We like to go watch the Wenatchee Wild hockey team when we can.
We can't always afford tickets, even though they aren't too much.
We just have too many bills!
So, I'll often win some on the radio or Andy will get some free from work.
We got to go to the game where there's a teddy bear toss to benefit the Toys for Tots program.
As soon as the Wild make their first goal, the game is paused because EVERYONE who has brought a stuffed animal tosses them on the ice.
Family Home Evening with the missionaries over.
When we went to Seattle for Kelly's endoscopy, Anthony was starting to get sicker with another cold.
He needed some oxygen when we went over the pass.
OH!! By this time, we had learned from the pulmonologist that only one of Anthony's lungs works.
His left lung didn't make a sound when we listened in the double stethoscope.
A week or two before going for Kelly's procedure, Anthony had a fluoroscopy (a few pictures down).
A fluoroscopy is like a moving x-ray that shows movement.
There was NO movement on the left lung.
We had to wait several weeks because of different circumstances to find out if the lung was paralyzed or just extremely weak or what.
So, when we went for Kelly's endoscopy, Anthony was starting to get sicker that new cold.
We needed to have some final answers regarding Kelly's vomiting, and were desperate to get those answers after over a year of vomiting!
When we got to my mother-in-law's on the other side of the pass, Anthony was having a fever and not doing well.
I almost took him to the local ER, but he stayed within the limits that I could take care of him.
I was hoping that one of Anthony's regular providers in Hem/Onc (cancer clinic) at Children's could do a quick listen to his lungs while Kelly was in her procedure, but their schedules were completely booked.
While we waited for Kelly, my nephew, Donald, came to visit!
Donald is almost a full-fledged pharmacist!!
It was great to see him and he understood some of the medical stuff we've been through. :)
When Kelly was in the recovery room though, Anthony was coughing so hard and spiked another fever, that he vomited foam. The recovery nurses put Kelly in a wheelchair and took us to the ER there.
So then I had 2 patients. Kelly rested on the bed in the ER room while Anthony was in the stroller.
She recuped by resting and eating light foods/liquids.
Anthony got some lab tests done and had a chest x-ray.
First time we've heard the term atelactasis.
They prescribed a strong antibiotic and let us head home since I have the monitors at home and the oxygen to provide for Anthony's needs in that regard.
But, we were told to bring him in to our local hospital if there was any question about how he was doing.
Snuggling with Nana.
Anthony LOVES to see Nana!
The night before the hospital drama.
Anthony's fever was under control with Tylenol on board.
On the way back over the pass, we had the oxygen on Anthony, and his saturation went really really really low.
I was very thankful for our studded tires then, because that is the FASTEST I've ever driven on that pass.
His numbers were low enough that I almost stopped in Leavenworth for the hospital, rather than wait for Wenatchee, where we're more familiar with the hospital and staff.
This was a huge thing for me, knowing that if we stopped at a hospital not familiar with Anthony, he'd likely be admitted and we'd be in a hospital farther away from home.
His numbers improved, but not a lot. Enough for me to feel comfortable driving to our home, but we kept that oxygen on.
When we arrived home, Maggie was almost ready for the junior high winter dance.
She re-made a dress my mom made for me at the same age.
Lilly changed and got ready quickly so she could go too.
While the girls were at the dance, Anthony continued to decline, so I had Andy come home from chaperoning early so I could take Anthony to the ER again.
He had another chest x-ray, but it was the same as at Children's.
They let us go home, but ONLY because the ER doctor knows us and knows I'd bring him back if there was any further decline.
That night Anthony also had a weird symptom that I'd never seen or heard of.
His eyes were droopy and when looked at me, I could see a good 1/8-1/4 inch of eye whites underneath his pupil!
The nurse said it was likely dehydration.
This picture is from when we participated in the Make a Difference Day, I think.
This picture was from the night of XC awards.
Comparing height with the boys.
Thoughtful sleep pose.
This was the fluoroscopy.
Celebrating with Kelly after her awesome concert night!
The "after" of Andy's haircut back in November, by Lilly.
Yep, pretty short.
Back to Anthony's hospital story...
Friday night was the dance and the 2nd ER visit.
Saturday, we brought Anthony in to the local pediatrician, just to monitor how his lungs sounded.
The ped said that Anthony was on the fence for being admitted and that if anything changed, he would need to be admitted, which I agreed with.
Sunday night, he sounded the same, so we kept up with the oxygen while he slept, but he also needed some while awake.
In the middle of the night, I couldn't handle the sound of his wet breathing anymore, thinking that things had gotten worse. We went in to the ER again on Monday morning around 3AM.
His lungs had originally had viral patterns on them, but now they also had bacterial patterns.
With the powerful antibiotic, it should not have been this bad.
So, he was admitted, and given an iv for fluids and antibiotics.
Anthony did not improve with just fluids, so they put simple antibiotics in, and that's when he started getting better.
After 2 1/2 full days of being in-patient again, Anthony was discharged again.
We now also have a steroid inhaler for chronic lung issues.
It was not feeling like Christmas at all, even though we were in the 2nd week of December.
To help, I found some stations on SiriusXM.
Oximeter cord hanging out of his jammies.
Hanging out in the ER.
The IV was wrapped really well.
Anthony is so strong that when they do labs or anything else for tests, it takes a couple people to help me hold him down.
When they did his iv, he whimper-cried so pitifully, and barely fussed.
That's when I knew just how really sick he was.
Cuddling with Daddy at the hospital,
Lilly was letting Anthony pull out her eyelashes.
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