Coburn Kids

So I have a lot to post about, lots of pictures.  I’ll get to that, but let me tell Adessa’s saga last week since I have a lot asking about it.

Daniel and I have been so busy lately (hence no updates, as well as some computer problems) that we decided a small trip with just us would be great. So we planned for Utica, IL where they have a great hotel there with an indoor swim park, amusement park, hiking… everything.  Well we woke up the day to leave and I was feeling under the weather, so was Gena and Adessa.  We put down the money though so decided to try for it anyway, it was 90 minutes away so wasn’t too bad.

As we get in the car Adessa is starting to breathe funny.  I think it’s just because she’s come down with a cold but she’s acting normal, though a bit whiney. By the time we get to the resort I’m getting a bit more concerned, as I can see she’s breathing faster then normal but no wheezing or anything.  Adessa hasn’t had an “asthma” attack in 2 years.  It crosses my mind but really… it’s been 2 years.  Was told repeatedly kids can grow out of it. Adessa is bound and determined to get into that water park though so the others go on ahead while I gave her some medicine for her runny nose and let her relax a bit to see if that helps.  It does, so we get dressed and off we go.

Adessa is now really really quiet.  She’s having fun I can tell but no talking. We then have this conversation:

Adessa: “Mommy my leg hurts.”
Mom: “Your leg hurts?”
Adessa: “No it doesn’t.”
Mom: “Adessa you just said it did. Does it hurt?”
Adessa: “Yeah this one.”
Mom: “Okay, where does it hurt?”
Adessa: “It doesn’t hurt.”
Mom:  ….

Hmmm. Strange but she’s 5, I’ve had weirder conversations.  We float along in the lazy river and suddenly she gets up and walks out of the water.  I chase after her calling her.  She won’t respond. I ask her where she’s going… doesn’t respond. I take her hand and she just limply lets me guide her.  I get down to her level and try to talk to her… won’t respond.  I immediately get her back to the room, get her changed. Daniel comes in and I tell him I do believe it’s time she went to the ER.

The ER up in Peru, IL has fabulous nurses, they adored Adessa.   She spent 4 hours there, got 2 neubalizer treatments, medicine, antibiotics and a gazillion stickers, temporary tattoos and pencils.

We come home on Monday and she’s still laboring a bit to breathe despite her inhaler and medication (it was a holiday otherwise I would have had her seen that day) and on Tuesday take her in to see her Pediatrician.  I had no idea the severity of Adessa’s asthma attack this Labor Day weekend.  Her pediatrician is aghast that Adessa was not admitted to the hospital and put on continuous oxygen. When the Dr. heard she had signs of confusion, wouldn’t talk and was so labored in breathing you could see it across the room, I learned that this was not a normal asthma attack.  Adessa was not wheezing, I thought there would be for any asthma attack.  Her previous ones she always wheezed.  Asthma can get so severe, so fast… the wheezing stops.  As her pediatrician tries to stress the importance of this she starts mentioning respiratory failure and more. When I mention that Adessa was complaining of her back hurting and was in agony because of it (I thought she had just strained something coughing) she lets me know that this was the breathing muscles basically working overtime.  Severe overtime.  If a muscle, even your breathing muscles, works too hard it acts like any other muscle, it gets weak and can’t do its job.

So the next day she goes to school.  We have Daniel go personally to the school at Noon to talk to the Nurse and give Adessa her breathing treatment. An hour-and-a-half later we receive a call from the nurse.  Adessa’s oxygen saturation is only at 89% (you want it 95%+), has labored breathing and is wheezing in both lungs.  She asks what we want to do.  I, of course, tell her that we’ll be picking her up from school. In the meantime, I have a flight scheduled to leave in a few hours to visit my family in UT.

Daniel goes right over and picks her up and brings her to the ER.  They can’t get her oxygen saturation up and she’s on oxygen and nebulizer treatments. I am now still trying to pack, wondering if I should be going, running around like a madwoman trying to clean the house, finding a ride to the airport, and messaging Daniel non-stop for updates.  There’s talk of admitting her to the hospital but of course, it’s back-and-forth. So while I’m being driven to the airport Daniel sends the below picture:

Yeah, it pretty much stopped my heart too.  Daniel reassures me that everything is fine, that Adessa is smiling part of the time because they even turned on the sirens just for her.  :)  So now I’m at the airport literally freaking out.  Do I stay?  Do I go?  Is she okay?  Are they sure?  WHAT SHOULD I DO?!  Apparently I’m pestering Daniel so much with text messages and phone calls the nurses and doctors want to speak with me over the phone just to reassure the crazy lady on the other line that everything is okay.

Sleeping beauty on Daddy’s lap

Adessa watching TV in the hospital, her and Daddy had movie marathons

Adessa on her nasal cannula

So Adessa stayed in the hospital for 3 days.  We’ve had her follow-up with her pediatrician, we have an appointment with a Pulmonologist (lung doctor), she’s on steroids (which are giving her a big appetite), she’s getting asthma medication every 6 hours and she’ll be on an asthma preventative twice a day for a while.

She’s doing really well though.  Was spoiled rotten in the hospital but also understands why hospitals are not that much fun now.  I can’t thank Daniel’s family enough for helping us out though.  From Debbie staying with Adessa at the hospital for a few hours so Daniel could come get his car and change, to Dennis babysitting for a few hours, Daniel’s mom for giving up her entire week literally to watch Gena and Caden.  But Adessa is doing great now, except for 1 paranoid mommy who won’t let her run or climb the stairs too many times.