The Brady 411

The weight on my shoulders has just been lifted...a lot. I have been worried sick about my little Bray-Bray (Brad came up with that nick name). He's had reflux issues since birth and a chronic cough since he had bronchiolitis in December. He's had some major feeding issues over the last week or two and I've been reduced to tears this past week on several occasions because he refused to eat or wouldn't keep down what he did eat and I was so worried. What was worse is my pediatrician whom I have always loved was really making me upset with his lack of concern. Always trust your mommy instincts. I have always known this to be true, but when the doctor keeps trying to brush aside your concerns you sometimes push your inner voice to the side to listen to the professionals. After he saw us on Friday he finally sent us to see a pulmonologist. I wasn't so sure this was the direction we needed to be going for his feeding issues, but on that point my doctor was right on. Here is a low down on my poor little Brady and what we're doing to get him back to 100%....
-He feels Brady is getting some of the formula he is swallowing into his lungs, causing issues with his feeds and also causing the chronic cough issues.
-His lungs/chest sound bad and are filled with fluid built up from the last several months.
-He wants to make sure his lungs get cleaned out very well so is on a steroid for the next two days to get cleaned out. Also, when you have fluid sitting on your chest for a prolonged period of time, it can turn into bacteria so prescribed a course of antibiotics to take over the next 10 days to prevent any of this from turning into bacteria infection.
-Increasing the breathing treatments in frequency and the medicine we are using for them for three weeks, when we'll go back for a follow up visit to re-evaluate.
For the feeding issues:
-Does not like the cereal for thickening feedings because can clump up, having to cut open nipple, causing too quick a flow. Had to get some sort of gel (yummy) from a specialty pharmacy to thicken the feedings instead. He feels this should help a great deal
-He has ordered a swallow study to be done. (where he'll swallow barium, at different thicknesses to figure out what's going on)
-Same day he'll have swallow study, he'll also have a chest x-ray done to make sure nothing more serious going on there.

A LOT of information was taken in today. They are having to get insurance to approve procedure and then schedule the study with the hospital. They are putting a "rush" order on this in hopes to get it done by end of the week. If for some reason they can't get him in for the swallow study this week, they definitely want me to have chest x-ray done this week. My guess is both will be done Friday and if not, will have to at least do chest x-ray Friday.
He has been cleared to get on a plane with mommy Saturday as we had planned, so I'm also really relieved about that. I am hopeful we are well on our way to having a healthy family of four again! Brady is such a trooper. I am so blessed to have been given such amazing boys and even though Brady is going through all of this he is full of smiles, giggles and coo's. I can't imagine how happy he'll be when he's feeling better. Nothing helps getting through these rough patches like Brady's big, heart melting smiles. That, and today Blake told mommy, "Have a good day!" as he left with Brad to school. Um, my heart melted....