Friday, December 30, 2005

Baby Iggy Joins the Family - After a Day in the NICU

Welcome baby Iggy to the family of the Angry Asthma Mama!

Iggy entered the world on December 20, 2005 at 5:52 pm, weighing 6 lb., 7 oz. We didn't know whether to expect a boy baby or a girl baby, and honestly, I didn't have a preference. I just wanted an asthma-free child for a change.

Hah!

After a mercifully short, natural labor, I was handed my warm little Iggy to snuggle. His first APGARs were pretty good, but a few moments later, it was obvious that our little boy was having some trouble breathing. He was whisked away to the nursery, and shortly thereafter, transferred to the NICU, where he stayed for a full 24 hours.

Apparently, because my labor was so quick, Little Iggy was left with some fluid in his lungs. The relatively small number of contractions were not sufficient to clear it all. He was retracting, flaring and grunting. (And if you're an asthma parent, you'll know what all that means.)

The good news: He was fine within 24 hours. The distress resolved itself, and the doctors assured me that this condition is not necessarily a harbinger of asthma later in life. (The fact that he has two asthmatic brothers, on the other hand, probably is!)

Another less-than-encouraging sign: my latest little monkey already appears to have eczema AND his first allergy: to Pampers!! Guess this will be Huggies baby....

Anyway, welcome, Iggy! We're so happy to have you in our family, and we wish you strength and good health in the New Year (and every year)!

Xopenex MDI

Check it out - now you can have kids who can breathe in under fifteen minutes -- without turning them into hyperactive nightmares.


XOPENEX HFA(TM) Metered-Dose Inhaler Now Available by Prescription for Patients with Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Symptoms

MARLBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 12, 2005--Sepracor Inc. (Nasdaq: SEPR) today announced that XOPENEX HFA(TM) (levalbuterol tartrate) Inhalation Aerosol, a hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) metered-dose inhaler (MDI), is now available by prescription in pharmacies nationwide. XOPENEX HFA is a short-acting beta-agonist indicated for the treatment or prevention of bronchospasm in patients 4 years of age and older with reversible obstructive airway disease. The XOPENEX HFA MDI is a portable, hand-held device consisting of a pressurized canister containing medication and a mouthpiece through which the medicine is inhaled.

Read the whole release.

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Baby Due Any Minute! Will S/He Have Asthma Too?

As some of you may know from this or my (grossly neglected) other blog, I'm pregnant again.

I don't know what I'm having, but boy or girl, I'm just praying this one is not asthmatic. It would be nice to have a helathy child in this family! Perhaps the third time is a charm.

Here's where it might get interesting in comparing the three. Let's assume it's another boy, for argument's sake. (It probably is.)

With #1 son, I ate beautifully. I'm a vegetarian, and I made sure I got my daily (or nearly-daily) serving of pretty much every color vegetable. I steered clear of simple carbs, with the exception of an occasional trip to Johnny Rockets. (Veggie burger, cheese fries and vanilla milkshake. Yummmmmm....) I went for whole grains. I added wheat germ to my yogurt. I drank whole milk. I also walked every day and did yoga regularly.

I intended to deliver naturally, but the hospital wasn't so supportive. I ended up with a nasty episiotomy and some kind of IV drug. Also, this hospital routinely dispenses the Hep B vaccine to newborns.

With #2, I was unemployed for the last trimester, so stress was a little higher as we actually needed money. We also had our house on the market, which was stressful, too. I didn't eat quite as well, but I was still pretty good. I got lots of rest. The weather wasn't suitable for too much walking, but I did some yoga.

#3 is a different tale altogether. I've been working full-time at the office, eating a ton of processed foods (but still probably eating better than most people!), and exercise? Remind me what that is...? Is that the act of walking up the hill to my car every night?

#2 was delivered naturally by a midwife and avoided all unnecessary interventions and vaccinations. #3 will have the same treatment.

So, what are the odds that #3 will develop asthma, too? If he or she doesn't, I guess we'll know for sure it has nothing to do with Mom's eating habits....

Honestly, let's just pray that s/he doesn't develop asthma. It would be nice to have one child that I don't have to administer corticosteroids to. It would be nice to not have to CRANK the monitor every night so I can listen to the babies breathe.

Sigh. I can dream.

Friday, December 09, 2005

Discount Aerochamber Spacers?

I'm trying to trackdown a reliable source for Aerochamber Spacers - the pediatric one with the little mask. Best price I've found is $30 at Achooallergy.com. (No, I'm not an affiliate.)

If you have another source, of if you've bought from AchooAllergy -- can you share your experience?

Thanks!

Baby's all better...we beat the RSV

Thanksgiving week was nothing short of a nightmare. At 35 weeks pregnant, my husband and I were up giving nebulizer treatments around the clock -every three hours- to keep #2 son out of the hospital. We alternated between Xopenex and DuoNeb for a few days before switching to Xop only. And of course, there was the Orapred.

But we beat it. After a full week of treatments, we avoided pneumonia and kicked the RSV. Thank God. He's on Flovent 44 daily now, but he seems to be healthy again.

(Of course, he's got a nose full of yellow snot again as of yesterday, but hopefully it's just a cold.)

On another note....sorry I've been so lame about posting. I'm a little preoccupied with the pregnancy, and I've got a TON of work to do before the baby gets here. This must be the way working women nest...instead of cleaning the house, I'm determined to get all my projects done by 12/15. DETERMINED. If I have to work around the clock until them, I'll get those projects done, damnit!

And there will be NO RSV in my house when that little newborn comes home, so help me...