Medicinal interventions

Emily's health has been the best this winter since being on the gluten-dairy-egg-free diet, for which I am very grateful. This weekend though she had her first cold since starting the diet and as before, it settled in her airways and progressed rapidly into something that required medicinal intervention beyond what I have at home. So yesterday bedtime after a call to the doctor found us en route to the ER for a respite from the routine of health.

After leaving Tyler with some friends to spend the night (Thanks D&S - I'm very grateful to God for your friendship! "for crying outloud!" :-) ), Emily and I spent a few hours in a place she is all too familiar with from previous winters. Nose (ouch!) and throat swabs tested for flu and RSV came back negative for both. Chest x-ray revealed cloudiness in the middle region, congruent with her (as the doctor called it) "impressive history". The location ruled out a bacterial infection, so it is once again a virus settled into her voice box (croup) and lungs (reactive airways, aka asthma). A steroid treatment to reduce the inflammation was administered along with the usual strict instructions for follow-up in the morning with the regular doc.

The pediatrician today confirmed the ER findings and agreed with the treatment given and provided more indepth information on what to expect and how to treat in the coming weeks. The virus has moved more into her lungs and so unlike most most typical croup cases, has additional debilitating effects on her breathing efforts. The cough will be with us for a few weeks and the nebulizer meds will be increased in number and variety during that time.

Though the diet has helped strengthen her immune system (or should I say, is not impairing it as greatly as before), her respiratory system continues to be a weak area for her, as a result of that first bout of RSV when she was 18 months old. She has a sweet spirit throughout and the nurses and doctors who care for her enjoy her cooperativeness. One of my prayers for my children is that they will be a blessing to others no matter what situations they are in.