I am actually glad that 2008 is over. I was not sad to see it go. I was getting pretty bored with it. I don't have anything that is real exciting or anything to post on here today other than the fact that i found out someone actually reads it and asked why I haven't been updating. LOL. I was EXTREMELY surprised to hear that.

I only have a few "life" updates as of now...I am SURE that more will come because living with a four year old...well, things are never calm and/or normal.

The first update is that I am still trying to figure out how to get Braeden the help he needs and find a cure to his "asthma". The reason I say it like that is because I feel like we are on a hamster wheel getting absolutely NO WHERE with this. There is something to be said about mother's intuition and I feel like often times doctors do not listen to this...the good doctors do. I feel like I take Braeden to all the specialist and the best doctors (Riley being one). For those of you who have NO IDEA what I am talking about, since Braeden was 4 months old we have been dealing with consistent, chronic croup. He probably had croup every six weeks. We jumped through a lot of hoops, doctor appts, steroids, ER visits, etc and then ended up at Riley where they tell us he has asthma. (I have never felt like he has asthma because it ALWAYS starts in his nose/sinuses, and usually happens with the change of temp.). He gets sick and the doctors can't figure it out because he is coughing with a congested/croup cough, but his lungs are "clear". Several times I have thought he had pneumonia....only to be told "his lungs are clear". Well, in March 2008 he had his adenoids out. This changed his cough from a croup cough to a congested cough. Last year at this time (starting in November) he was on THREE months of antibiotics. This November it all started again. He was on three weeks of antibiotics in November. It didn't work so his pulmonary doc sent him to the ENT again. He prescribed Singular (he is already on Flonase, Flovent, Albuterol as needed, Dallergy as needed). I thought things were on the up swing with this new prescription. It worked about two weeks and we were right back where we started before going to the ENT.

Well, a couple Saturdays (Dec. 20th) ago he had a fever of 102.3 in the middle of the night. The next day (Sunday) he woke up from his nap with pink-eye. That evening I took him to Prompt Care to get treatment started on his pink eye. While we were there I asked the doctor can you please listen to his lungs to see if they are clear or not. Guess what?? He said "yep, all clear." Enter Mother's Intuition...I was just not content with that because he sounded AWFUL!!! So the next day I called his pediatrician to get her in on the loop and update her with what all had been going on. She wanted to see him. I got him in on Wednesday (the 24th, Christmas Eve). I updated her on the past four years (because she is a new pediatrician for us) and asked her "Can you please listen to his lungs...I am sure he is 'all clear' because that is what everyone says, but can you please just check." She said, well...there is something to be said for mother's intuition. (BTW-I love his pediatrician). She said "he is not 'all clear' today...he has pneumonia in his left lung."

So...with this news I am frustrated and relieved. Relieved that she gave him medication that helped his symptoms (pneumonia) and sounds pretty good today, and frustrated because I feel like he has had it for a while and the doctors kept saying..."he is all clear".

It can be so frustrating when as a parent you try to get your child the best care you can and when you feel like something just isn't right, but there is nothing you can really do about it.

So.................................

The ENT referred us to the allergist. Braeden has a THREE HOUR allergy test on the 9th and then a follow up with his pediatrician to make sure the pneumonia is gone. Please pray that we get some answers for whatever has been going on for the past four years with Braeden's asthma, allergies, sinus problems, pneumonia...whatever it is!!! Thanks!