Benson Update

We are still in the hospital trying to get our little guy well. He hasn't improved much, if anything he has gotten a little bit worse. The doctor says that is normal with this virus. It gets worse before it gets better. We're hoping that we're approaching the peak now. You can click here to read a little more about RSV.

They changed his medicine today that they are giving him through inhaler. They switched it from zopenex to albuterol. They are hoping this one will be more effective. He still has very thick secretions in his lungs so the doctor has them beating his front and back every three hours to loosen up the mucous in his lungs. He really doesn't seem to mind it that much.

They also started using a suction catheter to get the mucous up and out of his lungs. He HATES it. The stick a tiny tube up his nose and down into is throat and suction the gunk up. If mucous stays in his lungs for an extended period of time, it could get infected, leading to pneumonia, so the doctors are pulling out all the stops to prevent that from happening.

Big news today: He's cutting his first tooth... Well, TEETH actually--- There are two teeth on the bottom in the middle that are peeking there way through. So, poor guy, not only does he have RSV to deal with, but the bothersomeness that comes along with teething as well. He's done pretty well though. He goes through times that are difficult where we can tell he's just uncomfortable, but overall, he's our same sweet little Benson, just smiling and being adorable, wanting to JUMP every time his feet touch the bed or the ground.

In the last post, I said that I was hoping they would use the little oxygen tent over our bed instead of the tube in his nose. I didn't realize that in the tent, they pump in oxygen and a cool water mist. Both benson and I would be stuck in the tent and we would both be wet and cold. SO, I take it back... I do NOT want that, but he has grown accustomed to the tube in his nose and seems to be doing well with that. We are still a little concerned because his oxygen levels are dipping down very low quite often. The doctor says this is because of the yucky secretions in his lungs and throat that are preventing the oxygen to get to his blood. When he sleeps, it is especially bad. When he coughs, it clears the way a bit, and that helps, but we're hoping the new additions to his breathing treatments will help.

Please continue to pray for his little body to gain strength to fight this thing as well as endurance for us as the days and nights are long. We are blessed to have such wonderful family who have been here with us day and night helping us along the way and are so thankful for the many prayers that have been prayed by our friends and family. The Lord has been gracious to hear them and he continues to show favor upon us and bless us. We are thankful!