ENT & Pedi & Chest X-Ray

Parker had a follow-up appointment for his tubes on Thursday, May 31st.  Parker was still really wheezy, and I couldn't decide if I should call Dr. Ray or wait.   Dr. Taylor (ENT) was held up in surgery, so we saw the Leslie Ebelhar (the APRN). The appointment was scheduled for 12:45. I should have called and changed the time.  He was in a good mood in the waiting toy area at the ENT office, but everything changed when we headed back to the examining room.  Parker was TERRIBLE! He was so sleepy, and he kept screaming to go back to the play area. I tried holding him, bribing him with raisins, and begging... but nothing worked. I was so embarrassed.

The worst part is that the examining rooms are very small, and they leave the doors open.  I finally had to ask the nurse if we could shut the door to keep Parker from running out. When Leslie came in to examine Parker, he flipped a switch and was so charming. She was wonderful! She said Parker's tubes looked great and offered to have him measured for fitted ear plugs. The ear putty was difficult to use, and Parker could easily pull them out. The new ear plugs are perfect. I'm not sure why we weren't offered them sooner.

I shared my concerns with Leslie about Parker's wheezing. She stepped out for a minute and came back with her stethoscope. She listened and warned me that she was "an expert from the collarbone up," but she was pretty positive she could hear pneumonia on his right side. What? Seriously?! He just finished 5 days of antibiotics and steroids the previous day. How could he possibly still have it?

I called Dr. Ray's office from the ENT parking lot. I dropped Parker back off at daycare and headed back to work. I didn't even have time to explain to my boss what Leslie had said when Dr. Ray's office called. They told us to come straight in. Lovely. I'd already taken a long lunch break, and I'd just got back to work. Leaving then meant I'd miss a meeting. Luckily, my coworkers are mothers. 

When we got to Dr. Ray's office, they got us right in. She could hear a lot of wheezing and thought she could hear pneumonia too. Parker was past due for another breathing treatment, so Dr. Ray decided he should take one and then she'd listen again. The breathing treatment did lessen the wheezing, but she could still hear it. Our next stop was RDI for a chest x-ray.

Long story made shorter - X-ray showed pneumonia in his lower right chamber. 10 more days of antibiotic.

In case you've lost track... Parker had broncholitis in early April with 10 days of antibiotics & 5 days of steroids... followed by Hand Foot Mouth disease... tubes on May 3 and antibiotic ear drops for 7 days... immediately followed with staph (May 10) and two 10 day antibiotics... He was well for 5 days... then got this chest infection (May 26) with 5 days of antibiotics & 5 days of steroids... and now (May 31) 10 MORE days of antibiotics.  This kid needs a break. We need a break.