It's Always Something

The kids have always given us a roller coaster ride. We've dealt with birth defects, birth injuries, prematurity, and random other health scares. (Like Logan's heart murmur.) I guess it really shouldn't surprise me any more when something new comes up.

This week, some of the kids have had colds, including Lindsay. Lindsay got it worse than everyone else, and it turned into croup. Monday night, she asked to sleep with me, and I ok'ed that, because I wanted to keep an eye on her. It turned out to be a very wise decision. In the wee hours of the morning, she woke up sounding awful, and coughing up a storm. In my groggy state, I realized a few seconds later that she couldn't breathe very well. She just had this look on her face and I could tell she was worried, and completely focused on getting air in and out. The hubby was already getting ready for work and was in the shower, so I swooped into the bathroom with her to see if the steam would help. (Had it not, we would have been off to the ER.) It did help, and she fell back into a fitful sleep. We made an appointment for her to be seen that day.

I hate going to the doctor, and anyone that knows me knows that I don't take my kids in for just anything. I tell people that I have four kids, so I don't scare very easily. Lindsay had me scared, though. I knew bringing her in was the right decision when the nurse took one listen to her, and before even getting her vitals, left the room to grab a passing doctor in the hallway. They listened to Lindsay and he was actually quite surprised to report that her lungs sounded clear. The croup was worrisome though. (Because of her age, and the fact that she was coughing pretty much constantly.) Two different doctors looked at her, and both agreed that her croup was not normal.

They pumped her full of steroids, and gave us more to take home. We had explicit instructions to bring her back in the next day if she hadn't improved, and to head straight to the ER if she got worse. Then one of the doctors talked to me about causes. She said she was sure there was an underlying issue. The croup at this age, combined with the fact that Lindsay does seem to get sicker than the others, and she coughs at night sometimes, especially in the winter, means something is up.

Once Lindsay is better, we're supposed to make an appointment with her regular doctor and have tests run. The doctor she saw is suspecting anything from asthma to an airway deformation. Frankly, I'm not sure what I'm rooting for, here. I mean, asthma is something I'm used to. It can be scary, but it's a "normal" thing to be wrong with someone. An airway deformation sounds terrifying. On the other hand, that might be something fixable. Asthma would be something she'd probably have for the rest of her life. However, fixing a deformation can involve surgery and scary things like that.

Like I said, I'm not sure what I'm rooting for. I'd rather nothing be wrong, but obviously that option isn't on the table. It's always something. . .