Last night, after talking to Parker’s PCP, she asked me to take him in for another lung x-ray.
Ready and waiting for that x-ray. Notice that as usual, Parker has taken off his left shoe only.
Totally ignore the fact that he has his oxygen tubing in his mouth. It’s a rotten habit we’re trying to break.
At six years old, I have no doubt that Parker has exceeded his lifetime’s worth of x-ray radiation.
Which may be my dreams last night were filled with my youngest kid glowing in the dark.
After today’s x-ray, we walked over to Parker’s PCP’s office. His lungs looked fine. However he has double ear infections and both tubes are clogged with gunk.
Getting a water bolus while waiting to be called back at his PCP’s office.
You can’t tell in this picture, but Parker has the EXACT SAME COW LICK WHORLS at the back of his head as both of his brothers AND his Dad. More proof that Parker is more like my other kids than he is different.
Less than 2 weeks after a MONTH long run on antibiotics, and we now don’t have ONE but TWO ear infections.
Not exactly the direction we were hoping to move in.
Drat. Sick again.
During this appointment we talked about the issues Parker’s heartrate AND now oxygen levels have been having. Last night it took 5 liters of O2 to keep his oxygen sats at 95%. That’s over twice what his baseline is.
One theory is that Parker’s asthma hasn’t been properly controlled, and that the peep on his vent needs to be raised. We’ll talk more about it during our visit with Pulmo tomorrow.
During the cath, the anesthesiologist alerted the ENT to the fact that during the cath Parker leaked significantly through the area around his trach, and would most likely benefit from having a cuffed trach at night.
Which is what I had brought up to the ENT two years ago. Obviously I don’t carry as much clout as this anesthesiologist.
What amazes me is that even carrying around not one but two ear infections, this littlest Hodson boy of mine made not one complaint.
Brave Hero indeed.
So, that’s how the world is turning at our house.
How about yours?
PS: We’re working on some changes here at Praying for Parker. Fun, upbeat, and informational changes. Keep your eye out for them! This break has done wonders in helping this Mama get her groove back.
Twitter: FroggyPrinceMom
Aug 17, 11
Praying for you guys and your little hero, as ever. Hoping you’re finally moving in the direction of better medical support, even if you seem to be getting there backwards…
Thanks! *smooch*
I thought for sure Jax was going to glow after 4 months of daily chest x-rays, sometimes more than one a day if he was really struggling. Jax is having a hard time with the increased peep. He doesn’t like it, if I go all the way to 8, it will even wake him out of sleep!
Lacey,
I’m sorry about the peep. I’ll let you know how it goes for Parker. Does Jax get anything to help him sleep at night?
He has melatonin and trazadone, but I don’t want to give him the trazadone every night. I only want to use it as needed. I usually make it up to a peep of 7, 8 is what was ordered, so 7 isn’t too bad.
Is there a reason to increase Parkers peep? If his pressures are good, I would think they wouldn’t want to go down a step.