not so awesome

asher's with ed today, since my bathroom is being torn apart (literally, they're taking out the entire ceiling, including lath and support beams right now) and i don't want asher and bram (who has mild asthma) around while that's going on. but ed called a few minutes ago, and

something's not right with asher.

i've been seeing it, too, actually, but i've been playing chicken with him, waiting for whatever it is to show up. i just don't want to put him through another trip to emerg if it's not necessary. but it now really sounds like it's necessary. so here's the low-down:

• asher has lost his appetite. this is actually a huge sign with him, since, as i've said before, he's a bottomless pit. and he knows he needs to eat because he needs to gain weight. so for him to stop eating, especially his favourite foods, including ones he asks for specifically, this is major.
• he's been having difficulty swallowing thin liquids, especially water. quite often over the last couple weeks or so, he'll take a drink of water, then start coughing like it went down the wrong way. asher hasn't had difficulty swallowing in over a year now. and while something like this happening once or twice isn't normally a big deal, this has been happening at least a couple times a day.
• yesterday, he was hot to the touch. no real noticeable fever, his forehead was warm-ish yesterday, but his body was hot.
• he sweats. a lot. even when it's cool and not humid. the other day when it was so hot and humid outside, i cranked the a/c to make it a chilly 22C in the house. i was contemplating my hoodie; asher's hair was damp. indoors. because i don't take him out in the humidity. and all the windows were closed.
• he has been short of breath off and on for a couple days. like last night, while he was sitting on the bed listening to the bedtime stories.
• his activity level is markedly decreased.
• off and on, he's irritable. which, ok, is almost an assumed trait among heart kids, but not asher. happiest kid ever, he is. but not the last couple days. and the slightest thing will set him off, either into a near-rage or bursting into tears.
• he's been sleeping a lot. two naps yesterday: one on the way to church (a 20 minute drive, and he's usually wired because he loves sunday school), and one in the afternoon (he fell asleep on the way home from church, the slept for three more hours once home).
• today, he gagged. he just sat there, started coughing, then retching like he was about to vomit.
• when ed asked him if he hurt anywhere (expecting him to say that his chest hurt [because of reflux]) asher said that it "hurts beside my pacemaker." ed asked him to point to where it hurts, and asher pointed right at his pacer. ed touched the site, and it's warm. not quite hot, and he said it doesn't look inflamed or anything, but it's definitely warmer than the area around it.

so ed is taking asher in to emerg this afternoon. i told him to keep me posted, to call if he has any questions, and to definitely call me to tell me what they say.

when i know, you'll know.

meantime, please pray. thank-you.