Lungs and Love and Atelectasis

It is Monday morning, February 27th 2012.  Today I had to take Daniel for a stat x ray to check his lungs. He was having "crackles" this weekend and strange breath sounds.  So off I went in a mad rush to get the x ray done and try to get to work at my 4 hour shift at the deli.  Life is always a mad rush for me.  The x ray doctor said Daniel had a Left lung ATELECTASIS.  That is my word for the day. Atelectasis. So I looked it up, because Daniel has had it before.  Kids with progressive scoliosis start to have more compromised respiratory issues.  And here we go.  All I want is to keep this kid healthy so he can make it to his scoliosis surgery...which will resolve the problem of the dreaded "Atelectasis".....  


I have this vision of Daniel being able to hold himself up straight without curving over to the left. His curve is so awful to look at. I miss his straight spine, which was there until about a year or two ago.




Symptoms
If atelectasis involves just a small number of alveoli, then the symptoms may not even be detectable, but if it grows rapidly then it may cause an acute condition of 'shortage of breath'. The level of oxygen saturation in people suffering from this disorder is also less. The loss of deep breathing also causes the heartbeat rate to increase. If atelectasis has been caused because of some other disorder that the patient is suffering from, then the symptoms will be similar to those of the existing ailment. It is very likely that a patient suffering from this condition will lose his energy and stamina. Cough, fever and pleural effusion are some other significant symptoms of a patient suffering from atelectasis. A very unlikely symptom, in cases of people suffering from an acute condition of atelectasis, is a bluish skin. This happens because of reduced oxygen level in the skin. If atelectasis is not treated and continues for a prolonged time then it may result in lung infection




I'm feeling alittle bit sad today.....because sometimes everything just seems gigantic and insurmountable and I want to curl up and give out a giant cry. But I go forward, and I keep smiling and I keep trying to provide the best quality of life that I can for this child.   Because I AM THE CREATOR of what he knows in his life.

And that is a big responsibility...  and a labor of great gigantic love.

***************************************************************