Pulmonolgy Update

Ethan had to go to the pulmonologist today for a check-up. The appointment should have been made back in October, but things were very hectic back then with other things going on and by the time I called to make the appointment, the soonest they could get us in was in November. And then I had to call to change that appointment because we had to go out of town last week to see Rob's grandparents. Luckily, we were able to get in today, before heading to Disney. Actually, it all worked out better this way. If we had gone back in the early part of October, I would have told Dr. Maupin that Ethan's medicine, the Symbicort inhaler, was doing a fantastic job in controlling his asthma related symptoms. I really thought it was. At least that was until he had that horrible illness at the end of October that really threw him for a loop and almost sent him to the hospital. I explained to the doctor how Ethan had to go on Orapred because his sats were dropping into the 80's and how he has never seemed to fully recover since then. I also explained how the Xopenex inhaler is useless with a illness, and that I really question now whether Ethan is even really proficient enough with the inhaler at all to use it, even with a spacer. We talked some more about Ethan's symptoms and what has been going on since the illness. He is putting Ethan back on another round of Orapred because he thinks that maybe the first one wasn't strong enough to heal his lungs after that illness. Also, he is taking us him of Symbicort and putting him back on Pulmicort, but at a higher dosage. Ethan will take 1 mg of Pulmicort two times a day through a nebulizer. Of course this now means that we will have to pack up the nebulizer and all tubing and meds to take with us to Disney. Dr. Maupin also did some more lung function tests on Ethan today and sent him down for some chest x-rays. One thing that I have to say is that I absolutely LOVE this doctor and this hospital!!



It was a big day for Emily today. She had to go to school all by herself for the first time today. This was a huge milestone!!!! She wasn't worried about it at all or upset at all this morning. As we were driving to school, Ethan said to her, "Don't get upset and cry as you are getting out of the car, Emily." I just quickly tried to change the subject because I didn't want him to make her cry. She was very brave and didn't show any hesitation at all. She got right out and waved to us and walked her way into the building. Ethan, on the other hand, was sitting in the back seat and had his eyes welling up with tears. He told me that he was going to be worried about Emily at school by herself. He kept asking me what time it was and would try to figure out what she would be doing in class right then. He even took her stuffed animal that she left in the car and he buckled it into her booster seat. He would look over at it on our way to the hospital and would get sad and say that seeing Rudy sitting there made him think of Emily. It was really quite pathetic and very sweet all at the same time. He ended up surviving the day and so did she. Emily did tell me that she got sad and started to cry a couple of times during the day, but that most of the day was a good day.



We only have one more full day until we leave for our trip. Rob and I have been packing like crazy tonight. We haven't flown on a plane since the Sept 11 terrorist attacks and so all of this new security stuff will be new to us. I'm not really sure what all to expect. I'm sure we'll be that crazy family with kids that holds up the line that everybody behind us just hates to see coming. ;)