take a breath

Last week Maddox got sick. I knew it was coming but I didn't know how bad it was going to get. It started out as a cough but quickly turned into a deep cough with wheezing. It really scared me! So, one morning I called him into school and then took him to the pediatrician. I struggled with whether I should take him in or not simply because he wasn't running a fever at all. It seems like every time I take one of my boys into the doctor they just look at me like I'm THAT crazy overprotective mom and tell me to give them tylenol and fluids...but this time our pediatrician listened to Maddox breath and then told me I made the right decision to bring him in when I did. He told me Maddox had bronchitis and a respiratory infection. He also had fluid in one ear. My poor baby was really sick! Dr. Albiek told me that Maddox would need to do breathing treatments and take two medications so Maddox and I went straight to Walgreens to buy a nebulizer and fill ALL of his prescriptions. Once we were home and after finally figuring out how to put the nebulizer machine together (yikes!) we began giving Maddox his treatments.

Maddox really wasn't too scared to take his breathing treatments. His little mask looks like a fish so that lessened the blow a little but I could tell Maddox was a bit nervous because he asked me to sit next to him during every single treatment. He would cuddle right up next to me and hold my hand. It was actually a very sweet moment each and every time! I honestly think the worst part for Maddox during each treatment was the fact that he had to SIT STILL and NOT TALK for 15-20 minutes!! Now, THAT'S a challenge for Maddox!! Ha!!

Maddox's nebulizer came with a sheet of stickers and so after each treatment we let him stick the sticker of his choice onto his machine. I wasn't sure putting a sticker on a machine would be enough motivation for him to sit and do each of his treatments but it actually worked!! Whew!!

We're finally almost done with all of Maddox's treatments. He has to do them for two more nights and is still on an antibiotic. We took Maddox back to the doctor this week for a follow up appointment and Dr. Albiek said that Maddox is doing much better but if he shows back up with the same symptoms again any time soon we'll have to talk about putting him on a preventative inhaler so that he doesn't keep getting to this point. Maddox has struggled with breathing issues since he was a baby. He was even hospitalized as a baby once overnight because he had some fluid on his lungs so I can't say I'm shocked that we've gotten to this point. It's actually a relief to know that we have a plan if this continues for Maddox instead of just treating him with antibiotics over and over and over. I just pray he doesn't have to deal with asthma like I did as a kid...ugh...