Thursday, December 27, 2007

Happy holidays and quick update

First off - Happy Holidays to everyone! Hope you've all enjoyed whichever of the many December holidays you celebrate, and (if I don't post before then) that you have a wonderful and HEALTHY New Year!

Just a quick update on the boys --

B didn't have the flu after all. Typical of me to panic like that, right? He was fine the next day, but he has developed kind of a nasty cough over the last few days. I have him on Combivent for the first time since September. Funny how he only develops coughs like that when we come to Canada. Must be something with this fresh Ontario air...

Oz didn't get the stomach virus, but did develop 102 fever and a lovely grayish skin tone as soon as we arrived in the Great White North. He's still not looking all that well, but he isn't coughing, either. He's just congested, puffy-eyed and pale, and he does seem to be retracting a bit. So he's on Dimetapp and albuterol for the time being. We'll see the peds when we get back.

Ig (who turned two last week - did I post that?) is doing well, but is a total toddler. Little tyrant!! Good thing he's so cute... He has a bit of a runny nose and loose cough, but he looks really good. Just keeping an eye on things, but he really seems OK. His lips have been blue a few times, but I think it might just be because my in-laws have cold floors. (Albuterol's always handy, though!)

That's about it. I'm happy to be away from work and focusing on the kids...and actually READING a BOOK. Fiction. Nothing on asthma, Aspergers or business - just pure entertainment.

Now THAT's a vacation!

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Could B have the flu?

It's a little early in the season, but I was reading this article on the CDC site...and it could be.

Should probably check with the peds before taking him over the border. It would SUCK to make the news because we started an international flu epidemic, y'know?

Too Sick for the Road Trip

B woke up this morning complaining of a stomach ache. I knew he was serious - he never complains about his health. Ever.

And we were supposed to leave to see the in-laws in Canada this morning. Not only was he incredibly psyched to see his grandparents, he was even psyched for the DRIVE. Seriously -he was all about watching DVDs in the car, stopping at Dunkin' Donuts and McDonald's....I guess I never realized how cool road trips are when you're 6.

Anyway, he threw up his whole breakfast, so we didn't leave today. Rob took him to the peds because B will occasionally vomit when he has strep, and we definitely needed to start antibiotics right away if he had that.

But while the strep test was negative - at least the rapid strep was - he did start running a fever later on in the day.

We'll keep an eye on him tomorrow, and we'll see what his temp is, etc. before we leave. (This will be very had for Rob who would have us loaded in the car at 7:00AM regardless. I totally don't get men and their arbitrary schedules. Is there a hockey game or something tomorrow night?)

Meanwhile, Oz is looking poorly and has a funny rash around his nose and mouth (please let it not be perioral dermatitis again...) and Ig's been breathing noisily and coughing a bit.

We'll see. Hopefully, we'll make it to Canada before Christmas Eve. It would suck if the kids couldn't spend the holiday with the grandparents. Especially since they've got all the presents!!

Keep ya posted...

Thursday, December 20, 2007

WEGO Health Recommends....Me!!

Just a little gloating...my blog's currently recommended on WEGO Health.

Let's hear it for the Mama!

Sunday, December 16, 2007

NJ's New Mandatory Vaccine: Mama's Angry All Over Again

It's not that I'm against vaccines...I'm not. I think a lot of vaccines are necessary. Polio, for example. Mumps. Measles.

What I have a problem with is vaccinating kids for EVERYTHING. And worse yet, FORCING me to have my kids vaccinated for everything.

Let's give this some context. I'm the mother of a child on the autistic spectrum, as well as three asthmatic boys.

While there's no 100% ideal link between vaccines and autism, there is enough circumstantial evidence - and enough questions have arisen - to give me pause. For one thing, look at the rise in autism diagnoses in recent years. (And sorry - no, I don't believe it's all because of the new diagnostic criteria.)

First of all, why in the world was anything even remotely related to mercury used to bind any vaccines? And no, it's not in the MMR anymore - but is still in the flu vaccines. Seriously.

We'll recall any toy with lead-based paint on the outside chance our kid might chew on it, but we'll inject thimerosal directly into our kids' bloodstreams.

Can someone explain this to me?

Secondly, have you looked at the American vaccine schedule lately? 10 different vaccines before a child's first birthday. Does that seem a little extreme? The UK requires THREE.

But who has the bigger pharma lobby, I wonder?

This just drives me CRAZY.

Now New Jersey, my lovely home state, is requiring me to vaccinate my kids against the flu, as well other illnesses including whooping cough and meningitis.

But let's think back to last year. Anyone remember flu vaccine recalls? How abou the the year before. And hey - didn't Merck just recall the Hib vaccine?

At the end of the day, here's how I feel.
  • I will absolutely vaccinate my kids for diseases that pose a dire risk to them and to the public -- Measles, Polio, etc.
  • I will not vaccinate my children with predictive vaccines that may or may not be safe or carefully tested.
  • I will not allow my children to be injected with vaccines bound with thimerasol.
  • I do not think it's necessary to vaccinate my children for non-life-threatening illnesses they're perfectly capable of fighting on their own, like chicken pox.
  • I protest the compulsory vaccination of 9-year-old girls for sexually transmitted diseases.
  • I DEMAND that vaccinations not be mandatory because pharmaceutical companies have enough money and power to lobby to make it so.

I'm tired, and this may or may not make sense...honestly, I'm not a freak, I'm not a conspiracy theorist. I'm the mom of a child with an autistic spectrum disorder, of three asthmatic boys, who has a LOT of dangerous questions.

Friday, December 07, 2007

Oz & Ig - still not better

So...Ig's being treated for for a double ear infection. FUN - it take two full-grown adults to administer the antibiotic drops for my 23-month old. And he's still got a tight, nasty-sounding cough in the early AM and at night.

Oz has a much looser cough, but he's got enough goop around his nose for me to think he may have a sinus infection. I don't think it's cleared up since he had that flare a few weeks back.

So I think we may end up at the peds tomorrow morning.

In other news, I've got a call into the developmental pediatrician because B, whose asthma is 100% under control with just Singular these days, is exhibiting some odd behaviors. No time to get into right now, but we think it's Aspergers-related stuff.

I'll try to post again after I talk to the doctors...

Monday, December 03, 2007

No RSV but...

We have a double ear infection!

Here's how it played out:
  1. Ig was fine by the time we go to the PP on Thursday.
  2. Oz was coughing like mad on Friday, so both of them were home and on nebs.
  3. Ig was tapered down and went back to just the albuterol MDI on Saturday.
  4. Oz was tapered down and went back to just the albuterol MDI on sunday.
  5. They both went back to daycare today, but both were meant to get albuterol at 12 and 4.
  6. Ig was SO happy to see me when I picked him up today, but then wouldn't stop crying when we got home...and wouldn't eat, either.
  7. I noticed fluid draining from BOTH ears (remember how he has tubes now?)
  8. I gave him Motrin and Floxin after paging the peds, and then I put him to bed.
Fortunately, Dad can work from home tomorrow. (I was home Thursday and Friday.)