David has asthma

It was Wednesday night of this past week and I was sitting at my desk helping David with his homework. He's been coughing for months (since his mom resumed smoking I think)and regardless of the medicine we've given him, the cough gets worse. We call the doctor, they prescribe a short term fix usually cough medicines to be take for a week or two. Nothing works.
Homework is moving along, David's coughing is pretty bad this particular night and after a pretty good coughing fit he begins to wheeze. My asthma thinking kicks in, wheezing is bad news and usually does not improve without albuterol or a breathing treatment. I call his doctor and demand an appointment. We get said appointment and David's doctor plainly says, "David has asthma." Something I have suspected for years, but as a step-mother my hands are pretty much tied. We are given a script for Advair and a chest x-ray. David's mom starts up with the "I don't have the money" speaches pretty much right away. Chuck gets mad, doctor tells mom to quit smoking ASAP. Her response? "I don't smoke around David" Right! David chimes in "Mom, you smoke when I'm in the car with you."

As I'm in the process of checking out at the doctor's office. Dr Davis (David's doctor) takes me aside and tells me "You did the right thing in getting him here tonight." This makes me feel a little less like the evil step-mother.
We get home and David's mom meets us there to take him for his x-ray. Pretty much, right off the bat mom starts yelling at David. This isn't his fault and he can't quite figure out why everyone's mad. Chuck is yelling at her saying "Don't yell at the kid, it's not his fault."
I'm pissed because David's mom doesn't seem all that concerned that her 7 year old has just been diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening disease. Granted, asthma, when controlled is pretty benign.
Such is life in one of today's modern mixed up families.
I pray that David is well and that what we're doing is best for him.

Dogs will be dogs.....

I woke up a little before 5 this morning, tossed around for a while and finally got out of bed around 6. I let the dogs out, made my coffee and sat down to catch up on the news. I hear Tyler start to bray (bark, howl, agitate) then Rufus chimes in. It's now 615 and I have to pull them in already! Neighbors are not pleased at howling hounds at 6am on a Saturday morning.

Why is it that they want to play and make noise that early in the morning??? Rufus usually will not let me sleep beyond 630 and Tyler will sleep all day if we don't push him off the couch and out to the yard.

I love my dogs, but does the noise really need to start at 630? Tyler takes a seat and just barks to hear himself and Ru can't help by join in with his deep baritone howl.

Two years ago......

This week marks the second anniverary (if you can call it that) of Emily's near death experience. On Jan 3 2008 Emily was transferred to Janet Wise Children's Hospital via life flight due to a MRSA+ infection which had spread through out her tiny 2 pound body. Chuck and I nearly lost the little girl who was struggling to survive and New Years is always a bittersweet time for us. Our little girl was just a few hours away from leaving us had the infection not been identified. I thank God everyday for the miracles He worked in Emily and our family during those terrible days. I think we came though the ordeal stronger and closer to Him and each other. Praise the Lord he saved her.....for us and for everyone who hears her story.

As a reminder.....Please.

Make your doctors and nurses wash their hands and glove up everytime they see you....please the life it saves could be yours or a loved one's.

Christmas...part two

Life is certainly difficult with a "Modern, Blended Family". In our case two of my husbands three sons live in Ohio and we see them occasionally between Sept and July each year. Last year Christmas for "The Boys" happened closer to Valentines Day than Christmas.
This year we get to celebrate Christmas and New Years all on the same day! We are anxiously waiting for their arrival. Emily loves her brother Charlie and will bring people who visit the house over to his picture and say "See, See, Charlie" and thanfully Charlie loves her right back! Merry Christmas, part two, to all of the modern families out there! Hope Santa's second run is as good as his first!

A dog got swine flu....

As I was reading the headlines this morning I noticed one story that struck pretty close to home. An elderly dog (13 years old) on Long Island has swine flu. The story was light on details about how the dog aquired the bug and whether it can pass from canine to human or vise versa.
As a mother to a micro-preemie this is particuarly alarming.....I have three dogs and a few other furry critters. Do I now have to worry about them getting Emily sick? Emily has been vaccinated with the H1N1, however the vaccine was recalled because it wasn't strong enough!!!

Merry Christmas to all....

It's the Holiday Season.....

That silly little song from years past has been playing through my head the past several days.....Typically, I love the Holidays. This year I'm not feeling the joy and celebratory atmosphere.

Emily turned two at the beginning of this month and is maturing daily. Now if only she'd grow!! She has to be one of the only two year olds still in a rear-facing car seat! She is talking in mostly clear sentences now and is becoming the little Diva we all knew was there while she was in the NICU.

While Em has been growing up she has also developed a love for the four-legged critters in our house. Her favorite is Rufus with Tyler taking up a close second. Ru, does not realize that he is 60+ pounds and tends to knock her over in his joy to see her.

Tyler usually steers clear of her unless she has food in her hands! This is evident by the picture that accompanied this post. Tyler is downright grumpy to have this little girl and her musical chair in "HIS ROOM" near "HIS BED"....aka the computer room and the futon!

Merry Christmas to all.....and here's to a fantastic 2010!