It is only January 28th and I think we may need a 2013 do over already. ?? People have been sick in the house since DECEMBER 1st!!!! ?? ENOUGH ALREADY!!!! ?? I had to take Troy to the Dr. this morning and verdict is that he has an ear infection and potential pneumonia. ??You can skip the rest of the details on this because I am just writing for my own records.

The kids came down sick on Christmas Day and had the HORRIBLE fever virus that resulted in very high fevers for 7 days. ??Awful coughs, vomiting and runny noses were part of the package too. ?? After that cleared (mostly), they had about a one week reprieve and then 11 days ago, Tori and Troy started terrible coughs and runny noses again. ??I am still coughing since the first of December (these coughs can last 16 weeks) but it is a dry cough. ??Troy, however, has a very thick, junky, wet cough. ?? I took him in this morning suspecting possible pneumonia for the following reasons:

* ??He didn’t start fevering until Day 8 and fevers have gotten progressively worse. ??Late onset of fevers often indicate infection as opposed to virus. ??Been there done that on the pneumonia thing.

* ??While his cough sounds TERRIBLE, he isn’t coughing very much (which is bad because he isn’t getting anything out).

* ??He has very low energy.

* He has vomitted a few times this week and not just from coughing.

All signs of potential pneumonia. ??His breathing has been okay though so I wasn’t panicked. ??I figured, if anything, we are in the beginning stage of pneumonia. ??The Dr. agreed with mom’s assesment. ??He said Troy’s lungs sound TERRIBLE. ??I didn’t think he had an ear infection because there aren’t any obvious signs of it. ??No red ears or hot ears, nor has he been screaming in pain or pulling at them. ??He holds his ears ALL the time. ??He has done this since he was tiny so it would be impossible to tell if he were in pain. ??If he cries, he holds his hands over his ears, if he is going potty, if he is upset…

He also weighed only 20 pounds with pajamas and a wet diaper. ??He is 19 months and still not on the growth chart (which means he is below the 0% for his size). ?? For comparisons sake, I have had several 6/7 month babies that I do portraits of already at the 20 pound mark and on average, babies are 20 pounds (or more) by one year. ??Tori was only 16 pounds at one year. ??My little Salt and Pepper are just tiny people so far. ??The Dr. and I discussed this and he said there is a possibility of a thyroid issue with Troy but we couldn’t test that today because it would show wonky anyhow because he is ill. ?? In all??likelihood??though, he is just fine. ??Just small. ??He is perfectly proportionate.

The Dr. warned me that the steroids were likely to make him very hyper. ??I can handle the hyper but I am not looking forward to the mood swings. ??From my experience, massive mood swings are the most difficult ??with the introduction of steroids. ??Dr. said Troy would be 60% better by Wed by taking them so I am glad we have medication to head off in a different direction than the one I know us to be on right now. ??The only thing that concerns me is that Jim and I are having an AWFUL time getting medication down him. ??He is fighting us every step of the way and it take both of us. ??He spits it out and clamps his jaws down so I can’t get it in. ??He also has choked on it a couple of times (which is really unhelpful with a lung issue already). ?? I asked the??pharmacist??if it tasted bad and he said “Oh yeah! Do you want me to flavor it?” ?? Duh. ?? I wanted to say “Why would I need to ask you that????!” ?? Good thing I did ask. ??That would have made it even worse. ?? He is on 1/2 teaspon of Azithromycin 200mg once a day for five days and 1 tsp of prednisolone 15mg once a day. ?? I love our children’s physician. ??I interviewed Dr.s and chose him when Ty was in the NICU. ??That was 9 years ago now. ??If you are looking for a pediatrician in the North Phoenix area, I HIGHLY suggest Dr. Arun Nemivant. ??He is wonderful.

If you read all those details, pray for my baby please. ??I am feeling good about the medications turning this around but I really really really don’t want another hospital admission and preemies sure are prone to it.

 

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Last night, Tori and I went on a Girl Date. ??I hated to leave baby but my kids have been super cooped (as have I) and Daddy is perfectly capable. ??Tori’s birthday is next week and I haven’t had a chance to do any shopping so we needed some together time. ?? Daddy offered to take a picture of us before our night on the town. ??Since she was upset over losing her pictures of us (thanks to Troy drowning her DSI in the bathtub), it was very kind of Daddy to offer. ?? We went to Toys R Us, the Mall, Red Robin, and Cold Stone. ??Very fun. ?? My daughter and I are so much alike in so many ways and that makes her a perfect shopping partner for me. ?? Like me, she is very decisive. ??She knows just what she wants. ??Goes straight to it. ?? Is committed to her decisions and then says “I am done here let’s go”. ?? I love it. ??Her and I make good time because we both shop identically. ??In fact, if I tried to proposition her with things I found cute, she would smile, thank me, and ignore every word I said. ??The exact thing I do to other people LOL. ?? We are both very particular. ??I also asked her if she was the kind of person who liked surprises or if she would rather make her own choices. ?? She was quick to reply with “my own choices”. ??I knew she would say that. ??:) ?? I think cash and gift cards are WONDERFUL gifts.

She also liked to sit??occasionally??and reapply her lip gloss because her feet ??were hurting in her boots that she always insists on wearing. ??Speaking of her boots, Tori is SO pigeon toed and it is ESPECIALLY noticeable in her high heeled boots. ??She crosses so much I can’t figure out how she doesn’t trip over her own feet. ??I took her to an orthopedic ??Dr. about this when she was a baby and he told me she would grow out of it. ??I am starting to wonder if I need to re-address this.

When we sat down to dinner, she says to me, “So….would you like to talk?” ?? Awesome. ??We chatted back and forth about all our favorites and debated whether Nicki Minag is a good idol judge or not. ??I am not a fan. ??Tori thinks she is doing a pretty good job.

It was such a precious time together and I look forward to doing this with her for the rest of my life.