Life with Jack & Zach: ENT Specialist

Since I have been absent from blogging lately, I thought I would fill everyone in on our lives. The past 6 weeks the boys have had consistent ear infections; Zach worse than Jack. This also presented his demeanor to be less than pleasant. During this time we have been to the CVS Minute Clinic approx. 4 times, the doctor office approx. 4 times, ENT specialist, won’t even get into how much we paid in Co-Pays and medications (that did not work) and to sum it up experienced about 50 million tantrums, but who is counting. After our trip to the doctor last Thursday, when Zach spiked a 101 fever and got the shakes last Wednesday night we thought for goodness sake enough already. Others might chalk this up as trying to be patient and not agitated with this situation - blah - blah - blah. This has not been fun at all. The nurse practitioner at Coastal Kids indicted both boys regardless if Jack’s ears were starting to look like they were in good shape indicated it was time for the Rocephin shot that will occur over the next three days. Yikes. Yes, we had to go back Friday and Saturday and endure watching our boys get shots in both legs. That process alone takes some time. The nurses have to mix the fluid, let it settle to avoid bubbles, and then after the shot at least on day 1 and 2 we had to wait 15 minutes after to ensure they would not have a reaction. Not happy boys. After their examination on Saturday the doctor noted because the Rocephin is a stronger antibiotic that is of course injected into the blood stream that Jack was looking better each day. Zach on the other hand was a different story. The doctor instructed us to bring them back Tuesday for a checkup and that will determine next steps. At that time I had already made an appointment with a well known Pediatric ENT specialist, Dr. Supance that our doctor referred us to. This past Tuesday we take the boys and the nurse practitioner indicated that Jack was in good shape (little fluid) but Zach still had fluid in both ears. She took the lead to call the ENT office to get us in Wednesday, which we did. I was not able to take pictures of our visit because of all the testing that has to occur for hearing, etc they instruct all cell phones to be turned off. Continuing on, we were able to get in but not with the specialist that I was referred to; however at this point in time it did not matter with whom since I just wanted some answers to what was happening with Zach. Steve and I just want peace of mind when we are away but just for sake of having peace of mind with this. I had the boys pulled out of school at Noon and Steve’s mom met me there to help. Steve's mom noted that as the boys were leaving their room, their peers waved and said bye. One of their friends, Shawn, even gave them a hug. Very sweet. Due to the timing of the appointment we stopped to have lunch. I felt bad because they play so hard and are learning many new things during the day that they are very quick to take their nap at school. However, they had to forgo their nap. On our way to lunch their eyes started to get heavy and I did my best to keep them up. We stopped at Wendy’s for lunch and the boys did very well, not to mention ate so much. I just love how the boys take their napkins and wipe their mouth and hands while eating…HA, it is very cute. As we got to our appointment the boys had to meet with an Audiologist and participate in a series of hearing tests. Much like what they had to do when they were babies because they were premature. The only difference is the Audiologist performed more in depth tests because the boys are older and their ability to recognize and comprehend is much greater now. Part of the test was that via speaker she would ask the boys to point to random pictures on a brochure to ensure they were pointing at the correct object. The other test was to hold up a block to their ear and once they heard the “beep beep beep” they had to put the block in the bin. They did very well. There were some moments during the “beep” test they had to redo. The result is they have some mild hearing loss but that is simply from the fluid in the ears, and if our prediction is correct that once the fluid drains their hearing should be back at what they deem normal. When we finally met with Dr. Crockett, he examined both boys and gave them a clean bill of health…at least for now. Meaning, when the nurse called his office the day before she noted Zach’s ear were “bulging”; however, when Dr. Crockett examined his ears he noted there were no signs of bulging rather just some fluid that is common after coming off antibiotics coupled with ear infections. We went into the appointment thinking either he would need tubes or they would have to drain the fluid in the office. I am happy that neither had to occur. Cross our fingers Steve and I are doctor appointment free until May 9^th as that is when Dr. Crockett would like to see the boys again for a re-check, ensuring his diagnosis is right in that it typically takes the body a couple of weeks to drain any fluid. We hope his prediction is accurate. Until then we just have to monitor the boys for signs of a potential infection 1) ears warm to the touch and 2) the most obvious a fever. Although I don’t like to see the boys get shots, the Rocephin injection has brought smiles back to Zach again. Jack has been great through all this with the exception of a couple of tantrums at the doctor office. What do you expect with a bucket of stickers, suckers, and a treasure chest of toys easily accessbile? Jack has been a great brother too, providing support to Zach and being super sweet even when Zach is taking his illness out on him directly (i.e. biting his face because he wanted the toy or could it just be terrible 3's considering we skated through what is more common, the terrible 2's). The boys don’t really comprehend only pick one--they do but don't---wink wink. Jack would pick one toy to play with it and then return it so he could get something different. J Very strategic minded. Jack's tantrum would follow shortly after us trying to explain to him that he only gets one toy and that you cannot put a toy back after you were playing with it. Some day. The boys are so observant that as we get to any of the doctor offices, they get very animated and say, doctor no leg no ears, all while patting their legs and touching their ears. We do find it somewhat entertaining because they are telling us they don't want the doctor to give them any more shots. Jack has also been more of the extrovert throughout all of this. At one point leaving one of our trips to the doctor, he opened the door to the room the nurse practitioner was in while beginning to examine a patient and said bye while waving his hand and shutting the door. HA...my little boy with manners. ;) He must have seen her walk into the next room while we were packing up. Hilarious.

In any event, As Joyce and I parted ways from Dr. Crockett's office, we started on our way home. It is no surprise after a 3 hour journey and not even being on the road for one minute, I look back and Jack was passed out. Zach was two minutes behind him. That meant peace and quiet for me, radio playing softly, and taking the scenic way home.

Interestingly enough, I learned some trivia during our visit while waiting for Dr. Crockett. As the boys were playing in the kids room at the office, we started talking to another mother. She asked if our boys were premature and C-Section babies. I tend to not conduct research on the Internet because half the time I am not certain how much of what I am reading is accurate, and would rather leave it to the technical experts to inform me, but after she (this mother) was conducting research, apparently babies that were born via C-Section and premature are more inclined to get ear infections. Steve had ear infections a lot when he was a little boy and although he was not premature he was a C-Section baby. I did not think to ask Dr. Crockett the validity around this theory, but it was interesting. One our nurse practitioners also noted that genetics could play a part too. Well, time will tell.

Here are a couple of Kodak moments of my little guys sleeping on the way home and playing yesterday afternoon!

Tired little boy Zacharoo

Tired little boy Jack Jack

They LOVE lawnmowers. I heard one near our house and peeked around the corner of the garage to see this...Jack looking through the bushes to watch our neighbor at the end of the street mowing his lawn