Monday, 28 January 2008
Apparently, I'm about 50 pounds lighter in my own head than I actually am. I continue with the plan to lose those 50 pounds. 5 down, 50 to go.
Cousins...
Better for it.
So things here seem to have started getting a bit better. She's still not eating great, but some lactobacillius and forcing a few yogurt coated cheri0's in her seems to have calmed some tummy discomfort.
We think the not eating has been caused by the fact that we go after her face with something not nice at least 50% of the time. Tylenol, antibiotics, nebs, syringes of probiotics and breast milk (if I can't get her to bf directly, a bottle is even worse). Combine that with stomach discomfort, and you get pretty much nothing but bad associations.
We think we hit a turning point last night, and something else started happening Saturday that we think also helped. The Sprout, who has always been a football nurser, now prefers to nurse cross cradle. We think its so she can lay with her legs out flat. Its totally weirding me out, because I really thought that we would nurse football forever. It was easier to see her and latch her when she was little, especially since with my larger tummy cradle is harder to pull off. Either way, I can get her to nurse like a champ, though it has taken some convincing a couple of the times. We'll see how daycare and bottles goes today.
If that goes well, and her fever stays away, I think we may actually have a chance of beating this thing. Which is better than I've felt about it for like two weeks now.
Next task, get that iron up. We're having something involving beans tonight, I think.
Update: Not a UTI. So then, what was it. Waiting on call from the Dr.
Update 2: Stop the Antibiotics. Then start the iron vitamin drops after her tummy gets better. We'll see... I have little faith her fever will stay down.
Answers...
Saturday, 26 January 2008
Yeah, the meat suggestion perplexes me, as someone named after a leafy green especially. She did say vitamins after the antibiotics. Basically, right now, her tummy is too messed with to mess with more.
I read labels. A mini vat o' pureed green beans has more iron than a jar o' meat and veggies. Basically she'll start eating dinner with us. If what we're eating is OK for her, we run it through the grinder and see if she'll eat it. Otherwise, I'm going to try to give her more green beans. She loves 'em.
A Super Targe' that I normally go to has the lactobacillios. I've gotta go there today anyways, so I'm picking some up.
Catheterizing isn't bad really. We had it done one other time at the Children's ER when she was puking. Apparently that is also a sign of a UTI. After it happened my mom was a bit nervous, because a bad catheterizing is well... bad. Little one, little parts, you get the idea. If it has to be done, best it be done by someone who regularly does pediatric ones.
The visit
Friday, 25 January 2008
So....
The appointment went well. Our Dr. walked in, took a look at her, asked what was up, and told us this would not be a well baby visit. We pay no matter what, so not a big deal.
She went through what was charted, what we said, and listened to our frustration about no one seeming to take it totally seriously. Basically, we finally passed the point where she should be getting over it if it was just basic virus, and yes, there is something up.
She heard the wheeze, and saw that while she was in a good mood and not currently sporting a raised temp, she was very much not herself. (finally someone other than us notices)
They did a CBC (blood work), checked her o2 levels, did a flu check (even with the vaccine, some kids are getting it), catheterized her (screen for UTI), and gave her a neb (we skipped that in the morning so they could see/hear her in all her glory).
Flu was negative (whew)
The neb took care of the wheeze, we continue those, and no chest x-ray. Her o2 levels were also normal, so that's good.
UTI - she had just peed (stinker), and only gave them enough for culture. We will know for sure on Monday, however, there were white cells in her urine, so they're pretty sure she has one, most likely already in her kidneys.
Now the fun part. CBC. Platelets up, sign of her fighting something. White cell count, higher, but not super high, again, she's fighting a bug. Hemoglobin... down. A sign of fighting something, but low enough that they're concerned about her iron intake. They suggested meat, and antibiotics, and vitamins when done with antibiotics.
Now... about the meat. She isn't really eating solids much. We're lucky if we get a couple of T in her of anything. We were still on once a day because of fears about puking. She wants to self feed, but especially with all of the phlegm, isn't really doing well on not gagging. Not to mention, I was planning on no meat until she was a year. So... how do you do meat with that?
I did try some for lunch, it got a resounding heck no. I will keep trying, and she did eat dinner with us tonight. We finally used the baby food grinder and ground up chicken and spinach, but mostly she thought it was fun to play with. I guess we just keep trying to feed her solids, give her Cheri0's, and puffs, and make sure she gets enough milk. That's the other thing, her appetite is still hit or miss for breast milk. I know it doesn't effect iron in my milk, but I started a supplement, just in case.
The other thing is after the nasty reaction to the antibiotics last time, we tried another one, and she's been prescribed lactobacillios for her tummy. I can't find a store that has it that is close to my house but that's North for you.
All in all, we're feeling better, she seems to be better, though I know nothing could have kicked in yet, but who cares, she seems much more like herself.
Oh, almost forgot, she's 30.5 inches long (95%), but only 19 pounds 14 ounces 50th %). She's lost about a pound, maybe a little more, since this all started. Even more reason to start trying to feed her more.
Medical/Mom advice
Thursday, 24 January 2008
Ok, after over two weeks of missed work, fevers, antibiotics with bad reactions, ear infections, nebulizers, I need some advice, and place to gather my thoughts before our Dr. Apt. tomorrow.
Here is the history:
Wed the 9th - Pick the kid up from daycare, she has a fever. Lucky daycare didn't notice, its pretty high. 102.6 - She's been coughing from
Thursday - Still high, keep her home from daycare, give tylenol to get it down a bit.
Friday - Still high, but not all day, maybe tylenol keeping it down, may not be.
Saturday - Still high - bring her in to Dr. since she's acting like she's getting an ear infection. NP listens to her lungs A LOT, but doesn't say anything. Ears are OK. Says if she still has a fever on Monday, bring her back.
Sunday - Still high
Monday - Still high. Get in to Dr right away. Lungs sound wheezy, neb gets rid of that, get sent home with neb. Eyes are oozing green puss. BIG ear infection. Get antibiotics. See a Dr this time, who seems more on top of it.
Tuesday - Back to daycare, fever seems to come and go, but it lower. Figure its last of ear infection, or teething.
Wednesday - Starts getting diarrhea. Also comes home from daycare wheezing, call Dr, talk to nurse, she sends note to daycare to neb at daycare.
Thursday-Sunday - More/worse diarrhea, still intermittent fever. Appetite slowing.
Monday the 21st - Start getting worried about her poor chapped butt, and waning appetite. Call Dr, talk to Nurse, she says bring her in. Bring her in, see a different NP. Checks ears, they're OK, says stop antibiotics and see if that clears up butt issues. Says fever is teething or end of cold, but since its been lower, not a big deal.
Tuesday - Fever up close to 103 (102.9) ajd stays home. Goes between higher fever, and OK with tylenol. Try to let it run up between doses to do its job.
Wednesday - I stay home fever is still high, 6 hours after tylenol dose, seems to have gone away. 12 hours after tylenol dose, its back up.
Thursday - Send her into daycare. Fever is lower, but not close to normal. Med her up on Tylenol, tell daycare to keep it coming. Need to hold out a day for Dr. visit on Friday AM for 9 mo apt.
So... here is the question. I doubt the fever will clear today. She's snotty again, and generally not happy. (though at every Dr. Apt she was miss happy pants) Tomorrow, do I start getting more demanding that they test more to see WTF is going on? At the rate this is going, with missing work, my job could be in danger. Fevers aren't supposed to last for weeks on end, right?
It was a singer/songwriter thing...
Tuesday, 22 January 2008
... with sweet vocals and a mandolin.
W. E. P. Duncan - make two people happy. 
After a bad argument, and an episode of Unplugged where I realized I sounded better just singing and playing the hammer dulcimer while my sister pouted in the balcony, I went solo, but still had a name.
The Man They Could Not Hang - pretend there's no difference
I gave it all up to become a mom and give up touring.
I love Ms. Huis's Meme's.
I admit, I was going to start this at work, and my wiki was for a terrorist in GitMo, so I stopped and didn't do it. I really didn't want to end up with men in suits knocking on my door for a thing on my blog.
Snap on Onesie Extenders
Friday, 18 January 2008
Ok, question about them.
Right now some of her onesies ride up above the waist of her pants. I have to tuck in the tops of the leg holes. Her pants tend to ride lower on her waist because they end up being smaller to accomodate her skinny butt (jealous)
Wouldn't the extenders just exacerbate where my problem is? The more she moves, the less I can get away with pants that don't fit in the waist anyways. The other thing is sleave length. Not an issue with the Carters ones, but everyone else seems to not understand my monkey child.
I realize now why my mother dressed me in overalls for so long. They solve a good many of my what to wear issues. (even if they do make her butt look big)
