Hospital Stay

Friday night Samuel woke up with a cough and congestion that caused him to have to sleep in the chair with Daddy. Saturday I went to work and called in for updates. David commented that he was pretty lethargic and just wanted to be held. He wasn't eating or drinking much. When I got home around 4 I noticed that he was also audibly wheezing. I was supposed to meet a friend for supper, but decided to cancel and take him to urgent care. We arrived there and the doctor checked his oxygen levels and told us we needed to go to a children's ER for further treatment. I then drove to University ER where we were seen. Samuel's oxygen levels had improved slightly from urgent care, but they did not like his fast heart rate and the accessory muscles he was using to breathe. They tried a nebulizer treatment, but it didn't help much. While there his oxygen levels dropped and they decided to keep us. We finally got up to a room about 10:45 PM. We had arrived in the ER at 6:30. Through the help of neighbors and my brother, David was able to come to the hospital about the time we got to the pediatric unit (don't ask him how his drive went!). Interestingly enough when we got to the floor, Samuel became more alert and actually starting dancing around his crib. His oxygen levels were perfect (he had riped it off his face). We finally all settled down about midnight. He set off his oxygen alarm during the night and they had to put him on blow-by oxygen while he slept. It was another short night for us. Sunday he woke up alert and seemingly rearing to go. It was hard to keep him confined to his room as the working diagnosis was broncholitis or RSV (both contagious). His oxygen levels remained fine and he ate and drank good. The doctors said we could go if the levels did not dip again during his nap. They did not and we got to go home Sunday afternoon. Samuel still is coughing and now looks more like he just has a cold. We are so grateful that everything has turned out okay. Being in the medical profession, I think I understand a lot, however when you are in it everything seems different... the waiting, constant changes, waiting, and more waiting. I have several blog acquaintances who are or have been dealing with their own hospital vigils. Some for months! I was exhausted after just 1 day. I now have a new renewal to pray for them, not just their children and also hopefully a better attitude of how I will handle those that are waiting in vigils with patients that I take care of. As Samuel got to leave the room with a mask on and run the hallways, I felt so blessed and grateful for the restoration of health and sad for all those around me whose children were so much sicker than mine. Thanks to all those who helped out with Amelia during this time, brought us food, and most importantly prayed for us.