Kendi Update--Thank you!

I apologize for not updating the blog earlier.  I know that these days we typically "see" each other on facebook more than a blog, and most of you are my FB friends.

 

Kendi didn't go to the hospital, thank the Lord.  Our PID doc explained that at her age her HIV is slower to progress.  Even if we would have stopped giving her ANY medicine six months ago, it's very unlikely that her HIV could have progressed to a point where she would be immune compromised now.  WHEW!  He said it could take a few years before she would get to that point, even with NO medicine.  I can't explain to you the feelings of relief I felt when he told me that.  At that point, I figured whatever this other stuff was, we could handle it.

 

Kendi's nasal passages are almost swollen shut.  The tissue itself is inflamed.  That's why she can't breath, more than because of horrible snot congestion.  And thankfully, he didn't hear more than a slight wheeze in her lungs!  He said that he felt that, for whatever reason, Kendi is just getting every virus around, all in a row.  Doc said that sometimes it's like that for kids--they just happen to be susceptible on a certain year to a certain round of viruses even if they are typically very healthy.

 

We did a swab test to confirm viral infection rather than bacterial infection.  It came back positive with Para-Influenza Type 2.  The virus is one that often causes croup and lasts about 7 days.  We think this is just the last in a series of typical viruses she's gotten.  Hopefully the VERY last!  All in all, the doctor said she would likely be better within a few weeks but there was no medicine to give.

 

This was several days ago, and I can see that she *IS* getting better.  We have continued to pray over her (obviously) and each day there is less and less runny nose.  She has developed a bit of a cough she didn't have before, but I'm not worried at this point.

We expect to have her HIV numbers back tomorrow (Tuesday) and we're praying that all is good. 

 

We have decided to start working with her to hopefully have her gtube removed later this year, so we're starting pill-form medication again.  Oh my!  I hope she can learn to swallow pills quickly so that we don't have to go through rounds of vomiting medication!  So far, she doesn't get it.  We're trying tic-tacs and other small candies like that, as well as trying to have her swallow bits of ice (just to get the feeling of swallowing something).  No luck.  Until she can swallow the pills we'll have to crush them and put them in a bit of food, and hope they aren't too bitter for her to handle.

 

Thank you again for your prayers for baby girl.  I have no doubt they were heard and have protected her from a worse outcome.

Anita