Our Sick Boy

Our poor baby boy has been sick pretty much since we picked him up in Ethiopia. The first round when we got to ET was a horrendous ear infection with a ruptured eardrum and pneumonia. We got him to the doctor ASAP on returning home and he was put on a breathing machine, steroids, and an antibiotic. It took several weeks for everything to clear. The ear never fully cleared the first time and his breathing continued to sound labored even though his lungs were finally clear of the pneumonia. Our pediatrician sent us to an ENT thinking his labored breathing might be his adnoids or tonsils. Luckily, it wasn't! But they did find that he has stomach acid reflux, so he's now on more meds. My poor little guy.

Here is daddy multi-tasking on giving attention to Macy while giving Mekonen his breathing treatment. Macy gets so jealous when you get on the floor with the baby. Haha. Here's our little guy looking a little stunned while taking his nebulizer. Let's just say we love the lady who made Baby Einstein.
After the first round of sickness, Mekonen got sick again with the same wheezing and coughing. I was worried he had pneumonia again. We went back to the doctor and after a few days it got worse and we ended up in the emergency room last Saturday night. I barely slept for days because I was so worried he would stop breathing. They tested him for swine flu (negative) and did more x-rays. They found out he has a viral lung infection and bronchitis. Back on all his meds again. Poor little man.

Surprisingly though, Mekonen is still a happy little guy, and pretty pleasant, even when he is sick. The picture below was on one of the worst days, and if Mekonen just sits on my lap like this, you know he is really sick.Mekonen isn't completely better yet, but he's hopefully on his way! I hate when he is feeling so sick. I love how they said he needs "quiet play" while he is sick with a breathing issue. Quiet play? Right. Have you met our son?