Bittersweet 6 Month Check-Up

Liam had his 6 month check-up today! Growth-wise, he's gained back the weight he'd lost so he's doing well, there, but his lungs still sound terrible. So, we have to continue the breathing treatments - he gets 3 medications through the nebulizer - Pulmicort 2x/day, Atrovent 2x/day, and Albuterol 6x/day...So, they're also going to double the dose of the Pulmicort to HOPEFULLY keep him from having to do rounds of oral steroids every couple weeks - so far, he's had oral steroids 3 times (5 days each) in the last month and a Dexamethasone (steroid) shot. The good news is he's finally getting adjusted to his high dose of phenobarbital so he's progressing a little on his tone. He was extremely floppy a few weeks ago and has lost all the things he was doing, physically - he no longer rolls or lifts his head while on his belly or puts pressure on his legs...BUT, socially, he's doing great - smiling, putting things in his mouth, starting to act like he's going to laugh, etc. We are watching him really closely because he's showing some signs of torticollis, again, so we have to get that under wraps. The doctor was really leaning toward re-hospitalizing him today when he listened to his lungs, but, in the end, decided to just raise the dose of his pulmicort and wait and see because the hospital doesn't really do anything - they usually start him on steroids and send us on our way...so he and I agree it's not really going to do us any more good to sit in a hospital room than to sit at home...He is also up to 1 Liter on his oxygen...which is a ginormous increase over where we were earlier in the summer, which was 1/32 of a Liter...we are no longer permitted to be trying to wean him, either, at least until his lungs clear out...

On another positive note - [knock on wood] He is BY FAR my most easy going child, yet...with the exception of that period of time every night...but he's so quiet when he cries that he still sounds like a cat meowing sometimes...he is such a sweet baby...who has Xander wrapped around his little pinky...everytime Xander hears him cry, he starts yelling at me "Mommy, be nice to Liam" or "Mommy, help Liam." LOL...he's VERY protective of Liam...When we went to the doctor today, Shane took his lunch break to come watch Avery & Xander since Liam was getting shots and Xander threw a fit because he wanted to stay and "Help Liam."

As of today, my Liam has gone his very first month, in his whole life, without being admitted to the hospital!!!!!!!!!

I just felt the need to share that with the world! It's exciting to us and I knew y'all would understand this quirky milestone!!!