Josh home sick from school today

We think Josh has a sinus infection. He stayed home sick from school Thursday of last week. I thought he had rested enough and was ready to return to school on Friday. He did make it through the day, but felt cruddy Friday evening. He wasn't much better Saturday or Sunday. He told me Sunday night he was NOT going to school Monday. But I worried about him missing too many days, and I sent him anyway.

Well, he was right. He came home Monday afternoon worse than he was Monday morning. His school nurse agreed he seemed worse. So, I called his doctor Monday afternoon. They told us to come over at 4pm. We did and they did a quick flu test. It was negative. But Josh's secretions are really increased, very thick and discolored - signs of either a nasty cold or a sinus infection. So, the doctor and I conferred about which antibiotic to try.

He suggested Omnicef. We got the generic, called Cefdinir. Both are supposed to treat mild to moderate infections like the one we believe Josh has. The doctor also got a sputum culture from Josh's trach, to see what bug might be growing in there.

Josh came home from the doctor's office, ate dinner and went to sleep on the couch. He slept four hours before I woke him to change, brush his teeth, take his Flovent inhaler puffs, get his growth hormone shot and go to bed. He got on his bedside ventilator and went right back off to sleep.

I got up just before 6AM to check on him to make the decision on whether or not to send him to school today. I took his temperature (which was okay) but he had a terribly snotty nose. I asked him if he felt up to going to school. Normally, Josh loves to go to school and see his friends. But today, he shook his head that he was not up to going. So, I didn't push him this time. I just let him go back to sleep and texted his school nurse.

I woke Josh around 8AM because his afternoon nurse had not yet responded to my text messages to her about coming in to watch him early. I decided to just take Josh with me to the Weavers' house. He could sit on their recliner and rest while I worked. His nurse finally returned my message about the time we got there, so she came on over fairly early to help keep an eye on him. Mostly, he just sat in that recliner and watched TV and/or slept.



He finally started to perk up a little late this afternoon. I think we MAY try to send him to school tomorrow (Wednesday). Then, Thursday, his regular school nurse will be out having surgery on her back. There will be a substitute nurse trying to learn Josh while his regular nurse is away. I hate to send him to school sick with someone who is not familiar with him trying to "learn" him during that time. Josh also has an appointment with his audiologist Thursday afternoon, so I'll have to pick him up from school early that day.

Meanwhile, I am starting to feel like I have some sinus issues as well. I've had a sinus headache almost all day and I feel pretty sluggish and tired. I could really use some sleep. Josh's night nurse will be arriving any minute, so maybe we'll get to bed soon!

OH.... The house has been officially on the market a week. We have not yet had any showings, BUT there WAS ONE SCHEDULED today. For some reason, they had to cancel it and said they would reschedule another day. We don't every get a reason why, but we were disappointed after the initial excitement had set in. Oh well, maybe the person God has intended to buy our house will be coming along soon. Spring break is just days away! And you should see all my rosebushes and trees. They are all putting on leaves and buds. They will soon be blooming all over! When they do, I'll take some pictures and post them here.