Thursday, December 18, 2014

Sickness so soon

Hello friends! Ava is not feeling well again. A few days ago she started coughing. The school called yesterday to tell me she had a fever. I picked her up and felt sad for her.I started her Prednisolone yesterday as it tends to help her kick the cough much faster than anything. I took her to the doctor this morning. Ava was feeling so bad that she was shaking (chills and fever) then when she finally got warm (The nurse brought her a nice warm blanket.) she fell asleep on the examining table. Poor peanut... you know she is sick when she can't even smile. The doctor said her lungs didn't sound very good so she sent us to x rays at the hospital. I made her wear a mask... not just her spreading germs but I didn't want her picking up anything more.

I took a few quick pictures as she was getting her x rays. She is such a pro at this!




I got her antibiotic (Cefdinir) and some lunch. She fell asleep shortly after eating. I'm hoping we aren't looking at pneumonia. She has such a bad and constant cough. She will be missing out on her Christmas party at school. I do the school's yearbook so I will have to go and take pictures. I'll pick up her treats so hopefully that will make her feel better.

A few weeks ago I had an IEP meeting with her school. She is really struggling. It seems that they are moving much to fast for her. (2nd grade for ya!) She feels like she is drowning in learning it all. She was doing well in math but since they threw in money she is totally lost. We decided to add a math help along with her already special reading teacher. She gets one on one help. I hate seeing her struggle. She is on level 9 in reading and yet should be at a level 22 or 24 I think by now. I myself wasn't a great reader and school was often hard. We kept her back an extra year for fear of this... yet it is still happening. She is a hard worker for sure. We encourage her and let her know that everyone has to work extra hard at somethings. I wish there was an easy button!

We got the results from her Holter Monitor test. Her lowest heart rate was 41 and her high heart rate was 132. This is WAY lower than normal. Ava's normal would be from 70-160. They will retest her again in January. Her heart rate became normal 6 days after the use of the antibiotic, Zithromax. I highly think it was this drug that made her heart rate decrease. I just hope that it doesn't happen with another antibiotic. I'll be watching her close.

On a side note about me... I had my follow-up colonoscopy in December and they found a small polyp. It was no where near the size of my cancer polyp they found in December 2012. (Which was cancerous.) This one had no cancer in it but this "kind" of polyp sometimes does turn into cancer. The doctor did remove it and I will have another followup colonoscopy next year. I still believe if it wasn't for Ava and my heart for advocating the cancer could have spread and been a lot harder than surgery to contain it. I praise God each day. My words of wisdom.... if something doesn't "feel" right please go to the doctor and get checked. It could save your life! I'm very fortunate. Advocating for our children some how seems primal.... advocating for ourselves, different some how? It shouldn't be!

I just got the results of her x ray and her lungs were clear so that is GREAT! Now we just need to keep them that way. Thanks again for your love, support and prayers. I enjoy reading your comments on the carepage and all the support we get on the blog. It means so much to us that you care so deeply for little Ava and our family.

I will leave you with our family photos taken last Friday. How in the world does life pass by so quickly? Lexis is 16, Emeline is 14 and Ava is 8. We are so very Blessed.

This was a hairstyle that I did on Ava before she was sick. She is willing to let me try anything. I got this idea off the internet! How cute is this?


Have a VERY Merry Christmas everyone!


~Terri Helmick