Doernbecker Children's Hospital Visit

Today was Nicholas's appointment with Dr. Link, who is a pulmonologist at Doernbecker's at Oregon Health & Sciences University (OHSU). While we were sitting in the waiting area a woman handed out kazoos and maracas to all the kids waiting for appointments. Nicholas was one of the lucky few to get his very own jingle bells to keep. She kept us entertained while we were waiting by playing her guitar and singing songs like: "Old MacDonald," "I've Been Working on the Railroad," and "I Met a Bear." Nicholas loved watching her and the other children singing and enthusiastically waved his jingle bells during each song.

Our visit with Dr. Link went well. He is ordering a cough assist and a sleep study for Nicholas. The cough assist is a machine which helps clear out mucus from the airways and can help provide oxygen for Nicholas if he needs it. The sleep study will help determine is Nicholas is having sleep apnea episodes at night. It will take place at a hotel in Portland and Nicholas, Jeff, and I will stay overnight. Nicholas will be hooked up to little instruments that will measure his heart rate, brain activity, and breathing as he sleeps. That is if he can sleep with all that stuff on him! Anyway, all in all it was a good visit and I am glad we are doing all we can to help Nicholas with his SMA.