Pint-Sized Powerhouse Grant Recipient : Lyric

Because of Coping With Laryngomalacia, Inc. amazing donors, Lyric Hammons (who was born with laryngomalacia) was able to receive a $100.00 Pint-Sized Powerhouse Grant to help pay her outstanding medical bills.

 

Lyric was born via c-section at 39 weeks old. On the 2nd day at the hospital Lyric had an episode where she was basically throwing up from her mouth and nose and started turning blue in the face. At that time I was told that this was happening due to the amniotic fluid still trying to come out of her system.

On our 3rd day home it happened again and it was so awful. I panicked. I cried. I was so scared as these episodes was preventing her from breathing because the fluid trying to come out was so thick. After calming her down and getting out as much of the yuck (as we called it) we took her to see her pediatrician and once again was told the amniotic fluid story.

Around a week and half of being home I noticed Lyric had this weird airy breathing and it didn't sound right. She was so uncomfortable. The constant crying didn't help. I called and spoke to a nurse and she told me once again it was normal. The mommy in me told me something was wrong with my baby. So I asked to come in. I spoke with the doctor again and told him about the constant crying. I was then told she had colic in addition to the amniotic fluid story.

By the time Lyric was a month we had been to the ER 4 times because she had to be suctioned out due to the fluid being so thick. I wasn't able to get it all out when these episodes occurred. The doctor at the hospital on the 4th visit told me to get a Nose Freida (which did help home but did not prevent the ER trips). 

After the 4th ER visit, the constant crying, getting no sleep, the throw up spells I had had enough. I finally decided to record Lyric. I am glad I did. I made another appointment with her pediatrician and this time I told him I was not leaving until we had some answers. He listened to my recordings of her and finally agreed it was not amniotic fluid and that she needed to see a ENT doctor. He then also prescribed Lyric medicine because now he was saying the constant throwing up was due to a possible reflux condition. 

Finally getting to meet with Dr. Bowers at Children's Hospital has been wonderful. After hearing my story he took a camera and  looked in Lyric's throat and immediately said she had LM and Dysphagia  Due to the force of how she was vomiting he also referred Lyric to a GI doctor. He immediately changed the milk and her reflux medicine.  Life started getting easier at that point.

 

Lyric celebrating Halloween. Photo submitted by Terra Hammons

 

Lyric has has countless ER visits, been scoped twice, she has had a spinal tap, swallow studies and has had to be put to sleep to get her stomach and throat scraped as her ENT and GI doctor wanted a clearer picture of her throat and to look at her stomach in more detail. She is so strong. 

Our insurance doesn't cover the cost of her Prevacid, Nutramigen milk nor the products we use to thicken her foods. I am so thankful I found the Facebook Page. So many mommies with the same issues I am having with Lyric has helped me see that I am not alone.

Lyric is now 18 months and although we are no longer dealing with the episodes; she still has the LM, Dysphagia and reflux. 

Thanks to the donors as the Pint-Sized Grant Program is a blessing to my family. 

Thank you to the founder Stephanie for all of the hard work you do!

Blog post was written and submitted by: Terra Hammons, Lyric's Mother.