Pneumonia

Breathing problems are an all too familiar visitor to our home. I remember when Maren got RSV at 6 months old while we were visiting my parents in Texas. I had to buy a nebulizer machine for her breathing treatments and it set us back about $80. At the time I was so annoyed, thinking we'd use it for a few weeks and then watch it collect dust. Boy was I wrong. We have gotten more mileage out of that machine that I could ever imagine.

Maren has never been formally diagnosed with asthma, but it's pretty apparent that something is going on with her lungs. Her triggers are still somewhat of a mystery. She has been tested for seasonal allergies but they were all negative. It doesn't seem to be exercise induced either. It just flares up any time she gets a runny nose or anything viral. Which happens a lot, apparently. We were at the pediatrician just 2 1/2 weeks ago for a flare-up, and they bumped her daily inhaled steroid from once to twice a day. Fast forward to yesterday and turns out 2 daily Pulmacort treatments and intermittent Albuterol are not enough to keep her airways working properly.

I found my sweet girl on the couch after a brief trip to the basement to get a load of sheets out of the dryer. I was seriously gone for less than 5 minutes. In that span of time she covered herself with a blanket on the couch and was fast asleep when I found her. I noticed her breathing was very rapid (approximately 45 breaths/minute) and her cheeks were flushed. When she woke up 30 minutes later she had a fever of 102 degrees and was wheezing like crazy. After another Albuterol treatment she had barely improved. So, we packed a few books, drinks, and toys into a bag and made a trip to the ER.

I always have a hard time determining if I'm overreacting or being appropriately concerned when I call the pediatrician or of course head to the ER. Not to mention I'm extremely cheap and the ER visit costs us $125, which I thought about the entire ride there.

When we arrived Maren's oxygen saturation was 89. They don't usually let you leave the ER until it's in the mid-90's. So, I was glad I took her in when they found it was below 90. After a double dose of Albuterol coupled with oxygen, she was feeling much better, but still very wheezy. A chest x-ray showed something in her right lung. The Dr. wasn't 100% sure if it was pneumonia but he was fairly certain it was, so they're treating her for it with antibiotics and an oral steroid. Thankfully we didn't have to spend the night. After another breathing treatment and more observation, we left for home.

The pediatrician wants to see us again today for a follow-up. This morning Maren is her bubbly, happy self, despite the fact that she can't talk quite as much because she has to stop to catch her breath. Her cough sounds awful but apparently it's going to take more than pneumonia to slow this kid down.