January- I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis.
February- we were sick (collectively as a family) for a month (this included Chad & me on our anniversary).
May- sick again. Once again, collectively for a month.
With this track record in mind, you can see how it almost came as no surprise when Max was diagnosed this past Monday with moderate to severe Atrial Septal Defect of the Secundum (I think that's how you say it)…a.k.a- he has a hole in his heart that will need an operation.
It was a miracle that we found out about this now. And this miracle came about in a rather inconvenient way.
This past May when sickness swept through our house, Max got the sickest.
Week 1- He started out with a nasty cough and drainage. And we was pretty cranky/clingy.
Week 2- Fevers that lasted 3-4 days. I delayed going to the doctor because I felt like we'd already been there SO much this year and family kept reassuring me that he'd soon be over this bug.
Week 3- still has a cough, and is super grumpy! By now, as a mom I'm thinking, 'Something is up. I need to take him to the doctor'. But Chad thought it was just allergies and my dad thought it was a bug that he'd soon get over. Internet searches with his symptoms also seemed to think there was no big deal. So I ignored my mother's intuition.
By the end of that week the fevers returned.
I was concerned and poured out my concerns to some company that were staying the night as they passed through on their way to Utah. Thankfully, the wife seconded my feelings that I should take Max in to the doctor. It was Sunday night, but I wasn't going to wait any longer and I announced to Chad that I was going to the walk-in clinic here in town.
Walk-in clinic diagnosis- one ear infection.
Prescription- a mild antibiotic (can't remember the name of it). However, all the pharmacies in town were closed and I'd have to wait til Monday to fill the prescription.
That night Max's fever spiked to 104.8. Surely this couldn't just be an ear infection!
Monday morning I call my dad. He thinks my thermometer must be off to register a temperature that high and thinks he'll be just fine with the antibiotic that the walk-in clinic prescribed. But I still have this nagging feeling like I need to take him in. So I did (especially after checking my thermometer against another thermometer and verifying that it was indeed correct).
Once at the doctor's we had the following performed-
-strep test - came back as negative
-chest x-ray - looked good
-blood work (screening for mono, white blood count & something else I don't remember) - white blood count high
-another blood test- testing for peptis
Dr. Baugh (our pediatrician) also finds double ear infections & a heart murmur.
A stronger antibiotic was prescribed and some steroid shots administered to offset all the swelling he had in his bronchial tubes that was making it hard for him to breath. Within 24 hours of antibiotics he was a different boy!
Dr. Baugh wanted to take more blood work the next day to screen his white blood count. Happily, it was back in a normal range, but she was still detecting a heart murmur and was concerned about this. She referred us to a pediatric cardiologist.
And from there came the discovery- Atrial Septal Defect.
After the cardiologist visit I talked to my dad and asked him- "How was it that this heart murmur was never detected before? We've gone to all his well-child visits and they've always listened to his heart." My dad said the pressure on his lungs probably maybe the murmur more detectable.
At the time, all of the sickness and sleepless nights with Max were such a pain! But now I know that there was purpose to the all the struggle. It was actually a blessing in disguise! The Lord works in mysterious ways. We don't always understand His ways, but this has increased my trust in Him.
(And as a side note- I don't know if it was the Holy Ghost or "mother's intuition", but whatever you want to call it- next time I will listen more closely despite what google, family or even doctors say!)
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