To LA for Sydney

 October 20, 2020

Bradley isn’t the only one in the family to have health issues.  Dad has a bunch; in fact, this virus running around is scariest for him over any of the family.  But Sydney is also compromised, her asthma is concerning around this virus too.  But she has been having some issues with her sinuses the last couple years, so we have been trying to unravel that.  Literally; a year ago, we were supposed to see the Sinus Specialist at CHLA, And after an incredible amount of appointments being postponed and rescheduled, she finally had her appointment today.  And it kind of sucked because we could finally get in and the sad part is that only one parent could attend.  We’re talking about the doctor that talks about potential surgeries as her main focus of practice, but both parents aren’t with Sydney in order to hear it all and both ask questions.  Not every hospital is following the same protocol.  Eight miles down the road at UCLA, both parents would be welcomed into the room.  CHLA only allows one unless you can get special permission to get both parents to attend.  Sydney doesn’t fight like Bradley, so just one parent is necessary.  

So I drove her down there and Eric stayed here with Bradley.  Bradley had therapy and from the video Eric showed me, he was doing fantastic without mom hanging around.  I figured he would, but sometimes he actually does miss me and will spend some time asking for me every few minutes anyway.  I don’t know if he ever asked for me today, but I can say that I spent a few minutes in the van glancing behind me and forgetting that Bradley wasn’t with me.  :-). He spends a lot of time with me.  

Sydney and I got checked in to her appointment and waited for the doc.  It is always tedious to have to go through her list of medicines, but it is truly frustrating and a tiny bit nerve wracking when they don’t have all of her meds on the list, especially something like her Advair.  So I was concerned, but worked through their list to make sure they were up to date.  The doc came in about five minutes later and I was relieved to know that she had the notes that came from Sydney’s pediatrician so we weren’t completely reinventing the wheel so to speak.  

We have a few more answers now, and we have a plan to get even more answers.  We know that Sydney has a Deviated Septum, but we just aren’t sure where her Reflux issues fit into the picture and which way we should go from here.  At least we are going forward at last so that feels better to all of us I think.  Of course, the longer we are relatively shut down in our state, the less she is around others and their germs and the less she gets her infections.  But the doc was pretty funny, “When, not if, you get your next infection, call or email me so we can look at you right away so we can determine where your infection is beginning.”  

So just another piece in the puzzle of figuring out my middle kiddo.  She keeps the medical world guessing as much as Bradley does.  I am just grateful that the two of them try to space things out so I don’t have them both struggling at the same time all that often.  

Sydney has gone off to Volleyball practice with Dad, while Madison is hanging out here with me watching the Baseball game.  As for Bradley, he is true to his usual form.  Lately, about 7 each night, sometimes at 6:30, he walks down the hall and sits across from my bedroom door and stares at the blinking light from our computer. This is sort of our trigger that he is ready to start winding down his day.  Tonight was no different.  I took him in, gave him his medicine, and then put him in the shower.  He likes showers, but he likes to stand in the corner of the shower so I can barely reach him.  And he can never figure out why it is that I can’t keep from getting his face with water...Well Bradley, maybe if I could reach you better I could keep the water off your face and just on your hair.  Stubborn little guy.  Who does he remind me of? Hmmm....

But he is settling for the night, so it’s time for some snuggling and then putting him to bed for at least a few hours before we hang out again.  Sigh...  Not sure if he missed me, but I kind of missed him.  I usually do, and I usually miss him more than he misses me.  Haha.  But that’s cool, that’s mom’s job after all.