Catch 22

Hi Everyone! Just wanted to give a short, quick update. So Liam is on antibiotics again, it seems his allergies flared up with the change in weather. Unfortunately what this means is that my thought that Liam's asthma was related to the recently discovered aspiration was wrong. We noticed Liam began having a runny nose sometime over last weekend, and this was multiplied after we slept with the windows open. Honestly, I didn't think this was a super big problem. My first instinct was to have the AC on since I knew this is always better for someone with allergies. However,  my husband says to me "I would turn the AC on, but I need to buy a new air filter, unless you want to chance putting it on without replacing the current one." Well, here is one of the catch 22's. I went back and forth about it, and decided one night with the windows open couldn't be too much harm. Boy was I wrong! The next day Liam was super congested all day, and pretty much stopped drinking fluids. It doesn't help matters that his fluids need to be thickened... not comforting when your congested. I am also pretty sure his throat was sore from the post nasal drip. To top it off, if Liam didn't drink his fluids, we couldn't get his allergy medication in him...
 
When we woke up Monday, Liam's eyes were completely pasted shut with nasty green gook. Poor kiddo... The doctor told us it was definitely related to allergies, not bacterial/viral or contagious. So now we add 2 eye drops to the regimen 3 times a day for a week. The fun continues! By Monday night I resorted to letting Liam drink from a straw....I know, I know, it increases his risk of aspirating. But we were in a catch 22 between him not getting any fluids/medications- or maybe putting him at risk for some aspiration. Well, the straw didn't even work... out came the syringes. He was not happy, and mommy was really not happy since this really increases his risk of aspiration. By Tuesday am, Liam was extremely wheezy and had a croupy cough. I was able to clear it up mostly with albuterol but took him to see the allergy/asthma doc just to get her perspective.

When I was telling her about the prior week of events, I really focused on the fact that he stopped drinking from sippy cups/straws etc and I HAD to use a syringe to get his meds in him....expecting her to explain that this will exacerbate his asthma.....but she didn't. She told me we did what we needed to do and that is exactly what she would want since he needs his medications- he didn't seriously aspirate because his lungs were all clear in the office. I mentioned we DID sleep with the window open just one night since we needed a new air filter. She just looked at me, and her jaw practically hit the floor....oops! She told me NOT to do this again. Liam left with a new prescription for another 10 days of Biaxin as well as an allergy nasal spray to give him extra coverage when he gives us trouble taking medications. I was also happy to hear that once Liam turns two he can take a dissolvable allergra tablet!

We have had him on the medications as well as more nebs during the day. and immediately put the new filter in with AC on! Little man seems to be doing SO much better already! That's all for now, hope everyone is doing well!! Love to all!