The boring stuff…

Just because a few people were wondering about Piper’s junk- feel free to jump forward if you want!  :)

So…

When we left the ER on Saturday, I was under strict directions to go back if Piper was having any trouble breathing, including if she was turning blue (gee, ya think???), and to call her pediatrician on Monday.

So, following orders, I called.  I was a little concerned, because her stridor was still there, which they said should have been gone Saturday with the steroids, and if not, for sure by Monday.  BUT, she had gotten a little better, and I figured they’d say it was just “hanging on” a little while longer.  I wasn’t in the mood to wait on hold forever, since I wasn’t concerned, so I left a message on the nurse line.

Not long after, I get a call back from the nurse.  She was not thrilled with the persistent stridor, and wanted us to go in that afternoon.  However, since I procrastinated calling until after lunch, they had no more appointments for the day.  So, they really wanted me to take her back to urgent care…  Joy.  Fantastic.  Not only would that require a significant wait in the waiting room, but it would require waiting in the waiting room with a bunch of other sick kiddos- us exposing ourselves to them, and them exposing us to their crud.  NOT what I wanted to do, since her immune system is already a little supressed just being sick in the first place.  BUT, because Piper got a dose of steroids in the ER on Saturday, instead of out of the prescription we had gotten for her, I had another dose of steroids left.  They let me give that to her (I figured that’d be all they would do in the ER, anyway), and make an appointment with them yesterday morning instead. 

First thing yesterday we head down there.  Piper was nursing when the NP (whom we NEVER have to see- we ALWAYS see a doc, but they were completely booked) came in.  She sounds absolute worst when she was eating, so I was glad that she was actually making her noises for someone, instead of it all being hearsay.  She immediately got a pulse ox (she sounds so bad that they all worry about that first- which I’m all for) to monitor her.  She was sat-ing at 98%.  They decided to do a nasal aspirate test to see if there was a virus; the ENT said that if there still was a virus, to just let it run it’s course.  If a virus was not present, they’d want to do some more looking. 

The NP then went on to say that it was probably because a lot of kids with Ds have a weak airway, and whatever “sick” she got just made it bad enough for us to finally see it.  Even though she’s a year old.  Even though she’s been intubated on three separate occasions.  Even though she’s never had an issue maintaining her O2 levels, and was only on oxygen for about 2 weeks when she weighed less than 4 pounds.  Even though floppy airways are usually diagnosed by 6 weeks, not 11 months.  I wasn’t terribly thrilled with her response; it kind of felt like it was her way to write us off without having to investigate any further.  (And, of course, by me writing this pretty much ensures that this actually is our problem…)

Anyway, the grumpiest old man respiratory guy came in to do the aspirate test.  And, I know, that sucking snot out of infants can’t be the most enjoyable part of one’s day, but COME ON.  I think he had the people skills of a beet.  But I digress.

We got word this afternoon that there was no virus in the sample.  I was freaking out for a little while, but then decided that nothing in the “weakened airway” really made sense.  I mean, Piper got sick about 3 days after I did, she’s really starting to get better, it was a fast onset of symptoms, etc., etc., etc.

The ENT nor the NP called today, so I’m guessing that means that ENT isn’t too super worried.  I’ll call tomorrow to check if I don’t hear; it’d be nice just to have an idea what our plan of attack will be.  We’ll see!