Thursday, February 18, 2010

Whirlwind, anyone?

Seriously, this picture above pretty much describes my life right now. Even down to the fangs. ;)

My boys have not been well in months. Benjamin is on the upswing, as far as actual illness is concerned. He still has a few days left to finish up the antibiotic for his first ear infection.

However, the eating/screaming/fluid in his breathing after he drinks has not gotten better, and he has a swallow study scheduled for Monday (2/22). I really hope and pray that this will lend some answers to why he has been having issues. He has an appt w/his regular pediatrician next Thursday (2/25) for a recheck of his ear and to discuss the swallow study results. Then he has an appt w/a GI doctor (his first appt with one) on March 8.

For now, in the land of Benjamin, things are as good as to be expected right now. He is only fussy really during meals, which is far better than all the time, so I'll take it. He is sweet and smiley, and I just love him so, so much. I love to hold him and have him snuggle into me. Granted, he only does that if I'm standing up (b/c if I'm sitting, he tries to squirm away b/c he loves to move), but, again, I'll take it.

We have recently changed his therapies up a little bit. He was receiving PT once a week for an hour and ST twice a month for 30 minutes. But he has gotten so much better with his gross motor skills and has almost regressed on his verbal skills. Plus his fine motor skills (stacking, puzzles, etc) are not very good. So we are now doing PT twice a month for an hour, ST twice a month for an hour (they alternate Wednesday mornings, which is perfect), and we're going to get him evaluated for OT in the near future to work on the fine motor.

That's Benjamin's update.

Andrew's update is slightly more complicated, if that's possible.

Anyone who has read my blog for awhile knows that Andrew is a fussy/picky/slow eater and always has been. In the fall, his doctor and I discussed having his tonsils taken out in the summer b/c he has a small mouth and large tonsils, making it hard for him to eat and swallow.

Well, the situation w/his eating (not to mention his throat has been constantly sore and his tonsils and lymph nodes have been swollen) has only gotten worse.

So in an effort to get as many medical things as possible done before Thomas' arrival in five short weeks, Andrew is getting his tonsils and adenoids removed two weeks from tomorrow, on March 5. That will give him 19 recovery days before his fourth birthday, and 20 recovery days before his second brother is born.

We met with the surgeon, Dr. St. Charles, this week, and he agreed that Andrew's small mouth, farset jaw, and large tonsils, combined with his history of picky/slow eating, make him a perfect candidate to have his tonsils and adenoids removed. (He does not need tubes in his ears, as he's never even had a single ear infection.)

And now, as Benjamin is doing better, Andrew is getting sick.

Again.

Another reason for my compounded stress is the fact that Matthew has been super busy at work, and is out of town 2-3 days a week. When he's not out of town, he's busy preparing for his out-of-town meetings, thus working late. So last night, I was on day two of doing all of the daily routine by myself, without my helpful husband. (Which normally isn't horribly hard, but is increasingly harder when I'm increasingly more pregnant...) We got home from my nephew's 7th birthday party. I had just put Benjamin down to bed (breathing treatment? check. antibiotic? check. humidifier? check.) and was getting Andrew ready for bed. He has been coughing a little more recently, his nose is running more, etc. But as I was getting him ready, I felt his head and his body.

And I knew he had a fever.

Isn't it funny how when someone else (even your husband or your mother) feels your child, he/she can't always tell if he has a fever, but you just know? There's definitely something to be said about a mother's intuition.

So I took his temperature, and he had a 101.4 fever.

Soooooo no preschool today. And that meant I couldn't take Benjamin to the library lapsit program.

Andrew seems to feel slightly worse today and is coughing a lot. And sniffing a lot. He has a couple of sores in his mouth, but I really don't think he has Hand, Foot, Mouth again. I think they're just irritated spot in the corners of his mouth. I'm waiting for a call back from the doctor about getting a prescription for him.

Another big Andrew thing lately is that he hasn't taken a nap in about five or six days. He has tried, and he has at least had a semi-restful time in his room, but no actual sleeping. He doesn't necessarily go to sleep any earlier at night either. Ugh. I know he's almost four, and many kids don't even nap as long as this, but of all the times for him to give up his nap, this is far from ideal.

But such is life. I have had to learn how to deal with the far from ideal. Seems it's a pattern in my life.

It's actually a good thing I didn't go anywhere today because I've had to make a million phone calls today, calling doctors, moving appointments, preregistering Andrew for surgery, asking lab questions, etc. Ugh.

Meanwhile it's still far too cold here. Right now it's 39. The sun is at least shining. But it's bitter cold.

And it's time for my boys to eat lunch.

I need to shower sometime today, but I'm expecting three phone calls from various offices and really don't want to risk missing those calls.

The pantry is almost out of food, and I desperately need to go to the store for groceries.

But through all of this, I am (for the present moment...) staying sane. None of it is impossible (yet), just hard. I can handle hard. And my God can handle the impossible.

10 comments:

lots_of_love_four_kids said...

Hang in there Momma. You are doing an awesome job. I will be praying for you and for your boys that they will be feeling better and back to their happy selves before you know it! Take care.
-Jenni

Katie J said...

So sorry you have so much stuff going on- that is the pits and I know it is rough! On days like these I remind myself that according to 2 Tim 1:7, "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." The sound mind part is what I really have to focus on sometimes! It is completely terrible when the kids are sick- I pray a speedy recovery for Andrew and I am so glad to hear Benjamin is doing better! Sounds like some Chik-Fil-A or Sonic is in order. I truly wish I lived close by so I could bring you some over as I know it does me a world of good sometimes to just have that little bit of worry off of me (and I know I sound crazy as we don't even know each other that well but I read your blog all the time so I feel I know you, plus since our boys are close in age we have experienced so much of the same thing!). Which reminds me, if Andrew is giving up napping I would for sure go for the earlier bedtime. My 3 year old misses naps on occasion when I can't get him to go to sleep and he is usu. in bed by 7:30 or 8 those nights. Praying for you girl!

Todd and Courtney said...

You are doing such a great job! Id go to the store for you in a jiff if I could. Zap me a message if you ever need me. Id be more than happy to help and watch the kiddos if you ever need me time. Lauren could use some new friends too :)

Mel said...

I feel you pain on the abandoning of day sleeps. Both of my 'big kids' gave up theirs when I was very pregnant with the next baby and desperate for some time out during the day. Great timing! Hang in there, it doesn't matter if you don't get that shower until tonight, or if the kids get out of their pjs or not, as long as everyone is fed and watered :)

JILL said...

I'm sorry to hear Andrew is running a fever. Poor kid! I like your glass-half-full view on it that you got to stay home and do all your phone calls.

Will they step up Benjamin's therapy schedule when he turns 2? 2x per month sounds pretty relaxed to me. Carl started at 26 mos, with 2x 30 mins speech and 2x 60 mins play therapy. (He did not qualify for OT) He has someone working with him 4 out of 5 days per week.

xoxox

Shannon said...

hang in there... things will hopefully get better soon!!! btw, i love the taz picture!!! :)

and how was it warmer up here today? i think we hit 46 degrees!!! our snowmen all melted.

The Hollimans said...

Elijah on and off has issues with his naps. I just don't think he really needs one anymore most of the time -but I sure need him to have one:)
What we've done lately is to put him down around two and I'll tell him that he has to stay in his room until four. I tell him he does not have to sleep but he is not allowed to yell, open his door, or try to talk to me through the door(because that is my quiet time and I cannot live without it:). He's allowed to play quietly.
Since we started that he's actually gone to sleep almost every day. Weird. It's like I tell him he doesn't have to sleep and he does. I guess he just likes to not do what I say...

Christia said...

Angela, I'm so sorry that you've got so much going on, right before you are going to have Thomas! Let me know if there's anything I can do to help you. And I hope Andrew starts napping again.

Branton Family said...

Hang in there. You are doing great...

MamaErin said...

Angela,

I'd love to know how the surgery goes. We are supposed to meeting with a surgeon in regards to having Vickys tonsils out - they are seriously just touching right now - I think this is why she is so picky and gags so much on foods no matter how small they are. They are no surgeons around here who will do surgery on a child her age (2), so we have to travel 5 hours south of us to see someone. And of course that means, when it is time for surgery, we'll have to go downstate again for that too. I'll be interested in hearing how A does afterward and if it is helping his eating, etc.

Erin