Doctors and Education and Asthma

Jesse, in this snap, is sitting hopefully at the front door awaiting the first day of school. She's even sporting the proper tie for a girl. But, as cute as I think Jesse is, that's not what I want to write about.

My Munchkin #2 is asthmatic. Now, to someone who's never dealt with this, you may not fully 'get it' when I say it's not fun to deal with. My kid can look totally normal one minute, then suddenly start coughing, and then if left un-checked, is suddenly down for the count. It's not fun.

We've dealt with breathing issues with her since she was 6 monthes old. Yup, forever. Repeatedly, doctors misdiagnosed her. "She's got RSV, she's got allergies, it's just a cold, it's pollution in the city". I have heard it all. I'll never forget waking up in the middle of night (she was like 2 1/2?), Munchkin #2 was sleeping next to me, I looked over at her. She was sound asleep but panting like a racehorse. Poor kid couldn't breathe. I took her into our pediatrician at the time. "Not to worry. Lungs sound great. Probably just a bad dream." ????? Great? My baby couldn't breathe!

When she was 3, she ended up in the emergency room - high fever, horrid cough, couldn't breathe. The doc did chest pictures - looked like pneumonia. Pumped her full of antibiotics and told me to keep using the basic meds in the nebulizer (the 'breathing machine'). With an emergency room visit under our belts I finally was able to get her on the waiting list to see a pediatric pulmonologist.

While on the wait list - it happened again. She couldn't breathe. This time, there was no coughing. She just laid down on the floor, wide awake, and couldn't get up. Not even for the brand new bike she'd gotten and ridden that morning. We rushed to the emergency department at the hospital. We phoned a local doc who was a long time friend of our family and folks we knew in the community (we were visiting my parents when this happened, in a different city). Munchkin #2, after hours of messing about in the ER, suddenly, with one phone call, had a private room. She did have pneumonia. But, it was a kind that in most people would be just a cold. This lovely doc said, "She has asthma." THANK YOU!!!! Finally, a doc willing to make that diagnosis! After 3 days in the hospital, with a proper diagnosis in hand, we were off of the pulmonogy group wait list.

Pediatric Pulmonology saved her life and changed her life. She is now a top sports competitor. She's a top student. But, most importantly, the pediatric pulmonolgy group we saw educated me. I learned about flow meters. I learned about retraction. I learned about maintenance meds. I learned about rescue meds. They put Munchkin #2 on meds that other docs were too chicken to prescribe. It totally changed her life. And mine.

Now, living in a foreign country, we've had to wade through all this s%&$ again. Dealing with docs and others who don't have a clue for four long years. If our original pulmonology group hadn't taken the many hours to educate me, we never would have made it living abroad.

Today, I finally found a pediatric pulmonologist in this country - with an excellent medical background/education. I'm thrilled. Munchkin #2 has an appointment for next week. I'm very hopeful. She's been breathing ok it seems, but gets headaches after practicing sport. And, because of the steriods she must inhale to function, there are worries about her growth - the fact that she's been tiny since birth doesn't help.

If the doctors had listened in the first place, if I hadn't pushed and pushed and pushed, if I hadn't had an excellent science education, then things would all have been much different.

Peace.