Jacob needed only two doses of albuterol today compared with four or five doses per day since we were discharged from Hasbro last week. Since albuterol is a stimulant, a welcomed side effect has been a wide-eyed, awakened Jacob. His anti-seizure medication, depakote, is a depressant and we've always been concerned that it dampens his personality and his cognitive abilities. This is one of the reasons for surgery - to get off the depakote. Jacob's second dose of albuterol today followed about fifteen minutes of him laughing and squealing and "running" and then he was coughing and breathing quick and shallow. The respiratory therapist at Hasbro said that laughing, as well as crying, causes us to take deep breaths, exactly what the lungs need to do in order to clear out the remains of a pneumonia infection. For the first few days after we were discharged, I held Jacob almost all of the time because walking brought on an asthma attack. For the last few days, I have been able to play with him for short periods of time the way little boys like to play.
The quarantine is in effect until December 22nd. I requested leave from my employer to be home with Jacob while he recovers from pneumonia. Since he is susceptible to recurrent pneumonia, he will not be able to attend daycare until after surgery. Jacob's daycare director has graciously offered to reimburse us for the weeks that he is at home. We are so grateful.
I'm so happy to hear that Jacob's funny bone wasn't adversely affected by his illness, and so grateful to his daycare as well. That was very generous of them. Everybody that meets this child falls in love with him and his daycare has obviously embraced him.
ReplyDeleteI miss all the babies.
p.s. Thank you for the help today. And please enforce your quarantine. There are so many germs around - who knows what folks are incubating.