Wednesday, February 8, 2012

There may be a light.....

at the end of the tunnel.....but I don't want to speak too soon!

On Monday of this week, we took Nathan back to the doctor.  He had hives all weekend long and was just feeling awful.  Apparently, it was a good thing we went!  They checked his pulse-ox when they got in the office and it was very low (low 80's).  The immediately gave him a nebulizer treatment in the office.  They said that if his pulse-ox didn't improve, they were going to suggest we take him to the E.R. right away.  After two treatments (albuterol/xopenex), his oxygen level was at a place that was acceptable.

She said that his spleen was LESS swollen!  This was wonderful news.  However, they found that he has an ear infection!  Can you believe it?  An ear infection!  So, she loaded us up with scripts for Albuterol, Zithromycin and prednisone, then sent us over to the hospital for a chest xray and lab work.

The doctor called us yesterday afternoon and said that according to the xray report and lab results, he has early pneumonia!  Yes, you heard that right!  Sigh.

We are to continue the nebulizer treatments every 4 hours for the foreseeable future.  We see her again on Friday.

This has been one roller coaster of a week!  I'm ready for it to be over.

Nathan seems to be better...he's beginning to annoy me so that must be a good sign!  The nebulizer treatments really hype him up!  He gets really pale and shaky for about 30 minutes afterwards.  They told us that would be normal with the albuterol.

In other news, my mother-in-law is doing better.  She still has both arms in casts but she is moving around more.  Her mood has also improved.  She sees the doctor at the end of this month and hopefully they will remove the left cast/brace.  This will give her much more independence and much more mobility.

Although I have been really stressed and tired these last two weeks, I have felt better than I have in weeks.  I think it's because my focus has not been on myself.  I've focused my attention on Nathan and Dan's mom...and of course, on keeping my house together as we deal with all of this.  I guess wallowing in your sorrows can tend to make things worse.  I'm not happy that Dan's mom, or Nathan have had to go through so much these last few weeks....I am glad in God's wisdom, he's given me a chance to serve others and to stop focusing on me and my problems.

I so appreciate all of the comments, emails, phone calls and prayers that you have sent my way.  I really could not have gotten through all of this without you!  Love you guys.

2 comments:

Barb Szyszkiewicz said...

Yes, mono can be so wacky that way! Part of it is that his immunities are down, so any little thing turns into a bigger thing. It's good that his spleen is returning to normal size becuase that's a great sign that his immunities are rebuilding.

Prayers will continue for his (and your mother-in-law's) recovery and for the rest of your family just now :)

Judy Dudich said...

I am praying for your whole family.
Reading the last several posts about Nathan really brings back memories to me from when Gracie had mono. You're right...it is awful. She took a whole year to fully "return to her old self" again...and quite frankly...I STILL see symptoms and things in her occasionally that she did not have before having had mono. (Tires easily, gets more frequent headaches and sore throats, etc...)
And OH BOY does that NASTY Albuterol bring back memories...my boys go NUTZO on that stuff...I mean...REAAAAAAAAALLLLY NUTZO.
I hope you and Dan are able to get some rest. I'm sorry you've all been suffering so greatly. Hey! Perhaps you are now exempt from Lent! Huh? Right? Yep! I think so!