I feel I need to share where I have been the last few months and why I have not been consistent with my newsletters and posts lately. Since October 1st I have been experiencing what most new mothers fear, complete helplessness. The 1st week in October I made a hard decision to place Emerson in day care so I could be more productive when working from home and to peruse ventures outside the home as well. Within a week he had a cough that he could not seem to kick. After 10 days I decided to take him in. Long story short the last 3 almost 4 months have been filled with 4 different rounds of antibiotics, a steroid, several trips to the doctor, a few more to a pulminologist, a trip to the ER, several X-Rays, a swallow test, an upper GI test and breathing treatments several times a day. I took him into his primary once again this past Tuesday with still no change. This time she started discussing surgery and doing a more aggressive antibiotic treatment which would include 20 days on an antibiotic along with a series of 3 shots, a nose spray, an inhaled steroid 2x a day as well as breathing treatments every 4 hours. Even though it was determined that it was not in his lungs. I left terrified. I know what mass quantities of antibiotics can do to a child and the effects it can have on their health as an adult. This 20 days would now make it 60 days on an antibiotic. It was determined that his immune system was compromised due to whatever he has and that would likely suffer many developmental issues including hearing, speech, sight, motor skills and weight gain. Emerson is a skinny baby as it is. I left the Dr office Tuesday and I cried...a lot. Then I prayed and cried some more. I got quiet and I listened. I made the decision to pull him completely out of his day care. I had never felt right having him there and there will several red flags that I was ignoring because they are the only place in the area that takes infants under 1. 1) He was not napping when he was there which meant some days he was going 9 hours without a nap. (he always naps at home) 2) there were several instances where I picked in up in the middle for the day & the room reeked of bleach. 3) They refused to administer his breathing treatments claiming that they did not have the staff to give it, however I had seen them do it for another child in the class. I did fill the prescriptions Wednesday and gave him his 1st dose on Thursday. Friday morning he woke up covered in a rash. Again I prayed.
Then it came to me. What the hell am I doing? Me, who does not even take Aleve more less the pain killers I have a life time prescription to for severe chronic back pain, unless I literally can not get out of bed, was doping up my 6 month old son without knowing what was really wrong. I went against every fiber of who I am because I was afraid. That afternoon I did what I do best, I read and researched everything I could find on infant illnesses and how I can treat him. I am still breastfeed so I know what ever I take he gets. Thanks once again to my sister for my juicer. We also have him on foods so that is beneficial as well.
When I got home I stood back & took a toll on what was going on in his environment. What was I using to clean the home? What toxins are in my house? What toxins am I putting into my body? I made an appointment to have the air tested in our home for mold and the landlord was kind enough to bring over 2 air purifiers as well. It has only been a week and I am already seeing improvement. Making this decision now means there will be some changes in my day to day life as I will now be a full time Work At Home Mom. I will also do everything I can to make sure that he pulls through this as healthy as possible.
** I am writing this only to share my experience, I am in no way saying that one should go against what a doctor suggests nor am I bashing day care. I am not a nutritionist nor can I treat or cure an illness. I am however, a mother who is going to do the best I can to make sure that her children are healthy and safe no matter what sacrifices I have to make. I have a passion for health and wellness and several years of training in nutrition studies that I plan to use to my advantage. I also believe in doing things they way that God intended. Modern medicine has it's place and I appreciate it when I need it.
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