Trenches and Triumphs

One thing I immediately notice when I check into the Pulmonary Specialty Unit is that other parents look me in the eye. There's something different about their eyes. Even at a glance, their eyes tell me this parent has spent weeks, maybe months in a hospital. This parent has slept in a hospital chair and known what time their child's favorite nurse's shift ends. This parent knows and understands medical terms and medications far beyond his/her education background has provided. This parent has found a way to function under sheer exhaustion from a bad night with their child. Many bad nights, in fact. Some of these parents push their child in a wheelchair, some cuddle their little one in their arms, the lucky ones like me get to simply walk in and walk back out holding their child's hand. But let me tell you, these parents look me in the eye and an unspoken conversation happens between us. Respect. Mad respect. We both know those trenches oh so well and we will forever fight the war for our sons and daughters. 

Ireland's yearly appointment was the best yet. Due to the lockdown, she missed the yearly slew of colds and flus that make her asthma flare up. Her specialist said that is what they are seeing with all children like her with acute asthma. Blessings of a pandemic, I suppose? I grilled him on what to do should she get Covid-19 and he said the course of treatment is exactly the same. We already have the tools we need which was a great relief to hear in these times of uncertainty. We reviewed her asthma action plan, renewed prescriptions and that was it. Ireland and I wanted to sneak up to the top floor which overlooks Hawkeye stadium but it was closed. It was hard to be disappointed after such a stellar visit.