Thursday, May 7, 2015

Sick Kiddo

A few weeks ago Dominic was coming down with a minor cold, which is pretty normal for him when he's teething. He was getting in 5 at once and so his cold was a little worse than normal, but nothing too bad. As the week went on and his cold wasn't going away I thought maybe it would pass in a couple days, but it didnt. One night I put him down for bed and he was perfectly fine, minus the sniffly nose, but he woke up around 10:30 and was standing up trying to cry. At first I thought maybe his cry was just super soft but after a moment I realized it just wasnt right. He was so upset and sad and I could tell he was in pain. His hands and feet got really cold and he was so tired but couldnt get back to sleep. His breaths got very short and quick and he had a nasty sounding cough. We called the health link because part of me thought it sounded like he had phlegm stuck in his through and I wasnt going to rush to the hospital for that. After talking with the nurse from health link we were about to hang up and do what she suggested but then he let out an awful cough and she said to get to the hospital. So we quickly got dressed and headed to the childrens hospital. We went to triage and explained everything and she took his vitals, this is where he got terrified of the stethoscope, and she said we would probably be getting a chest x-ray. We got to the waiting room, where other kids were sitting around and waiting (1h45m approx. wait time was showing on the screen) and Dominic being the kid that he is, gets a second wind and doesnt let a little breathing issue slow him down, is running around trying to play and run out through the automatic doors. We got to the hospital around 11 and didnt get in to see a doctor until about 2am. Well, by in to  see a doctor I mean out of the waiting room into another room waiting for him. He had a bad fever and they gave him popsicles, another nurse took his vitals, which was a task. He hated the stethoscope and the heart monitor was horrible for him and his heart rate was 183 bpm because he was so frantic that they had to put it on his foot and wait for him to calm down. The nurse waited in the hallway until it got an accurate reading but at one point the nurse poked her head out of the hallway into the room and Dominic freaked out at her. They gave him a shot of steroids and after a bit the doctor came in. Again with the stethoscope and Dominic freaked out. They said he had croup and strider and was fighting off an infection but told us the steroids would help but if they didnt to come back. So we packed up and went home, without a chest x-ray.

He loved those popsicles. He had 2 that night, Hopped up on sugar just like his mama


He kept trying to take his bracelet off. We had to hide it under his sleeve of his coat because he figured out how to slide his hand out.


The days passed and his cold kept getting worse and worse, his strider was gone but he just wasnt getting better so Dey took him in to a walk in clinic and they doctor there said he thought he had a bacterial infection. So a 3 day round of steroids and 7 day, 3 times a day, antibiotic was prescribed for my little kiddo and we had to make an appointment to go back after 5 days. Slowly things finally started to get better which was great. I was also really appreciative of my health benefits because they covered his medication. 



So Friday rolls around and I get back from work and have to take Dominic to the doctors for his follow up. The moment that stethoscope came near him he freaked out again. But the doctor got a good enough listen that things were getting better but he was still wheezing and there was still some tightness in his chest so we got a puffer!! Yay!!! Luckily because we made the mask look like fun he is good at taking it. He only needs it close to bed time or if it gets back during the day. I have only had to use it a few times which is great, and he still has a little bit of a runny nose and a random cough here or there but it is finally clearing up. 




Having a sick kid is so sad. And having a kid who cant really breath is terrifying. Honestly I got so nervous at first that something would happen and I would lose it. My life would never been the same if that were the case and I dont know if I would have been able to move on from it. 
I am so greatly for the health services we have here in Canada and I am so greatly for my little man. He is just the best thing to have ever happen to me. He completed our lives. If at the end of the day he is all we are blessed with, then I would be sad but perfectly happy with it.