So tomorrow is Christmas Eve and here I sit - dark hospital room, sleeping kid, monitors, tubes, iv's, cords, alarms. And deja vu kicks me right square in the face and suddenly I'm right back in Minneapolis 10 months ago. I was really hoping our hospital stay with Ever was going to be our "ok Mom, you've been through enough for a few years" pass but apparently the universe had other things in store for us.
Last night Mr. Easton had an asthma attack. Let me tell you - I've witnessed some scary shit in my life but your child being unable to breathe definitely ranks close to the top of that list. We have been doctoring for what they thought was exercise induced asthma. He was given a puffer and it is used to prevent/treat exercise related breathing attacks. Yesterday he woke up with a runny nose and by last night he was sitting on the couch sucking air so hard we could see his ribs every time he gasped for breath.
When we got to the ER his oxygen level was at 70. It should be at 98 and definitely no lower than 90. It was decided almost immediately that he would need to be admitted - they hooked him up to some oxygen and started 3 hard rounds of treatment back to back to open up his airways. After the 3 rounds and 2 1/2 hours of oxygen - he was still only at 85 WHILE hooked up to oxygen. They called his pediatrician right over (at about 1:30 am) and did a chest xray to confirm that he has a small touch of pneumonia in his left lung as a result of his breathing troubles. Luckily we caught it when we did - it was in the very early stages.
Last night I went home with Ever while Lee stayed with Easton. Ever is still nursing so we thought it would be best. Today was tough. Easton is 3 years old and one of the busiest boys I know. Sitting in a hospital bed hooked up to a bunch of shit that sets off crazy alarms every time he moves wrong is definitely trying for all of us, namely him. Not to mention trying to keep little miss Princess Pickle occupied in this small space as well.
Easton is now receiving steroid treatments every 2 hours and is currently still on oxygen. We will not be discharged until he is completely off oxygen and down to only needing treatments every 4 hours, which he will now need even at home as a form of prevention. According to our doctor we won't be going home for at least another 3 or 4 days.
HOWEVER - I'm not buying that shit. My kids are pretty damn awesome and I've already seen one defy all odds - so I have high hopes for this one as well. These kids have natural born fight in their veins and I fully believe we can be out of here in a day or two. You know me - I always choose to fight for that silver lining. And if we are still in here for Christmas - well, we've already been informed that Easton will get the royal treatment, what with being one of the only kids here and all. I guess Christmas is a pretty big deal around here - all the firemen and policemen come to visit the kids and bring presents and all that good stuff. That warms my heart and makes me feel better. And it also reminds me of yet one more thing I can do next year to make somebody else's holidays a little brighter - stop by and visit a hospital.
So for those of you wondering - Bismarck, St. A's, 4th floor, room 4340 is where we will supposedly be for Christmas. And if that's how it will be - I'll roll with it. I used to ask why me but now instead I ask why not. In light of some of the things that recently happened in this world - I'm choosing to count my blessings rather than my troubles. Sure, I'd rather be spending Christmas with our family and it crushes my heart knowing what Easton is being "cheated" of his Christmas . But hey - he will still get the pleasure of experiencing one regardless of where its at and whether or not the circumstances are ideal, right? If I have to march my ass to Target and buy some lights and tinsel tomorrow to to make this room feel like Christmas - I'm all over it.
Until next time..
Mama A
No comments:
Post a Comment