! Work-a-holic!! Gotta LOVE him!! And God Bless him!! So after being on the phone for an hour this morning, calling Nathan's pulmonologist & pediatrician, & public health nurse, & ALL my friends, I am gonna get them seen this afternoon in Poplar.

Pray everyone in my house gets well soon!!

Happy Birthday to Jessica's teacher, Mrs. Beyer!!! :)

Dr appt update

Well last Thursday, Oct 1, Nathan had a DR appt in Billings with the Pediatric Pulmonologist. They still know nothing more than I know. No answers as to why he got as sick as he did last year. Nonetheless, it was suggested that we begin a wean off the immunosuppressant medication that Nate has been taking for the last 16 months. And after 3 weeks he will need his blood drawn. If we could get prayers, for Nathan during this time, they would be greatly appreciated!! We will follow up with the PP in 3 months, if not sooner.

In the meantime, I am going to be looking into replacing the carpet throughout our house. As I'm realizing how much allergens could be in this old carpet, that was here in our house when we bought it. And the people before us did have pet(s).

Come & Gone & now kids are SICK

Jessica's first day of 1st grade has come & gone. I took pictures & had every intention on posting about it. But yet I haven't done it. Nathan doesn't start preschool until Sept 9th. Jessica really LOVES school. Her teacher is Mrs. Beyer. She has a few good friends from last year in her class. Jessica was coughing a week before school started. I was thinking it was allergies. Not really sure she has allergies - just guessing. I'd been giving her benadryl. Well she isn't getting any better. And in fact she was running a fever. So I made her a DR appt yesterday Wednesday, Sept 2. She has pnuemonia. The PA heard it in her lungs & it showed in her chest xray. It is probably viral but he still gave antibiotics. We are also doing nebulizer treatments. She is going to miss the rest of the week of school to get some rest. Last night Nathan started coughing. So he is going to start nebs as well, before he gets any worse.

It is just frustrating. Pnuemonia. That was Nathan's diagnosis before he got sick & was sent to Children's Hospital in 2008. He was hospitalized twice with "pnuemonia". And now here this is Jessica's 3rd bout of "pnuemonia" in less than a year.

Totally off subject, I floated the Missouri River this week with my church friends. Nathan was upset about going to a sitter. BUT one of the mom's I floated with, her husband volunteered to watch ALL our kids!!! Crazy??!!?? He watched Nathan, Zander, Howie, Anna, Brian, & Daniel. PLUS he had his one (Callista) home too. All 7 are under 4 yrs old. We plan on floating again as a group with our families this next weekend. I'm hoping the sun will be shining bright on that day for us. The sun kept going behind clouds making for a chilly time. It took 2 1/2 hrs to float probably 2 1/1 miles. My innertube was a little small for my butt but I managed. I had never done that before & now I know what to expect for next time!! Looking forward to it. I will post pictures as soon as I get some.

Yesterday was my brother BRIAN's 29th birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to YOU!! BRIAN!!

Today is Neil's brother CHRIS's ? birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to YOU!! CHRIS!!

Nathan's Doctor Appointment

We are home from our quick visit to Denver.
We drove to Billings on Sunday
Caught a 6 a.m. flight Monday morning to Denver
Took a city bus to The Children's Hospital
Ate breakfast
Checked in for appt
DR came in & asked a few questions, reviewed his blood work that I brought with us, & wanted Nate to have a CT scan & some blood work
Had CT scan - looked at his lungs -
DR said looks good! He can start a month long wean to stop taking the oral steroids but continue taking the immunosuppressant medication
Went for blood work
We took a city bus to the Denver Zoo & back to the hospital
Waited for a shuttle for a ride to the airport
Arrived Billings 11:24 p.m.
Came home Tuesday afternoon.

Overall it wasn't great but it wasn't bad either. She (the DR) thought that after reviewing the blood work it looked as if he (Nathan) had maybe had an "epidsode" of whatever it is that is wrong with him in March. Because his hemoglobin or hematicrit had a significant drop from the previous blood drawing a month earlier. He was sick at that time & I had taken him to the local DR too.

Flight booked

Wow it is sure easy to forget to blog. I have thought about it. But said to myself I would do it later or I wanted to wait until I had time to upload photos that I wanted to share. Still the photos have NOT been uploaded so I have not taken the time to blog.

Nathan has an appointment with the pulmonologist at The Children's Hospital on Monday, May 11th. So after writing it out on paper my options, I booked a flight out of Billings. We can fly out of Billings for $407, that is a round trip ticket for Nathan & Me. At first Neil suggested flying out of Sidney, but holy smokes at $219 a person for one way, who can afford that!! I pondered the idea of driving. But don't really think I want to drive in Denver traffic.

After being on meds everyday for the last 11 months & getting regular blood drawings HOPEFULLY he can be taken off & WILL be healthy as can be for the rest of his life!! Please say a prayer for my Nathan!! I'm trying to be optimistic but each time he gets sick we worry about how bad it will get. How fast he begins to wheeze. And when he coughs how Neil calls to check on him during the day to see if he has gotten worse.

Jessica's soccer season is almost over. Only 2 more games left this week. It has been FUN!!

We had the bedroom bathroom done. New!! It was sheetrocked, textured, painted, we bought a new shower, toilet, vanity, & new flooring. Neil LOVES his bathroom!!