Once in a life time...

Saturday night I put the kiddos to bed and with a sigh I cuddled up to husband for some one on one time!! Around midnight Isaac started coughing and could not stop. Strange, I thought because he had had a cold about 10 days earlier and the doctor check him out and said he was fine except a minor ear infection, which we treated with antibiotics. So after about 30 mins of coughing and crying I go in a get the little guy! I gave him a drink, checked his temp and took him in, hoping he would just go to bed with me. But when I got into bed he squirmed and got out and started running around like he was ready to play. I told him no way buddy if you don't want to sleep with me, back to bed. I put him back to bed and he feel asleep. Around 5 am he woke up again. I go in to check on him because he was coughing and crying and he has been known to cough so hard that he throws-up, so I wanted to make sure that had not happened. I picked him up and he was GASPING for breath! I told Kurtis we had to go to the ER now!! He got up dressed Derek and we were in the car! I called my parents on the way and they started out to come and help with Derek. Yes, my parents get the Grandparents of the Year Award for sure!!
We arrived at the ER and lucky there was no one else there. They asked me to fill out paper work and of course I freak out and tell them not until they put Isaac on O2, I knew that his level would be dangerously low. And I was right, pulse 185, O2 82. They start him on O2 and albuterol and steroids. They then take a chest x-ray and start a central line. The ER doctors were very concerned because while he was crying but he had no tear and was not fighting them at all. The ER doctor then tells me that he need to be admitted but that they wanted to transfer him to the UNM Children's hospital. And because the central line was in and he need to be on O2 we would need to be transferred in an ambulance. At this point Derek is getting really concerned and upset. He kept telling the doctors that he was Isaac's "big brother" and "don't do that, you make him cry" or "leave him alone, he don't feel good." So as they load Isaac and I into the ambulance Kurtis takes Derek home for a break and something to eat.
When we arrive at UNM we are taken to the pediatric unit. The new doctor comes in and checks Isaac out she said she was really concerned about his not producing tears and wants to run more tests. So they take more blood and swab his nose. They get his history, I told them in Aug he had RSV and in Sep he had phenomena. They tell me that they think he has RSV again or that maybe he has Asthma. I ask how long they think we will be in the hospital and the doctor tells she would guess a minimum or 5 DAYS!! They wont send him home as long as he is on O2 and last time he has RSV he was on O2 for 7 days! I am thinking, What!?!? But so thankful my parents are on their way to take care of Derek.
The respiratory doctor comes in and tells me that he is getting worse, they need to keep increasing his O2 to keep his saturation at an acceptable level. And he is getting 8 puffs of albuterol every 2 hours (which is a lot). I know deep down in my heart that he is going to be okay but I could not help but get a little emotional, I hate seeing my babies in pain.
Kurtis and Derek come back to hospital to see Isaac, and my parents arrive shortly after. Kurtis and my Dad give Isaac a blessing around 6pm. I am so thankful for Kurtis and they fact that he is worthy to hold the Priesthood and bless our family with that power. My parents leave the hospital with Derek, and boy was he excited.
Kurtis and I spend the night with Isaac. The doctor tells me about 8pm that Isaac lungs are sounding better and that they are going to try to reduce the O2 back down. Every 2 hours that night they came in and reduced the O2 until the next morning and he was only on 1/2 a liter. The team of doctors come in to look at him and they are amazed that he was doing so much better. The test result were back and he tested negative for RSV and 8 other viruses. The blood work showed no signs of infection but the x-ray showed sever bronchiolitis. We see a pulmonary doctor and he tells us that Isaac has asthma and that his trigger is a cold or virus. Confused I ask, "so everything he gets a cold we will have to come the ER?" They said most likely. Bummer, I think. But they gave us a rescue plan and a ton of medication. He now is on a daily steroid inhaler and he has a rescue inhaler and oral steroids. But they said it make take a while to figure out what works best for Isaac and because he is so young he can not tells what he needs and help speed up the process.
But all that day Isaac kept getting better and better. The doctor team came back in at 12 and asked if we would want to go home that day or stay another day. I told them we would want to go asap. I was so happy that he was doing better and I know it was form the blessing!
I am also so glad to now know what is wrong with Isaac and hopefully be better prepared in the future. We go back to the doctor on Friday! But Isaac is going great at home and is becoming a pro with his inhaler.
So we only stayed in the hospital 2 days!! And I told Isaac in the ambulance that I hope this was a once in a life time experience for him.
Sorry I did not take the camera to the hospital, so no pictures of Isaac.