this week's update...

sacked out at dinner
Originally uploaded by Beckerbuns

Ricky stayed home from school on Friday the 27th of March, and every day this week so far. He has a raging sinus infection and all of the lovely side effects that brings... Headaches, pressure, general crumminess. Andrew has a cold too but much more mild, so on Tuesday I took them both to the pediatrician to have them seen. The verdict for Andrew was a simple head cold. For Ricky, definitely a sinus infection. He has had them chronically since he was a toddler, though the sinus surgery he had at age four did decrease them quite a bit.

The pediatrician contacted the pulmonologist and it was decided that Ricky would stay on the Septra that was prescribed to him last week. His lungs sounded fine to the pediatrician, which is great news, but there is always the possibility that the mucus from the sinus infection could end up in the lungs and cause an infection.

The good news (!?) is that Ricky is already going to CF clinic on Monday for a recheck spirometry (lung function) test. He will likely be on Septra for an additional week after that. The nurse mentioned an inpatient stay if his lung function has decreased, but I was encouraged by his lungs sounding great this week and hopeful that he will NOT end up inpatient.

He just sounds miserable and is having a hard time with this. Ricky has been through a lot with his health, and it's not really like him to complain, but he is definitely complaining now. :( I've been giving him plenty of plain Robitussin (guiafenesin) and Motrin to help.

I'm not sure whether he'll be back at school this week, and next week is spring break! I told the teacher I could come get his work from her tomorrow if it looks like he'll be out the rest of the week. We don't want to overwhelm him, but we don't want him to get behind, either.

That's it for now. Please keep Ricky in your thoughts. :)


Edited to add: Tonight I joined up with Blog Frog. It's a great way to keep track of your blogging friends and make new ones! If you have a blog and add my link to your page, and then click the button in the widget, your link will appear on mine automatically. It's a neat little widget and it's free. (You don't have to add the widget.)