Change of weather blues....

I took Caitlin to the doctor yesterday. She started out last week with sneezing. Then she added a cough and runny nose. Then I noticed yesterday morning that she was wheezing when she got up from her nap. I made her an appt to see Dr. Hughes, which we love. She was still wheezing when we got to the office - you never know with kids...they can be deathly ill at home, but take them to the doctor and they seem to miraculously be fine! Anyway, they tested her for RSV, a respiratory virus common this time of year, and thankfully it was negative. She ordered a breathing treatment there in the office. Caitlin was not thrilled with this process at all! She screamed during the entire time. I just had to hold her and try to keep her from wiggling out of my arms. Needless to say, when the doctor came back in, Caitlin and Mommy were both sweating! The wheezing cleared with the treatment which is good. The doctor sent us home with a nebulizer machine to do our own treatments here at home. She also gave us some cough medicine. Because of all of the congestion, Caitlin didn't want to drink her bottle. I did everything I could think of to get fluids in her - gave her a popsicle in the bathtub, fed her small ice chips, fed her jell-o, tried to give her juice. I gave her a breathing treatment before bed, but she still wouldn't take her bottle and was so sleepy. I just put her to bed and said I'd feed her in the middle of the night if she woke up. She slept until 7 this morning and I finally got her to take a bottle around 8. By this time it had been 18 hours since her last bottle! Today, she has take three bottles. She wouldn't take juice out of a sippy cup so I spoon fed it to her. She also had more ice chips and jello. She's had more wheezing today and some that didn't clear with a treatment. I ended up giving her another half of a treatment and got some advice from my dear friend Lawrie who has been a respiratory therapist for, uh, let's just say a long, long time! My parents came over tonight and she was playing with them. They even brought dinner! She's continued to play through most of this. I had to keep her from crawling up the steps today, climbing on the fireplace, unplugging the TV, and eating the heater cord! I've managed to keep us all in one piece. Lee was great with her and even offered to watch her so I could go out. While that was a sweet gesture, I was too tired to get in the shower and get dressed! Anyway, here area couple pictures of her getting her treatment and the little panda bear nebulizer machine. They sure have come a long way with these! Please continue to keep our family in your prayers as we recover from these change of weather blues.