Asthma and Allergies Adventures

When my Brijet was around 5 years old, we visited a friend, just like we had several times before. This friend had a cat and Brijet, being the animal lover she is, pet the cat a few times while playing with the kids.                            

Random fun pics just for fun.

Look how adorable she was at 6!

She had a little trouble breathing which led us to the doctor visit the next day where she needed breathing treatments and a steroid to get her breathing back up. We got a referral to an allergist where we learned she has asthma as well as allergies to cats, trees, weeds, grass, mold, dust mites, and cockroaches. That is a lot for a tiny 6-year-old to take in.

She had to see what was happening on her back. She tolerated it really well.

She was prescribed several medications and an asthma action plan. We learned to avoid the triggers and Brijet seemed to do okay using her inhaler rarely that first year. The years after brought more inhaler use, trials of daily medications to help symptoms, worse symptoms, and more followup visits with the allergist.

She was such an adorable 7-year-old!

We were trying to figure out if she needed her tonsils out after she said she would wake often feeling really short of breath and gasping for air. We were visiting specialists and deciding on who should be her primary allergist after I decided I was not a fan of the office she had been seeing. We ultimately found a great ENT and decided to take the conservative route, try getting her allergies under better control to limit the mucus, and then see if she can tolerate the tonsils and adenoids being at about a 2 or if she needs them out later.

Ainzley 6, Dax 1, Brijet 8.

On March 13, 2016, our family decided to visit a big shopping area about 40 minutes from our home. We always carry Brijet's inhaler with us. Brijet suddenly had an asthma attack in the car and her inhaler did not seem to be helping her enough to feel better. That landed her in the emergency room at the local hospital and changed the way we view her illness.

Brijet felt much better after her ER visit on 03/13/2016 (9 years old).

I had done little research on her asthma and allergies. I thought we had a decent handle on it. She used the inhaler as needed. We talked about what to do when she got short of breath. We made sure she stayed away from triggers and showered after playing outdoors. I taught her how to use her inhaler and nebulizer as needed. 

Adorable Jet at 5.

It's weird, you know. I would still let her go on walks with friends, ride her bike, run around and play. I always tried to make sure we had her inhaler but some days we would end up at a park and the inhaler was accidentally left at home. It didn't seem like such a big deal. I guess most things are not a big deal until you have to deal with the emergency situation.

Beautiful Jet at 4.

We have since found a new allergist and we have a new plan to treat her. We learned her lungs are working less than normal at baseline and she needs a daily inhaler to help her heal.  We learned she went from just fine to full blown asthma attack in a few seconds because she was already halfway there at baseline. We learned she probably isn't using her inhaler quick enough because her body has become used to breathing less than normal at baseline. We learned that her first skin test and allergen levels were extremely high for a 6-year-old and that the level statistically rose each year, making her react even more each time. Frankly, that just plain sucked to hear. I thought I was doing all I could as a mom but I needed to do better.

Brijet at 3 and Ainzley at almost 2.

It sucked to learn these things 3 years later. Our old allergist (though kind, good bedside manner, and helpful) never shared with us how high her results were. He never shared how significant that is. He never shared that statistically she will get worse. And I never researched it like I should have. I know better.

My 2-year-old Jet.

Asthma and allergies happen to many people and each person has a different reaction. I have talked to several people with allergies and asthma or who have kids with allergies and asthma.  I have learned this is an illness that is hard to control. 

Chaz 7, Ainzley 2 months, Brijet 1.

I officially joined a club I never wanted to join

I just have to get this down. I'm still a little shaken up. Dax, however, seems just fine.

 

How do little bodies bounce back so easily sometimes?

 

*It turned into a longer post than I originally planned. I just want it written in one spot.*

 

 

Dax has a somewhat complicated history of allergies/intolerances.  He was diagnosed with milk protein allergy as a newborn and we were advised to take dairy, eggs, nuts, beef, and soy out of my diet since I was nursing him or put him on a prescription specialty formula. (Later, he tasted mashed green beans and had a GI reaction.) The doctor informed us that in most cases like this the child outgrows this by 1 but sometimes can outgrow it by 5.  I took all those foods out of my diet and successfully nursed him. If I accidentally consumed those foods (some of those foods are well hidden in foods), he would arch his back, scream in agony, have trouble with bowel movements, spit up/puke, and was overall miserable. It was considered a gastrointestinal allergy. However, not all doctors agree that GI reactions are true allergens and they are not quite as easy to test as the anaphylactic reaction is.

 

I saw a few allergists who told me his GI reaction didn't count as an allergy, that his GI reaction to foods would NEVER EVER be able to turn into an anaphylactic reaction, and that testing him would be a waste of everyone's time since GI allergens don't test well. They advised me to just give him a bite of the food in question and see what happens.

 

We saw a GI specialist. She told us GI reactions are considered allergic reactions, it is super hard to test for, and we should just give him a bite of the food in question and see what happens. I wasn't exactly happy with these answers but I received them from physicians at one of the best hospitals in town. I did some more research and began testing him at home. I had Benadryl ready and gave him small portions of some of the offending foods to start with. He successfully passed soy, beef, and beans with no issue. He didn't even complain of a tummy ache.  

 

Then we tried eggs when he was around 2.5 or so. He immediately got the red face, made a choking sound, and overall didn't feel well. I gave him Benadryl and he cleared right up. So we kept eggs out of his diet and my PCP (who is amazing) gave us a prescription for an EpiPen. He successfully tried milk products as long as it is baked in things.  A cup of milk still makes his tummy hurt and gives him bowel movement issues. I have yet to try nuts.

 

Saturday afternoon, he got ahold of cookie that had eggs and nuts in it.  He slowly got a bit of a red face, started scratching his tongue on his teeth. Then he started saying he didn't feel quite well and needed to lay down to rest. He started coughing and I heard a wheeze. I gave him the Benadryl. He still had a cough and the wheezes seemed a bit more prominent. His eyes were watering and he kept rubbing his nose because it was itchy. I took out the EpiPen and he begged me not to give it to him. We had practiced using it and talked about what to expect. I held him tight and gave him the EpiPen.

 

His symptoms didn't start right away. They started maybe 20-30 minutes later. After the symptoms started, though, they progressed pretty quickly. There was no clear sign what he was reacting to but we assumed it was the egg since he had a clear reaction to egg before.

 

After giving the EpiPen, we had to get him to the ER. He improved quite a bit after the EpiPen and was playful by the time we got to the ER. The ER staff was amazing. They were kind and playful with my little guy. They gave us an oral steroid and a breathing treatment as he was still wheezing. His nasal passage looked pretty swollen and he was sniffling a lot. He also developed hives after we got to the ER. The steroid helped with the itching a ton.

 

He was so sweet at the ER and listened so well. He watched TV and enjoyed his apple juice. I think he liked having me to himself for a little bit.

 

He has never reacted like this and needed an EpiPen before. He has never reacted to cross contamination before either. We have been careful about his intolerances/allergies but it never seemed like it was as bad as some people have them.

 

This taught us to be even more cautious. I know an allergic reaction can be worse with each exposure. He has a habit of just grabbing stuff to eat it sometimes but other times is so good about knowing what he can and cannot have.

 

I was sure holding him tighter. It was scary yet I felt in control. Usually, I freak out too much in emergency situations. I was calm, had practiced what to do, had educated myself on what to do.

 

 

Dax seemed to handle it all really well. He was super itchy and just miserable. However, the EpiPen, steroid, and breathing treatment all kind of hyped him up so he was running around the ER room saying his legs just needed to run in circles.

 

The ER staff gave him an adorable teddy bear. It matches the one he received at 16 months old when he had his seizure. He named them and loves on them. I just hoped that he would grow out of the allergies/intolerances by 5. I was putting off testing because I have yet to find a doctor who will listen to me and take his GI reactions seriously. No one wants to me part of this club, this club of families who have to carry EpiPens everywhere, checking labels like crazy, excluding our children from functions to keep them safe. No one wants to have to practice stabbing their child with a needle (the practice EpiPen doesn't have a needle, but I made sure to teach Dax that the real one would) to help them survive and breathe again. No one wants to have a cute little teddy bear sitting in their home as a reminder of the ER visit they sat through. No one wants to have to list allergies on school forms and then deal with class parties and lunch rooms full of kids and random foods. No one wants to see their child scratch his skin until it bleeds or struggle to breathe.

 

We are so blessed and I never want to forget that. Dax is fine. He was fine by the night of the allergic reaction. He seems to enjoy being snuggled a bit more than usual, though. I am still shook up. I watch him a little closer. I'm still hopeful that he can outgrow some of these allergens. I'm still hopeful I will find a local doctor who is kind and will listen to me. I'm hopeful that other parents who are worried and dealing with allergies/intolerances will find peace and strength to deal with this challenge. I'm hopeful that we won't have to use the EpiPen again anytime soon.

Thoughts on weaning my 3-year-old

Dax had his last drop of breast milk the day he turned 3 years old.

He has slowly been limiting his nursing sessions and I was just done. We were down to nursing before nap and bed and maybe in the middle of the night here and there.

I always said 2 years old was my nursing limit. I didn't think I could handle nursing any longer. Dax's second birthday came and went and we didn't even discuss weaning him. He was too dependent on the milk. I felt bad because he was facing all these food allergies and sensitivities. I wanted to make sure he was getting the right nourishment and comfort her needed.

I gave him a countdown and warned him he would be done with milk after he turned 3. He would repeat it back and we would talk about it.

I know people have mixed emotions about nursing all together. Some say 3 is too old to nurse anyway. Some say nurse longer, to 5 maybe.

I just did what felt right to our family. It seemed to fit to let him nurse until he was 3.

My husband and I prepared for some rough nights. I figured nap was out the window.

I have been a bit surprised. 

The first day we didn't nurse for nap was the day after he turned 3. We had the house to ourselves. He cried for a little bit to nurse but I reminded him we can't nurse anymore. He loves to touch my skin as he sleeps so I offered him cuddles and skin to skin. He tossed and turned a bit more than usual (although not much, kid never stays still for more than a minute). Then he drifted off into a sweet nap.

Bedtime was similar. I almost caved at nap time and bed time that day but felt this was right for us.

He slept so soundly that first night without milk, well after he toddled his way back to my bed shortly after falling asleep and felt my skin to sooth himself back to sleep. One step at a time, I guess. He can sleep in my bed for a bit longer if it makes him feel safer.

I feel sad that I never snapped a last nursing pic. He sure loved to nurse and talk about his nursing.

He still has a few food allergies/intolerances, though we have successfully introduced a few foods back into his diet with no problem. We now face a new normal. I have to figure out how to get him to sleep without nursing on my work nights. I have to figure out when I feel safe enough to introduce the foods back into my system since I don't have to avoid anything due to nursing him. I have to figure out how to teach him that I may be able to eat something that isn't safe for him after he and I sharing the same diet for so long.

I'm ready. I think he is ready. He didn't even ask to nurse today, third day of weaning. He just snuggled me. He did skip his nap but he sometimes skipped it even with the milkies. :)

I feel like he is sleeping more soundly (as long as he is near me) than when he nursed. It is hard letting go with him being my last baby, of course. 

Three Daring Years of Dax

 

I just cannot get enough of this sweet smile. Dax is looking so big lately. I absolutely love watching him grow and learn. I say it with each kid but I'll say it again. I'm so blessed to get a front row seat to this little man's life. So blessed. He so much fun to be around.

 

 

Dax loved being sung to. He had to wait through his dad's birthday, his sister's birthday, and then my birthday before it got to his. He kept saying it was his birthday and he needed to be sung to. It was about the cutest thing ever. He loves having everyone's attention.

 

Dax loves playtime. He enjoys Legos, cars, swords, toy guns, balls, and action figures. Dax really likes to dump out all his toys and then laugh. I just don't get it. He loves to play pretend. He pretends to be a shop keeper and sell things. He pretends to cook and eat and serve food. He pretends he is a superhero and a ninja, jumping and pretend flying all over the place. He insists on going to the park every single day. His favorite part is the baby swings.

 

When Wen is home, Dax can be found somewhere near his daddy. He loves to climb all over him like a jungle gym, wrestle him like crazy, and watch cartoons together. They go on trips to the store alone where Dax always gets a small candy treat. He walks around asking for daddy when he is at work.

 

I just love that little dimple! Dax says, "I'm boss." He really likes it when people listen to him and follow his requests. Of course. His laugh is so adorable.

 

Ainzley and Dax love to put on face paint, read together, and they often play fight together. Dax loves snuggling Ainzley and sitting with her while she plays on her IPad. Dax likes to snuggle her and watch movies with her. He loves to play pretend and ride scooters with her as well. 

 

Anything Chaz can do, Dax can, too. It cracks me up to watch him mimic his big brother so much. He really thinks Chaz is a big deal! Chaz often wrestles Dax, throws him in the air, and snuggles him. Dax often looks for his Chaz. Chaz comes home from school and immediately yells for Dax to come hug him. They have a special bond. They like to go on walks together and exercise together.

 

Brijet and Dax play piggy back rides and doggy together. It is so amusing to watch. Jet gets down on her hands and knees and pretends to be an animal, dog or cat, whatever. Dax gets a snack and feeds his "dog" and Jet makes a fort using couch cushions, chairs, blankets, etc., for the "dog" to live in. She is also the one who cuts his fingernails and he loves it for some reason.

 

Dax is a character full of craziness. He recently started sitting down, holding his hands up, and saying "oooohhhm" to calm himself. He just does this in the middle of whatever we are doing.

 

 

Dax sure loves his mama. He had his last bit of nursing milkies as he fell asleep on his third birthday. He loves to be touching my skin as he drifts off to sleep and reaches for me at night. He likes to help me cook and do a bit of cleaning. He really likes when I take him to the park the best.

 

Dax isn't interested in learning his shapes, colors, alphabet, or numbers. I work it into our days when I can. He loves the number 3 for some reason. His answer for most things is "free" (3). He did learn the stop lights and could be found saying "red stop" and "green go" for the longest time. He even made it into a game with the kids on their scooters. If the kids have friends over, Dax claims them as his friends and insists they play with him. He gets so upset when his siblings leave him for the day for school or play. He is happiest when his family is all together either in the house or out enjoying a family fun day. He is very vocal about what he wants even with his delayed speech. He is still avoiding a few foods due to allergies/intolerances but we have successfully introduced 3 of his suspected foods into his diet and he has done well! I am so happy for my little man.

 

I just love this toddler/preschool age. It is such a fun, crazy age. Dax is making me smile daily.

 

Happy Birthday my sweet Dax. I love being your mama.

Ainz Rocks 8!

 

I can't get enough of that lovely smile. My sweet Ainz is growing up so fast. She turned 8 this month and was so excited. She asked about her birthday for months beforehand. She could barely sleep the night before and kept reminding us about her birthday! LOL

 

I love her enthusiasm! This shirt fits my Ainzley so very well. She is into the glamour, makeup, dressing up, and taking pictures. :) Maybe she got that last part from me.

 

 

I love watching her creative side when she works on her art. She convinced daddy to get her some glitter and went crazy! Glitter is all over my house! Haha. Perks of having a sweet girl.

 

 

We don't do big parties anymore so Ainzley was able to pick just a few friends to come over, sing, eat ice cream (she doesn't like cake), and play around. They did some art stuff and ran around like crazy.

 

Ainzley has such a sweet side. She works hard to comfort her baby brother and help him out even though he is pretty rotten to her. She loves to snuggle and offers to help out around the house.

 

I love seeing her so happy. She loved the rides at the Fall Fest here in town. Hearing her giggle is one of the best things ever. I love finding out what makes her happy and getting to know her personality as she grows and changes. It really is a blast to watch her grow. 

 

I love that she will pose for pics for me when I have a cute idea for a snapshot.

 

I'm pretty sure she is part monkey. No fear. Climbs to the top of whatever is around.

 

This kid loves gymnastics. She is really natural at it. She teaches herself from watching videos as we cannot afford to get her into gymnastics. We found a gymnastics place that allows a free play once a week so we went to try it out. She loved being able to use all the equipment.

 

 

Ainzley, of course, climbed on everything and jumped off everything.

 

I think she liked the trampoline a ton!

 

My sweet Ainz is 8. IT just seems so crazy to me. I close my eyes and picture her tiny 2-year-old self clinging to my shirt, hanging out my sling. I am so blessed to be her mama.

 

Happy 8th Birthday my sweet Ainzley.

*Nine* My Cool Jet is 9!

How do 9 years seem to go by so quickly yet so slowly at the same time?  

 

 

My baby girl is a big 9 now. That seems to much bigger than 8, so much closer to the teen years.

 

I look in awe at her beautiful face and wonder how our family got so blessed to have her.

 

She comes up with her own idea of how things should be and works hard to enforce her way.

 

Brijet plays so well with her siblings, making them all laugh to pieces.

 

 

One of her favorite foods is Chinese food so it is a special treat for her and her daddy to go out to a Chinese buffet together.

 

My Brijet is simple. She loves art and these little Glamour stuffed animals.  She says she will be an author, illustrator, teacher, and be super rich when she grows up.

 

She also says she will not marry anyone cause boys are gross and she will have no kids cause kids are just too hard on a mom.

 

I am loving my front row seat to witness her journey and loving every scene along the way.