Eagle is breathing like never before and it takes my breath away!

I know I promised a different post next...but sometimes things come up...you know, those moments that take my breath away, and today I had one of those moments! 

For once we went to a specialists office and left with incredible news!  Eagle went for a follow-up appointment with his Pulmonologist (Lung Specialist) today and even the doctor was amazed with Eagle's progress over the course of the last three months. 

Three months ago when we were in his office, my son's lung condition was so bad that he should have been hospitalized.  It was thought that he must have some other condition, syndrome or disease that was attacking his lungs and that he didn't have Asthma at all.  He was tested for Cystic Fibrosis, and considered to possibly have Lupus (both of which do run in my family). His Cystic Fibrosis test was negative (as we expected it to be, since I was genetically tested before undergoing infertility treatment and so we knew I was not a carrier of the disease) and Lupus is so difficult to test for, we decided not to do the test.  At their best functioning level the large branches in his lungs were only functioning at 18% and the small branches were only functioning at 44%.  His condition was literally life threatening, as just losing 10% of his lung function during an Asthma attack would have cost him his life!  His condition was also chronic and this was the way my son had lived his life for the past 6 1/2 years since he was 2 years old.

Today, his lung specialist looked at me with the biggest smile and he said "To say I am pleased is an understatement, I am beyond impressed".  Even he didn't think my son would ever have "normal" lung function.  At best he hoped to get him into a safe level of lung function, so that the slightest change in his breathing wouldn't be so life threatening for him.  Three months ago, he told me that my son wouldn't be able to play basketball this year because he didn't have enough lung function to make it down the court.  Today, he explained to me that my son's lungs are 15% bigger than a "normal" child's lungs because of the inflammation and that when he's breathing his best...he's probably breathing better than anyone on that basketball team!  Now both sets branches in his lungs are each functioning at 118% (that's 400% better than they were functioning at his last visit) and he now ranks in the top 10th percentile of "normal" lung function for kids his age.  Furthermore, he explained that there is not one medical study that supports the theory that allergy shots have any effect on an allergic reaction in the lungs.  Therefore, the choice of whether or not he will endure weekly allergy shots is entirely up to Eagle because getting allergy shots would have no direct impact on his well being, but would rather only make him more comfortable (less stuffy, less puffy).  The Pulmonologist does not want Eagle exposed to allergins that we know trigger a response in his lungs, as just one set back could be very costly for him!  Our own pets are not a concern as far as his lungs are concerned, as he would not have made this improvement if they triggered an asthmatic response, but he will still not be able to visit our friends who have cats as this is one of his biggest known asthma triggers. 

In three months, we will return for another check-up.  If he does not have a flare up within those three months, we will then attempt to lower his dosage of this miracle drug.  This new drug does come with it's many risks and our hope is that we will not have to keep him on this particular drug for a very lengthy amount of time.  The longer he goes without an episode or flare-up, the more the inflamation in his lungs will go away.  If he stays stabilized for a year and has no setbacks, it is possible that his condition will be very mild or better yet...gone.  We know it's a long shot and we know with his history anything can happen.  There is also a risk that his lungs will become immune to this drug and his condition could deteriorate very quickly.

Today, I feel such a relief and I am breathing easier myself.  I think of what we have gone through all of these years.  The times he had to be rushed to the hospital or to his asthma specialist's office because the hospital never seemed to think he was having an asthma attack.  I replay those most frightful times...like the day he grabbed his throat as if he were choking right before he collapsed on the ground unable to breath, or the time his lips were gray and he was vomitting thick mucus....the number of times he had a mucus plug blocking his airway or most recently the sheer panic he would experience when he couldn't breath and the anxiety he has now developed because he thought he was dying during the last few attacks he had.  I remember the fear I had with each of those attacks and how hard I tried to always stay calm and reassure him that he was ok, even if I wondered if he could be nearing his last breath.  I think of the years and years of frustration and how I fought to get family members to believe he had anything wrong with him and to take his condition seriously.

Just as we do with everything else...we take one day at a time.  Today, that specialist saw a completely different child than he saw three months ago.  He saw a child who has been reborn...a child who has recently discovered what being able to breath is like...a child who is breathing like never before.....and this is definately a moment that takes my breath away!