Assumptions

My sweet peanut has bronchiolitis...again. The rest of the family has actually been sick over the past week and I was so relieved that Camden didn't catch the funk. I guess I was wrong. I came home from work on Saturday and I walk in my mom's house to a sweet but pathetic looking baby boy. He definitely was not feeling his best. We were staying at my mom's for the weekend so she could watch the boys while I worked. I usually don't have anything there, like a nebulizer machine, but for some reason I packed it this time. I gave him a couple of breathing treatments with the help of a very thoughtful four year old.

We didn't get any sleep because Camden was so miserable. I think we both slept from 2-4. I was lucky that I was able to get off work yesterday so I could stay home with him. His breathing started getting pretty labored and then he started having retractions so I decided to take him to the Urgent Care Clinic. We were the only ones there which was awesome and we were seen right away. From that point to end of the visit was pretty much just annoying. The nurse asked me if there was any health history and I listed off everything including that he has Trisomy 21. Sometimes I say that and other times I say Down syndrome. I have no reason for which one I say. I just like to switch it up I guess. Then she starts to assess him and randomly turns around and asks "Trisomy 21...I assume that is Down syndrome?" I told her she assumed right and that I was sorry I wasn't clear. No big deal. "Okay, he's Downs" she then says. Ummm...he has Down syndrome, yes. I just want to say that I'm not easily offended with little things like this. I know people mean well and sometimes don't word things properly. I really get that. Then the doctor comes in and the nurse goes on to tell her his history and then says "and he's Downs". I really wanted to say "He is Camden, and he has Down syndrome", but I didn't. I was annoyed, but I just brushed it off. Again, it's not that big of a deal. Then she goes to suction his nose with a bulb suction and Camden let her do it without a fuss. "Oh your such a good boy. Those Down's kids are so laid back and don't fuss" she says. I then explain that he doesn't throw a fit when you suck his snot out because his mama does this on a daily basis. He's used to it. We give him a breathing treatment while we're there, he is also used to these, and of course she comments on how he's not even crying or fussing for being so sick because those Down's kids are so happy and laid back. Lady, you should have been with us last night when he was crying all night. He was NOT happy and laid back! At this point I just rolled my eyes and sat quietly in the chair waiting to sign the papers to go home. Maybe I'm being a little over the top, but it's really frustrating when your child is not seen as an individual. He is seen as one of those kids. He is seen as a Down's baby. There are many components that make up Camden and Ds just happens to be one of those, but it does not define who he is. I want people to see him.

Okay, my rant is over about that subject. He didn't need oxygen so we were able to go home and do the rest at home. We are doing breathing treatments around the clock for the next few days with some other respiratory therapy type treatments and he should be good to go. He's a tough little cookie!

I did manage to get a small smile.