A Diagnosis: Better Late Than Never

The Tyrant, whom I was considering re-nicknaming on this blog, but changed my mind since he really has been a complete TYRANT lately, has been diagnosed with asthma.  And really, I'm pretty POed about the whole thing.  The short version is that he was on the nebulizer for his first two winters pretty much non-stop, due to bronchiolitis. Last winter he got a cold, which developed into a cough that never left.  I lost count of how many times he would cough all night, and I would take him to the pediatrician.  Every single time I was told that his lungs were clear, and that this was just 'his cough'.  After the 912th visit about this cough, I asked if I should take him to a specialist.  I was told that there was no point, since it was, again, just 'his cough'.
So for going on two years I have had to explain this to anyone who was a caregiver or parent, that it was in fact okay for my hacking son to be around other kids because he wasn't contagious, etc.  Four weeks ago he had a fever and some cold symptoms, and the dreaded cough began.  After a month of draining bottles of Mucinex and running the humidifier while he slept, I made an appointment.  I dreaded it, because I KNEW they were just going to tell me what they always tell me.  I determined in my mind that I would be firm about asking for a better answer about this.  I was pleased that I got him an appointment with one of my favorite doctors, and not with the PA who is completely useless.  And lo and behold, after listening to him breathe for several minutes, he took off his stethoscope and informed me that it was asthma.
I had a very mixed reaction to this, and actually almost laughed when he said it.  I also wanted to cry, because I KNEW something wasn't right and no one ever believed me.  I wanted to go find that stupid PA and tell her to go pound sand.  He called in prescriptions for various inhaler drugs and a 'breathing chamber'.  I gave him the treatment last night before bed, and he slept.  All night.  Not a single cough.  And yes, I'm about to cry just typing that.
He's never had an attack, and this it's quite possible that he'll outgrow it. As far as overall health he is fine and this is not a gigantic thing. I'm slowly getting over being mad & upset about it, and am so thankful that we finally have an answer and a treatment that works.