Bless her little asthmatic heart

Our littlest NumberFive has had a cough for the last few weeks. It started at the same time that we had all picked up a little virus so I didn’t worry too much about it. But our bedroom shares a wall with hers so I wake up every time she coughs. This loud dry cough. No runny nose or wheezing or anything though. I have enough sleeping problems as it is.. and she usually gets bad between 12-2 am. I finally broke down and took her in to see “Betts” (as we lovingly call our wonderful pediatrician). I really was worried about how long the cough was going on, it really wasn’t just the lack of sleep issue at all…
Shock among all shocks- he informs me that she has…ASTHMA! It never even occurred to me. I really thought that she was refluxing. Nope- asthma. My poor little baby has been suffering for weeks with nightly asthma attacks. And of course it would be one of the times I decide not to run to the doctor. Way to go Mom! He prescribed her some medicine and sends us home. I really was surprised then because he is generally very conservative about giving medicine and very rarely do I walk out with a scrip. I knew that nebulizer that we purchased when Two had RSV would come in handy again one day!
Tonight she had her first nebulizer treatment. I was a little nervous. Five is one of those kids who really doesn’t like anyone messing with her. She has this thing about personal space. If you even just happen to look at her for too long she will begin to avoid eye contact. If you decide to speak to her, she gives you a look like this:And Oh, forbid you try to touch her. She will smack your hand and tell you “NEEOOO!” I swear.
Even if she has known you all her life. She just ain’t havin’ it.
Unless you are a nurse or a doctor and then you just get the freak out cry. Its not your normal nervous baby cry, or even the after the shots kind of cry but shrieking like a wild banshee and the clawing her way up you like a cat trying to get away kind of thing. Seriously. I swear.
She is kind of like an animal. You know, you just sit real still and whatever you do, do not make eye contact and wait for them to come to you.
Anyway, I was nervous because I knew she wouldn’t like having to sit still with a mask strapped to her face. Boy did I call that. She started crying right away and I thought maybe the mist was frightening her or maybe she didn’t like the mask touching her face. I pulled the mask away a little to see if it would help but she kept right on crying. But she kept leaning forward and pushing her face back into the mask (while screaming the whole time of course). It was really kind of funny after a few minutes. I would pull it away a little and she would push her red, crying face back in it. over and over again.
Maybe the buzz kicks in fast.
Bless her little asthmatic heart…