For several days both Corbin and Cameron had stuffy noses and then coughs developed on Thursday 2/17. We had been doing the usual treatment of saline drops, nasal bulb suction, and a humidifier/vaporizer. With the coughs starting, we thought it was time to have them checked out with the doctor. However, the only appointment time available with our doctor's office for both of them on Thursday was during Aaron's concert, so I took them both to an walk-in clinic to be seen earlier. Their lungs were clear and their ears were fine, so just a virus. Roy was sick with a stomach bug on Friday 2/18, so I came home early to take care of the babies.
On Monday 2/21, their coughs were worse and lots of snot in their noses. We called their doctor's office and got a 7:30 p.m. appointment. Around 2:45 p.m. Lily was holding Corbin when he vomited all over her. Not just spit-up, projectile vomiting - Lily had to go take a shower! We were afraid he had the stomach bug that Roy had on Friday.
Roy left for work at 3:00, and before he was even out of the driveway Cameron threw up too! Aaron was holding Cameron away from him just in case, so Aaron wasn't "hit", but Lily said, "HA HA, Cameron threw up on you!" anyway. I was really glad we had that evening appointment already, especially since both of them had lost their feedings.
When I took them to our doctor at 7:30 p.m., their lungs were clear and ears fine again. Vomiting was likely from all the junk they were swallowing from their nasal congestion. She said to watch for "retracting", hard pulling while breathing in, so much that you can see their ribs. They also wouldn't be able to eat if that happened, since they'd be working so hard to breathe, much less eat.
All day I hadn't felt well, stomach upset, and I must have looked pale because their doctor got a basin out for me during their appointment - luckily I didn't need it there! So I had Roy's stomach bug, but the babies didn't seem to have it.
Roy and I spent Monday night in the recliner and on the couch, each of us with a baby on our chests so they could be elevated and breathe easier. It was a long night, especially since I wasn't feeling good either.
Tuesday during the day the temp agency (Grandma) sent Papa Bob over to help, since I still wasn't feeling well. We kept the babies on our chests again for the most part. By the time Roy left for work at 3:00 I was feeling better. Sarah came over to stay with the babies (with Lily's help, because she doesn't need a babysitter), and I got to go to Aaron's concert all by myself! I sat in the front row much to Aaron's chagrin. He sang his heart out! He's such a good singer - gets it from Daddy, not from me!
Once Roy got home and we got the big kids to bed, we were downstairs with the babies when we noticed Cameron was really having a hard time. He wasn't really crying, just mewling, and his skin tone seemed really pale. I tried nursing him and he just couldn't breathe. We were suctioning his mouth with the bulb syringe when he threw up again. By then his breathing was really labored and ribs pulling in - retracting - so I brought him into the ER around midnight Tuesday night/morning. His oxygen saturation was 88% (should be near 100%), so the nurse took us straight back to an ER room. There were about 12-15 people working on him at one point! Doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, you name it. 2 NICU/PICU nurses came over from the children's center too. One of the PICU nurses was getting off shift, but came over anyway - bless you Ms. K! She ended up being there a few more hours.
Cameron's first IV was straight into his leg bone at a 90 degree angle - barbaric looking! They did that to get him started on Ketamine and fluids asap. Once he was sedated (somewhat) they got him intubated with a breathing tube. Since it was the ER, they had to find a tube small enough for him. He was still fighting it! Once it was in everyone relaxed a little bit. The respiratory therapists took turns hand-ventilating him. The PICU nurses took care of getting an IV in his arm. He had a good pulse in his wrists, but was really hard to stick and actually get blood. It seems that he has my veins - mine roll around and are a hard stick too. Finally they got one in his right wrist, but he wasn't happy about all the pokes!
One of the respiratory therapists was an old friend from Kenwood Elementary days, and one of the PICU nurses was also a Kenwood Kid! She was 2 years ahead of me, and grew up a block away from Mom and Dad's house. It was really reassuring to have those two familiar faces there in the middle of the night. Small world, big God!
I was holding up really well until I had to leave the room for his x-ray. Not being able to see him was bad, I started crying then. A very young male nurse with a Justin Bieber-style haircut brought me a box of Kleenex - so sweet!
I got myself together when I went back in. They got him all stabilized and we finally headed for the Women's and Children's Center. That was a long trip through the basement tunnels to the PICU. Kinda neat how it's all connected, but it's a long trip!
I'll write more later, must sleep sometime.
