Fresh air.
We aren't going to be seeing too much of this
this summer. Open windows, that is. It would appear through observation that Theodore is highly allergic to something that comes wafting through the air when we open ourselves up to the outside world. Fresh air is good for 99% of the population, but it just so happens to be Theodore's kryptonite.
I don't know why. He was tested for a plethora of allergies last year like dog and cat hair and came back clean on everything. So there is nothing to prove what I'm saying other than watching him. Yesterday he was so miserable that I thought we were going to have a replay of last summer. Yesterday we had the windows open. Five days before that he suddenly started coughing and had increased work of breathing and heavy secretions. We had the windows open that day as well. It took him four days just to fully recover from that, when lo and behold, I open the windows again... and restarted the cycle only in double time. It was so bad that as I was changing his trach ties, which I do every day and it only takes about 1 minute, he turned blue 4 different times. I had to stop and give him oxygen each time when I normally don't need to consider it at all during a change. And he definitely never turns blue in the process.
We gave him Claritin early in the day but that didn't do much good. When he really started getting miserable we decided we should close up shop and get some Benadryl on board to see if that would help. Once the windows were closed and he had a half dose of Benadryl he was as good as new.
Figures.
I've waited all winter long for spring and summer so we didn't have to be stuffed up in this house. Now spring is here and it looks like we'll have to stay stuffed up in the house. Either that or buy Benadryl in bulk. I'd like to say that anything that keeps us out of the hospital is worth it, but I can't say that yet. I'm still disappointed. Again, thus far only observation has proved this theory, but it's been spot on so far. So until any new information presents itself our living room is on lockdown. The only 'fresh air' will be what comes through the AC. You'd think this expensive air purifier would do something, but.... no.
It's a good thing he's cute.
Ruthie made him a house to play in. He loved it. Until, you know, he couldn't breathe. But whatever.
I don't know why. He was tested for a plethora of allergies last year like dog and cat hair and came back clean on everything. So there is nothing to prove what I'm saying other than watching him. Yesterday he was so miserable that I thought we were going to have a replay of last summer. Yesterday we had the windows open. Five days before that he suddenly started coughing and had increased work of breathing and heavy secretions. We had the windows open that day as well. It took him four days just to fully recover from that, when lo and behold, I open the windows again... and restarted the cycle only in double time. It was so bad that as I was changing his trach ties, which I do every day and it only takes about 1 minute, he turned blue 4 different times. I had to stop and give him oxygen each time when I normally don't need to consider it at all during a change. And he definitely never turns blue in the process.
We gave him Claritin early in the day but that didn't do much good. When he really started getting miserable we decided we should close up shop and get some Benadryl on board to see if that would help. Once the windows were closed and he had a half dose of Benadryl he was as good as new.
Figures.
I've waited all winter long for spring and summer so we didn't have to be stuffed up in this house. Now spring is here and it looks like we'll have to stay stuffed up in the house. Either that or buy Benadryl in bulk. I'd like to say that anything that keeps us out of the hospital is worth it, but I can't say that yet. I'm still disappointed. Again, thus far only observation has proved this theory, but it's been spot on so far. So until any new information presents itself our living room is on lockdown. The only 'fresh air' will be what comes through the AC. You'd think this expensive air purifier would do something, but.... no.
It's a good thing he's cute.
Ruthie made him a house to play in. He loved it. Until, you know, he couldn't breathe. But whatever.
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