This is so weird, sitting in the PICU writing while Trace is sleeping.
Weird in a sense that I've been here before.
I have. On Christmas Day in 2011 Mushy (now 7 years old) was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance after he had stopped breathing due to RSV. He was 6 weeks old.
He stayed one night in the PICU and one night on a regular floor and we got to go home.
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Left- Mushy 2011
Right- Trace 2019 |
I think because I've been through this whole RSV business that I feel a sense of calmness.
Though Trace's seems to be much worse than Mushy's.
On Monday evening (after having been to the dr that morning for his 9 month checkup and was fine, other than an ear infection the dr. found), Trace began running a fever and couldn't keep any food down.
Tuesday he seemed to improve a little, but wasn't his normal self. He slept a lot and was fussy.
If you follow my Instagram, you know he is literally the happiest baby EVER, so this was not normal.
Wednesday he slept a lot, and his fever spiked back up to 102.7 by 2pm. I called the dr. back and she told us to come in and have him checked out.
He looked pitiful. His eyes were red and he was so fussy and tired. He just wanted to lay on me.
The dr. tested him for the flu, which was negative, and we did a breathing treatment.
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| at the pediatrician doing a breathing treatment |
He was still struggling to breathe and our pediatrician didn't feel comfortable sending him home with us so she sent us to the ER.
At this point, Travis was at home with the boys and I told him before we left for the pediatrician's office that I had a feeling she was going to send us to the hospital. I just know our pediatrician, and knew there was something wrong. So I had told him I'd call my parents if that happened and that he could drop the boys off with them.
On the way to the ER (it was 5:30pm rush hour at this point), I called Travis, told him to pack bags for the boys, drop them at my parents house and then head up to the hospital.
We got checked in and it was pretty apparent from the beginning that they were going to admit him.
They tested him for RSV and hooked him up to oxygen pretty much immediately.
His oxygen levels were about 80 (they need to be at 100) and being low, they put him on high flow oxygen, which is humidified oxygen, to help break up all the mucous.
Travis got to the ER and we waited as he got his IV for fluids, since he hadn't had a full meal he'd kept down in a few days and dehydration was a concern.
Trace hated his oxygen mask. He kept trying to spit it out. It was sad.
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| in the ER with daddy |
They took an X-ray of his chest to check for pneumonia and put us in a room in the PICU.
RSV test came back positive and his X-ray did show pneumonia.
So he is on antibiotics for that.
He is on breathing treatments with albuterol every 3 hours and respiratory therapy as well.
This is where they come in, hook his oxygen mask up to albuterol, which is a bronchodilator and helps dilate his airways, and beat on his chest and back with a special tool to help break up the mucous.
RSV in adults acts as the common cold, but since babies airways are smaller than the size of your pinky, such congestion presents a big problem as they can't clear their throat or help move that mucous out, thus the reason for hospitalization and help with respiratory therapy, antibiotics for the pneumonia and oxygen, etc.
He had to have a feeding tube placed on Thursday because with the high flow oxygen he can't breathe through his nose well enough to take a bottle.
Let me tell you, watching your child (completely awake and not sedated) get a feeding tube run through is nose down to his belly was probably the hardest thing I've had to watch. Almost as bad as the time Big T had to be put in a straight jacket and had a catheter placed when he was about Trace's age. Not fun.
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| he plays for about 15 minutes and then sleeps for hours |
As of about an hour ago Trace's IV fluids have been stopped, as he's getting nutrition through his feeding tube now.
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after his feeding tube was placed |
There hasn't been much change the past 2 days. Trace is still on high flow oxygen and still has quite a bit of congestion. He's had to have his oxygen turned up twice now because he's still struggling to breathe.
He also had a repeat lung X-ray to see if the pneumonia has gotten worse. We're waiting on results from that.
Yesterday I was able to go home and see the big boys for a bit after school and take a shower and wash my hair.
Let me tell you, after 9 days of not washing it and everything the past few days, I've never wanted to rip my extensions out more than yesterday.
I love the look of them, but it's hard to get a good wash and I definitely can't get a head massage with them in, and that's all I wanted yesterday. I'm thinking I'll take them out next time they grow out and wait until my hair is a bit longer and I'll only need one row for length.
It's just so much damn hair.
Totally unrelated to Trace, sorry.
But after my shower yesterday I laid down in my bed with the puppies while Travis was at the hospital with Trace and I took a 2 hour nap. It felt so good to sleep in my bed. I've been sleeping in the hospital chair bed and I don't know what it is about hospital beds but they all make my hips hurt. I felt the same thing in the hospital bed after I had Trace. So weird.
Today my mom is bringing the boys up to the hospital so she can come visit Trace.
Because they are under 13, they are not allowed in the PICU, but there is a cool little area in the lobby they'll like and at least I'll get to see them a bit.
It's looking like we'll be here for awhile, unfortunately, but I have faith in the nurses and doctors that he is in good hands.
Thank you all for your kind words, comments, offers to help, etc.
They are truly appreciated.
