I Still Hate Asthma

Just when you think you're outta the woods, it comes up and knocks you back down.

I allowed myself to be lulled into a false sense of security.  Thankfully, God DOES answer prayers, and Yougnest Boy has been without a "virally induced" asthmatic episode for well over a year.  As a matter of fact, if he hadn't there's a good chance he wouldn't have been running cross country this year.  As much as I trust his coach (who also suffers from asthma and therefore recognizes the symptoms and knows exactly how to deal with it), I would have been too over-protective mama bear-ish to allow him.  He's been great.  Even with these last two rounds of colds.

But.  Little One...notsomuch.  She hadn't had any episodes last year, either, and I had allowed our prescription for their rescue meds (Xopenex) to expire.  I mean, that stuff ain't cheap and it seemed silly to pay for it if we would never need it.  Besides, I kept the old stuff "just in case".  Well, "just in case" came late Thursday night/Friday morning.  She was breathing too fast when I put her to bed, but a fever can also cause that so I was only mildly concerned with the game plan being to take her to our (non-existent) peditrician the next morning.  Then at 2:47AM (as she's sleeping in our bed - a topic for a completely different post), she started coughing and couldn't stop - CLASSIC symptom.  I administered the old drug and offered up a prayer that it wouldn't somehow do more harm than good.  It didn't.  It was obvious that it helped tremendously (she thought it was now PLAYTIME - Yippee!).  And I was crying.  I just want SO BADLY for them not to have to worry about this.  I'm still hoping (and praying fervently) that she'll outgrow it as her brother seems to have. 

Oh, and as an added bonus:  She also has a double ear infection and walking pneumonia.  Current meds for her - Augmentin (antibiotic - 10 days), Xopenex (rescue med - as needed, every 6 hours), Budesonide (inhaled steroid- 2 days), and Prednisone (oral steroid - 5 days).  And Oldest Boy also has a double ear infection and has to take meds 3 times a day for 10 days.  My house looks like The Mommy's Walgreen.  {SIGH}