When the albuterol didn't work that well last Friday, we kept an eye on him but he was okay. By Monday morning, I could tell he needed a nebulizer. We didn't have one at home, we never needed it, so I called the Pulmonologist. I explained the situation and made an appointment for ASAP! But, we would need a referral since this is a different Pulmonologist then he usually sees. No problem, his regular doctor had seen him for his cold on Thursday. We had him tested for Strep just in case.
My mom had to come too. I can't get to the offices for this Pulmonologist now. Not since they moved. They are too high for me and I am petrified of heights. She put me on speaker on her cell phone so I could ask the doctor some questions.
1. When we brought him in, Zach's lung function was 20%. An hour later would have meant the hospital. 45% improvement after the nebulizer.
2. The doctor was impressed with how good Zach communicated what was happening.
3. He was also impressed with how good my questions were.
Zach got his nebulizer treatment. They sent him home with a home machine too. There were a lot of medications but only one didn't seem necessary. Part of Zach's problem is his allergies are acting up. He only lasted in school for 5 minutes on Tuesday. That's a lot of home with Mommy!!!
1. albuterol inhaler and spacer
2. albuterol for the nebulizer
3. Told to take allegra for allergies
4. Qvar like medicine for daily use until the fall is over (insurance still hasn't approved it so he hasn't taken yet.)
5. Prednisolone SOD (This is the one I haven't given him because it doesn't make sense. I didn't get answers to my questions from the doctor or pharmacist so he's not going to take it. It's a corticosteroid hormone man-made)
Since Wednesday we have been keeping things slow. He had a nebulizer with albuterol in the morning and allegra. We also gave him his albuterol inhaler before trick or treating and went to less houses then usual. Since that went well, he took the short walk home from school yesterday.
His baseball team has a playoff game on Saturday. The Pulmonologist said he can play in it depending on how he feels. He still has allergies. But, the cold is over and he has been just fine with the nebulizer and Allegra.
Our plan is to continue the morning nebulizer and Allegra until the playoffs are over. Meaning Sunday if they win on Saturday. After baseball, we'll try without the nebulizer. He always takes his albuterol inhaler before practice or games anyway.
But, we did experience a couple of cool things with all of this.
1. There is a Friendly's near his doctor. It's a dinner/ice cream parlor chain that we assumed fully closed long ago! A fun family place. The last one I saw was in Allentown, PA in 2003 when I left college! I had been craving the turkey club super-melt for a week!
https://www.friendlys.com/
2. We had what Josh would call a "Franny Moment" with the Amazon delivery guy. Since I was not upstairs when Zach got the nebulizer machine, I didn't know for sure how to get it working. I had assembled it right but wasn't 100% sure where to put the medicine. Zach and I are sitting on the living room floor when the Amazon guy knocked. So, I asked "do you know how to use this? Is this where the medicine goes?" It turns out, he has had asthma his whole life and so does his son. He knew exactly where the medicine went. I had the right place. We talked for a while about asthma and the medications. What made me ask the Amazon delivery guy? A large percent of the population either has asthma or has a kid with asthma. It was worth the try.
It was very scary to see my child like that. It brought me back to that first asthma attack when he was diagnosed at age 3. He spent two days in the hospital that time. I am grateful we were able to get to the pulmonologist in time to avoid that this time! All that was possible because we had been to his doctor for the cold last Thursday so they were able to write the referral without needing to see him first!
I felt like I was overreacting that Thursday. Taking a kid with what is clearly a cold to the doctor to check for strep. But, it's better to be safe then sorry. It also ended up being a major difference maker. It meant we could pick up the referral on the way to the pulmonologist. If they had insisted on seeing him first, Zach would have had to go to the hospital!
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