Sunday, January 24, 2010

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.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

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.