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Yes, we are home! As the early afternoon hours went by & Logan slept-slept-slept. I was not hopeful of us getting out tonight. Hard to keep up on drinking when you sleep the day away.
But in the later afternoon, he perked up. Drank some. And ate a TON of fruit (which has liquid in it, so win-win!) I think he will live on fruit for the next few days.
I told the doctors & nurses I know he was feeling better today, because today he NEEDED me. Yesterday he let anyone do anything to him without a peep. Today he sat nice & cooperated too, but he had to do so on my lap. He felt good enough to actually be scared & need his mama today. From his chest x-ray this afternoon they could not rule out pneumonia. So based on an inconclusive x-ray & his lingering fever, they decided to treat him like he has pneumonia, caused by the sticky secretions from RSV building up in his lungs. When Dr. Harrison called in the evening to discuss the x-ray with me & said they were going to start him on antibiotics, I expected the next words out of his mouth to be "so I think we'll keep him overnight." BUT instead he said he looks so much better. He is cheerful. Resting well. He is having lots of wet diapers. He has not needed oxygen. So he was comfortable sending us home. We finally got discharged shortly after 7pm. Only to discover there was a bad accident on the interstate on our way home, so it took us an hour to get home. But we are here, safe & sound.
They are all getting Tylenol or Motrin around the clock. Their poor little bodies have to ache from all the coughing they do. And Logan I will probably dose with both as he needs it for his fever. Livi gets oral steroids 2x a day for another day or 2. Logan gets antibiotics 1x a day for the next 10 days. And they all get pink eye drops 2x a day. Hayden's pink eye treatment is technically done, but I'm just going to keep giving him drops until I'm done with Logan's doses & we can clean the toys well. Otherwise we will end up doing the pink eye thing all over again in 5 days. Plus Livi's inhaled steroids 2x a day. And Albuterol treatments as needed. We're a mess!!
This is basically like having a full assignment at work! 3 patients. All those meds. Plus I'm going to keep paper handy & "chart" all their wet diapers {or Livi's pee in the potty!} & how much they are drinking so I can keep track of how everyone is doing & who needs special attention forcing fluids or whatever.
They are putting Logan on the antibiotic Omnicef. The resident MD & pharmacist both warned us that about 5% of kiddos who are allergic to Amoxicillin react to Omnicef. Dr. Harrison said they use this frequently as an alternative & cross-reactions are rare. But knowing my mom is allergic to every antibiotic under the sun, I'm just hoping we don't wind up in the clinic or ER for an allergic reaction yet. I'll be watching him like a hawk! Cross your fingers {& toes!}
They are all extremely snotty & coughy. So I don't think there will be much good sleep in this house for anyone for a while. But for the first time in a week all 3 kiddos are tucked in under the same roof. And I'm perfectly happy with us not-sleeping for a while, as long as we are doing it under one roof.
RSV can take as many as 3 weeks to completely run its course. So we will be on quarantine for a while. And hopefully we continue trending up & they stay strong enough to finish healing at home. My work advised that I go ahead & apply for family medical leave as I'm anticipating needing a few weeks off until this has all run its course, especially since I have missed a whole week already.
While it was a long, long week at Children's. And having kids there back-to-back sucked. In the end we have to be glad it happened this way. I do not know what we would have done had 2 or God forbid all 3 of them been inpatient at the same time?! I know they are so happy to be back together, they crawled so nicely into bed tonight. I have only seen Hayden for 9 or so hours this entire past week! I feel so bad for him too. Even though he hasn't been as sick, this whole process has to be hard on him too.
Thank you to everyone for your thoughts & prayers. Thanks to those of you who brought by food to the hospital or to our home. Your support & generosity never fail to amaze me. We are amazingly blessed with loving friends, family & our Church. When we get settled in if we need something I promise I will reach out to those of you who have called & offered to help.
Despite the coughs, snot & crabbiness I'm anticipating for tomorrow, I'm just so excited to spend an entire day with all 3 of them!
Day 7 of RSV
This morning they turned Logan's IV off. So far he has eaten a bowl of cereal. A cup of pears. And drank 4 oz of milk. Not sure if thats going to cut it? He is on nap #2 for the day. And seems cheerful in his awake spurts.
I am awaiting result from an x-ray we took this afternoon. Dr. Harrison felt like his left lung sounded worse than the right & I am concerned about this darn fever. So we decided to get an x-ray to rule out pneumonia caused by all those RSV secretions pooling up.
At this point I'm not sure what the end of the day will bring. I may be in for night #7? Dear God, can this please be over yet. Its so incredibly frustrating just trying to get your child to drink & all they do is throw or push cups back in your face.
I am awaiting result from an x-ray we took this afternoon. Dr. Harrison felt like his left lung sounded worse than the right & I am concerned about this darn fever. So we decided to get an x-ray to rule out pneumonia caused by all those RSV secretions pooling up.
At this point I'm not sure what the end of the day will bring. I may be in for night #7? Dear God, can this please be over yet. Its so incredibly frustrating just trying to get your child to drink & all they do is throw or push cups back in your face.
Night #6
Its 3am & we are in full swing of night #6 on the 4th floor. As fantastic as everyone has been, I hope I never see this place again. Logan is fast asleep, after a coughing fit that woke us both up. I just took a shower, because he is alseep, I was awake & I needed one! Now I'm wide awake & can't sleep.
Sounds like Hayden & Olivia had a good day at home. Snot. Coughs. Crabby. Long, long nap for Livi. But eating, drinking, breathing & peeing. And at this point, thats all I ask. Even if they do have pizza for breakfast ;)
Logan is doing better. His color is better. He is peeing. He is resting well, very well! He slept around 12 hours overnight. He woke up for an hour, just enough time to eat some breakfast, then went back to sleep around 12:30. He was awake for a little over 2 hours around 3. And then back to sleep again. So in a 24 hour period, this poor boy was awake only 3 hours. I think getting some fluids on board he finally felt well enough to rest. I feel so bad we let him get that miserable. I'm sure his little head hurt, along with everything else. He's just not one to ever complain, so I should of known if he was miserable, this was for real. It just took me a while to admit it.
He was awake for 4 or so hours in the evening. And had a little spunk. He watched CARS twice. And learned that his big ole' IV board to protect his IV makes a good club to hit his mama. Only in times like these is ornery a good thing. Lets me know he's feeling better.
He takes his meds nicely for the nurses. And even lays still for them to put drops in his eyes. Lays still!! He is different than Livi in the hospital in so many ways. Her communication & language skills are so much more advanced. I can explain almost anything to her & she has a word for everything. Logan, not so much. I can bribe Liv into doing almost anything. Logan, not so much. Livi is a fantastic patient, so cooperative, with no tears, but she NEEDS me. She needs to hold "mommy hand" for every blood pressure they take. And needs frequent "nose kiss"es while on O2. Logan could care less if I'm standing off in a corner while they assess him. He doesn't make a peep. Cooperates & sits still, quietly taking it all in. Today he slept through everything they did to him. But he is so much more independent than her & it makes me feel bad. I know what she wants for comfort in these situations. And I want to give him the same thing, only I don't know what he wants & although he seems to want/need nothing, I want to give him everything that I can. Its amazing how quickly though they seem to realize that the things the doctors & nurses are doing to them DO make them feel better. How quickly they learn not to fight things like breathing treatments & eye drops.
While Logan is improving & looks a lot better than he did 24 hours ago, but since he slept, literally, the whole day away, not a lot of drinking went on. Meaning, we are here for night #6 {night #2 for Logan.} He is having TONS of wet diapers on his IV fluids though, so I know we've got him good & hydrated. I was able to get him to drink around 8 oz this evening. More than he drank all day on Sunday. And more than I got him to drink all day. {I have been bribing him to drink with new trains. So I guess we'll be investing in some new toys when we get home.} They turned his IV fluids down some, just to see if he would get more thirsty. And the plan is to let him rest tonight & turn them off in the morning & go from there. We should be able to go home tomorrow, or since its 3am, technically today. Dr. Harrison just wanted him to get 1 more night of fluid & rest, because he worried if he didn't, we would be back here in a day or 2.
I frequently as the nurses for motrin & tylenol for him, because I know his throat hurts. He winces when he swallows & drools constantly. Though he won't tell me if he has any "owies." He still periodically spikes a fever. He was fine all day, but again this evening was 101.5. {Hayden gets croupy, Livi gets wheezy, Logan gets high fevers. Funny how they each respond to illness in their own way.} He is breathing well, well for a 2 year old preemie with RSV. Lets me suck the boogers out of his nose {seriously wish I had wall suction at home!} And has been off of the oxygen since he got that initial bolus of IV fluids.
He is not getting steroids like Livi is. I thought he would & I asked about them. The reason being, steroids help with airway inflammation. RSV does not cause inflammation. But rather plagues its victims lungs with a very, sticky mucous. Hence their horrible cough til they gag it up coughs. {And the reason we WANT them to cough, to keep those secretions moving rather than settling into their chest.} So they do not routinely give steroids to kiddos with RSV. Livi is getting them though due to her history, AKA her asthmatic tendencies. Because asthma does cause airway inflammation & if you add that inflammation to this sticky mucous, it can get bad. So the steroids are helping to keeping her asthmatic tendencies at bay. She is only getting them, because at the ripe old age of 2, she already has a "history."
A friend of mine who has twins just the same age as my kids just had posted on her Facebook about the 2 year "anniversary" of her kiddos battling RSV. They had it that first winter just shortly after coming home from the NICU. One was terribly ill & spent a long time on a ventillator fighting for his life. He is very lucky to be alive. And so I sit here, hating every moment of this hospital stay, & keep counting my lucky stars that this is all the worse it is. We are lucky they are as healthy as they are. We are lucky we have avoided it this long. We are lucky to live in a place where this medical treatment is available to us. We are lucky to have amazing friends & family helping us out with prayers, hugs & food.
Its amazing how a crummy situation can make you feel blessed beyond words.
Since I don't have a fancy schmancy phone to take & upload pictures. Here are just a few pictures I took with my phone & texted to Aunt Molly, that she can upload to the internet for me.
So onward with the last few hours of night #6. Hopefully you are our last!!
Sounds like Hayden & Olivia had a good day at home. Snot. Coughs. Crabby. Long, long nap for Livi. But eating, drinking, breathing & peeing. And at this point, thats all I ask. Even if they do have pizza for breakfast ;)
Logan is doing better. His color is better. He is peeing. He is resting well, very well! He slept around 12 hours overnight. He woke up for an hour, just enough time to eat some breakfast, then went back to sleep around 12:30. He was awake for a little over 2 hours around 3. And then back to sleep again. So in a 24 hour period, this poor boy was awake only 3 hours. I think getting some fluids on board he finally felt well enough to rest. I feel so bad we let him get that miserable. I'm sure his little head hurt, along with everything else. He's just not one to ever complain, so I should of known if he was miserable, this was for real. It just took me a while to admit it.
He was awake for 4 or so hours in the evening. And had a little spunk. He watched CARS twice. And learned that his big ole' IV board to protect his IV makes a good club to hit his mama. Only in times like these is ornery a good thing. Lets me know he's feeling better.
He takes his meds nicely for the nurses. And even lays still for them to put drops in his eyes. Lays still!! He is different than Livi in the hospital in so many ways. Her communication & language skills are so much more advanced. I can explain almost anything to her & she has a word for everything. Logan, not so much. I can bribe Liv into doing almost anything. Logan, not so much. Livi is a fantastic patient, so cooperative, with no tears, but she NEEDS me. She needs to hold "mommy hand" for every blood pressure they take. And needs frequent "nose kiss"es while on O2. Logan could care less if I'm standing off in a corner while they assess him. He doesn't make a peep. Cooperates & sits still, quietly taking it all in. Today he slept through everything they did to him. But he is so much more independent than her & it makes me feel bad. I know what she wants for comfort in these situations. And I want to give him the same thing, only I don't know what he wants & although he seems to want/need nothing, I want to give him everything that I can. Its amazing how quickly though they seem to realize that the things the doctors & nurses are doing to them DO make them feel better. How quickly they learn not to fight things like breathing treatments & eye drops.
While Logan is improving & looks a lot better than he did 24 hours ago, but since he slept, literally, the whole day away, not a lot of drinking went on. Meaning, we are here for night #6 {night #2 for Logan.} He is having TONS of wet diapers on his IV fluids though, so I know we've got him good & hydrated. I was able to get him to drink around 8 oz this evening. More than he drank all day on Sunday. And more than I got him to drink all day. {I have been bribing him to drink with new trains. So I guess we'll be investing in some new toys when we get home.} They turned his IV fluids down some, just to see if he would get more thirsty. And the plan is to let him rest tonight & turn them off in the morning & go from there. We should be able to go home tomorrow, or since its 3am, technically today. Dr. Harrison just wanted him to get 1 more night of fluid & rest, because he worried if he didn't, we would be back here in a day or 2.
I frequently as the nurses for motrin & tylenol for him, because I know his throat hurts. He winces when he swallows & drools constantly. Though he won't tell me if he has any "owies." He still periodically spikes a fever. He was fine all day, but again this evening was 101.5. {Hayden gets croupy, Livi gets wheezy, Logan gets high fevers. Funny how they each respond to illness in their own way.} He is breathing well, well for a 2 year old preemie with RSV. Lets me suck the boogers out of his nose {seriously wish I had wall suction at home!} And has been off of the oxygen since he got that initial bolus of IV fluids.
He is not getting steroids like Livi is. I thought he would & I asked about them. The reason being, steroids help with airway inflammation. RSV does not cause inflammation. But rather plagues its victims lungs with a very, sticky mucous. Hence their horrible cough til they gag it up coughs. {And the reason we WANT them to cough, to keep those secretions moving rather than settling into their chest.} So they do not routinely give steroids to kiddos with RSV. Livi is getting them though due to her history, AKA her asthmatic tendencies. Because asthma does cause airway inflammation & if you add that inflammation to this sticky mucous, it can get bad. So the steroids are helping to keeping her asthmatic tendencies at bay. She is only getting them, because at the ripe old age of 2, she already has a "history."
A friend of mine who has twins just the same age as my kids just had posted on her Facebook about the 2 year "anniversary" of her kiddos battling RSV. They had it that first winter just shortly after coming home from the NICU. One was terribly ill & spent a long time on a ventillator fighting for his life. He is very lucky to be alive. And so I sit here, hating every moment of this hospital stay, & keep counting my lucky stars that this is all the worse it is. We are lucky they are as healthy as they are. We are lucky we have avoided it this long. We are lucky to live in a place where this medical treatment is available to us. We are lucky to have amazing friends & family helping us out with prayers, hugs & food.
Its amazing how a crummy situation can make you feel blessed beyond words.
Since I don't have a fancy schmancy phone to take & upload pictures. Here are just a few pictures I took with my phone & texted to Aunt Molly, that she can upload to the internet for me.
Lovie, puppy & Livi watching the cars drive down Dodge during her 4th & last night at Children's.
Logan's first awake moment since being admitted. A big bowl of cereal, then back to sleep.
His 20 minutes of energy this afternoon were spent driving cars in the window, & watching cars outside.
So onward with the last few hours of night #6. Hopefully you are our last!!
Day 6
So really its been a whole week since this fiasco started with Hayden's pink eye! But day 6 of this RSV business. And we're somehow still alive!
Hayden is status quo at home. Snotty & has a bad cough, but hanging in like a trooper!
Olivia is doing well at home. Slept well last night. Woke up with a wet diaper. And quickly downed a glass of milk. Hopefully she keeps on the upward trend. Speaking of wet diaper, an exhausting week of bouncing back & forth in the hospital is obviously not the ideal time to potty train your 2 year old. But she's running with it & so we have to too. If it had gone badly yesterday afternoon I may have scrapped it & started again next week. But yesterday at home she peed in the potty 4 times!! Told us when she had to go. Had one accident. And two, what we'll call "dribbles," where she wet herself a little on the way to the potty. Doesn't really count as an accident though, especially on day 1 at home, and while sick! She owns probably 12-14 pair of panties, but I'm thinking if this is for real, we might need to invest in a few more. She has Princess & Hello Kitty. And a few plain pair that are thicker. I've seen some Dora panties at Walmart, so maybe when we get her a "baby highchair" which is what she wants for "potty train" {yes she says potty train}, we'll pick up more "pappies" {panties} too. I still can't believe she potty trained herself while fighting RSV in the hospital. What a story to tell down the road if this really sticks! Can't wait to hear how potty updates go at home today.
Logan had a good night. Had 2 wet diapers. I got him to drink about 6oz of fluid before bed. And he's been sleeping now for almost 12 hours. Poor tired boy. He is breathing ok considering he has RSV. Ok enough to go home anyways & way better than Wednesday night. But still obviously has the IV fluid running. If we can get him drinking & peeing well before dinner, we could go home tonight. No promises though. Dr. Harrison came in this morning & asked if I had missed him? Couldn't stay away! And Dr. A {his partner who saw Livi over the weekend & had sent her home yesterday} came in to say sorry because he heard we were back. So I wait for the little man to wake & see what he wants to do. He's gotten some Tylenol. And his temp jumped up to 102.3 once in the night. Otherwise his temp has been ok. His ears look fine {they thought maybe that was why he wasn't drinking, ear infection.} I know his poor throat hurts him. I think we're going to try giving him some Codeine when he's up. See if that pain relief helps him drink.
I think we're going to be sick for a while. I think this may upset our little world for longer than even I'm prepared for. I just want to get home {& stay home!} so we can all be sick together!
I can't wait until I can get back to blogging cute pictures & fun stories.
But for now, thank you eternally for all your thoughts & prayers!
Hayden is status quo at home. Snotty & has a bad cough, but hanging in like a trooper!
Olivia is doing well at home. Slept well last night. Woke up with a wet diaper. And quickly downed a glass of milk. Hopefully she keeps on the upward trend. Speaking of wet diaper, an exhausting week of bouncing back & forth in the hospital is obviously not the ideal time to potty train your 2 year old. But she's running with it & so we have to too. If it had gone badly yesterday afternoon I may have scrapped it & started again next week. But yesterday at home she peed in the potty 4 times!! Told us when she had to go. Had one accident. And two, what we'll call "dribbles," where she wet herself a little on the way to the potty. Doesn't really count as an accident though, especially on day 1 at home, and while sick! She owns probably 12-14 pair of panties, but I'm thinking if this is for real, we might need to invest in a few more. She has Princess & Hello Kitty. And a few plain pair that are thicker. I've seen some Dora panties at Walmart, so maybe when we get her a "baby highchair" which is what she wants for "potty train" {yes she says potty train}, we'll pick up more "pappies" {panties} too. I still can't believe she potty trained herself while fighting RSV in the hospital. What a story to tell down the road if this really sticks! Can't wait to hear how potty updates go at home today.
Logan had a good night. Had 2 wet diapers. I got him to drink about 6oz of fluid before bed. And he's been sleeping now for almost 12 hours. Poor tired boy. He is breathing ok considering he has RSV. Ok enough to go home anyways & way better than Wednesday night. But still obviously has the IV fluid running. If we can get him drinking & peeing well before dinner, we could go home tonight. No promises though. Dr. Harrison came in this morning & asked if I had missed him? Couldn't stay away! And Dr. A {his partner who saw Livi over the weekend & had sent her home yesterday} came in to say sorry because he heard we were back. So I wait for the little man to wake & see what he wants to do. He's gotten some Tylenol. And his temp jumped up to 102.3 once in the night. Otherwise his temp has been ok. His ears look fine {they thought maybe that was why he wasn't drinking, ear infection.} I know his poor throat hurts him. I think we're going to try giving him some Codeine when he's up. See if that pain relief helps him drink.
I think we're going to be sick for a while. I think this may upset our little world for longer than even I'm prepared for. I just want to get home {& stay home!} so we can all be sick together!
I can't wait until I can get back to blogging cute pictures & fun stories.
But for now, thank you eternally for all your thoughts & prayers!
Night #5, Child #2
Livi had a good night last night & we got dismissed from the hospital late morning! Hooray for her! Hayden was SOOO happy to have her home. I so wish I'd of gotten it on camera. Followed her around like a puppy with the biggest grin on his face. "Ya-ya home!!" He hugged her. Literally followed her around with a bounce in his step, grinning ear to ear for 20 minutes. I'm glad they love eachother so. One of the most heart warming things I have seen in a while.
However, after spending about 7 hours at home {the last 4 of which Jeff & I lived in serious denial} I broke down & brought Logan into the ER for dehydration. Yesterday he had only 2 wet diapers {they want him to have at least 3}. He woke up wet this morning. But at 7pm, had not peed anymore today. His eyes were completely blood shot. He was irritable, irritable, irratable. All he did was sleep or cry. And Logan NEVER cries, ever. He looked like hell. Swallows soo hard. They say RSV makes your throat hurt something terrible & it really must! Poor, poor boy. We tried & tried & tried all day to get him to drink. Anything. From any cup. We were literally trying to get him to drink juice from a syringe to get fluids in. That sounds SOO horrible when I say it out loud. That we really were reduced to trying to force feed him like an orphined bunny or kitty, but thats the extent to which we tried everything to avoid this. My kids LOVE "medicine" they fight over Tylenol doses. And we had a hard time even getting him to take those doses, his poor throat! He is still getting rotating doses of Motrin & Tylenol every 3 hours to keep his fever down. His temp in the hospital has been around 99.5 even with all that Motrin & Tylenol on board. Take some mild respiratory distress, a nasty fever, a horrid cough on top of a sore throat.... and I'm not surprised we ended up here. Sucks! But he needed to come in.
In the ER, he got a breathing treatment because he was a little wheezy & breathing a little fast. Definately not breathing so bad as Wednesday night though!! However his oxygen sats were just 90. I've learned the ER is not happy with 90! So he got a few hours of O2 & a ticket to the 4th floor. But is now sleeping soundly off oxygen with sats of 99%. He got an IV. Two fluid boluses. And is now getting IV maintenance fluids. And actually was the most cheerful after that fluid as I have seen him all day. He got Motrin for his sore throat. He is also now getting eye drops for pink eye {Still kind of pisses me off that Monday when we called about Hayden's pink eye & asked for drops for all 3 of them they said no! Duh! Now they all 3 have it!} And so we'll let him sleep & see how he does tomorrow with drinks & pee!!
Despite his lack of wellness, he had a heck of a lot of fight in him. Livi's been through the ringer enough, she is easy-breasy at the hospital. Compliant with everything. It was all I could do just to keep the O2 prongs on Logan's face. And the IV start took ever ounce of energy the 3 of us had! Strong, scrappy little thing he is! But they got it in on one poke! Actually what I thought was really cool {my RN friends may appreciate this}, they hit a vein with an IV catheter, hooked a syringe up to it to draw his labs. Then flushed through that same vein & turned that into his IV. So one poke got labs AND an IV. Love that!!
So here I am on night #5, with child #2, on this damn 4th floor. Just 5 doors down from where I spent that last 4 freekin' days. Catching a little crap from the respiratory therapists & nurses for apparently missing them & having to come back! We even had 2 of the same ER nurses. And upstairs they even set us up with a big bed instead of a crib without me having to ask this time. Sad they know my preferences!
On that note, seriously, if your toddler is in the hospital ask for a bed! Don't let them stick you with a crib! Their policy here is kids under 3 get cribs, so I had to sign a waiver. But what sick 2 year old will lay down alone & sleep in a crib? Especially when they aren't in cribs at home? PLUS... way better mama sleeping that the chair or couch. {Though Logan isn't as into sharing as Livi was!} Livi's stay after Thanksgiving the 2 of us slept & lived in the horrible recliner for 3 days because she refused to let me put her in that crib. Sharing a bed was tricky too, but leaps & bounds better.
So pray for us I guess. Hopefully this is a shorter stay. Its been a long week & I'm just ready to have all of us home & start healing together.
Fair to say I hate RSV!!
However, after spending about 7 hours at home {the last 4 of which Jeff & I lived in serious denial} I broke down & brought Logan into the ER for dehydration. Yesterday he had only 2 wet diapers {they want him to have at least 3}. He woke up wet this morning. But at 7pm, had not peed anymore today. His eyes were completely blood shot. He was irritable, irritable, irratable. All he did was sleep or cry. And Logan NEVER cries, ever. He looked like hell. Swallows soo hard. They say RSV makes your throat hurt something terrible & it really must! Poor, poor boy. We tried & tried & tried all day to get him to drink. Anything. From any cup. We were literally trying to get him to drink juice from a syringe to get fluids in. That sounds SOO horrible when I say it out loud. That we really were reduced to trying to force feed him like an orphined bunny or kitty, but thats the extent to which we tried everything to avoid this. My kids LOVE "medicine" they fight over Tylenol doses. And we had a hard time even getting him to take those doses, his poor throat! He is still getting rotating doses of Motrin & Tylenol every 3 hours to keep his fever down. His temp in the hospital has been around 99.5 even with all that Motrin & Tylenol on board. Take some mild respiratory distress, a nasty fever, a horrid cough on top of a sore throat.... and I'm not surprised we ended up here. Sucks! But he needed to come in.
In the ER, he got a breathing treatment because he was a little wheezy & breathing a little fast. Definately not breathing so bad as Wednesday night though!! However his oxygen sats were just 90. I've learned the ER is not happy with 90! So he got a few hours of O2 & a ticket to the 4th floor. But is now sleeping soundly off oxygen with sats of 99%. He got an IV. Two fluid boluses. And is now getting IV maintenance fluids. And actually was the most cheerful after that fluid as I have seen him all day. He got Motrin for his sore throat. He is also now getting eye drops for pink eye {Still kind of pisses me off that Monday when we called about Hayden's pink eye & asked for drops for all 3 of them they said no! Duh! Now they all 3 have it!} And so we'll let him sleep & see how he does tomorrow with drinks & pee!!
Despite his lack of wellness, he had a heck of a lot of fight in him. Livi's been through the ringer enough, she is easy-breasy at the hospital. Compliant with everything. It was all I could do just to keep the O2 prongs on Logan's face. And the IV start took ever ounce of energy the 3 of us had! Strong, scrappy little thing he is! But they got it in on one poke! Actually what I thought was really cool {my RN friends may appreciate this}, they hit a vein with an IV catheter, hooked a syringe up to it to draw his labs. Then flushed through that same vein & turned that into his IV. So one poke got labs AND an IV. Love that!!
So here I am on night #5, with child #2, on this damn 4th floor. Just 5 doors down from where I spent that last 4 freekin' days. Catching a little crap from the respiratory therapists & nurses for apparently missing them & having to come back! We even had 2 of the same ER nurses. And upstairs they even set us up with a big bed instead of a crib without me having to ask this time. Sad they know my preferences!
On that note, seriously, if your toddler is in the hospital ask for a bed! Don't let them stick you with a crib! Their policy here is kids under 3 get cribs, so I had to sign a waiver. But what sick 2 year old will lay down alone & sleep in a crib? Especially when they aren't in cribs at home? PLUS... way better mama sleeping that the chair or couch. {Though Logan isn't as into sharing as Livi was!} Livi's stay after Thanksgiving the 2 of us slept & lived in the horrible recliner for 3 days because she refused to let me put her in that crib. Sharing a bed was tricky too, but leaps & bounds better.
So pray for us I guess. Hopefully this is a shorter stay. Its been a long week & I'm just ready to have all of us home & start healing together.
Fair to say I hate RSV!!
Day 4 of RSV
Still inpatient with Livi. She was on oxygen all night again, so we're here for another night. Her IV is out & she is keeping up satisfactorily with her intake & output. She has a good productive cough, sometimes coughs so hard she gags stuff up. But thats good! She is moving her secretions & hasn't had a breathing treatment in quite a while. She is on a 2 hour sleep wake cycle. She is awake for 2 hours, cheerful & ornery, then she sleeps for 2 hours. RSV is apparently exhausting. So far today she was only on oxygen briefly with a nap. So I'm crossing my fingers for tonight {& hoping we have a nurse who isn't too O2 happy!}
I did get to run home today for a few hours to see the boys & grab some clean clothes. Hayden was happy to see me. Logan at first didn't want me, I think he is hurt he is sick & I'm not there. But eventually he warmed up & we got in some good cuddles.
Hayden, besides snot & coughing is "healthy."
Logan looks pretty worse for the wear. We tried skipping one dose of anti-fever meds this afternoon because he was fever free all morning, but it didn't take long for it to rebound. So back to the meds every 3 hour routine. His poor body! His eyes are blood shot. He coughs a lot! He is breathing a little fast but doesn't appear to be working too hard, similar to Livi anyways. Doesn't sound like he is routinely sleeping as well as Livi though, he coughs more. I feel so bad for him. He is sick & without his mama. {He has his daddy & grandma Maas, but I still feel bad.} Livi got tons of IV fluids, she is getting oral & inhaled steroids to battle this. And he's toughing it out on his own. He seems to be drinking well. And eating a little here or there. But we're starting to ride the fence with deyhdration on him too. Just 2 wet diapers thus far today. With a fever that has been as high as 104.5 & rarely lower than 101, plus rapid breathing & all the work coughing, he is burning through fluids fast.
I did get to run home today for a few hours to see the boys & grab some clean clothes. Hayden was happy to see me. Logan at first didn't want me, I think he is hurt he is sick & I'm not there. But eventually he warmed up & we got in some good cuddles.
Hayden, besides snot & coughing is "healthy."
Logan looks pretty worse for the wear. We tried skipping one dose of anti-fever meds this afternoon because he was fever free all morning, but it didn't take long for it to rebound. So back to the meds every 3 hour routine. His poor body! His eyes are blood shot. He coughs a lot! He is breathing a little fast but doesn't appear to be working too hard, similar to Livi anyways. Doesn't sound like he is routinely sleeping as well as Livi though, he coughs more. I feel so bad for him. He is sick & without his mama. {He has his daddy & grandma Maas, but I still feel bad.} Livi got tons of IV fluids, she is getting oral & inhaled steroids to battle this. And he's toughing it out on his own. He seems to be drinking well. And eating a little here or there. But we're starting to ride the fence with deyhdration on him too. Just 2 wet diapers thus far today. With a fever that has been as high as 104.5 & rarely lower than 101, plus rapid breathing & all the work coughing, he is burning through fluids fast.
No turning back
Livi is potty trained.
Yep. Not like kinda sorta. Like for real potty trained. In 2 days. At the hospital. And I did nothing! She did it herself 100%. And I'm trying to picture in my head how we are going to keep this going at home, but we have to!! She's got a dozen pair of panties at home. And a little potty. I think we need a potty ring for the toilet since thats where she goes here. And to figure out a routine of when to make her try to go. Obviously morning, before & after nap, before supper, before bed. But seriously, this feels like a joke!
We have been here 48 hours. She has peed in a diaper 3 times, twice was while asleep. So during daytime, she has had one "accident" & that was even after she HAD peed in the potty & just apparently not fully emptied her bladder. And that was yesterday. She peed in the potty all day today with not one accident. She tells me when she has to pee today, as opposed to yesterday me "making" her sit after hours of dry diapers. Wakes up from a 2.5 hour nap dry, rolls over & says "I yunna go pee a potty!" {I want to go pee in the potty.}
AND... today she even POOPED on the potty!! Did it like it was no big thing! Like she'd been doing it for years. She kept telling me she had to go "pee a potty." So we'd sit & nothing. She would toot & giggle "poop!" But nothing. Over & over. Like 5 times in less than 1.5 hours we sat. I was starting to get frustrated. I was talking to Aunt Molly on the phone & Livi was throwing a FIT she had to go "pee a potty." So again, we went & sure as "shit" .... she pooped! First when she saw it in there she said "uh oh pee!" And I said "Thats not pee Livi that's poop! Livi pooped in the potty! YAY!! You're a big girl!" Lucky Molly got to "witness" Livi's first poop on the potty over the phone! Then Livi got to flush & just all matter of fact said "bye-bye poop!!"
Kinda weird to say, but pretty sure Olivia is potty trained. Or at least hospital trained! Hope we can do this at home!!! {whenever we get there...}
Yep. Not like kinda sorta. Like for real potty trained. In 2 days. At the hospital. And I did nothing! She did it herself 100%. And I'm trying to picture in my head how we are going to keep this going at home, but we have to!! She's got a dozen pair of panties at home. And a little potty. I think we need a potty ring for the toilet since thats where she goes here. And to figure out a routine of when to make her try to go. Obviously morning, before & after nap, before supper, before bed. But seriously, this feels like a joke!
We have been here 48 hours. She has peed in a diaper 3 times, twice was while asleep. So during daytime, she has had one "accident" & that was even after she HAD peed in the potty & just apparently not fully emptied her bladder. And that was yesterday. She peed in the potty all day today with not one accident. She tells me when she has to pee today, as opposed to yesterday me "making" her sit after hours of dry diapers. Wakes up from a 2.5 hour nap dry, rolls over & says "I yunna go pee a potty!" {I want to go pee in the potty.}
AND... today she even POOPED on the potty!! Did it like it was no big thing! Like she'd been doing it for years. She kept telling me she had to go "pee a potty." So we'd sit & nothing. She would toot & giggle "poop!" But nothing. Over & over. Like 5 times in less than 1.5 hours we sat. I was starting to get frustrated. I was talking to Aunt Molly on the phone & Livi was throwing a FIT she had to go "pee a potty." So again, we went & sure as "shit" .... she pooped! First when she saw it in there she said "uh oh pee!" And I said "Thats not pee Livi that's poop! Livi pooped in the potty! YAY!! You're a big girl!" Lucky Molly got to "witness" Livi's first poop on the potty over the phone! Then Livi got to flush & just all matter of fact said "bye-bye poop!!"
Kinda weird to say, but pretty sure Olivia is potty trained. Or at least hospital trained! Hope we can do this at home!!! {whenever we get there...}
RSV!!!
Apparently it is not uncommon for RSV rapid screens done in the ER to be wrong.
The pediatrician's office called today, because Logan's culture is positive for RSV! Glad they actually send out those rapid screens for further culture. Livi's is still unconclusive, but even if it doesn't culture out as positive, odds are she has it too. And if Hayden doesn't already have it, I'm sure he will. I'm hoping he does & that his Monday croup episode was his response & we don't see anything worse from him.
RSV can be a very dangerous respiratory virus for kids, especially preemies with delayed lung development. I was told today that preemie lungs are still doing catch up growth until age 7. So while my kids seems SO good to me & so un-preemie like. I have to remember, inside they still are. We are lucky winter #1 we got Synagis to prevent RSV. And lucky season #2 we avoided it. And even though this sucks, in reality, we are lucky thus far, because it could be worse. RSV can equate to ventillators! So while it sucks, sucks, sucks. I'm trying to keep in perspective that this is managable. Lucky Grandma Maas was able to come stay & help daddy out. And lucky so far this is the worst of it. Just pray for quick recoveries & that we keep moving in the forward direction!!
Livi's sleeping sats this afternoon were just 86, so on O2 to sleep, off when awake. And so obviously, still here. Her temp has been pretty low grade, but I have had them dose her up with some Tylenol anyways, because I can tell her throat hurts her. She is managing to drink fair with some serious bribery & threats from her mama. So for now the IV is turned off, but still in. Bribery was failing this morning & she was fighting with me over everything. She calls her IV her "owie sticker" {I guess because its owie & covered in tape?} so I broke my cool this afternoon & told her if she didn't drink she had to have more owie stickers! She ate a cup of apple sauce & drank a carton of milk. So it was worth the threat. Now if I can only convice her to take her "rainbow shirt" off so I can bathe her stinky, sweaty self. But for some reason her $3 Walmart shirt with a rainbow on it makes her happy, so I'm dealing with her stink. She is still asking to pee in the potty & her only pee in diaper event today was overnight. Wakes up from naps dry & asks to go "pee in potty." Insane!
Logan is still fighting a fever at home. It sounds like it jumps up to around 103 between doses of Motrin. He gets alternating doses of Motrin or Tylenol every 3 hours. A cold bath once today & running around in a diaper to keep him cool. He isn't really eating, but he is drinking & peeing. The ped office said as long as he has 3 GOOD wet diapers a day & meds & baths keep his fever down, just keep doing comfort cares. The fever can stick around for 10 days!! So keep watching for dehydration. And obviously bring him if he is lethargic, dehydrated or if his respiratory distress returns. He did have one Albuterol treatment this morning, but responded really well. And is cheerful & breathing ok. But tired.
Hayden seems to be fine. {Fingers crossed!}
So I guess we are sick for the long haul. Not sure when we'll see the light of day again? Or when I'll be able to go back to work? Even if I wanted to go, or could go, pretty sure they don't want my germ infested self there! I knew it would be a rough winter, being the kids' first in daycare. But I never anticipated 2 hospital stays before the end of January! Maybe I'll interview nannies while I'm home with RSV infested kids? I WANT them to build some immunities & I LOVE the interaction of daycare for them. But seesh!!
I REALLY wish we owned an IPAD or 2. Or at least nice laptops with cameras so Jeff & I could Skype back & forth with the kids or something. We are SO beyond out of the technology loop! And so I could have something for Livi to do. Play some IPAD kiddy aps or something. But affording new IPADS now, ha!
So, yep, RSV. No wonder they looked like hell.
The pediatrician's office called today, because Logan's culture is positive for RSV! Glad they actually send out those rapid screens for further culture. Livi's is still unconclusive, but even if it doesn't culture out as positive, odds are she has it too. And if Hayden doesn't already have it, I'm sure he will. I'm hoping he does & that his Monday croup episode was his response & we don't see anything worse from him.
RSV can be a very dangerous respiratory virus for kids, especially preemies with delayed lung development. I was told today that preemie lungs are still doing catch up growth until age 7. So while my kids seems SO good to me & so un-preemie like. I have to remember, inside they still are. We are lucky winter #1 we got Synagis to prevent RSV. And lucky season #2 we avoided it. And even though this sucks, in reality, we are lucky thus far, because it could be worse. RSV can equate to ventillators! So while it sucks, sucks, sucks. I'm trying to keep in perspective that this is managable. Lucky Grandma Maas was able to come stay & help daddy out. And lucky so far this is the worst of it. Just pray for quick recoveries & that we keep moving in the forward direction!!
Livi's sleeping sats this afternoon were just 86, so on O2 to sleep, off when awake. And so obviously, still here. Her temp has been pretty low grade, but I have had them dose her up with some Tylenol anyways, because I can tell her throat hurts her. She is managing to drink fair with some serious bribery & threats from her mama. So for now the IV is turned off, but still in. Bribery was failing this morning & she was fighting with me over everything. She calls her IV her "owie sticker" {I guess because its owie & covered in tape?} so I broke my cool this afternoon & told her if she didn't drink she had to have more owie stickers! She ate a cup of apple sauce & drank a carton of milk. So it was worth the threat. Now if I can only convice her to take her "rainbow shirt" off so I can bathe her stinky, sweaty self. But for some reason her $3 Walmart shirt with a rainbow on it makes her happy, so I'm dealing with her stink. She is still asking to pee in the potty & her only pee in diaper event today was overnight. Wakes up from naps dry & asks to go "pee in potty." Insane!
Logan is still fighting a fever at home. It sounds like it jumps up to around 103 between doses of Motrin. He gets alternating doses of Motrin or Tylenol every 3 hours. A cold bath once today & running around in a diaper to keep him cool. He isn't really eating, but he is drinking & peeing. The ped office said as long as he has 3 GOOD wet diapers a day & meds & baths keep his fever down, just keep doing comfort cares. The fever can stick around for 10 days!! So keep watching for dehydration. And obviously bring him if he is lethargic, dehydrated or if his respiratory distress returns. He did have one Albuterol treatment this morning, but responded really well. And is cheerful & breathing ok. But tired.
Hayden seems to be fine. {Fingers crossed!}
So I guess we are sick for the long haul. Not sure when we'll see the light of day again? Or when I'll be able to go back to work? Even if I wanted to go, or could go, pretty sure they don't want my germ infested self there! I knew it would be a rough winter, being the kids' first in daycare. But I never anticipated 2 hospital stays before the end of January! Maybe I'll interview nannies while I'm home with RSV infested kids? I WANT them to build some immunities & I LOVE the interaction of daycare for them. But seesh!!
I REALLY wish we owned an IPAD or 2. Or at least nice laptops with cameras so Jeff & I could Skype back & forth with the kids or something. We are SO beyond out of the technology loop! And so I could have something for Livi to do. Play some IPAD kiddy aps or something. But affording new IPADS now, ha!
So, yep, RSV. No wonder they looked like hell.
Day 2
Still a possibility we could go home today.... maybe?
Livi was on a little O2 last night, but Dr. Harrison said he's ok with her dropping to 89-90 when she's deep asleep as long as she is not requiring O2 when awake. And as long as her retractions & respiratory rate keep improving. She keeps up the coughing, getting all that phlem out. And she eats & drinks.
So... our task for the day is eating & drinking. I think she had a "fair" day yesterday. Thus far though, not so good of a morning. I can not get her to eat or drink anything. Bribing her is not working! I even offered her my can of pop & that was even pushed away. I think her throat hurts her though. Watching her swallow. So even though her fever was mild this morning, I had them give her some tylenol. Now she is back to sleep, but we'll try again when she wakes up.
Sounds like Hayden is well at home.
And Logan is so-so. Breathing a little hard again, but responding to Albuterol. Low grade temp still. Still drinking enough to have good wet diapers. So hopefully he doesn't back track today.
So in the words of Olivia, we'll have to "wait to see!"
Livi was on a little O2 last night, but Dr. Harrison said he's ok with her dropping to 89-90 when she's deep asleep as long as she is not requiring O2 when awake. And as long as her retractions & respiratory rate keep improving. She keeps up the coughing, getting all that phlem out. And she eats & drinks.
So... our task for the day is eating & drinking. I think she had a "fair" day yesterday. Thus far though, not so good of a morning. I can not get her to eat or drink anything. Bribing her is not working! I even offered her my can of pop & that was even pushed away. I think her throat hurts her though. Watching her swallow. So even though her fever was mild this morning, I had them give her some tylenol. Now she is back to sleep, but we'll try again when she wakes up.
Sounds like Hayden is well at home.
And Logan is so-so. Breathing a little hard again, but responding to Albuterol. Low grade temp still. Still drinking enough to have good wet diapers. So hopefully he doesn't back track today.
So in the words of Olivia, we'll have to "wait to see!"
Hospital, again. And potty training??
Seriously! This week sucks! Here's my recap....
Sunday- Logan had a low grade fever, they all had new snot & coughs
Monday- Hayden had pink eye
Monday night- he had croup
Tuesday- he got steroids in the clinic {He is better, phew}
Tuesday night- Livi tossed & turned & whined all night {should have known what was coming}
Wednesday day- her & Logan got sicker & sicker during the day at GG daycare
When I got home from work Wednesday I took one look at them & the 5 of us went to the ER. {I grabbed my pre-packed bag from last time with hygeine products, underwear, socks, clothes, etc. So glad I had that all put together!}
Logan's oxygen sats were 87 & his temp was 104.5!! Livi's sats were 88 & temp 101. Poor Hayden had to entertain himself in the ER for 5 hours! We were there from 8:30pm-1:30am! 2 xrays. 2 (negative) RSV screens. 2 neb treatments for logan, some tylenol, nakedness & cold washcloths. And his sats were 95-96, temp 99. So he got to go home with motrin & tylenol every 4 hour & albuterol as needed orders. Livi's sats awake were just 90 (& I know she drifts lower sleeping), so again she got admitted. I think had I pushed the issue, that ER doc would have let us take her home. But I knew what would happen. And sure enough, once in her 4th floor room her sleeping sats were upper 80s. {They want her above 92%) We JUST did this after Thanksgiving. So she's still on her inhaled steroids. Like last time, we added in oral steroids. Geting albuterol around the clock. She got it A LOT last night. Less today. Tylenol Q4 to keep her fever down. And today she's needed oxygen just when she's alseep, she's ok when awake. Praying for a good night!! I so want to go home tomorrow. I haven't slept since Sunday!! I don't think any of us have.
Hayden was such a trooper in the ER. He really was. Ornery some yes. Tried to run throught the whole ER a few times yes. But to have an exhausted 2 year old there for 5 hours, up until 1:30am, should have been so much worse. SOO proud of him. The ER folks were awesome with him. Found him some toys. Took him for a walk to go find a DVD for our room. I was very happy with our care this time, very! We walked in the ER doors (may of helped I was wearing my green hospital scrubs). I said, we have 2 kids in respiratory distress. Livi was breathing so hard at that moment she actually puked in the ER entry way as I was talking... so back we went, just like that. Logan got upset in the room & crying while breathing hard equalled him puking once too. Oh it was an experience! There were a slew of people who took care of us & we never waited long for a treatment, a culture or to go back for x-ray. By the end of our ER stay, Logan was pretty perky too. Jeff was more than ready to ship him & Hayden out the door by the end. We were all on our last nerve. There were a few tears when the 3 boys headed out the doors & the 2 girls headed through the back door to the elevators to the floor. But we're surviving so far...
The difference this time, besides the fever, is Liv wasn't drinking. She only had 1 wet diaper all day on Wednesday. So she has an IV. I was a little nervous, knowing she was a dehydrated. But they got a gusher on 1 stick. And she was so beat, they put it in while she was sleeping & she didn't wake up & cry until they were taping it down. One wet diaper through the night. And we're on track today & turned the fluids down a little today. Not sure if its just that she feels worse with this virus, or if being 2 months older makes her that much more defiant, but she is much, much harder to get to drink this time! But she at least did eat some & is drinking fair today.
Like last time Livi was in the hospital, she is peeing in the potty. I swore last time we'd leave potty trained. But this time its even more insane! I was planning on a trial run PT her next week anyways, but we might just run with this. She has used the potty 5 times (ASKED 3 of those times) & only peed in her diaper 2x since we have been here (& one of those was while she was asleep) So kind of like just having 1 "accident" in 26 hours! Granted she was dehydrated the first half & has an IV, she is ASKING to go pee in the potty! I think since she sits on my lap the whole time we're here, she doesn't pee in her diaper, she holds it. Versus at home, she hides in her room & pees/poops in her diaper. Plus she isn't doing much, so she's not distracted by playing.
I am off Feb 1-3, 4 & 5 is the weekend so Jeff is home (I work), then I'm off 7-9! So that was my planned date to do a PT trial run, a perfect little set up for a stretch of days to attempt this Livi PT thing. But I think when we go home, we'll just throw her in some panties, put a potty in every room & see what happens. We promised her a highchair for her dolls if she learns to pee & poop in the potty (and she talks about this bribe often.) She is most definately ready though. She is obviously capable. {The boys aren't & I see no need to push them along. Plus I've been thinking it might be easier to conquer one at a time anyways!} So we'll see....
Sunday- Logan had a low grade fever, they all had new snot & coughs
Monday- Hayden had pink eye
Monday night- he had croup
Tuesday- he got steroids in the clinic {He is better, phew}
Tuesday night- Livi tossed & turned & whined all night {should have known what was coming}
Wednesday day- her & Logan got sicker & sicker during the day at GG daycare
When I got home from work Wednesday I took one look at them & the 5 of us went to the ER. {I grabbed my pre-packed bag from last time with hygeine products, underwear, socks, clothes, etc. So glad I had that all put together!}
Logan's oxygen sats were 87 & his temp was 104.5!! Livi's sats were 88 & temp 101. Poor Hayden had to entertain himself in the ER for 5 hours! We were there from 8:30pm-1:30am! 2 xrays. 2 (negative) RSV screens. 2 neb treatments for logan, some tylenol, nakedness & cold washcloths. And his sats were 95-96, temp 99. So he got to go home with motrin & tylenol every 4 hour & albuterol as needed orders. Livi's sats awake were just 90 (& I know she drifts lower sleeping), so again she got admitted. I think had I pushed the issue, that ER doc would have let us take her home. But I knew what would happen. And sure enough, once in her 4th floor room her sleeping sats were upper 80s. {They want her above 92%) We JUST did this after Thanksgiving. So she's still on her inhaled steroids. Like last time, we added in oral steroids. Geting albuterol around the clock. She got it A LOT last night. Less today. Tylenol Q4 to keep her fever down. And today she's needed oxygen just when she's alseep, she's ok when awake. Praying for a good night!! I so want to go home tomorrow. I haven't slept since Sunday!! I don't think any of us have.
Hayden was such a trooper in the ER. He really was. Ornery some yes. Tried to run throught the whole ER a few times yes. But to have an exhausted 2 year old there for 5 hours, up until 1:30am, should have been so much worse. SOO proud of him. The ER folks were awesome with him. Found him some toys. Took him for a walk to go find a DVD for our room. I was very happy with our care this time, very! We walked in the ER doors (may of helped I was wearing my green hospital scrubs). I said, we have 2 kids in respiratory distress. Livi was breathing so hard at that moment she actually puked in the ER entry way as I was talking... so back we went, just like that. Logan got upset in the room & crying while breathing hard equalled him puking once too. Oh it was an experience! There were a slew of people who took care of us & we never waited long for a treatment, a culture or to go back for x-ray. By the end of our ER stay, Logan was pretty perky too. Jeff was more than ready to ship him & Hayden out the door by the end. We were all on our last nerve. There were a few tears when the 3 boys headed out the doors & the 2 girls headed through the back door to the elevators to the floor. But we're surviving so far...
The difference this time, besides the fever, is Liv wasn't drinking. She only had 1 wet diaper all day on Wednesday. So she has an IV. I was a little nervous, knowing she was a dehydrated. But they got a gusher on 1 stick. And she was so beat, they put it in while she was sleeping & she didn't wake up & cry until they were taping it down. One wet diaper through the night. And we're on track today & turned the fluids down a little today. Not sure if its just that she feels worse with this virus, or if being 2 months older makes her that much more defiant, but she is much, much harder to get to drink this time! But she at least did eat some & is drinking fair today.
Like last time Livi was in the hospital, she is peeing in the potty. I swore last time we'd leave potty trained. But this time its even more insane! I was planning on a trial run PT her next week anyways, but we might just run with this. She has used the potty 5 times (ASKED 3 of those times) & only peed in her diaper 2x since we have been here (& one of those was while she was asleep) So kind of like just having 1 "accident" in 26 hours! Granted she was dehydrated the first half & has an IV, she is ASKING to go pee in the potty! I think since she sits on my lap the whole time we're here, she doesn't pee in her diaper, she holds it. Versus at home, she hides in her room & pees/poops in her diaper. Plus she isn't doing much, so she's not distracted by playing.
I am off Feb 1-3, 4 & 5 is the weekend so Jeff is home (I work), then I'm off 7-9! So that was my planned date to do a PT trial run, a perfect little set up for a stretch of days to attempt this Livi PT thing. But I think when we go home, we'll just throw her in some panties, put a potty in every room & see what happens. We promised her a highchair for her dolls if she learns to pee & poop in the potty (and she talks about this bribe often.) She is most definately ready though. She is obviously capable. {The boys aren't & I see no need to push them along. Plus I've been thinking it might be easier to conquer one at a time anyways!} So we'll see....
Sick!
I knew it was coming. Too good to be true for us to be healthy for long. Just like that, our 3 week health "spurt" has come to an end.
*Sunday, snot showed its ugly face. Logan had a low grade fever.
*Monday, Hayden woke up with crusted, red, swollen eyes. A call into the pediatrician for some drops for suspected pink eye & daddy calling in sick.
*Monday night, well technically Tuesday morning at 2am... cough, cough, BARK!! Croup! Bark, bark on the way out. Stridor on the way in. Oh Hayden Thomas sounded awful. We were up every 1-1.5 hours to do a little saline neb treatment, which stopped the barking & back to bed he went. Would have been an easier night had he agreed to sleep in bed with us, or on the couch with me or something. But no, he wanted to go "back to bed" each time. So Logan & Livi got no sleep either. He was pretty cute though. I told him he sounded like a puppy barking. So everytime he woke up coughing & I went in to get him, he smiled at me & said "like a puppy!" The difficult part was that he insisted on sitting on daddy's lap for a breathing treatment, so we were both bascially up from 2am on. Then everytime Livi got re-woken up, she insisted on "mommy more tuck in." So it was a process the whole night.
*Tuesday morning sounded much better after a little awake time & a hot bath. But we opted for a trip into the pediatrician for a shot of steroids to help bring that airway swelling down, so hopefully tonight will not be a repeat. {And we avoid a trip to the ER like we did with his croup last winter}
Weird how Hayden is prone to the croup, inflammation type respiratory stuff. Last March we had in in the ER with it! This time around he actually sounded worse. But didn't apper to be in as much distress & settled in & slept between breathing treatments. Then there is Livi is so prone to wheezing {so far with her on her 'roids shes fine with this snot sickness!!} And Logan, who was the sickest NICU babe & on O2 the longest, has the least trouble when this respiratory crap strikes!
We saw one of the partners in the Ped's office, Dr. McCann. Which apparently sounds like McQueen {as in Lightening McQueen} to kids. Because the whole way there Livi was excited to see "Dr. McQueen" & infact cried on the way home because "Dr. McQueen sissen A-Ya-Ya!" {Dr. McCann listen to Olivia} She WANTED to have the doctor listen to her!! They were rockstars at the appointment! Beyond words impressed!! Liv & Logan sat in the stroller & didn't make a peep. Hayden sat nice on a scale {31 lbs 4.5 oz by the way}. First time we haven't had to hold him there kicking & screaming. He let them look in his ears, take his temp, listen to him all without a peep. The only brief tears were from looking in his throat. SOOO impressed! I had bribed them with stickers going in & infact we picked up 3 stickers on our way out the door for impressive behavior! He even laid down nice on the table & held my hand like a big boy for his shot!! Obviously a few tears with the shot, but very short lived. Shot you ask? They opted to give him a dose of steroids & I opted for him to get a shot vs. the oral medicine, because last year when he had croup, he puked those 'roids right back out. And since he didn't keep 'um in, ended up with a shot anyways {& a puke covered mama!} And mean as it seems, knowing him as well as I obviously do & his gagging, plus coughing, I foresaw a repeat of this puking event. So I opted for the sure deal, sorry buddy. You'll thank me when you can sleep tonight.
Oh viral respiratory crap, you are the worst.
*Sunday, snot showed its ugly face. Logan had a low grade fever.
*Monday, Hayden woke up with crusted, red, swollen eyes. A call into the pediatrician for some drops for suspected pink eye & daddy calling in sick.
*Monday night, well technically Tuesday morning at 2am... cough, cough, BARK!! Croup! Bark, bark on the way out. Stridor on the way in. Oh Hayden Thomas sounded awful. We were up every 1-1.5 hours to do a little saline neb treatment, which stopped the barking & back to bed he went. Would have been an easier night had he agreed to sleep in bed with us, or on the couch with me or something. But no, he wanted to go "back to bed" each time. So Logan & Livi got no sleep either. He was pretty cute though. I told him he sounded like a puppy barking. So everytime he woke up coughing & I went in to get him, he smiled at me & said "like a puppy!" The difficult part was that he insisted on sitting on daddy's lap for a breathing treatment, so we were both bascially up from 2am on. Then everytime Livi got re-woken up, she insisted on "mommy more tuck in." So it was a process the whole night.
*Tuesday morning sounded much better after a little awake time & a hot bath. But we opted for a trip into the pediatrician for a shot of steroids to help bring that airway swelling down, so hopefully tonight will not be a repeat. {And we avoid a trip to the ER like we did with his croup last winter}
Weird how Hayden is prone to the croup, inflammation type respiratory stuff. Last March we had in in the ER with it! This time around he actually sounded worse. But didn't apper to be in as much distress & settled in & slept between breathing treatments. Then there is Livi is so prone to wheezing {so far with her on her 'roids shes fine with this snot sickness!!} And Logan, who was the sickest NICU babe & on O2 the longest, has the least trouble when this respiratory crap strikes!
We saw one of the partners in the Ped's office, Dr. McCann. Which apparently sounds like McQueen {as in Lightening McQueen} to kids. Because the whole way there Livi was excited to see "Dr. McQueen" & infact cried on the way home because "Dr. McQueen sissen A-Ya-Ya!" {Dr. McCann listen to Olivia} She WANTED to have the doctor listen to her!! They were rockstars at the appointment! Beyond words impressed!! Liv & Logan sat in the stroller & didn't make a peep. Hayden sat nice on a scale {31 lbs 4.5 oz by the way}. First time we haven't had to hold him there kicking & screaming. He let them look in his ears, take his temp, listen to him all without a peep. The only brief tears were from looking in his throat. SOOO impressed! I had bribed them with stickers going in & infact we picked up 3 stickers on our way out the door for impressive behavior! He even laid down nice on the table & held my hand like a big boy for his shot!! Obviously a few tears with the shot, but very short lived. Shot you ask? They opted to give him a dose of steroids & I opted for him to get a shot vs. the oral medicine, because last year when he had croup, he puked those 'roids right back out. And since he didn't keep 'um in, ended up with a shot anyways {& a puke covered mama!} And mean as it seems, knowing him as well as I obviously do & his gagging, plus coughing, I foresaw a repeat of this puking event. So I opted for the sure deal, sorry buddy. You'll thank me when you can sleep tonight.
Oh viral respiratory crap, you are the worst.
What we've been doing
Here is a random collection of pictures of what we have been up to! In absolutely no particular order because technology isn't cooperating with me today!
Making my own laundry soap!
Actually I think its great! No issues with clothes not getting clean.
Dabbled in making my own dish soap too... that one, definately not a hit.
Organization! Not sure that I like red, just had the scrap paper for my trial run. I want to cut out pictures of whats in each bin. So the kids can help us more putting things away where it goes, like they do at school.
Hehe! Just found some blocks laying around. Coincidence that all these letters are the same color??
Yay! Place to put the kids' artwork!
Empty ice cream bucket, scrapbook paper, mod podge & spray adhesive {& some other random supplies for other things I was doing.}
Equals a place to stores hair pretties... prett-ily!
I turned this into something pretty too.
Headband storage! Lots of room inside too!
Headband storage! Lots of room inside too!
Found 3 "weep"s in the $1 bin at Target. Hayden especially really likes to sweep.
Took some of these old things....
Bought a few of these...
Cut. Ironed in half. Threw in a few stitches.
And created some Logan sized!!
Organized my bathroom cabinet! If this was my "forever home" I would have painted in there too. I aspire to have my home look like her's some day.
Before
After
Got rid of the rolling carts {which found new homes in the kids' closet}. A few Walmart & Target bins. {Target's $1 has a ton of storage stuff in January by the way!} Some sticky labels & I'm much happier.
And those old diaper boxes on the bottom shelf in the bathroom done picture, got even more done. With a little fabric & hot glue, they turned from this....
To this. My first run.... not too bad!
Played around with my Cricut a little. Oh so much $$ could be spent investing in cartridges!
Meanwhile the kids goofed around...
And I made a few more boxes!!! I LOVE these!! I have something else I'm working on with that polka-dot fabric.... Will get it done eventually...
Some Chicken Salad roll-ups thanks to Pinterest! These were amazing! Been cooking some good Pinterest inspired recipies!
My kids {who don't usually like much sweets, especially chocolate}.... randomly enjoying some chocolate pudding cups!!
Logan
Hayden stopped mid-bite to say "Cheese!" He is such a ham. He has SOO much personality these days.
Yes we are still in PJs with bed head at lunch. Be jealous!
Don't let his cuteness fool you. He is our terrible-est 2 year old right now. He is soooo ornery. Pushes our buttons just to push them. Defies everything, just for a response. Patience, patience, patience Katie.... he is just trying you!!!
The end result of handing 3 2 year olds each their own pudding cup.... was a bath! Yes they are all blond haired & blue eyed. But when their hair is wet you can tell that their hair really is 3 different shades of blond. Hayden is the lightest. Livi is the darkest.
{Hayden, Olivia & Logan}
{Hayden, Olivia & Logan}
Logan's newest thing is playing "hide & seek" with things. Putting his car under the water asking me "Viving doe?" {Where did Lightening go?} When I say "Where did he go?" He quickly pulls him out & exclaims "VIVING IS!!" {Here Lightening is!} He does this with all sorts of objects behind curtains, under pillows, etc. Hopefully he doesn't start hiding phones, keys, etc. in places & not remembering where they are!!
I TRIED to catch a picture of this... but this is all I got :( Livi wanted me to put bubbles on her chin. When I did... she exclaimed "Ya-ya like Sassa!" {Olivia looks like Santa!} Her mind works so fast it's exhausting!
Livi is SOO into her babies right now. She spends all day undressing them. Bathing them. Feeding them. Changing their diapers. Tucking them into her bed. Telling us "Shhh baby sleeping!" All day!!
And she is pretty particular about the details. This is the tupperware tub that was the kids' NICU bath tubs. Awwww....
She had to have "soap" {white container}, a "wash kof" {washcloth}, a bowl/cup to "rinse off" her baby.
Logan thought the baby needed a car to play with in the tub too!
I was just impressed he shared. He usually looks like this!!! Hoarder!
More baby bath...
And feeding her baby "supper." {she calls every meal supper} Gives her kisses & says "YAY" when she eats all her "chicken & banana."
And she changes her baby's "bye-per" {diaper} all day long. All.day.long. She has been getting out this pair of blue socks that she puts on her hands when she changes diapers. We thought it was so odd. Then it dawned on us that they wear gloves at daycare when they change the kids' diapers! Oh my gosh. She is so brilliant. Thats some awesome imaginary & copy-cat play girlfriend!!
Despite his orneryness.... he is still pretty amazing!! Bedtime prayers!
In a nutshell, thats what we've been up to....
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