A weekend trip to the ER

Well, Braden has been getting usual August "junkiness" that he gets this time of year. WHile we tried to get into the pulmonologist for 2 days wtih no avail, we went to the pediatrician who helped us decide we'd better go to the ER so we can get a chest x-ray, cbc, blood gas, and cultures started, since going through the weekend would have meant we'd probably end up there anyways.

So we started him on some antibiotics. Chest xray was inconclusive, but slight elevations in his heart rate, temperature and other tests gave the doc enough to go on and call it bronchitis/pre-pneumonia stage. Today we are still waiting for doctor directons, as we know his cultures were growing things, but we might not be on the right meds, according to the pediatrician.

To make things worse Friday, when the home nurse came, for the third month in a row she had much difficulty accessing Braden's port, even after sticking him 3 times. She said she thought it might be clogged - but my gut was telling me she's not comfortable enough with his port to really determine that. My instincts proved true when the hospital oncology nurses accessed it on their first try (PRAISE GOD - THANK YOU!!).

So we are spending lots of time doing extra treatments and he seems to have perked up a little, but we are watching him close. The doctors orders may change and require a new direction, but for now we are treating him at home.

Keep praying, and thanks for the ones you've also sent up on his behalf. Please say extra prayers for AUNT SHALA who goes in for kidney surgery WEDNESDAY for a stint to make it work again.

Thanks for the continued love, prayers, and support - we thank you and love you all for it!!

KB2