Coughing....

Addison started out with a nosebleed and a dry, hacking cough a couple of weeks ago. Allergies... The Zyrtec and nasal spray helped a little, but the cough has gradually gotten more productive. Last weekend, I started her on the nebulizer. Typically, I can hear improvement after a few days, but not this week. So, last Friday I took her to a new pediatrician. Nothing was wrong with our old one, but I like that warm and fuzzy feeling and didn't get that at the old office. The new office and pediatrician are fantastic! I got the warm and fuzzy feeling I needed :) The nurse checked Addison's oxygen level and it was perfect. Then the pedi listened to her lungs and they weren't perfect. The pedi wanted to give Addison a breathing treatment and then listen again. She had a feeling that an oral steroid was going to be needed since Addison had already been on breathing treatments this week. After her first treatment, the pedi listened to Addison's lungs again and still heard wheezing. She ordered another breathing treatment and oral steroid. After the second treatment the pedi felt better about the sound of Addison's lungs. We've been doing breathing treatments round the clock along with an oral steroid and Addison has quit coughing, but now has 'roid rage' - Roid rage is the extremely aggressive or hostile manner associated with taking large doses of steroids. Thank goodness today is the last day and my sweet little girl will be back in no time! It's been a while since I've had to deal with roid rage and it's just as awful as I remember.