Saturday, March 5, 2016

One Month...and Hospital...

You're one month old now!  It's been just over a week since the last post, and so much has happened so fast.  I try to put the timeline together in my head, as I've had to repeat it so many times to the doctors and nurses, but it's hard!

Your dad and I geared up for your one month checkup with a few questions for the doctor.  Nothing major...just making sure the goopy eye was checked out, and making sure your digestive tract was OK (a little fussy there when the pipes aren't moving!).  You weighed in at 10lbs, 1oz and measured in at 20 inches.  Just one shot and we were on our way!
Backing up a day, Kaitlyn sprouted a fever at daycare on Tuesday afternoon, so that meant she was off school for Wednesday.  She woke up with a bloody nose, but otherwise a little better.  We all took a long nap in the afternoon after your appointment.  Wednesday night both you and Kaitlyn were up quite a bit, coughing and fussing.  Thursday Kaitlyn woke up seemingly better (no fever, etc) so all signs seemed to point to a return to daycare for her on Friday. 

Thursday night went from bad to worse with coughing and being awakened all night by the both of you.  Around 3, I took you downstairs to sleep in the recliner (fitfully... but more pleasantly and quietly than in your swing or carseat).  Come morning, your dad and I decided to get both of you checked out at the doctor.  The earliest appointment was 2pm, but you were much worse than the evening before... now panting and pulling skin into your ribs.  Daddy suggested urgent care of ER, so we made use of the brand-new freestanding ER near us.
We got there around 9:30 or so...a bit of a wait later (45 mins or so?) we get called back.  When the pulse ox reading came up, I thought it was either misplaced, just equilibrating or otherwise mistaken...readings were in the 80% range!  They went up and down in that range, and quickly put you on oxygen to see if that pulled you up.  It did...but as soon as it came off, your level went down again.  Still breathing really fast and having retractions, so all of the tests and other stuff quickly started.

Breathing treatment... check (no fussing during that...or the O2 mask...which was good).  Chest X-ray.  The doctor noted some crackling in your chest too.  IV started.  They tried to get a urine sample, but didn't get a lot...what they did get looked cloudy.  Antibiotics started in your IV along with fluid.  So far taking things well!

Then we got the official word that we were being transferred to Phoenix Children's at Mercy Gilbert.  It is a smaller branch, but still a good place to get helped out.  We took an ambulance ride there and got there about 4.  We went right to your room and they gave you a better O2 thing for your nose (vs the mask in the ER), suctioned you out (that helped a LOT!) and tried to get another urine sample and blood draw.  Two catheter attempts and they got about 1 1/2ml...good enough!  Blood didn't want to come out thru the IV(and they didn't want to blow it by forcing it too hard), and another regular jab didn't yield anything.

Your dad and siblings arrived (they couldn't  come to see you...had to stay outside the unit) and shortly after, the doctor made the call to have you transferred to the main campus of Phoenix Children's Hospital and into the PICU.  A second ambulance ride, and we settled in for the night.
But before that, they switched your O2 to include some humidity, which really helped to normalize breathing. They also put in a feeding tube to monitor intake and to let you rest instead of working hard to breathe/eat.

Things were OK overnight (both of us resting!) and they bumped down the O2 a bit this morning (so far so good!).  Still have a cough, but things appear to be on the mend!

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