I'll apologize now for how long this may be.
As a mother there are plenty remarks about my parenting skills I can take. Your comments about my children's messy hair, mix match socks, what they have to eat and at what time they are eating does not bug me. Critizing me for not breast feeding one kid and breast feeding the other doesn't bug me. Your remarks are nothing short of you personal beliefs and last I checked I know my kids better than you do. I also know what personally made me make those choices; you however do not. You can talk my ear off to me about my lack of parenting to meet your standards, because at the end of the day I'm not parenting to make you satisfied. I'm parenting to raise a child that won't be as small minded as most.
What really strikes a nerve with me is when people give me their in put on my child's health! You trying to diagnose my child based on a photo, ten minute conversation, comment I make, or a conversation you over hear. When I'm done telling you what's going on with my child and you have the decency to say "At least she's healthy." "At least the worst is over." "Well, she seems to be healthy." "Why don't you let it ride its course?"
Excuse me?!?
Here's the things my daughter is not "healthy".
Who do you think you are to tell me; she's healthy, the worst is over, or to let things ride their course? Where are you in the middle of the night helping with breathing treatments when she's having an asthma attack, reading every food label you come across, altering recipes so that she can eat what everyone else is having, what day shall I schedule you to give her the medication that is keeping her from getting worse, what doctors visit would you like to join me for when they explain test results and go over our next plan of action?
How can you sit there and tell me she's healthy when you have no idea what we go through daily?
The many signs I have to look for on a daily basis, holding her down to get x rays, blood work, making sure she swallows all of her medicine, watching her eating habits, keeping food items out of my house and her reach, constantly waking up to make sure she'll still breathing correctly, and constantly taking her temperature.
You want to know more, you want the right to sit here and give advice, you want to be able to tell me she's healthy. Fine; take a seat, take notes, then offer to help me.
Aleigha was born February 3, 2013.
For three months she had a healthy happy life. Shortly after turning three months old her health would take a turn and life as I knew it would become a bit more stressful. Although it didn't all happen at once; it been one health issue after another.
In May of 2013 at three months old I noticed Aleigha was having strange breathing habits anytime she was laying flat on her back. After a trip to the ER and having x rays done, I was informed her tonsils were swollen. And that was most likely the cause. The doctor said there was no need to worry it was probably a mild cold that's had cause irritation and it would go away on its own. Seeing my frustration he prescribed a mild antibiotic and told me to do a follow up with her primary Doctor. After the follow up her doctor said everything was fine and to continue the antibiotics.
As a single parent of two having a child that's was constantly in the doctors office for ear and sinus infections you stress and fear that you have been doing something wrong. You pray there's a simple fix and that you can get back to a sense of normal soon.
November of 2013, at nine months old she was hospitalized for a week at Children's Hospital due to pneumonia, vomiting, ear infection and fever. During that week she endured multiple chest and facial x rays, constant blood work, IV drip, and the occasional oxygen support. Once again they noticed her tonsils were swollen and this time so were her adenoids. After several days of intense testing and monitoring I was sent home with a mostly healthy baby. Although I left the hospital with more questions than answers.
The next few months she was diagnosed with asthma. We also spent an insane amount of time in and out of doctors offices and ERs because more sever ear infections. There were constant sleepless nights due to trouble breathing. The horrible sinus infections that made breathing even more scarce. She was referred back to and looked over by an ENT and Pulmonologist.
Still concerned about her adenoids her ENT and I made the decision to have them removed. And while they had her under they were to perform a bronchoscopy to check her lungs.
April 2014, At a year and two months old she went through her first surgery. After almost a year of battling ear and sinus infections two to three times monthly, they finally figured out what was causing the issues. Her adenoids were "permanently" swollen, about three times the size they should normally swell when or if she would have a sinus infection. With high hopes that this would help with the ear infections, breathing issues, and crazy lack of sleep.
Sadly, in the months to come we spent many more days in and out of doctors offices, ERs and seeing her ENT. Her health went down hill very quickly after the surgery. There were days on end she couldn't keep food down, she'd scream in pain because her stomach hurt so bad, and the vomiting was worse than ever.
Her primary doctor had more blood work done, valley fever, allergies, CVC, and more. When her results came back she was quickly referred to an allergist for more testing.
It came back in early July 2014 that she had sever food allergies. Those allergies include but are not limited to; nuts, eggs, milk, wheat, and soy. Go ahead take a minute to let that sink in, it took me two weeks for it to fully set in.
With these test results and changing her eating habits all of her symptoms went away. Of course it was with trial and error for many weeks, but eventually we got everything under control and her back to a normal lifestyle.
For the next year we only battled asthma attacks and two diagnoses of bronchitis.
Which brings us to November 2015.... After a night of breathing issues I took into the ER, despite all of my efforts to help her asthma attack I couldn't. While there she did two breathing treatments, x rays, blood work, and IV medication. She was diagnosed with pneumonia, prescribed antibiotics and told to follow up with her primary. Upon seeing her primary who was very unsatisfied with her x ray results, we were sent for more blood work. Once again she was tested for valley fever...
This time it came back positive!
And so began our now adventure. We are currently seven weeks in to a year process of keeping her in a normal/low count on her tests. She is once again on a daily dose of medication that she will be taking for another six weeks. She will go in for constant blood work and x rays to ensure that the medication is working. There's a few down sides to this medication. It can cause issues to her liver; which are completely reversible as long as it's caught in time (which is reason for the constant blood work) and can cause dry skin and lips.
This has been a once again life changing health issue for her and she hasn't let it slow her down. In the three years of her life she hasn't slowed down once. She's always on the go, smiling and proving just how strong she can be. So yes although my child may seem healthy to you; she is not!!! In fact she's battling an illness that if not monitored and kept under control could do sever harm to her. So next time I inform you about test results or that we done have to go back to the doctor for another month; don't tell me "at least she's healthy" because she's not. She will live with food allergies, asthma, and valley fever her entire life!! And your comments about how I need to be thankful and feel lucky it's not something worse. Proves how small minded and inconsiderate you are.
I welcome anyone to spend a week in our shoes and then tell me just how lucky we are.
Tuesday January 26, enjoying a warm day outside. Trying to forget about our worries.
