A "Happy Wheezer"

I mentioned earlier that Piper had a little cough that I was going to get checked out at the doctor. So we went, and she listened to Piper's heart and chest and thinks it might be something like bronchiolitis, which is not bronchitis, but it is still not fun. The tiny little bronchioles get filled with mucus and make it difficult to breathe, and hence, the baby coughs trying to clear it up. Apparently, its very common for babies to get it, as it is quite like a normal cough or cold. But again, its even more common for babies with heart defects to get it. Hooray (note the sarcasm, much?).

I can't wait until she isn't at a greater risk for things like this.

The doctor called her a "happy wheezer" because she is otherwise fine: eating well, sleeping enough and her disposition is normal. She does have a slight purr. I don't really like hearing her cough, though, especially at night because it wakes all of us up.

But our lovely doctor sent her for a chest X-ray and we got that done later in the afternoon (though the x-ray clinic was kinda scarry- it had sings all over saying things like "if you have a cough/cold/fever, proceed to this special line up and tell the receptionist IMMEDIATELY" and there was hand sanitizer everywhere, and some people went up to the desk and were asked to put on a mask. Not cool. I tried not to touch anything).

Seeing this general X-ray machine made me really appreciate BCCH a lot more! This one was kinda just a table, nothing special, and there was just this square flap of lead to put over Piper's legs and I had to hold it there, while holding her legs down, while holding her arms out, while holding her completely still. Riiiight. At BCCH, everything is fit to the size of the baby, and that baby is velcro-ed in there and isn't moving for nothing! I know that sounds a bit harsher, but you get a better image.

Still, this always makes me marvel at the time we live in, and our health care system.

We should get the results from the X-ray on Wednesday or so. Even if she does have bronchiolitis, there is not a whole lot they can do. I think it just has to run its course. The worse case scenario is she gets hospitalized for a bit and gets an oxygen mask while there.

I am just hoping its something that passes, but her cough hasn't gotten any better since last Saturday, though it hasn't gotten worse, either.

We'll see.

But our baby is sitting on her own now, which is pretty fun! She still topples over sometimes, but she can sit there for quite some time, which is actually really fun! It seems in the last little while, she has done a serious amount of growing up. And I love it all. I wouldn't take a step backwards ever.

I love that she is pretty much double her birth weight, and that I can carry her on my hip and that she reaches for my glasses and hair and anything in my hand. I love that she smiles when she sees me and giggles when I tickle her. I love, love, love that she is growing.

Here is a movie of her growing some more, since 4 months. Enjoy!