March--In Like a Lion...

Hmmm, the title sums up our first 3 days of March perfectly!!  Here's where it begins!  My kids have been having runny nose, cough for a few days but nothing bad.  We have not been sick all winter for the first time ever...  Until Monday, 2/27, Briggs starts running fever and getting more congested sounding.  Usually not a big deal, but I do get a little more concerned about him since he's had pneumonia before.  Piper acts kind of sickly too and by 5 pm, I decide to take them to the after hours clinic our pediatricians run because I think maybe it's strep.  Go, spend two hours, nothing!  They tested Briggs for flu but it was negative and I was told Piper had a cold.  Briggs is running about 101 fever.  Ok, ok I'm an over reactive mom I guess!  So, Tuesday comes and Briggs isn't better.  He is running a 99-102 fever depending on the time of day.  And, he's just puny!  Then, Wednesday hits...his breathing is more and more labored.  Just feels badly.  Piper, all along, is fine.  She has a runny nose and a slight cough but is active and has an appetite!  Totally opposite of Briggs!  So, Wednesday I decide to give it one more day and I'd definitely take him to the doctor on Thursday (March 1st).  Wednesday night, his breathing was so bad I barely slept.  I kept waking up to check on him.  His breathing was in and out, in and out...rapid breathing.  Scary!!  So, drop Piper off at school and we head to doctor.  Long story, short she checks him for RSV and he's got it along with a double ear infection...BUT, she says it is a mild case of RSV and none of her patients have been hospitalized this year but it has been rampant.  Don't worry, but do call if his breathing gets to be 50-60 breaths a minute.  She prescribed an antibiotic for the ears and breathing treatments for his lungs considering he's had pneumonia before.  So we leave and let me just tell you for about 24 hours he has hardly been able to keep his eyes open fully and he just wants me.  Keep that in mind.  Also, I meant to ask her to check his oxygen levels but forgot.  Great mom, huh!  So we leave, he sleeps in car, we pick up sister, he sleeps in car, play outside, he just wants to sleep.  I notice around 4:30 pm his breathing is very labored.  Count over and over...52-56 breaths a minute.  Call office.  Nurse is rude and acts like I am over reacting!  Lovely.  Doctor instructs her to tell me to increase breathing treatments to every hour and call her after 3 hours.  I do.  Does not get better.  He falls asleep after last breathing treatment in my lap sitting up!  Call the after hours line.  Nurse calls me.  She calls doctor. Doctor tells her to tell me to go to ER.  I'm thinking we will go and get some oxygen and come home.  NO!  We were admitted and stayed two nights.  By the time we got to the ER he had fallen asleep sitting up in the car so he was breathing less rapidly and his oxygen count was at 90 in the ER but I know it was lower at home because it was much more rapid before we left.  That evening in the hospital his oxygen did dip to 82 so he had to get the nasal oxygen thing in his nose.  It was sad.  His 'mild' case of RSV progressed quickly!  And, too top off the ear infections and RSV, he had pneumonia!!  Poor baby!

 Asleep on me in the ER...he was so traumatized and tired.

 After his oxygen dropped to 82.  He slept on me all night.  I slept for 45 minutes that night!

 Asleep in the crib before getting IV.

 The next day in the afternoon.  Doing so much better.

 Visit and playtime with Sissy.  She spent the night with Aunt Sheryl and then Grammy decided to come get her.  She was concerned for her brother.  It was sweet!

 Daddy was the baby charmer.  He stayed all night with him the second night because I was so tired.  He made me go home!  Briggs acted way better for Daddy than for me!

 The last day in the hospital.  They let us leave our room to play.  At this point, his IV's were removed but the line was still there that is why he has the arm wrap.

 Hospital play room.  No IV line!

 Released by 5 pm on Saturday.  See those red marks on his face.  That's where the tape was on his face.  He had ripped it off and ripped his skin too.

 Sunday:  so much better!  He played outside and slept good.  He was fussy but it was a combination of still not 100% and getting every whim met in the hospital!

While we were in the hospital, I came down with pink eye in both eyes and so did Michael!  I also got sick with this respiratory stuff and lost my voice for 2 days!  Michael wasn't feeling well all week to begin with! It's been a peachy month so far!  Ha!  We are so thankful he is doing better!  I cannot believe we had our first ever hospital stay with one of our children already!  I'm so thankful that he is healthy otherwise.  I cannot imagine moms who have chronically ill children.  My heart goes out to them.  I have a feeling we will be dealing with respiratory stuff with Briggs so I'm determined to find a doctor who will be on top of this in the future!  I'm so thankful for our family and friends who helped us out!  We couldn't have done this alone!