An Answer to Some Questions....

Positive for Whooping cough.....that is the answer, my friends, to the fierce breathing and asthma issues  from the last month here at our outpost.

Yes...we vaccinate...and guess what? It is NOT 100% effective. The first year following vaccination, it is 80-90% effective and after that it wanes. Three local docs could not believe it was possibly Pertussis, because we “had been vaccinated” and therefore, it can’t be Pertussis. Wrong!! Fortunately, we finally had someone listen to my amazing rendition of Peter’s cough, and ordered the swabs so I would shut up and quit doing the cough drama. If ever in doubt, be dramatic, right?

So, not to start a debate about vaccines, because that is NOT what this is about, I do want to make people aware that if your family has a cough that just won’t leave, or gets worse after you think they should have been getting better, or they have a nasty “whooping” sound with breathing in, (think long audible high pitch gasping sound) or if your asthma kids are especially drained from coughing...or turn nice shades of purple and gray like our dear Petey, perhaps the whole Pertussis eval should be broached with your doc. It is a simple swab of the nose to send to the lab. AND...sometimes there is no “whooping sound,” only Pete had that with his cough. Fortunately, Lily didn’t come down with this, she had just been vaccinated a few months ago.

I’m not a doctor, and the only advise I am giving is to persist with your doctor if you think your child might have pertussis. The big deal is, for infants, it is especially serious. People usually need treated with an antibiotic once there is a positive test for Pertussis.  Read what the CDC says about this, and ask your doctor if you have any questions.

http://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/

We are on the mend and feeling better, but that cough....oh...you don’t forget it, let me tell ya’!

Now....I leave you with a picture of my latest shower gift I have made for the next bride- to- be in Jim’s family. I love this pattern, I have made it a few times now, and the brides all seem to like it a lot. It is the “Emmaline” from Sew Liberated. I intentionally post a pic with the chaos showing in my room/sewing area in the background....I didn’t have time to clean up, I was sewing aprons and keeping kids breathing.

Sew Liberated Emmaline Apron

It is reversible, but I forgot to take a pic of the other side! It is in a complementing blue chevron from the same fabric line, bought at Joann’s....with my 50% off coupon, of course!