See, I'm Feeling Much Better

The definite highlight of this week was going camping with Tante and Uncle Tim. We had SO much fun and can't wait to do it again!

The definite lowlight of this week was spending a couple of hours in the ER on Sunday night with a sick little boy. Not so much fun and we NEVER want to do it again!

I know that as a doctor I am suppose to tell people that being out in the cool night air is not what makes a person sick. It is germs that make a person sick. I guess that is not entirely accurate either since we encounter germs daily, but it is when our bodies defenses are not functioning at their maximum to ward off these germs that we develop an illness to varying degrees. It is an internal fight not an external fight. How is that for sounding text booky. Yes, I learned this in physiology, immunology, pathology and all of the other ologies that I studied throughout my career in education. And of course, this is the basis for my whole chiropractic education; keeping the nervous system functioning properly with regular chiropractic care which will effectively reduce the chances of disease and illnesses by enhancing optimal body functioning.

So, why is it that even though I am feeling fine, if I go outside with wet hair in the winter, I get a sore throat? Every time. And why did my prediction, that after a night of camping in the cool night air one of my kiddos would end up sick, come true? Even when all appeared to enter into the camping trip with healthy, properly functioning bodies. Of course, I can't blame it entirely on the cool night air or the germs, since none of the rest of our crew got sick. I guess the littlest Workman just had a weakened immune system and encountered more than his little body could fight off. But it makes me wonder why in real life, the coolness seems to make my family more vulnerable to sickness, even if theory says there is no connection. I am sure I had to learn that somewhere in my $100,000 plus education.

I don't always understand the physiology, but I really didn't care much about that when Sethie woke up at 11pm on Sunday night gasping for breath. I just wanted him to be able to breath again. And fast. Since he had shown absolutely no signs of illness prior to going to bed that night, we actually first thought he had swallowed something and it was cutting off his airway.

God responded quickly and gave my little boy the breath that he needed. Praise Him! Our trip to the ER was surprisingly speedy and much less painful that I had anticipated. Along with God's hand on Seth little lungs, a couple of breathing treatments helped restore his breathing back to near normal and chest and neck x-rays confirmed that no foreign objects were lodged in his windpipe, unless you count the mucousy gunk. After an additional trip to our doctor the following day, it was determined that the little guy has RSV. I guess it can be common this time of year, but no matter how much experience with or information you have on an illness, when your child is struggling to breathe it is down right terrifying.

Today he was almost completely back to normal. No more labored breathing or barking coughs. He just sounds like he has a little cold and he is sporting the Workman boys' favorite spring and fall accessory...a runny nose. Hooray! His activity level really never lessened, even when his breathing was at its worst. When a little boy has to play, nothing can get in his way. Or at least that is how it is in the Workman house. I think that was one of God's little ways of assuring me that He had it all taken care of and that Seth was going to be just fine.

So, thank you to those of you who have been praying for Seth and for the calls and emails. I wanted to send photo confirmation that Sethie is doing just fine. I could barely get him to stop long enough to look at the camera, so that is extra proof that he is back to normal.