Crap... another weekend in the hospital

[CornField]

And to think, it all started yesterday afternoon with a runny nose. That's my kid! One moment she can be perfectly fine and the next she's gasping for breath. I started nebulizers last night about 11 and was repeating them every two hours. This morning, as soon as I could get the script from the pharmacy, I started her on oral steriods. Two hours later, when she was still retracting and gasping, I loaded her up for a trip to the urgent care.

Of course, they couldn't do anything to help her there, but it's the only way I know to get a referral to the hospital on the weekend. So, from there we were off to the hospital -- kept in the emergency room for an ungodly amount of time while I tried to explain that she was fine yesterday, but often takes a wheezing nose-dive when she catches a cold or virus.

About 4 p.m. this evening we were given a room in the pediatric unit. She is finally getting some rest and her oxygen levels are back up to 90%. This time she really scared me.

[SoCalDem]

1. I have walked MILES in hospital corriors.. I sympathize with you

Does she have asthma? I am glad she's doing better.. One day when she's grown, you will have lots of stories to tell her.:)..Chin up..

They make us scared and crazy..all at the same time.:hi:

[Kira]

2. Does she have asthma?

Is she on a inhaled steroid daily like flovent? If not you should look into it, it can really cut down on the total asthma attack.

[cally]

3. I'm glad she's OK for now

Could your doctor prescribe something for when she has episodes like this? Maybe they could teach you to give injections for this.

[CornField]

4. My understanding is that the doc is leaning toward asthma

Samantha has been doing this on and off for a couple of years now. Her only trigger is a virus and/or cold. That is, she doesn't wheeze with activity, dust or other environmental things. The wheezing starts within 24 hours of a cold setting in -- every time.

According to the breathing treatment lady (god, I know they have an official name, but I can't think of it right now), the doctor is going to meet with us in the morning and then is having several different people come visit us with different asthma treatment tools and advice. I guess that means we are getting a diagnosis.

In the past, she'd start to wheeze and I'd start the nebulizers (breathing treatments). If those didn't help or if she got even worse, I'd give the oral steriods. With those two tools I've been able to manage these episodes fairly well -- until Friday/Saturday. I did both and she continued to go downhill. Now the doctor is going to give her a new medication... adver? ... it's like an inhaler but there isn't any propellant.

We've also decided to pull her from preschool until after cold and flu season. (She's going to hate me for that.)

[blondeatlast]

5. Do you have the nebulizer machine at home?

Doctor just prescribed one for my son and as soon as he starts wheezing he's on it every 4 hours while awake. It makes such a difference to him that he doesn't rebel at all--he wants that much to feel better.

It's worked MIRACLES for him. He doesn't have asthma, but any little respiratory distress and he's wheezing and miserable.