Asthma Parent

Since A's first asthma attack we have met some truly exceptional healthcare individuals who have helped us more than they probably know, (we've also met some shockers, but perhaps I'll leave those and their 'helpful' comments for another post when I'm feeling a little less charitable). Instead, here are just a handful of the brilliant ones. After A was first discharged from hospital I remember feeling really quite isolated in terms of what we do next and who to turn to both for her medically and to some extent for me mentally. Our local GP practice have been superb, but the turning point came when they made an appointment for me and A to see the specialist asthma nurse. She really has been an incredible support, she introduced me to the Personal Asthma Action Plan , suggested new medications for A and has always found the time to ask about us and how we are coping with the stress and strain of being asthma parents. A likes her too, (at least she did until sh...

...yet we really can't do without you! So for the third time in 4 weeks (we had a whole week off!), A is back on Prednisolone after a very nasty flare up over the past few days. I have to be honest, I'm feeling at my wits end wondering where this is going to end, three attacks in four weeks regardless of being on all of the medication we have to hand and each attack worse than the last. This time she hasn't even responded to the Prednisolone quite so quickly. At the moment I genuinely don't understand the term 'well controlled asthma', we have no family history of asthma, (so we are rookies) but as far as I understand it A is on all the medication that she can have at her age, so what more can we do? We know her triggers, we recognize early when her condition is worsening, and yet nothing we do appears to make a difference. Giving Prednisolone is such a double edged sword. When we see her condition worsening the options are; go in early with it to try to pre...

I just wanted to do a quick post about the amazing work of Ronald McDonald House Charities UK . What they do is provide accommodation to parents of children who are in hospital. Sounds very simple, but when your child is in hospital long term, or spends time on the ICU or HDU units it is unthinkable that you could leave the hospital, go home, sleep or do anything other than just exist at your child's bedside. From a child's point of view it is impossible to understand that at least one of your parents wouldn't stay with you and exceptionally frightening to spend time in hospital alone. We've only used Ronald McDonald House once, for one night. It was well run, efficient, welcoming and an utter relief to know that we were a stones throw from our sleeping daughter in the HDU and we were able to get some rest in a comfortable, safe environment. But the houses provide accommodation for parents as long as they need it, when their child is long term sick and/or they live ...