Allison Paige Oliver
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Paige was born in October 2002 at 25 weeks gestation. She was a huge 25-weeker weighing in at 2lbs. 5oz. We questioned the NICU folk about her true gestational age, but based on a battery of tests they confirmed she was a 25-weeker. Mommy's eating all of that cheese and tex-mex paid off!
Paige came home from the NICU after 86 days. She had no problems in the NICU except for some reflux-induced apnea. She came home with reflux meds and an apnea monitor, but it never alarmed -- at least not for apnea...it would go off if somebody looked at it funny, if the wind blew, if the dog barked...
With the reflux under control with medication, we felt like we were home free as far as Paige's health. But after 6 healthy months at home, in July 2003 she started suffering from severe stridor. Over the course of 10 days, her breathing became more and more labored and her heart beat faster and faster. Finally, they ordered a bronchoscopy and found masses blocking Paige's airway by 90%. She was trached on July 16.
After several 'bronchs' in our hometown that led nowhere, our ENT suggested we take Paige to Cincinnati to see Dr. Charles Myer at the Children's Hospital Medical Center. I've read quite a bit about Dr. Cotton on Aaron's Page, but not much about Myer. I'm here to tell ya folks, Myer is brilliant. They say he's the next Cotton. We were very impressed with him, and not just because he fixed our baby but because he has an excellent bedside manner. He also surrounds himself with razor-sharp staff -- a sign of a good doc. I highly recommend Dr. Myer. Tell 'em Paige's Mommy sent ya.
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Anyway, the blockage in Paige's airway turned out to be something rare: subglottic cysts. Dr. Myer said that in some neonates, intubation can cause irritation of the glands in the trachea. Paige was intubated only 5 days in the NICU, but that was apparently long enough. The irritation can cause the glands to block up and cysts can form. It explains why Paige's breathing over the 6 'healthy' months at home varied from very quiet to very loud. We thought she was wheezing and we would do albuterol treatments, but it was probably her subglottic cysts swelling in her windpipe and then subsiding on their own.
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Paige's story has a happy ending! She was decannulated November 7th, 2003 when Dr. Myer removed the cysts from below the cords. The surgery was easy, the recovery was rough, and we're very glad to be home and trach-free. We feel so blessed that Paige's airway could be fixed and that she can now learn to talk and cry (and not just slurp and squeak) when she's upset. We've really missed her voice these last few months, but she's certainly making up for lost time. She has recently discovered her 'outside voice' and she uses it all the time!
Thank goodness for this website. It has really helped us through this difficult time.
