Update on Kendall's Health

Before I start, whoever is reading this has to know that I am not in the medical field, so I will try my best to describe what was said to me.

Let's start at the beginning...

December 25, 2012
It's Christmas Day, so Billy and I are making dinner while munching on some snacks. Somehow, Kendall ends up with a pistachio in her mouth. We don't even notice until she starts to choke and Billy has to slap her in the back. The pistachio doesn't come back up, so we assume she swallowed it and hope she hasn't aspirated it.

Flash forward to the beginning of February 2013
Kendall gets crazy coughing fits. She coughs nonstop for 5-15 minutes. Sometimes she coughs to hard it makes her throw up. It's kind of random and happens all throughout the day. She still plays, sleeps, and eats normally, though.

Flash forward to the end of February 2013
These coughing fits have been happening for a while now. They get really bad at night when Kendall is trying to fall asleep and in the morning when she wakes up. The coughs actually wake her up earlier than she's been used to. Twice I even noticed a little bit of blood on her bed sheet.
I decide to take her to the doctor. Billy thinks it's a good idea to put my mind at ease, but he knows the doctor will just prescribe some antibiotics. He says Kendall will get better, and I'll think it's because of the antibiotics, but really she would have gotten better on her own.
I take her to the doctor, not her regular, who tells me that she is wheezing on just one side, the right, and is most likely starting a pneumonia. She prescribes some antibiotics, just as Billy predicted, and we're on our way.

Flash forward 10 days later
Kendall has been on the antibiotics for 10 days and she is doing much better. She still coughs a little, but definitely not as much as she did a couple of weeks ago.

Flash forward to the end of March 2013
The coughs are back, and they're pretty bad, just like they were before we started Kendall on antibiotics. Now Logan and Taylor are sick, too. Meanwhile, it's been 2 months since I've gone to the gym or church.

Flash foward to mid-April 2013
After rescheduling our visit to family twice, we end up celebrating a late Easter in Maryland. While we are there, the stares of the people at church and the concerns from my family convince me to take Kendall back to the doctor.
Kendall's regular doctor sees her and says she probably has asthma. He puts her on Q-var for 6 months and Ilbuterol as needed.

Flash forward to the end of April 2013
The coughs are completely gone. Even though no one in my family or Billy's has asthma, we're thinking Kendall probably does. If not, the medications wouldn't help, right?
Meanwhile, one morning I drop off the kids at the gym daycare while I exercise. As I am signing in, I see Kendall running toward me. At first I think she doesn't want me to go, so I pick her up to give her a hug. Then I notice she looks like she is crying, but there is no sound coming out of her. I can tell right away that she is struggling with her breathing-- she is freaking out because she literally cannot breathe. I am now freaking out, too, but I try to remain calm to get Kendall to calm down and breathe. After 3-4 minutes (which felt like 10), she can finally breathe normally. I decide to skip my workout and go home. On my way home, I call Billy who tells me he's coming home right away.
That afternoon, we take Kendall to the doctor who refers her to a cardiologist (because of her right aortic arch) and a pulmonologist (in case she has aspirated that pistachio months ago). She also gets an x-ray taken that day.
Within just days we see the cardiologist who does an Echo on Kendall. She tells me that she was looking for vascular rings but did not see any because babies and young children have *something* that blocks the area where the rings would have been. However, Kendall is growing well, eating well, playing well, and sleeping well, so there is a chance that she could have vascular rings, but it is highly unlikely. We could get some further testing done, but it is completely up to us.
After discussing it, Billy and I decide to wait. Kendall has been doing well since she's been on her asthma medications and we don't want to put her through more crap.
Just two days later (and 45 minutes in a room), we see the pulmonologist who, after hearing our Christmas choking story, tells me that the x-ray showed some air-trapping in her left lung, that our story sounds *suspicious*, and that she'd like to recomment Kendall to an ENT for a broncoscopy. Basically it would be a 2 for 1 thing, where they would anesthetize her, put a tube down her throat and into her lung, look for a foreign body (like a pistachio), and take it out of her lung. She tells me it's a routine procedure and the ENT does them all the time on people.
After discussing it with Billy, we decide to hold off on it. Billy understands the procedure and believes it to be dangerous with a possibility of side effects.
Once again, Kendall has been doing great since she's been on her asthma medications. Why would we put her through something without knowing if it's completely necessary?
In 5 months, she'll be off the Q-var. If the coughs come back, maybe we'll consider the broncoscopy. But if she continues to be fine, then we'll know she hasn't aspirated anything, and she does have asthma. So we'll continue to keep her on Ilbuterol, as needed.

It's stressful to think about everything my little baby has gone through. I just want it to be over. When she was diagnosed with asthma, a part of me was sad because I knew this was something she would potentially have to live with her whole life, but another part of me was relieved just to know what was going on with her, to know that this was something lots of people live normal lives with. But now, with this pulmonology and aspiration crap, I feel like we don't know anything for sure. The pneumonectomy would tell us for sure, but is it worth taking the risk? Billy doesn't think so. And he knows a lot more about this procedure than I do, so I trust him to make the best decision for our little girl. Time will tell... In the meantime, we will continue to pray for Kendall...

Disney World

Day 1: Arrival in Orlando, FL

My birthday

Downtown Disney

Rainforest Cafe

Day 2: Animal Kingdom
It's tough to be a Bug, Festival of the Lion King, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Flights of Wonder, Kali River Rapids (x2), Expedition Everest, Fossil Fun Games, Dinosaur
The kids also got to meet Minnie, Mockey, and Chip and Dale
Golden Corral

Day 3: Magic Kingdom

Dream Along with Mickey, It's a Small World, Peter Pan's Flight, Prince Charming Regal Carrousel (x3), The Many Adventures of Winne the Pooh, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Tomorrowland Indy Speedway (x2), Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (x2), Under the Sea, Enchanted Tales with Belle.

We also got to personally meet Belle and Ariel. Too bad Kendall was so pooped that she didn't get to say Hi to Ariel. And too bad she was in a bad mood when we finally reach the end of the line to meet Belle. Oh well, the boys had a great time.

We also saw the Parade, which was Amazing. Kendall was super excited to see all the characters, especially the Princesses- she was waving and saying Hi to all of them. Logan and Taylor were excited, too- Taylor in a more silent way, and Logan in blowing everyone kisses.

That night, we also saw the Fireworks Show, which was Awesome, as usual. The kids were blown away!

Pizza Hut

Day 4: Pool Day & Downtown Disney
T-Rex

 

Day 5: Magic Kingdom

Swiss Family Treehouse, The Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room (where Bonne-Maman had to take Kendall out because she was freaking out because I was outside with Taylor who had fallen asleep), Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Railroad

And once again, we watched the Parade. And once again, all 3 kids were amazed and excited to see their favorite Disney characters, some of which gave them high fives.

The Olive Garden

Day 6: Departure from FL

Logan's favorite attraction: Tomorrowland Indy Speedway

Taylor's favorite attraction: Tomorrowland Indy Speedway

Kendall's favorite attraction: Dumbo the Flying Elephant

Mommy's favorite ride: Expedition Everest

Daddy's favorite ride: Expedition Everest

Bon-Papa's favorite ride: Splash Moutain

Bonne-Maman's favorite ride: Splash Moutain

It's funny how things change from one year to the next. This year, Logan and Taylor were perfect, even when the lines were 45 minutes long. Kendall, on the other hand, had a really hard time waiting for her turn, and then she had a hard time leaving the rides that she enjoyed. But overall, it was a great trip, one that was only made possible with the help of Bon-Papa and Bonne-Maman, so thank you. We had a great time, created lifelong memories, and enjoyed time together as a family.

Family visit

This year, the Music Convention was in Columbus, so it made sense for Lily, Grandpa, and Grandma to travel to it and spend some time with us. Unfortunately, the convention kept them more busy than we had hoped. But, the timing was prefect with Kendall's birthday party and the beautiful weather.

One afternoon, we even went to their hotel, where the convention was, to say Hi and take advantage of the swimming pool, which we had all to ourselves. The kids LOVED it!

We've been spending a lot of time on the deck, eating popsicles and playing with water.

Kendall's Second Birthday Party

Well, Kendall's birthday came right around graduation and sick kids this year, so we had fewer guests than expected, but we still had a blast. This year, Kendall had a Minnie theme birthday party. It was perfect because she got to see The Real Minnie a few days later when we went to Disney World.

Everything had a Mickey Mouse Club House twist to it, along with the colors black, white, and pink. We had Hot Dogs, pink cupcakes, Oreos with M&M ears, black licorice, pink M&Ms, white yogurt-covered pretzels, pink lemondade, sugar cookies shaped like Mickey Mouse, and pineapple and watermelon (ok, those last two don't really go with the theme, but we had to have some fruit).

Our guests were Keira, Baya, Viena, and Camille (and Elliott). Sadly, Azelynn, Jaylee, and Clara (and Carson) couldn't make it.

And Kendall received some clothes, a Princess dress, princess shoes, a princess crown, a birthday cake set, a little doggy, a bigger doggy, 7 mini-barbie dolls, a Barbie, some water guns, and some money. She was really into opening all the presents and did a great job at it.

I think the party was a success! Glad it's over, though...