Friday, September 10, 2010

A first

It's hard to believe that Charlie has any more firsts right now..I mean I know we still have first day of school but that's still a long way off...Today was his first trip to the ER. Fun, right?

So what led us there?? Well, the last couple days he started coughing and then woke up with a runny nose after his nap yesterday. By bed time he was coughing a very congested cough but wasn't producing anything. I got him to bed (in my bed) but every time he coughed he would roll over so it was a restless sleep. At midnight he woke himself up again. W took him as I wasn't getting any sleep with him in my bed. W got him back to sleep and came to bed at 2. At 4:30, Charlie was up again coughing and crying so I brought him back to my bed. He snuggled up next to me and I could feel his entire little body just trying to get a breath in. For a few minutes I debated just waiting until the Dr's office opened...but I'm glad I didn't as the only open appointment that day was 11:30 (our follow up care appointment). I was also doubting my mama instinct too...thinking I was being too overprotective, but I am confident I made the right decision.
We were taken back to triage right away. Charlie immediately received a pulse-ox monitor that he did not appreciate. And fairly quickly after that we were taken to a room. The Dr listened to him and looked at his chest. Charlie was retracting horribly. The Dr ordered an albuterol breathing treatment and then we had to wait for the meds to take effect so he could listen again. I honestly didn't see much difference. but I knew we were on the right track and was comfortable knowing some meds were in him. Unfortunately his diagnosis is a viral infection so we just have to let it run its course. We went to follow up and the NP ordered more breathing treatments (at home!), so we borrowed a nebulizer from the neighbor and I have been giving them to him every four hours.

Charlie had a really rough day...and was in bed, for the night, at 6:30. He is doing better, I have only heard one coughing episode since he went to bed so I am hoping for a good night. But it's probably going to be a VERY early morning!!