It is that wonderful time of year, the time for holidays, shopping, family, and of course for little kids to be sick! Oh, what a night/day we had. On Monday, Owen was given, although we tried not to take it, a cold from Felix and Robee. On Tuesday he sounded yucky and developed a cough. On Tuesday night we went to bed. On Wednesday in the wee hours of the morning (3:00 am to be exact), little Owen couldn't breathe. His cold had settled into his chest and he was gasping for air. I had Greg take him outside but I don't think it was cold enough to help. We decided that we had better take him to the emergency room. We got up, got dressed, and headed to the car. I had just buckled Owen in and he started coughing which led to him throwing up all over his seat and all over his best friend, Owl. I unloaded Owen from the car seat and brought him inside to be changed. The worst part was that Owl couldn't come, he had to be washed.
New jammies, no owl, we are back to the car and we are off.
We arrived at the hospital and the person checking us in immediately called for a nurse to come and get us. The nurse came right up and took us back. We went into the room and the respiratory nurse came in to start treatments to help him breathe. The first one didn't work and Owen still couldn't breathe. They moved to the next treatment with stronger drugs to help him get some air. The doctor confirmed he had croup and contemplated admitting him to the hospital. He wanted to see how he responded to the additional treatments. The second treatment seemed to start to loosen things up so he could actually breathe. They also wanted to give him a steroid shot to help him. The nurse came in and had Greg hold his legs, she asked me if I had his arms really good. I said I did but knew all the while this was totally unnecessary. I explained beforehand what was going to happen and told him it was going to hurt. As she put the shot in, he calmly whispered "ouch".
He wanted to go home so bad. The second he could finally breathe he said he was done and ready to go home. I explained that we had to stay and make sure he could breathe before we could go. We had to sit and wait to make sure it didn't get worse again. At one point, he was in my lap and breathing in the misty air, he looked at Greg and started singing a song. I started crying. He doesn't like to be sick and wants everything to be the way it is supposed to be. In the car on the way in, when things were at there worst, we were listening to his songs and Take Me Out to the Ballgame came on. He yelled in a little weak voice, "Daddy, it is your favorite song."
The respiratory nurse came in to check on him and after she left, I said to him, "she was nice". He said, "Who, her that hurt my leg?".
He decided at that point that he could do without his dad. He asked Greg to please go home and get his owl. The nurse had given him a bear when we got there, he gave the bear to Greg and said, "take this bear back to the lady and get my owl". We sent Greg home to get ready for work and to get our little friend.
We waited, continued the treatments and discussed why we couldn't go home yet. They came in to do a chest X-ray. I told him he needed to sit on the bed and be very brave while they took a picture of his chest. I had to leave the room while they did the X-ray. I stood at the doorway and watched, he was so brave. He just sat there in the bed, looking so afraid and watching me.
The doctor came in and said it was my choice, we could admit him for a day or two or we could head home knowing that we may be back. As we were discussing these choices, Owen took the heart monitor off his finger and was taking his hospital bracelet off his wrist. My choice was easy. We would head home and if needed we could come back.
Greg and newly cleaned white owl came back and picked us up. We took Greg to work and headed home. It was about 7:30. He fell right asleep.
He is almost better now. He is coughing some but nothing like it was. It is Thanksgiving now and I am thankful for the doctor who gave me a choice to go home. I am thankful that he is ok. I am thankful for our washer who cleaned his best friend. I am thankful for the humidifier that helps him breathe. Hopefully we are over the worst and on side of getting better!
7 comments:
Do you remember when Owen was little Greg had a terrible cough and Owen would just cough all the time just because he learned how from Greg? =] Happy Thanksgiving.
Oh this is so familiar. This is what I deal with every time Kayla gets a cold but I do the treatments myself. I love Asthma. I am glad that he is feeling better.
Holy Guacamole!!! Poor O! I cannot believe that this all came about from a cold. Yikes! He is so brave. M would've been screaming and putting up a fight the entire time. Glad to read that he is doing better.
I am so sorry that you guys had to go through that! Tommy has had one scary Asthma attack and if Kelli hadn't been there I would have lost it. It is so hard, they are so little and dependent on you. Give him a big hug from all of us and make Greg give you a hug from me!! Love you, Pam
I am glad Owen and Owl (and mom?) are okay. I am so sorry for you guys to go through such an ordeal. Great job to mom and dad for taking such good measures and staying calm.
We do this all the time. Poor kid (and Mom to have to do this while pregnant and sick). I just hope it's a one-time thing for you. Good luck.
What good parents you are - and what a brave Owen to get a shot and only say "Ouch"! So glad he is feeling better. Parenting is tough business - it is definitely not for the faint of heart! Glad that Owl is doing better too!
Love you all,
Aunt Cathy
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