Our VERY eventful wheekend

Long post ahead...

We had a pretty eventful weekend. We were so excited for my sister and her family to come play with us. We spent Friday moving my BFF Mary into her amazing house. Holden was coming down with a cold and by the afternoon he started getting bad. He was wheezing horribly. I called my pediatrician and he was gone for the weekend but his PA was there. I took Holden in 15 minutes later and he had an ear infection and he was wheezing really bad. The PA did an albuterol treatment and that helped so much. He sent us home with an antibiotic and albuterol in the nebulizer. We got home and put the kids in the tub. Holden was not a happy camper. He was crying and ready for bed. While Dustin was getting Holden in his PJ's he threw up all over himself. We put him back in the tub. After he got out and was getting his 2nd pair of PJ's on he threw up again. This time was worse. Back in the tub he went and threw up again when I got him out. I just held him and let him sleep for a little bit. While he was asleep we did the nebulizer. That seemed to help so much. Dustin gave him a very sweet father's blessing. What a good dad he is. We put Holden to bed and checked on him A LOT. We did the treatments every 4 hours.

Saturday we went and visited with my sister and her family at my parents. Holden was definitely my sick little boy. Very whiny, no appetite, and wanted to be held. I was very faithful about doing the treatments every 4 hours. I started noticing that he seemed okay for 40 minutes after the treatments but then would crash and his breathing would get more difficult.

We got dinner and Holden was so excited to eat. He seemed to get a little burst of energy and got down and played. Dustin got off work and came to my parents. Holden started getting really fussy and his breathing got worse. I wanted to calm him down so I could see how his breathing really was. It is always worse when they cry because it takes so much energy. So when he calmed down a little I gave him some medicine and he lost it. 4 minutes later he threw up all his dinner and went lethargic. His color was horrible and his breathing was even worse. We grabbed a blanket and rushed him to the ER.

While driving he was getting worse. He threw up again all over both of us. His breathing was becoming more shallow. He was exhausted and going in and out. I kept bugging him to stay awake because he would get mad and fight me. I ran into the ER and of course the room was packed. I thought for a split second that if they made us wait, Holden wouldn't make it. Then I thought if they tell us we have to wait I will go outside the parking lot and call an ambulance. That would get us right in. The crazy things that cross your mind in trauma.

The volunteer at the desk asked what was the matter. REALLY you can't see this lifeless baby that is blue and purple. I said he is sick and is having a difficult time breathing. He went and got a nurse. That 20 seconds seemed like 20 minutes. The nurse opened the door and looked at Holden. I didn't even say anything and she said come with me. We walked EXTREMELY FAST. When we got to a room 6 workers were there and ready. She had called something over the radio while we were walking but everything around me was a fog.

They gave him a burst of albuterol in the nebulizer and started checking all his vitals. Again the albuterol helped so well. The doc said he didn't like the way Holden looked when we got there and wanted to admit him for the night to watch his oxygen.Or if we wanted we could go home and come back if we lived close.  Holden seemed to be doing so good. Bouncing around, playing. Then it came to me that after about 40 minutes he probably would crash like he had done for the past 24 hours. That is exactly what happened. The next time the doc came in he could see Holden going down hill. He said he was admitting us. So we got transported in the ambulance over to the 400 East campus. I had no idea they had a pediatric unit there. Guess I am happy we never have had to use it. They were so good with Holden.

Dustin went home to get me some new clothes since I still had throw up all over me. They continued to check his vitals and the respiratory therapist came in. He thought it was RSV for sure. WHAT? MY KID HAS RSV. I swore that would never happen to my kids. He said I don't like to treat with albuterol because it doesn't fix things. WOW really. Holden finally fell asleep in my arms. They were monitoring his oxygen and it was so low. They came in and out checking him. At 5:00am the respiratory therapist came in and said let's suction all the gunk out. So the therapist, nurse, and I held Holden down. Let's just say that is not for the weak of heart. His poor face screamed, "I am horrified". I felt so bad for him. I know it was for the best but sad he was so scared. They did that every 4 hours. The next time he was just ticked but knew what was going on.

He slept a lot. He is such a busy boy that it felt so good to hold him close and have him sleep in my arms.
I ran home to take a shower and get rid of the throw up smell on me. When I got back Uncle Dan and Aunt Jan were there visiting. It was so nice to see them. WE LOVE YOU both so much!!!

After lunch he was like a whole new boy. He got down, played with toys, and entertained us with his big smile and beautiful blue eyes. He seemed to be back to normal. The nurse came in and said the test results came back negative. No RSV, no bronchiolitis, no influenza, nothing. They sent it up to Salt Lake for further testing. "So what does he have", I asked the nurse. She said they have no idea. Could have been the extreme wind, the cold Mya and I had, or it could be his airway got restricted really easily. We will follow up with his Pediatrician this week.

So at 5:00pm they said that his oxygen looked great, even when he was sleeping and we could go home. Yay. We ALL needed a good nights rest. So after we got everything signed and ready to go it was about 6:30. We went and visited our girls and my sister's family for a little bit before taking him home for bed. He slept so good Sunday night in his own bed.

Yesterday he was still weak and clingy. He didn't eat much but seemed to still be on the up and up. He slept amazing last night and today he seems to be getting back to my busy little man.

I am so grateful that is he better. I couldn't thank my sister, brother-in-law, nieces, mom, and dad enough for taking care of the girls for 2 1/2 days while we focused on Holden. It was so nice to know they were in good hands. So good that when we came to see them they both said, "No, we want to stay". They LOVE their Karrie and Emma even had a melt down last night because she wanted "her" Karrie. Thanks sister you are the BEST and I don't know what I would do without you.

I also want to thank my friends and neighbors. My BFF Mary drove by yesterday and stopped and gave me a big hug. Seriously I needed that. Then a few of our neighbors came when they saw we were home to see how Holden was. I LOVE our neighbors. One of my sweet neighbors brought me dinner. She had called earlier and I told her we were fine. The kids were having corn dogs, Dustin was at work and then football camp, and I really didn't have an appetite. After I got the kids out of the tub I started feeling hungry. My door bell rang 15 minutes later and there was dinner. What a great women. She brought it even when I told her I didn't need it, but in the end I did.

So glad it is all over and the lessons I learned.