Still at the hospital

Baby boy and I are still in the hospital. The stay is longer than I had anticipated but thankfully we are seeing improvement, albeit slowly, every day. I was thinking back to Saturday night when I brought him to the ER and how sick he was. Even the next day he was breathing 80 respirations per minute, had a heart rate that would reach to 200 and was coughing like crazy. He looked at me with eyes that seemed to say "help me Mommy!" which was enough to make me cry.

He is still breathing fast at around 60 per minute. He has been on oxygen (not the tents as were used in the past, but with a canula in his nose. Today he is alert enough again to realize it is actually there and is pulling at it when he thinks about it. They tried today for him to breath only room-air but his saturation level dipped down too low. He has breathing treatments still every 2 - 3 hours and they started him on prednisone yesterday to see if it will help to open the airways.

The doctors said that he is just taking his time in healing but is in good spirits and handling it well. Last night Baby's disposition perked up so much more and he is again smiling, cooing, and kicking his chubby little legs. He seems to go up and down as far as progress as yesterday he was awake much of the day and today he slept most of it. His heart rate and saturation level also fluctuate.

 This week has been a sort of break for me and surprisingly I am not getting bored and am meeting new people every day. There is another baby with RSV in the room next door and his mother and I met earlier in the week and talk when we can. The nursing staff is wonderful and pop in and visit from time to time. Today they brought in this laptop for me to get online again and they bring various food treats. I am able to get out at least once a day as a nurse will keep an eye on Baby or my husband relieves me. He has had quite the load this week shuffling the children back and forth and I am sure he could use a break! I am so thankful for our family as they are very willing to help out in caring for our children.

One of my nurses just let me know that Baby's respiration rate is down to 34! All of these ups and downs but I do see the end in site! Our church has a special 9 days of prayer this week and I know Baby is being lifted up in prayer often.

My friend's baby who is 3 days older also has RSV but was sent to Children's hospital an hour away as he has Down Syndrom and struggles more with this. I found out this afternoon that he is now on a ventilator and will be having a blood transfusion to try and increase his oxygen levels. RSV is a scary virus for babies and so many things can go wrong and the doctors have said that there is no real treatment, just time and making the child as comfortable as possible. I am so thankful for all that the doctors and hospitals can do in times like these!