Friday, September 26, 2008

The things we wish we didn't give our kids


Mr. Asher was such a lovey last night, stroking my face while he breathed his medicine.



I don't know about the rest of you moms out there, but when it comes to the things our children inherit from us, there are some things I wish we could punt on.
Things like my stubborn nature (Asher) or my slightly obsessive compulsive habits (Gabriel) ... or .... crummy breathing.
Yep. As if the bee sting wasn't enough, Asher has apparently inherited my lungs. Which are junk. Well, okay, not so much junk anymore, after years of allergy shots and asthma medication, which I still take twice daily ... but the poor little bugger was having trouble breathing yesterday. You could hear him panting and wheezing all day, and it sounded like his lungs were full of goop. So I took him in right away, to his new doctor, and she said it was a good thing, as there is a pneumonia-causing virus hitting kids lately. She put him on an albuterol nebulizer and he seemed much better. Then we put him on our nebulizer before bed last night and by this morning, he is breathing much better.
But it makes me sad. So sad that my cruddy lungs have been passed on to my kids. I remember spending time as a kid huddled over steaming pots of water with a towel over my head, breathing in the hot air to try and calm my lungs. I remember doing this a LOT and often VERY late at night. Thinking back on it now, before they knew I had asthma, my parents must have been freaking out. At least internally. That's how I was with Ash. I kept thinking "My God, my baby can't even breathe!" So, here's a big old shout out to my parents -- thanks so much for all the times you took care of me, without letting me see your distress. You guys rock. I don't know how you did it.

6 comments:

marzi said...

oohh, i feel your pain. i too have horrible lungs (also caused by asthma) and passed them onto rowan. he brought home his first nebulizer when he was 8 weeks old! :( enough to make a mom into a pile of mush!

hope asher is feeling better soon and that the nebulizer is able to keep his asthma under control.

Nhia said...

Katrina, I'm positive Asher will always remember moments like that sweet picture above and think the same thing you just expressed about your mom: You rock. :) You're such a great mom. Don't stress too much about it. At least the stuff out there to combat all this today is much more improved over when we were kids. And you turned out all right, right? :)

C Staude said...

We say "Amen" to what Nhia just said... and we know exactly how you're feeling right now. We're just thankful you know a LOT more about this than WE did when you were going through it. Asher has the best momma in the world! Give our little munchkin a big hug and a kiss!

+gmjameson said...

I think Sydney has her cousins lungs ... your lungs ... I guess my lungs ... GRANDMA'S lungs.

Those are some long lasting lungs.

Ugh.

amy7252 said...

Aw, poor Ash. I often worry that Elle will get all of my negative physical traits, but your parents had a great point -- at least we know exactly how to handle them! Thank goodness for nebulizers and other modern technology that can comfort crummy lungs. :)

DawnK said...

Poor Ash. My kids don't have asthma, but they got croup a few times, and I still remember sitting in a steamy bathroom, in the middle of the night, until tough breathing eased a little and we could all go back to bed. Nothing wakes up a mother faster than hearing a loud barky cough, in the middle of the night.

I hope he's feeling better soon. DH had his breathing problems, when he was a kid, too, but I think his were more related to a pipe-smoking father, than anything else.