This has been one heck of a week, and not in a good way. More than half of the country, along with yours truly, had their own first hand experience with Snowmagedon (aka, Blizzard 2011, Snowtorious BIG and my favorite SnOMG). Grace only attended school on Monday due to snow days on Tuesday and Wednesday.
She developed a runny nose on Wednesday, and I thought to myself "Poor thing, Grace is getting her first major cold from day care." She seemed fine otherwise and went to bed at a normal time and didn't show any other coldlike symptoms.
At midnight, Greg and I woke up to Grace coughing that horrible seal-like cough that you read about in all of the baby books. She had a temperature of 101, and so I called her doctor. While talking to the nurse on call, Grace started throwing up more than a normal amount of spit up, so we were advised to bring her to the emergency room. Even though my gut was telling me that something was wrong, I kept thinking that we would be viewed like first time parents who run to the hospital for a little cold.
At St. Joseph emergency room, we watched as the nurse took Grace's temperature (rectally! she hated that!), and it was still high even after we gave her Baby Tylenol. The doctor ordered a chest x-ray, and two tests to extract mucus from her nose and urine from a catheder. I can't believe how calm I was. Watching these tests being performed on a a little baby, my little baby, is too much.
We were at the ER until 3 a.m., and we got the diagnosis from the doctor: Grace has RSV. It is a mild enough case, so she was released to go home with us, but it is still scary. I was thinking that she had Croup, not RSV.
Grace is doing okay and we are giving her lots of TLC. She is still smiley, except when we have to suction her nose. I'm looking forward to doing absolutely nothing this weekend except taking care of my baby girl. Will try to post more pictures when she is on the mend.
Any advise on how to keep her comfortable would be greatly appreciated! We are doing the suction thing, the steam shower thing and having her sleep more upright (on my chest). What else have you done for your kiddos?
Love,
Katie
Poor baby! I hope she gets well soon!Prayers for her and her mama! :)
ReplyDeletePoor, sweet, Grace!! I am a new (ish) mom and always feel like if I take my kiddo in to the doctor, people will dismiss me as an "over-reacting first time mom". But, every time I take him in, something IS wrong! Don't ever underestimate your mom intuition, and do not feel bad for acting on it!! Really, there is a reason a mom can take her babies temperature simply by kissing their forehead! (Cause we just KNOW!)
ReplyDeleteAs for making it better, if she is sleeping in her crib (which you would be waaaay ahead of me on that one!), try propping her mattress up on the end under her head to help the sinus pressure from swarming her sweet head.
When Alex, my 20 month old son, is sick, he mostly loves cookies, milk and snuggles. And let me tell you, I make some snicker doodles, get a new pair of pj's and we snuggle all the live long day. It is way harder for us than them!!
jane
Have you ever heard of the node frida? www.nosedrida.com
ReplyDeleteIt's an amazing snot sucker! The concept is absolutely disgusting but people who use it swear by it. my SIL used it on our niece and she was like a whole new baby. You can find locations where they sell it on their website.
I hope Grace gets to feeling better soon!