Too much excitement

January 25, 2008

As I write this, I can feel the exhaustion dragging at me. It has been a far too exciting night. It started at about 10:30 pm. We have a monitor in Xander's room and at about 10:30, I heard a high pitched sound, almost a squeal, coming from his room. So I went into check on him. He was in distress. I picked him up and brought him into the bedroom. Tom got up and got the nebulizer and we used it on him. He was very good. When the first dose was done, we put him in a warm bath and called the doc. The doc on call (not Dr. Oriel) said that we could use the nebulizer every 20 minutes but that we might want to get him to the ER. Given that we were both exhausted and I thought it probably a BAD idea that we drive, we tried using the nebulizer again. He seemed better, though still hoarse, so I took him back to his room and lay down with him. Then at some time around 1:30 (Tom says) he woke up in acute distress. Tom got the nebulizer out again but Xander began to scream and cry about how his tummy hurt. He was hysterical and his breathing was beyond labored. So we called 911. The firemen came and continued the treatments, adding oxygen. When he appeared to getting worse rather than better, they called Medic One. Medic One arrived, assessed him (by this point there were 9 people in that tiny bedroom of ours) and concluded that he needed to go the ER. Through it all, Xander was a trooper -- exhausted but doing his best to respond to what was being requested of him. They got us (Xander and I. Tom stayed home with Jason, who had awakened just as we were leaving) into the MedicOne Van and I sat on the gurney with Xander, wrapped in his Nemo blanket, clutching his bunny and wearing his nebulizer mask, on my lap. Half way to the Hospital, Xander decided that he liked the young medic who was riding in back with us and began to sing to her.
We got to the ER and went straight in. The Medic gave the nurse the history then, explaining to Xander that she would be back to check on him, went off to fill out paperwork. Then the Dr. came in -- Steve Johnson, I believe his name is. He was very good, very calm. He explained to Xander that he needed to check him out. He listened to Xander's chest -- 'Whoa! Did you swallow a frog? It sounds like you have a frog in there!' he said. Xander gave him a quizzeled look and said 'No, I think it was probably a Bumblebee!' The nurse started choking and had to turn away. The doctor didn't even blink. 'A Bumblebee! Thats not good.' Then he examined Xander's throat and nose -- 'Do you have any boogers in there?' he asked. 'No.' Xander said solemnly 'I ate them all.' Choke. All this time, Xander had been wearing the nebulizer. By this point he had had about 8 treatments + oxygen.
After examining Xander, the doctor turned to me. 'We are going to give him some medicine and a different breathing treatment. It sounds like asthma but there also seems to be a croup component. It doesn't sound like pneumonia. We will give him the treatments and wait about an hour. If he improves, we will send him home. If not, we will need to admit him to Mary Bridge Children's Hospital.
Xander was then given a nasty tasting combo of steroids and codeine cough medication plus anti-nausea meds. He drank it like a trooper. The nurse told him he could have a popsicle for being so brave and asked him if he liked green? He said 'Yes, I like all colors.' She smiled and brought him a lime popsicle. At that point the young medic came back to say 'Goodbye'. She saw that he was eating a popsicle and said 'Oh, Lime is my favorite!' Xander smiled and said 'It is one of my favorites too!' The nurse, who was looking in said, 'He likes all the colors. Aren't we lucky?' The Medic grinned and nodded, 'Oh yes. That IS lucky!' She said 'Goodbye' and Xander allowed as how he would 'like a little quiet'. I turned the light off and he snuggled down with his bunny.
About 10 - 15 minutes passed. The breathing tech showed up. He explained that he was going to give Xander an 'Epi' treatment and asked if Xander had ever used an inhaler. I said 'No' but that I think he could try. The Tech was doubtful but said 'I'm willing.' And guess what? My little trooper did it. He was beginning to get restless towards the end of the process but held out when the tech told him that, when he was finished, the tech would set it up so that Xander could give his bunny a breathing treatment. That was a treat. He finished up and then very seriously administered saline to his bunny. ( The breathing treatment intrigued him because, as I pointed out to him, he was being allowed to 'drink the clouds' as he had always wanted to do!)
A short while later -- sometime around 5:15 am, the doctor came in and examined him. His o2 level was at 90-95% so they decided that they could send him home. He thanked everyone but was VERY happy to leave. Tom and Jason came to collect us and, Jason informed me, Jason told his father to 'park close so that Xander doesn't have to be out in the cold air for too long.' Xander fell asleep in the car.
So now it is 8 am. Xander is sleeping. His breathing sounds rough again. I have propped him up and that seems to be helping. I hope it is. We were given 3 days dose of steroids for him and told to nebulize him every four hours. We were also warned that tonight may be rough. I fear that they are right. I have called the doctor and left a message. Now we will see what we will see. I should check our supply of albuterol -- make sure that it is current. I should probably get some more as well. This has been too much excitement. Even now I feel like crying -- maybe that is partly because I am so dead tired but partly... oh well.