Lung Infection

Adeline has been fighting on and off fevers, some as high as 103.5, and a pretty bad cough for a week and a half.  Neither of these symptoms are out of character for Adeline so I didn't take her to the doctor.  I have learned over the past couple of years that the girl has some pretty stellar lungs.  Yes, they have BPD but they haven't given her any problems once she kicked the O's.  She has landed in the hospital for upper airway inflammation and obstruction due to mucus but never for lung function.

This time I was wrong.  I didn't want to push into the weekend without our pulmonologist listening to Adeline so Alex drove her down to duPont yesterday afternoon.  Our pulmonologist was in a deposition and couldn't break free which left us under the care of a new doc.  Adeline was satting in the low 90's which was surprising.  We have a pulse ox at home but I rarely put it on her because her sats are ALWAYS within range.  Adeline was also x-rayed to rule out pneumonia after the doc heard some noise in her lower lobe.  It ends up that she has a lung infection but not pneumonia.  We were told to manage it over night and get in touch with our pulmonologist in the morning. 

We didn't make it that long.  Adeline was satting 88 when she went to bed last night.  It took a 2L flow to get her up to 94, 95 and above being the safe range.  We called our doctor and he was very surprised that Adeline had such an oxygen requirement.  After a lengthy discussion, we felt comfortable managing it home with our doctor a phone call away.  The only other option was admission to the hospital.  Luckily, our doc let it be our call.

Adeline fought the cannula and pulse ox probe but, once reasoned with, accepted her fate.  She has been a trooper.  We are all out of practice when it comes to the O2 equipment and dragging around a 50 line of tubing is less than desirable.  We have our fingers crossed that we stay out of the ER this weekend and that Adeline is off the O's by Monday.

Here are some pictures of The Belle and her cannula.

I wasn't prepared to come home from work and see my girl on oxygen. She was miserable.

We finally got her to sleep and she slept the whole night through. She woke up very happy which makes me think she was enjoying her easy breathing.

How do you tame hair this wild? A stocking cap, even if it is 65 degrees (she can't stand hair blowing in her face). Her batting session didn't last long and soon she was asleep in a stroller.