On ABs

Unfortunately, Harlie has gotten worse.  I'm not too, too worried yet, but I'm keeping my eyes on her for sure!

Last night (Sunday night) we turned on the oxygen concentrator again.  I was up a few times, but it wasn't really that bad.

Except I had to get up around 3am to let the dog out.  While that happens very rarely, it was the second time in just a few days.  And when he went out, it didn't seem like he really had to go, it just didn't seem urgent.  And when he came back into the house, he immediately jumped in our bed.  So far, he still sleeps in his crate.  I wanted to make sure he was fully house trained before I let him out at night.  I let him hang out for a little bit, but then put him back in his own bed.  So, last night he did it again, and promptly headed for our bed.  Hmmmm.  I'm thinking he's a pretty smart dog.  I think he goes outside just so he can get in our bed.  Tom is pretty against him sleeping in our bed.  He claims that he already gets a very small portion of the bed.  If Rooney got in there, he would get even less.  Whatever.  That is simply not true.  I am not that big.  I couldn't possibly take up most of the bed.

Anyway, back to Harlie... so, I got her up and dressed and brought her downstairs.  I guess she'd been off the oxygen for about 10 minutes.  I was getting her settled on the couch when Terri came in.  We checked her sats and they were 72 to 73!!!  Holy cow!  That's even low for her (her baseline is high 80s/low 90s.)  So, back on oxygen she went.  She stayed on the couch for the whole day.  I called her pediatrician and got an appointment for the afternoon.

Throughout the day Terri would take away the oxygen and check her sats.  Every single time they plummeted immediately.  Ugh.

So, it was time to take her to her appointment and I went and got the portable oxygen tank.  Boy am I out of practice!!  I unlocked the tank and saw that it was almost full.  I gave it to Terri to hook up to Harlie.  But during all this, Harlie threw up all over her clothes.  Wow - it was just like old times!!!  I swear that always happened when we were in a hurry to get out of the house!  So, we had to change all of her clothes.  I was going to be late for sure.

So, we get her in the car.  I couldn't help but think back to when she was a baby and remember how hard it was.  And, for the record, she was a baby for like five years.  ;-)

I check in and Harlie looks just terrible.  I had to carry her in - along with my bag, the suction machine and the oxygen tank.  Our doctor's nurse is named Terri, as well.  And Terri said it has been a long time since I've seen her look so sick.  I'm thankful that it's been a while.

So, we get in the room and I'm telling her what's going on and why we're there, etc.  I mention that we need to give her three liters of oxygen at home to keep her numbers up.  So, I say, "Oh, I wonder what she's on right now.." and turn to check.  Oh no.  The regulator is OFF.  Oops.

I guess Terri thought I turned it on, and I thought she turned it on.  Boy we are out of practice!  So, I turned it on.  And she felt better.  Embarrassing!  Poor Harlie.

So, I guess that reminded Terri (the doc's nurse) of when she first met me.  I often wonder what people (who don't know me) think when see me with Harlie (or without sometimes!).  Terri said that she had just started there (I remember that) and Cooper was there for his two month well check.  But he was THREE months old.  She said that his hair stood straight up (totally true).  And that after meeting me (I just had Cooper, Harlie was not with us) she thought, "That mom does not look like the kind of mom that would be a month behind on infant checkups.  He's only three months old and she's already a month behind?  That poor neglected baby!"

She said it wasn't long after that that she met Harlie and then she thought, "Oh, he's good."

I bet I did look a little spacey.  An overly worried Mama, I am NOT.  Too funny!

Anyway, her doc had a listen to her lungs.  And while he said they sound clear, she is definitely working hard to breathe.  Sadly, it's really hard to notice that in this crazy house with the kids home and the TV on.  But, when it was quiet in his office, you could really see how labored her breathing was (and that was after I turned on the oxygen).  He put her on antibiotics.  So, we'll see what happens.

I haven't rescheduled her sleep study yet.  I'm going to give it a few more days.  You never know... she could bounce right back!

More soon!
Thanks!
~Christy