Loving My Bear: Carter Update

Rickybear had gone to the Lake After Hours on Tuesday. That afternoon, I had been doing tummy time with Cater and I heard him wheezing a little bit. Although I joke that he was only wheezing to get out of tummy time, I stopped early because I felt bad for him. He also had been losing his appetite. Once Ricky was on antibiotics, and because I couldn't give Carter any OTC medicine, I decided that I was going to call the pedi to find out at what point would she want to see Carter if his symptoms got worse. I called on Wednesday and told them the symptoms that both boys had and was told that she would prefer to go ahead and check Carter out for herself since he was so little. We made the appointment for the following day.

My mom had the kids on Thursday, and my dad was on vacation that week, so mom took Carter to the doctor for me while my dad stayed home with Ricky. I got a call from my mom asking me if the doctor could talk to me. I figured that she was just going to ask me some questions or let me know what kind of care I needed to provide him, but she told me he tested positive right away for RSV, and since he was so little, and since babies get dehydrated so quickly, she recommended that I admit him right away to the children's hospital in town. I thought I was going to burst out crying right there in the hallway at work. I had never even heard of RSV, but you can safely bet that I was googling it like crazy on the drive to the hospital. RSV presents as a cold, but can lead to bronchitis/pneumonia. Day 5 is usually the worst day as far as the progression of the virus goes. Carter was on day 4/5 at that point. We thought that maybe he and Ricky had gotten it from a child at their cousin's birthday party we had gone to at a local pizza place not too long before, but really had no idea. Anyway, it's worse for little babies because since they wheeze and have trouble breathing, they usually lose their appetite... think how hard it is to breathe and drink at the same time. Little babies dehydrate quickly. For older kids and adults, the virus just presents like a normal cold.

Mom met me at the hospital with Carter. The pedi had called and reserved him a room, so we were able to walk right up and register when we got there instead of having to go through the ER. We went to a special room while he was admitted so they could take his vitals and obtain his medical history. His lungs weren't bad enough to qualify for a breathing treatment, but they wanted to monitor him and keep him for 24 hours. We were soon brought to our permanent room. It had a couch that turned into a bed, the crib, a recliner, and a tv that could access movies and internet (which I am sure is nice for the older kids who have to stay there for an extended period to keep in touch with friends and family).

I was lucky that I had my breast pump with me since I had come straight from work. Otherwise, I would have had to rent one there. I had to try to feed Carter every half hour or so. He barely wanted to eat. If I had him at the house and had not taken him to the doctor, I would have been hysterical when he stopped eating for so long. I had to weigh all of his diapers and track that on a chart. I was getting worried that he would need to get an IV for fluids, but he stuck it out and continued to do well.

Daddy came to visit us that night while my parents kept Ricky overnight. The next morning, Maw Maw and Paw Paw came to pay a visit and keep us company. After checking him all day, the doctor decided that since it was day 5, he would probably get no worse than he already was, and she was pleased with his progress. She said that as long as he was eating at least half of what he normally does, she felt it would be ok to release him. Ricky went to the pedi that day and they called the hospital to let us know that he didn't have RSV. The hospital staff had been waiting to release Carter until they heard if Ricky needed to be admitted. She also said that even though big brother Ricky tested negative for RSV, he could have already had it, given it to Carter, and then been past the point it to test positive for it. We were released Friday evening and my parents kept Rickybear overnight again so I could focus on Carter.

He still wheezed, gurgled, and coughed for another week or so, but he slowly started eating more. I knew that once he started smiling and cooing again that we were over the worst of it. Let me tell you, it's so hard to care for a sick newborn and a sick toddler when you are also sick yourself. For once, hubby didn't catch the bug and he stayed healthy. I am happy to report that at this time, we are all happy and healthy.

Thanks for all of the positive thoughts and words that came our way during this difficult time! I am also thankful for having such a knowledgeable and caring pediatrician. It's so important to research before you get a pedi so you can know that her values match yours, that she respects your opinions and decisions (spreading out vaccines, alternative treatments, breastfeeding, etc.), and that she will make the best recommendations for the care your babies.