My daughter got sick. I'm laughing. It's predictable, yet I'm caught in a whirwind of wtf (what the fluff!!!!!). It's difficult to quarantine a five year old and an almost two year old. I turn around and he's squeezing her tight and she's squealing with delight.
She'll come up to him, right next to him, and of course, he has to shoo her away, spitting little particles with every shoo.
MY life :)
I remember taking her to urgent care last year. It was raining. We had taken Jazzy (her nickname) to the emergency room because she was having difficulty breathing. They called it Sea Saw Breathing. Her stomach was moving up and down quickly, too much for a one year old to take. I sat there holding her not knowing what would happen. My son was left in the care of grandma, while Dad and I took her in.
Jazzy was hooked up to a nebulizer with drops of
albuterol, which helped her breathing ease into a normal rhythm. Her fever was harder to break, but with a magical combo of Tylenol and Ibuprofen we were free to go home.
Our ER doctor gave us medicine for cough, and an inhaler.
Inhaler.
For a one year old.
Uffff.
So we get it all at the pharmacy, that has somehow turned into a liquor store, because the person helping us is behind bullet proof glass. It is 3am, so I suppose anything could happen.
The next day, administering the stupid inhaler is a joke. She can't take it. She still seems sick.
Kaiser calls.
They ask questions and ultimately ask us to come in. It's raining.
A pediatrician sees us this time.
She begins her exam, takes off her stethoscope and lets me hear Jazzy's lungs and asks, "Do you hear that crunchy sound?"
I say, "yes."
It turns she caught RSV. RSV or
Respiratory Syncytial Virus is a common respiratory virus. It can be spread in the air (after a cough or sneeze) and direct contact. It commonly leads to hospital visits in children and older adults. I first heard of RSV the morning after going to the ER. My daughter was cheek swabbed at the hospital and the next day a nurse called to let us know it was RSV.
A few minutes later we are asked to move to another room. The room had five medium sized nebulizer machines. The nurse hooks up Jazzy to a nebulizer. Jazzy screams. Hates the mouth pieces, rubs her eyes. She's tired. The medicine kicks in, but she's uncomfortable, ready to sleep.15 minutes later were done, she's calm after releasing her from the clutches of her savior.
After the treatment we are shown how to use a portable nebulizer,
Pari, Go green!.
Insurance covered a large portion of the cost of the machine. It gave us tremendous peace of mind. I cried. The machine was not cheap, but worth what ever we needed to pay. You can find some machines for sale, much cheaper than what we would have payed for at Kaiser. But at the moment, who has time to wait for delivery...I would have used my savings, credit cards, asked for a helping hand. Anything to help my baby. Just like you <3
....
About a year later (like right now) Jazzy got sick again. She had her head on our bed, sad and coughing. I got on my knees, and leaned in to hear the back of her chest.
"She's smiling," my son yelled from the living room. I briefly heard a crunchy sound. I turned her around, looked at her, gave her a kiss and told her, "It's time for a treatment." So I did, and I regretted it. It was too much for her. Her cheeks were flushed. Her heart was beating rapidly. Perhaps I had her on for too long.
One week later was Jazzy's two year checkup. She passed with flying colors. She's a healthy and happy two year old. I asked the pediatrician if he would recommend me using the nebulizer for her when she gets sick. He said, "No." That they gave her the machine because she likely had RSV. For common congestion I should run the hot shower and let the steam do it's magic. Duh, baby 101!
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Nothing prepares us for those sudden trips to the emergency room or urgent care, or the shitty diagnoses you may encounter, but we are strong and will remain so for our kids.
If you ever find yourself at an ER or at an urgent care, I wish you the best. Stay positive and be calm. Nothing brings more comfort that the touch of a loved one. You've got it. If your kiddo doesn't get better, call in for a follow up. Request a second opinion. I'm thankful Kaiser called. I may have waited too long, had they not.
Have a wonderful day!
Kat
