Anya vs. Pneumonia

August 22, 2010  Ate vs. Pneumonia

Ate has been home since Monday!  Yipeee!

Since we arrived home, we took a day to rest and sleep through most of the day.  The following days was immediately trying to get back to our routine.  We had physical therapy since she had spent a week in bed without any exercise.  We had cranio-sacral therapy for some detoxing and relaxation.  Another day with mommy and daddy just playing with Ate who has been babbling and making a lot more sounds.  She slowly gains her appetite.

Breast milk donations came in at a timely moment and Ate has been drinking pure breast milk to strengthen her immune system.  (We used to alternate potato milk with breast milk).  We would still need more breast milk donations in the next few weeks so please pass the word!  (Formula milk aggravates her seizures, animal milk hasn’t been tried and may be risky too, potato milk is just a very poor substitute) A few more kilos to gain for her and of course, she must maintain it and then gradually increase it too!



We thank you for all the support and the prayer warriors.  Some who did not know her now have her in their hearts.  She also has you in her ever-so-pure-heart.  Ate’s strength continues to astound us.  Even the doctors were glad that with just the least potent anti-biotic she overcame pneumonia considering her neurological condition.  And that this is only her first time to be hospitalized compared to other special children of her age.  Of course, we don’t want it to happen again!

The financial burden we had (during that week long stay) and now face once again is another aspect of our reality.  But we are just too glad that she has been gaining her health back. Though great are our financial challenges, greater are our blessings.  We believe our marriage is stronger as we face and overcome new challenges together.  We feel our faith is growing and our dependence on God becoming more obvious to us that is has become an enlightening experience.  We lost so much but we gain so much more.  If we were our old selves we would probably say how weird we are right now.  Weird nga talaga.


And the greatest blessing is that we have not seen any infantile spasms since!  On the Feast of the Assumption of our Lady, we asked her if she would let us go home and leave the hospital.  She probably said we asked for too little.  On that day and since that day, Ate has not had any infantile spasms whatsoever!  And she has been babbling and making sooooo much noise compared to before!  Of course not yet appropriate to her biological age, but a great milestone for her neurological growth!  Praise God!  Thank you Mama Mary!  Thank you prayer warriors here on earth and in heaven!  Thank you Ate for blessing us all!



The fight history:
Wednesday, August 4: Had a runny nose and slight cough

Thursday, August 5: Cranio-Sacral Therapy helped by letting the runny nose run some more! Mom kept wiping nose!  Slight fever in the evening. Natural remedy was to wipe me with warm towel soaked in water and vinegar. Fever went away.


Friday, August 6: Still had a runny nose.  Cough didn’t sound too good.  Slight fever in the evening. As temperature rose, seizures manifested with greater intensity. Homeopathic remedy was changed to get rid of fever. Cuprum was addressing the seizures but febrile seizures had to be addressed.  Sponge bath with smelly vinegar again brought fever down.

Saturday, August 7: Fever gone, no runny nose, cough started to sound like a bark.  Nebulizing with salinase.

Sunday, August 8: Was barking by now.  Vomited everything she drank with some phlegm coming out.  Fever started to slowly rise. Doctor came for a home visit. Diagnosed Pneumonia.  Doctor stayed until fever went below 38 and gave warning signs if hospital was a must.  Ate had risks of allergic reactions to medications (which she had at 6 months) and all vaccines have been moved to a later date because of neurological condition so immune system may not be able to handle injections and medications.  Febrile seizures still there, homeopathic remedies changed again.

Monday, August 9 Anthony Racho’s birthday: Early morning fever suddenly shot up (probably to 40). Body felt cold, fingers turned blue, lips turned blue, eyes rolling up, may have lost oxygen to the brain, shallow and fast breathing, rushed to the emergency room.  Oxygen support immediately given, heart rate above normal, respiratory rate way above normal.  Felt like she was running a marathon.  Ate’s lungs to begin with are weaker compared to normal lungs.  Nurses screwed up the oxygen support and Ate inhaled some water to her already weak and tired lungs. Parents remained calm.  Anti-biotics given through i.v. after skin testing showed no adverse reaction to medications.  Ate learned to get mad.  For the first time in her life she cried of frustration and pain (except for the violent seizures she had before) because of the many needles.  Slept most of the day.  A few infantile spasms for the day.  Asked for Anthony to intercede in heaven.  Anthony is Mommy's older brother who went to heaven when he was just 9 years old because of brain cancer.


Tuesday, August 10:  Fever went down.  Lungs not yet clear.  Respiratory rate still too fast.  Breathing shallow and fast.  Slept most of the day.  Cannot eat/drink yet, on i.v., stomach continues to churn so new meds given to avoid ulcer.  Blood sugar tests with needles continue.  Ate recognizes the nurses she doesn’t like (those who poke her) and those she likes (those who massage her back with this ridiculously expensive gadget to loosen the phlegm).  Ate is very tired and losing weight.  Neurologist came to see Anya and not concerned with the seizures but with the significant weight loss.  Ate needs to gain 4 kilos asap.  Ant-tart remedy given.

Wednesday, August 11: Fever was gone.  Heart rate much better.  Respiratory rate still fast.  Breathing fast and shallow.  Had more waking hours.  Was carried during those waking hours but couldn’t move around much because of all the things injected in her including the oxygen support.

Thursday, August 12: Xray done in the morning showed significant loss of phlegm but not enough to send her home.  Steroids given through i.v. to open pathways of lungs.  Ate must eat today.  Respiratory rate improved within the day and Ate had good chance of avoiding tube feeding.  It was a matter of how long her strength would last from the time she got sick vs. how long before the medications would take effect.  Good thing her strength is still there!  Many prayer warriors!


Friday, August 13: Are we going home soon?
Email update: Ate was able to drink milk from the bottle!  She did not need the 10 inch tube down her throat straight to her tummy!  After 5 days of no food/milk it was a MUST for her to eat today.  And thank God she did not need the tube!  She drank from the bottle without aspirating and without compromising her breathing!

She still has oxygen assistance but it is slowly being decreased and it seems she is able to handle it.

She still has phlegm in her lungs but also decreasing.  The steroids (given to open up pathways for phlegm to get out) is also being decreased.

Her milk intake is also slowly being increased since she can't gulp down 9oz like she used to.  But she'll get there eventually.

Hopefully she will be discharge by Sunday morning.

Saturday, August 14: Still could not go home but oxygen support removed and Ate is able to breath on her own with enough oxygen levels in her body.  She drank some more milk.  The i.v. was transferred to her leg.  Still saw 2 infantile spasms today.

Sunday, August 15 Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady:  Mama Mary, please let Ate go home today!  She had better plans – we did not see any infantile spasms or seizures today!  We stayed on to finish the 7 days of anti-biotics.  Mommy couldn’t resist and spent half the day with Ate and wore a mask the whole time!  Mommys doctor ordered her to stay away – took anti-biotics and pro-biotics.


Monday, August 16: Finally going home today!  Daddy was getting tired from his day and night shifts at the hospital and was lacking lots of sleep.  Took a while before everything was settled with the cashier.  Upon arriving at Oma and Wowo’s house to pick up some things, Ate was smiling and cooing with excitement.  She knew where she was!  And when we were finally at home with Mommy and Daddy in bed, Ate was rolling on her bed and was glad to be home!