It-Snot-Gross... If Its Necessary

My Charlie has been fighting nasal congestion for about a week. We don't know if he got the bug from pollen, daycare, or me returning to those nasty pre-teens at work. I'm assuming its the pollen because I've also been congested, but it didn't feel like a cold. We've been treating him with saline and the aspirator. He sounds terrible at night and in the morning but becomes much better as the day goes on.

When he breathes, snot rattles in his nasal passages. He sneezes and it shoots (or rather, slides) from his teeny baby nostrils. He struggles to breath (my poor baby).

My dad used to tell me how women would suck baby snot right from the nose with their mouths... LITERALLY!!! Women would take their own mouths, put them over the babies' noses and suck.

Well, I'll tell you... as disgusting as it sounds, I gave that method some serious thought as I watched my wheezing sweet-pea struggle to breathe then cough because he was having such difficulty. I prayed that God would work out a miracle and transfer the mucus to me so that I could deal with the problem.

I've resorted to a seemingly effective method of simply covering his nose with tissue and holding one nostril closed. He blows out the mucus (and a lot of it) from the open nostril.

But after this experience, I tell you the truth... Its not gross if its necessary!

Self-Diagnosing

I like the doctor, and I don't mind going, but I'm lazy about it. Every once in a while I'll get this crazy skin irritation and tell myself that I'm gonna go to the doctor to se what it is... I never do.

I started getting it in 2004. The first flare up was two days before starting a new job. It begins as a small rash on my bra line and on my hips. Then it spreads down my torso, around my bra line, and down my hips. I get a flare up at least once a year... Usually between January and May.

Initially, I went to google and yahoo to search my issue, and concluded that it was hives. That was in 2004. I treated myself with benedryl and baby powder.

I had a flare up in spring 2008 after completing IEPs for the first time. I still diagnosed myself with stress related hives. I wore babydoll dresses for a week and covered my skin in a cortisone cream and gold bond powder. It was terrible!

Well, two days ago I started another flare up. This time I wasn't stressed, but I was having an allergic reaction to the pollen (which is somewhat unusual for me). With the congestion, dizziness, itchy eyes, and sneezing, came another flare up. I got back on google and webmd to re-research my issue. After careful consideration, I am diagnosing myself with stress and allergen related eczema. I have itchy, red patches of skin that turn into more and then I'm left with dark patches of "scarred" skin when it goes away.

I haven't come up with my treatment yet although it'll probably include goldbond powder because that stuff is The Truth!

Snot

Chipmunk sleeps in the bed with us full time... Primarily for comfort and convenience. He usually sleeps right next to me because we both like to cuddle (my husband isn't the cuddling type).

Well, the other night I heard the strangest sound. I assumed Chipmunk was ready to eat, so I picked him up and gave him a boob. Then I realized that he wouldn't stay latched. Come to find out... The strange sound was horrible mucus in his breathing passages! He sounded like a rumbling freight train! He struggled so much to eat and became so fussy that Zack turned over to see what the deal was. In near panic, I kept repeating that I didn't know but he couldn't eat.

Side note: My husband and all the boys in his family (for the most part) have asthma. I instantly thought he was having his first attack until Zack told me that he wasn't.

Zack took Chipmunk from my arms, and I scrambled up to find a baby thermometer. I found two, but the one I wanted to use was in that stupid theft proof plastic wrapping. In panic, I searched for the box cutters. I ran back in the bedroom and fidgeted with stuff on my nightstand.

Long story short... Zack used the saline and aspirator to clear his nose, and all was well. I took his temperature under his arm using the regular thermometer. The fancy-ass baby ear thermometer that took five minutes to get out the shrink wrap is still sitting on my nightstand next to the instructions.

Baby is still congested (and so am I) but all is well. I've washed down our windows and cleaned out the air machine. Zack put eucalyptus in the humidifier.