Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Annual Ladybug Picnic


We had our annual Ladybug launch in the garden and the girls were feisty! We found a cozy spot for our Mantis egg case and are waiting for them to emerge.

It's been no picnic for our family though!

One day blurred into the next beginning with that mysterious illness that landed us in the ER. The moments to follow were filled with fitful sleep from residual trauma, and days and days of irritability. Just when we thought our lives would settle into their familiar grooves, the trees bloomed in all their beautiful splendor, releasing a thick, evil yellow cloud that enveloped everything. Satchel's eyes nearly swelled shut and were red and painful. They days to follow were filled with trips to the doctor for prescriptions that induced blood curdling NOOOOOOOOOs and some kicking mama; day after day of hosing off the deck and sidewalk to keep from tracking the pollen inside; nights of fitful sleep and loads of irritability. Then the rain came and just when we thought it washed that spider out, we landed in the ER once again because of a sudden, rapid and extremely labored breathing with wheezing. (Why do these things seem to happen when we should all be sleeping?) Satchel was having an allergic asthmatic reaction, his O2 sat. was very low and he was given an oral steroid and nebulizer treatment to open his airways. There will be more kicking and screaming over the next 4 days in order to administer new meds.

I feel like I've been bludgeoned. I just want him to feel well.

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posted by Wendy at 6:33 AM

12 Comments:

Blogger Erin said...

Oh my ... I really hope that black cloud moves away and sunny skies return to you & your family.

8:43 AM  
Blogger Melanie J. said...

Big fat squishy hugs to all three of you as you weather this...ooo, yucky pun, sorry about that. I really hope Satch rallies soon; he's such a beautiful little boy!

9:58 AM  
Blogger Julie said...

Oh Wendy, your poor Satch! I guess spring is not always so lovely for everyone. Big hugs to you and your little boy. I hope he comes out of all this soon. I know how frightening allergies and asthma can.

10:50 AM  
Anonymous Lesley said...

i think we have the same dark cloud following us. i hope and pray it lifts soon. in the meantime keep telling yourself you are doing the best you can. i have to remind myself daily!

10:59 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Wendy, I don't normally leave comments on blogs and didn't see anywhere to email you directly...I've been thinking about your little guy because he reminds me so much of my little guy who is now 5. We found out that his little body did not respond kindly to allergy meds, ANY allergy meds or asthma meds. They made him extremely irritable, moody, violent, unable to sleep...Oh I could go on and on for hours. I thought we were crazy (and so did our doctor) until we stumbled upon the askapatient website and thousands of parents were describing what we saw with our little guy.

Taking him off of the allergy meds was the BEST thing we did for him. Maybe some of the unexplained behavior changes in Satch could be a reaction to his allergy/asthma meds. Just wanted to share.

1:46 PM  
Blogger Queen Anne Mama said...

Thank GOODNESS you have insurance. I am always so scared something like this might happen to my 5 year old boy, who has seasonal allergies and excema (pretty mild, so far, thank goodness, but my husband has more extreme allergies and asthma so it's possible he'll develop worse allergies as he gets older). We don't have insurance for our children, or for me. Even though my husband works for a large company owned by Paul Allen himself, it would cost over $1400 a month to add his dependants to his insurance. We just can't do it, and I am always scared something like this may happen (we would of course rush him to the hospital if necessary, but it would put us in dire financial straits).

No matter how bad it is - thank goodness you are able to take care of him. That you are able to stay home with him and love him and snuggle him and watch every breath. And that you can afford to take him to the hospital. It's no small blessing.

2:09 PM  
Blogger Jessica Monte said...

I'm wanting for Satch to feel good again, like the playful mud slinging guy of just a few week's ago. I am sending out positive thoughts your way, Wendy. Hang in there, :-)

4:44 PM  
Blogger Elise said...

Oh my goodness Wendy, I am feeling for all of you as you endure this. Sending healing hugs and thoughts your way. Hoping and praying that Satch will recovery quickly and that soon this will be a distant memory.

Lots of love
Elise

12:34 AM  
Blogger Wendy said...

thank you, everyone, for your well wishes.

anon: very good point. thank you for sharing this info.

queen: thank you for the gentle reminder. grateful indeed. i think i may have an insurance connection for you...i met a mom with a major illness and she switched to a private insurance for her family because it was actually more affordable than the insurance provided by her husband's employer. she's quite pleased.
email me if you would like me to track her down - wendy at wendycook dot com.

6:14 AM  
Blogger Potato said...

Oh, what a long haul for your family. Poor Satch, he must be so ready to be done with feeling yucky and doctors and meds. Sending healing thoughts in your direction.

2:23 PM  
Anonymous vickie said...

so sorry this is happening, i can't wait for Satch to feel better

4:13 PM  
Anonymous Jill said...

love and care to you and your family, Wendy. I know you will get to the bottom of what's causing him so much discomfort. will be thinking of you and Satch...

11:57 PM  

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