Back to the doctor

I'm sure y'all are just as tired of hearing about Jackson's health as I am writing about it. However, it's nice to look back and use this as documentation to remember what's happened when. I reference these posts a lot before doctors appointments!

Jackson is never well, never 100%, never as good as I believe he should feel.  Some days are worse than others, and well sick has just become our normal.  Jackson is still a wonderful sleeper, and thankfully, he doesn't let the snot nose, wheezing and coughing bring him down.  I truly believe the sound of his cough is much worse than it actually feels.  Wednesday and Thursday night and morning, Jackson coughed and coughed and coughed.  Once these coughing fits start, they last for a good hour or so.

Last night was the worst night we've had in a long time.  Jackson randomly ran fever on and off all night.  It never goes above 100 degrees, so I rarely give him anything for it.  As fast as it comes, it goes.  One minute he's warm, the next he's nice and cool.

At about 9:30 last night the coughing got so bad I went into his room and got him.  We slept together in our recliner, upright, for as long as my neck and back could take it.  Then we went into our bed and slept on a couple pillows up for a little while.  At about 1AM another coughing fit started and it was a rough one. 

I gave him another breathing treatment and by about 3AM we were all back to sleep for the rest of the night.  I decided to let Jackson sleep in his crib with the humidifier on full blast and turned our monitor up to hear for him.  I just worry that he'll cough something up and choke, it scares me to pieces.

When we woke him up at 8AM this morning, the coughing started once again.  I felt terrible waking him, but it's a work day and there was no other choice.  I called our pediatrician and asked for the first available appointment this morning.  I went ahead and gave Jackson his cocktail of medication and we were on our way.

We went back to the pediatrician instead of our ENT because this is clearly a lung/respiratory issue not his ears, nose or throat.  His doctor couldn't hardly believe Jackson sounded the way he did after seeing the list of medication the ENT has him on.  His cough was in full force and he was very wheezing for just finishing a breathing treatment.

Outcomes of today's appointment:
We're all on the same page that we have to get Jackson well and figure out the root of the problem. 

Jackson's ear's aren't infected, but his tubes are blocked due to the amount of congestion he has.  Which is most likely why he failed his hearing tests.  He'll continue to fail until we get him well. Ear drops will be needed for the next two weeks and again anytime he's sick - which right now is all of the time!

We're going to treat him for GERD/Silent Reflux for a month to see if that helps the cough.  This will be a new prescription given 30-minutes before dinner.

We are doubling the amount of Pulmacort Respules and giving him one large dose a day, instead of breaking it up twice a day.

Xopenex will still be needed to relieve coughing, as needed every 4 hours.

We're replacing Singular, Dry Max/Vazotan, and cough medicines with Flonase.  If we dry up his nose, and clear up the congestion with the Flonase, then the post-nasal-drip will stop with the coughing.  Fingers crossed!

We are going ahead with the full panel allergy test, ASAP.  Jackson's allergies and asthma seem to be too bad to wait until his 2nd birthday.  I'm slightly overwhelmed at the thought of spending two days a week in a doctor's office for allergy shots in our near future, but if it works, it will be worth it!