To start from the beginning on Wednesday morning Russell woke up with a little cough. It sounded a little "barky" like it could possibly be croupe. Janey had croupe the week before so I figured he got it from her. He seriously only coughed like 4 times all day on Wednesday. He had no fever no runny nose, nothing. I figured he would be fine just like Janey was. I monitored his breathing all night. In the middle of the night it seemed to get deeper and a little more strained but I figured all was okay.
In the morning I could here him clear down the hall. He was still sleeping and I didn't know whether I should go wake him up or if it was better to let him get rest. At around 9:00 (he never sleeps that late) I couldn't here his deep breathing anymore. I went into his room to check on him and found him awake. He was trying to tell me he wanted out but he couldn't really get the words out. I picked him up and his breathing was so strained that I got worried. I could see the panic in his eyes and each breath seemed so hard for him. I hurried out into the family room and told Janey to put her rain boots on. I grabbed the necessities and we ran out the door. I rushed to the urgent care and just kept praying that they wouldn't make me wait in the waiting room forever to fill out paper work etc (you know how they are). I rushed in and saw that there was someone at every desk already being helped. I think the lady saw the panicked look on my face. She asked what was wrong and I told her Russell was having trouble breathing. She kicked the lady out of her seat that she was helping and I got to go right in. She called the nurse and we went right in back. They gave him a nebulizer and the doctor came in and gave him some steroids to help open his passasgeway. His chest was retracting with every breath, it was a very scary thing to see. They informed me they were going to have to take him in an ambulance to the hospital at which point I broke down and started crying. Janey was being so sweet and so good the whole time. She kept telling me "I'm so sorry mommy" and kept rubbing Russell to help him feel better. I called my friend Melanie to see if she could come and pick Janey up from the urgent care (thank you so much for keeping her all day!) I also called Kevin and told him that I was at urgent care and they were taking Russell to the hospital and he needed to meet me there. Poor guy, I was crying the whole time and I couldn't talk to him for very long so he didn't get any details. He kept trying to call me back but I was always in the middle of something. I can't imagine what must have been going on in his mind.
As soon as we walked out to get in the ambulance Russell took one look at it and smiled and tried to make the siren noise. He is such a silly boy...he was so sick and yet he was still smiling and excited. It made me feel better to see him like that. Janey got to sit in the ambulance while we waited for Melanie to get her. I always wondered what it was like in an ambulance, but I never wanted to find out this way! By this time Russell was doing a little better but was still having difficulty breathing. When we got to the ER Russell saw Kevin walking down the hall and got super excited. He kept trying to say Daddy but the words couldn't come out, it was so sad. They gave him some more treatments and his breathing improved alot! We were in the ER all day. Finally around 4:00 they admitted us into the pediatric unit, they wanted to keep him overnight to monitor him and make sure he didn't relapse. I didn't really want to stay in the hospital overnight but at the same time I was glad we weren't going home because I didn't want anything to happen again.
Kevin went and got Janey and came back so she could see Russell. She was very jealous that Russell got to sleep at the hosiptal and she didn't. Russell didn't fall asleep until about midnight. Apparently the steroids can make you hyper. He was being very sweet though. He just layed there tossing and turning not quite sure of what to do with his hands. He would roll over and rub my back and play with my hair. Even though he was hyper he wasn't bouncing off the walls he would just lay there and check out his hands or pat the bed. Once he fell asleep he slept the whole night. He slept throught everything...the nurses coming in, the annoying monitor that kept going off for no reason...everything! Even though I woke up for everything I was very grateful that he could sleep through it all.
The next morning he was feeling much better. He actually wanted to get down and play. The doctors were very impressed with how much he had improved and the nurse said it was a difference of night and day. He was doing so well that they let us leave around 10:30. I was so glad that we didn't have to stay a whole other day.
This whole experience has really made me reflect on what is truly important in life. I am so grateful for my family, for the gospel and the peace that it brings to me. I am grateful for the spirit that brought comfort, calmness, and just the knowledge that I needed to know what I needed to do.
Here is Russell in the hospital trying to give his toy an air treatment.
Russell and Daddy. It was sad to see him in a little gown, but at the same time it was so cute.
Russell being his own doctor. After many times of being checked out he was quite the pro.
Russell feeling much better the next day. Oh how I love my sweet little boy!
