So Was' up?

Hullo everyone. (I am loopy on dayquil and grammar is not going to be a part of this post. You have been forewarned.)

I'm miss you all!  I love the interaction we have on this little blog here.  It makes me sad when things get so busy around here that I don't get to keep up my end of the interaction often enough. 

So let me catch you up-

I'm sick.  Have been for about a week.  Can NOT kick this bug, but I'm keeping up my spirits by allowing myself chocolate.  Really good chocolate.  

Ethan & Eliza are sick too.  Last week we ended up in the ER with Ethan again.  Have I mentioned his ongoing battle with croup here before?  People tend to talk about croup as if it is a minor inconvenient cough.  Maybe for some, but when he gets it, it shakes his poor little body to even get in a tiny breath.  It always happens in the middle of the night and it is the scariest thing imaginable.  When I had Eliza, I had an array of things go wrong and ended up with some blood clots in lungs and breathing was physically hard.  So seeing him gasping for breath is always miserable for me.  He's better now, back to running around like nothing in the world bothers him.  Does anyone have any experience in preventing croup?  Old wives tales?  I'll try anything.

Prepping for market and the debut of Meadowsweet TWO.  I am loving it-the colors are a bit of a different route for me, but at the same time, I feel it is so me.  I'll share just as soon as I get the final few pieces.

Been playing with the apple peeler Dustin got me for my birthday-apple stuff has taken on a whole new life for me since the pie.

  

Working on finishing up the website.  Again-I love it, but I've told you that already. 

Hmm..  what else?

I have a huge pile of what I affectionately call "rejectamenta" strike offs.  Stuff that I ended up cutting even though I loved it.  That part of fabric design is tough-you don't put anything out there that you don't think you will like!  Anyhow, I'm planning on doing a rejectamenta quilt next month after market so you'll be able to see and appreciate the rejects with me.  :)

Spring has sprung in Missoula finally-it is beyond joyous for me!  This winter has been a tough one for me, and to walk outside in a short sleeved shirt feels like vacation.  ahh..  I can't wait to share a Missoula summer with you.  Speaking of Missoula-

Project Selvedge is right on track and we are down to the final challenge.  It takes place in 3 weeks and the final three contestants are busily (I assume) working on their collections.  Get this-Project Runway got wind of the contest and contacted Selvedge Studio to tell the contestants they should enter Project Runway.  So cool! And I can say I judged them when...

Not that it is a big surprise-look at some of the amazing things they have created!  These were my two favorite from the paper challenge.  Yes, paper-these dresses are made from paper!

 
So, now I think we are caught up.  I'll be back with some new stuff soon-bear with me a tad bit longer!

xo

Sandi

Comments

[Izzynivy...Jana]

My son had problems with croup too. Luckily they grow out of it. One thing we used to do was wrap him up in a blanket and take him outside in the cold. The cold air would help calm his coughing. When it was not cold outside, we would stand in front of the open freezer and have him breath the cold in.
Good luck....he WILL grow out of it.

[kim]

true croup is in the laranyx and cold steam and decadron (steroid) will help (nebulizer w/ saline only). Only if it is in the lungs will albuterol (in the neb w/ saline) help. I have had too much experience with this.

Kim

[Julie]

I would second, third, fourth...etc....the comment on cool air. My boy gets croup almost every time he gets a cold/flu. We've had to take him to the er a few times when the croup was so severe the cold didn't help, but usually it does. Also, the steroid prescribed always helps him. I just had my daughter in the hospital last week as well, but because of an asthma attack. She has never been diagnosed so this was a complete shock. We thought for sure that her cold had gone into pneumonia. It is horrible to watch your little one go through all that grunting, belly breathing and retracting! I totally feel for you :( Hope you are all feeling better quite soon!
Julie

[Tanya]

Hi Sandi,

I enjoy your blog and have never commented. You always have so many wonderful comments that all reflected my thoughts so I didn't want to bother you with duplicate posts... I know, I'm silly! But when you were asking about croup, I knew I could share some info with you!!! My heart goes out to you! There is nothing worse than watching your panicked child struggle to take a breath of air in and seeing the skin around his collar bone and ribs suck in instead of the air he should be pulling in! I have three boys and finally a girl ;). The boys have all had issues with croup to varying degrees. My girl, knock on wood, not yet! The older two have been to the ER for breathing tx, and the youngest boy has even had a couple of ambulance rides. I was mostly appauled with the varying descriptions of what croup is from doctor to doctor. But here is where I have found consistencies! Croup is swelling of the trachea and that is why albutoral generally doesn't work. It isn't a virus, but it is a complication (by-product?) from having a virus or infection. Epinephrine is the pediatric protocol for croup. Unfortunately you can not get epinephrine for a nebulizer. Only place is a hospital. Many professionals told us to steam up the bathroom and so we tried steam many times and it only made things worse. I was even chewed out by an EMT for not taking my kid into a steamy bathroom! Because the throat is swollen, when the steam loosened the mucuses, we would end up with an obstruction and it was even more impossible for the boys to breath. Cold air is a very big help. One of the boys had croup in the middle of summer - that was a challenge! Finally, our pediatrician gave us a steroid perscription. They can give a shot in the hospital which works so much more quickly, (and when your little one is having such a hard time breathing, it seems that things don't work quickly enough!)but we've been able to avoid a few ER visits by having it on hand. Now, my boys are 12, 10 and 7. I am pretty certain that they've out grown serious croup issues because its been two years since our last hospital visit for a tx! No other breathing issues! Healthy as a bunch of rowdy boys can be!

Sorry to have written you a book! I hope some of this info is a little helpful to you! I hope that he outgrows it quickly!!

Sending you hugs!

[Simone Howell]

Hope you feel better soon Sandi! I don't have any helpful advice for croup as my girls have never had it-- fortunatley. Although one thing that often calms my girls when they are sick is little "love pockets"-- fabric pouches filled with rice...i put them in the microwave to warm them up and pop them in bed at their feet...it somehow just seems to soothe them to sleep.
I'm looking forward to seeing meadowsweet two... And the Missoula summer!
xo

[Leonie]

Hi, I also can relate, croup is very frightening. We had years of croup with my eldest, she is almost 9 now. From about 8 months old she got it every three months until we moved from NZ to Australia (2years ago). The constant warmer, drier weather has really helped, she has only had it once here. We also found the cold air was much more productive, and the medical centre we frequented in the middle of the night, also agreed. She also had severe reflux, so maybe that also contributed. I think what bothers me the most is that it is contagious (viral)a lot of people dont know that, as soon as I heard someone barking at school I would know she would be next. Hope you feel better soon.

[Leonie]

also, love the apple peeler, our kids got one for easter and we are having a ball with it making apple slinkies. :)

[Sydney]

My son had what they called croup at first but later called bronchospazms. He would get the slightest cold and would cough this terrible cough over and over again. One thing that helped was Delsym, and another, believe it or not, was opening the freezer and having him breathe the cold air from it. For some reason that would help stop the cough. Good luck, that's really tough!

[Sydney]

My son has since gotten over his bronchospazms (outgrew them I guess) but I forgot about something I tried a few weeks ago. I recently saw a tip that if your child has a bad cough at night to slather their feet in Vick's and put socks back on and it will help stop the coughing. I tried it on my youngest and it actually worked. I don't have any idea why but it worked!

[cindy]

I would look into Chiropractic care. It has been proven to help with colds, sinus issues, migraines, asthma, ear infections, colic, etc... People tend to disagree with the result of Chiropractic care. But know that Chiropractic care HELPS your body in fighting off these ailments, it does not cure!!!! It's WAY better than chuckin' your kid full of antibiotics (which destroy ALL the biotics in your kid.. even the good ones!!!)
I can tell you from my own experience that since we've moved (military) we do not have a Chiropractor of our own, we have been sick a lot more. Under the care of one, I had not had a cold in 2 years... now that I'm "on my own" I've had two colds with in the last month. My head and back hurts everyday and I'm tired a lot more. Going to a Chiropractor keeps me from going to the doctors every few months... and lets face it, the less we spend in the ER the happier we are.

[Lisa]

Totally agree with the steaming and then out into cool air. I steamed my girls so much I bubbled the paint! The cool air works wonders, that's why sometimes when you get to the hospital their symptoms have disappeared because of the air.

[Sandra]

Sign of Croup, grab a blanket and head outside and let your little one take in the cold air, fastest relief for them. The steaming in the bathroom takes to long to steam up and the cold air in the lungs seems to do the trick. I must admit, I have also had him stick his head in the freezer and take couple of deep breathes.

[Jennifer Schroeder]

Thanks for sharing Sandi and I can't wait to see the new site!

[Anneliese S]

We took our daughter to the ER with croup a few weeks ago. Very frustrating conidtion--no prediction and hard to judge what sort of intervention is required. My poor little girl gets very anxious besides.

On another note, I am so so looking forward to the launch of your new site--checking daily. No pressure! Good luck!

[Charmaine McL.]

Sorry you've all been feeling cruddy. We've been the rounds with croup too. Definately the steamy shower, cool outside air and vaporizer in their room all work really well. Lots of fluids too. My kiddos survived it fine and two of them had asthma...one very severe. They are all teenagers now so I guess those tricks worked pretty well. We live in Helena and are excited too that Spring has finally sprung!

[Cathie]

My son and daughter both have croup on an ongoing basis. They are now 6yrs and 4yrs. After many terrifying nights of them hardly being able to breathe....and ending up in ER for hours....a doctor finally prescribed an 'inhalation machine'. It's called 'Pari Boy mobile S'. We use it with the medicine 'Xopenex', which you put inside the mouthpiece. It's fantastic! It works perfectly....you can use it as much as you need to keep them breathing. And so far, we have not had any further ER trips and have been able to manage on our own at home. It has a rechargable battery, and we take it with us every time we need to travel. Get it for your sanity as much as your son's health! Trust me, with this machine you never need to feel panicked again in the middle of the night. At the first sign of trouble, just go straight for the machine and use it as often as you need. Also, when my kids have croup, I prop them up with pillows, or sleep them on the lounge propped up at around a 75degree angle.....lying flat will trigger further breathing attacks....give iced water or popsicles whilst you are getting the machine set up. Even if your insurance won't pay for it (ours did), it's worth the money for your piece of mind....believe me, I feel your pain!
P.S. I'm living in Germany at present...let me know if you need any recommendations for your Europe trip.

[andrea jhonson]

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