June update

Wow, I know you (Sheila!) are blown away! I'm back again! that's gotta be a record right? Well, June has had a lot going on, so I figured I'd try and give a lil update. June started off with a bang, a RSV - Pneumonia in both lungs kinda bang. Poor Anna got it bad and ended up in ICU on oxygen for 7 days. She was breathing on her own, but she wasn't able to get enough oxygen in on her own, so she needed a little help. I brought her in on the 1st after she'd been coughing a couple of days and ran a fever the day prior as well as the 1st. The NP that saw her said she was wheezing, so she wanted a chest x-ray. It actually worked out rather well, b/c she'd had one about a wk- wk and a half prior, so they had a good comparison. They found she had pneumonia in both lungs. The right was really bad and then just a little in the left. She wasn't having any difficulties breathing or anything so they just sent us home w/ some amoxicillian and an inhaler for her. I brought her back on the 3rd b/c she threw up and was also breathing really fast, plus her coughing was just as bad as before the albuterol and antibiotic. This time she saw her Dr (who we LOVE!) and he did the RSV test and she was positive. Both days when the corpsman did the O2 sat and vitals she would be be 88-89 and then come up to 94. The first day though the corpsman -- AFTER TELLING ME THE HIGHEST {and i saw it too} SHE WAS, WAS 94 -- WROTE DOWN 98!!!!!!!!! Which is a BIG difference! When the NP looked at the vitals and said something about her being a 98 so there wasn't any problem, I was a lil perturbed and told her why, so they redid it. This time a different person did it, and they got the 94 as well. When I took her back in, the highest she has was 94, but she was staying around 88-89 as well. So they watched it for a while and gave her a nebulizer treatment to see if that would help, and realized she was staying in the high , sometimes mid 80's most of the time. So they put set up the blow by oxygen and that helped a lot and got us set up w/ a room. We ended up there for 7 days, mostly b/c (after the first few days) she was still staying in the high 80's while laying down or sleeping. We had her on the nasal cannula and that seemed to work the best for her. She was getting neb treatments ever 3hrs, then every 2 then every 4. She'd get albuterol if she was wheezing, otherwise it'd just be saline to help loosen everything up. We (drs included) think it took longer for her to recover b/c of the low muscle tone she has throughout her body. Her lungs just needed a lot of help. She got chest PT (vigorous cupped-hand (or infant CPR mask lol) hitting on her back and chest) as well. The ICU staff there were great! They were so caring and encouraging and just made our stay there so much better. Anything we needed (they even gave me some scrubs to wear so i didn't have to bring a bunch of clothes) they provided and helped us find, or watched Anna while I went to the hospital shoppette to get it. We couldn't have asked for better corpsmen and nurses. They all had nicknames for her and just loved to play with her. They let us go walk a few times when she was off the oxygen during the day, so that was nice to stretch our (my) legs. Matt and Max brought breakfast and dinner for me as well as clothes, snacks, books, toys, etc. Matt stayed out of work the whole time we were there. He's unit was great about it, didn't even make him go on leave. Anna is doing a lot better now (we got out the evening of the 9th). She's had two followup appts since then to check her out since she'd been in the hosp for so long w/ it. They say she's at a higher risk for asthma since she was hospitalized while/because of wheezing and a low O2 and she'll be RSV + for a while. And Unfortunately she an pick RSV right back up. The body doesn't recognize it right away like some other viruses. They sent us home with a nebulizer and saline and albuterol to give her scheduled treatments as well as just as needed, but she hasn't needed it in a week, so we're turning it back in at her 6mo well check on Tues. At her last appt (monday the 15th) she was 14lbs, 13oz and 26inches long. She's made some good weight progress, though she'd dropped down while in the hospital. She gained it back and then some once home. She's been gaining a lot better since we started solids. I think Sweet Potatoes are her fav, but she seems to like butternut squash too. Doesn't seem to care for plums or avocados, but maybe she'll grow to like them. She finally was able to start PT this past week. Her first 2 sessions were cancelled since she was sick of course. That went very well and the therapist was happy to see the progress she'd made in that time. Both therapists that see her are great about getting Max involved as well, so he gets to help and be apart of all of it. He is doing very well, though he looks pretty rough. Lol, he's a boy, ALL boy, so he's covered in scrapes, bruises, scratches, etc. We had a birthday party today and he just looks like he was in a fight or something. With a cat... and maybe a rock. There was a big inflatable slip in slide type thing and he has scratches and such all over his back from the seams of it as well as from other kids. They wrestled all over that thing. He has a blast being able to play and rough house with those kids. There are two older boys that he just LOVES, and they were there, so he had a blast playing with them and their lil brother. Max and one of the older boys knocked heads though one time, so he has a nice bruise on his forehead from that. He looks like we tied and drug him down a rocky road or something. He's been fighting bed and nap times bad lately though and getting up at 530-545 numerous times, which is HORRIBLE! He just gets up, turns his light on and plays. for a while, then bangs on the door and hollers. Put him back in bed as soon as we know he's up, but he just gets right back up a few mins later. I don't know how to get him to sleep later!! It's driving me batty! I finally got Anna back on a decent schedule since we got home from the hospital, but it no longer matters since Max gets up at the crack of dawn.

I can't remember if i put it in the last update or not, but we got a Wii, so that's been a big thing for us this month. We have guitar hero and the Wii Fit as well as a few other games. I love the Wii fit and Matt and I are both working out on it and working towards are goals. Its fun to do and watch each other do. I've not been a big "gamer" but when we played while home stateside, I really enjoyed it and it was something Matt and I could do together, so we decided to get one. It's definitely been worth it. (the pic below is Max "playing" the Guitar Hero drums)

These past few wks have been so rainy and stormy. I thought we'd have to get a boat to get home a few times. Today was finally really nice! It was a great day to be out and about. I hope tomorrow is a nice day as well. We'll be celebrating Matt tomorrow since it's Father's Day and I'm still trying to figure out what we're going to be doing. I haven't even wrapped his gifts yet :( I'm so behind. I haven't mailed gifts stateside either... I guess they'll be more 4th of July gifts :)

We are also keeping our eyes on the weather since there is currently a tropical storm near us. So far we don't know if it'll hit or not, or if it'll increase in strength before it hits or gets near. It's supposed to effect us either way between Monday and Wednesday.

Well, thats about all I got for now. I'll *try* and post an update after Anna's appt and our possible storm. Hope all is well with everyone!!

(Max w/ the drink that came w/ his kids meal at Sam's Cafe)