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I swear by the time my kid turns one he will have caused me enough heart pounding worry to expedite the graying process of my hair and cause the unnecessary expansion of my ass from all the stress eating I have been doing.
I went to the doctors on Monday to follow up on Nate’s wheezing chest and stuffy nose and ended up leaving with instructions that he needed chest x-rays because there was a chance he had an pneumonia.
X-rays are not something I take lightly, especially considering my background in Geophysics. I remember working on a Ground Penetrating Radar project to look for fault lines beneath the earth’s surface near the Pickering Nuclear Power Plant (nice thought that is isn’t it?), and my partner wouldn’t let me near the radioactive probe unless it was encased in its lead box because women of child bearning age shouldn't have a glow in the dark uterus. Also, Nate already had x-rays performed on him within hours of being born. (I’ll get around to that birth story someday). Multiple x-rays within the first few weeks of life turns my stomach and wraps it into tight little knots because he is just a wee little boy and big scary things like radiation shouldn’t be a part of his repertoire of babyhood experiences.
I debated whether or not to go through with the x-rays, but hearing his gurgly cough and bubbly throat and feeling how engorged my breasts were getting because he was sometimes too uncomfortable to nurse got the better of me. This whole choosing between the lesser of two evils thing really bites and I cried big watery tears when I was asked to hold a lead plate over my screaming baby’s flailing legs and private bits while someone else held his arms above his head to take the x-ray.
The entire process looked torturous and cruel and the guilt, oh the guilt, is still eating away at me because it turns out that it was all for naught. He doesn’t have any signs of a chest infection or pneumonia and we’re back right where we started.
Nate has a cold.Labels: Baby Nate, The Learning Curve, Thinking Out Loud |
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Seriously, it is so hard when a newborn gets a cold! Hang in there!
Glad it isn't something worse.
Vicks Baby Vapor Rub, may really give him some relief and YOU..as I am sure it will help hime to be able to nurse a wee bit better! Hope he is BETTER SOON!
Southern Belle
I know how you feel. When I was prenant with Ethan they thougth I had a blood clot, in my lungs (possible death if not taken care of), I had 3 procedure, you really should NOT have while pregnant.
But one sweet doctor sat me down and said, listen the outcoem of theses test will have was less effect on your baby than if you DO have a clot.
I think the same goes for Nate, if he DID have pneumonia and it wasn't treated there could be really bad consequences, the xray, in the long run won't have any effects on Nate!
Babies cause so much stress!!
Praying Nate gets better QUICK!!
that sucks but atleast it is only a cold!
Hang in there Karla~
you are cracking me up....serious, i'm pretty sure we will have to sedate you if nate ever breaks a bone. isn't being a mom fun!
Nate is such a doll, but hey, you already know that! I hope he gets better soon. Glad the xrays didn't find any pneumonia.
Oh honey, I feel your pain. Tyler had major abdominal surgery at 5 weeks old and was put under the knife, he's had multiple xrays, and even the last time he was sick they had IVs in his wee little hands. I still cry and bawl my head off everytime he gets sick and doctors need to take action. Just the thought of taking him to the hospital makes my stomache turn, but sometimes these things need to be done.
I would love to say it gets easier, but honestly for me two years later I still worry my head off even over bumps and bruises.
It's hard, but I am glad that it is just that.. only a cold!! It's better to be safe than sorry. :)
(hugs)
But what color is his poop?
Try putting a few drops of breastmilk in his nose before he nurses. It really helps clear up the snot! My 1st daughter had RSV when she was 3 weeks old and we had to take her for an xray. They wouldn't let me in there since I was breastfeeding, so her daddy had to be the one to hold her down. Anyway, the breastmilk seemed to work much better than the saline drops for us!
I am glad that it isn't something more and is just a cold. Hang in there. Hopefully it won't stick around too long.
I would be totally feeling you on the bagel and peanut butter thing if Brandon wasn't allergic to peanut butter. And seriously I totally forgot about Doritos, we can eat some if your hubby doesn't snag the first. you still hide em in the cereal box hahahhahaha
You poor thing, and poor lil' Nate.
Just breathe. It's all going to be OK. Of course, then, there will be something else, but this? This will be OK. Really, it will. Hang in there.
aww karla things will be ok.........I used to get alot of xrays when I was little they are no fun!! glad they're over with :)
I'm sorry to hear that it was all in vain. I know how you feel. Feeling helpless is the worst especially when it comes to your children. I've been there too many times with my son..and it never get's easier. I hope Nate is feeling better soon for both your sakes! Hugs!!
Poor Mommy!
this too shall pass ...and dear Karla, i speak the truth...
he will be better soon...
babys get colds
babys barf..alot.
babys poo weird
and baby cry sometimes for no other reason than to cry...sometimes being a mommy can suck..
but then? thay laugh for no reason other than their own, and its all good...
I had pneumonia when I was about Nate's age. Because of it, I almost died, and my baby teeth grew in funny in the front. So, just be glad they went the extra mile. Usually the dr. seems to just blow off stuff and say it's the same normal stuff every other kid has going around.
I'm super glad he's okay, though.
Poor baby. I hate it when they get colds, mine always worried me so much and still do. I cant beleive the first Dr. told you to give him anything other than breastmilk, any Dr. should know the antibodies in your milk is best. When my boys got too stuffed up to nurse I would pump and put it in a little cup and feed them from the cup. That way they got milk and I did not stay so engorged. Its hard for them to nurse or take a bottle cuase they have to breath while sucking, but with a cup they can sip fine.
((Karla))
I'm sure there's some reason everybody panics about x-rays, but seriously? When's the last time you heard of someone who was genetically altered or mutated or whatever from having x-rays? Or any adverse effects, for that matter? Don't let this get to you. It's a good thing they checked it out, it means they are looking out for him really, really good. The doctors know what they're doing, don't worry. He and you will be ok. :)
I know what it's like to watch your baby boy go through tests like that. It's not nice! And it's all part of being a parent. Sometimes I think I'm not cut out for this...I'm a worrier. But then the boys smile at me, or laugh or something, and it makes it all worth while!
Hope Nate gets over his cold really soon!
Cate
Karla –
Ground Penetrating Radar uses electromagnetic frequencies in the MICROWAVE range. VERY different. I worked at a nuclear power plant for several years, and radiation information was a very heavily discussed item. X-Rays were thought to be an interesting toy and “fun” when they were first put to use, it was only after multiple uses in the same area (arms, legs) that problems began to occur, and too, back then they didn’t regulate the strength of the radiation very well.
From webmd.com:
For example, the radiation exposure from a chest X-ray is about equal to the natural radiation exposure received during a round-trip airline flight from Boston to Los Angeles (Montreal to Vancouver) or ten days in the Rocky Mountains (Denver, Colorado).
Hope that helps.
Sorry to hear he's feeling poor, and that you are too.
Umm...can we say "dunce". Thanks methatiam...that should have been "Borehole Geophysics".
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Wednesday, March 07, 2007
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Gina : March 07, 2007 
