Rough Days

Well, our live has been a rollercoaster ride!! Ryan started getting a cold and once a cough developed Eric & I took him to the doctor. It was discovered that he had a double ear infection. The doctor was giving us a prescription for his antibiotics and while she was filling those out, she had the nurse check Ryans oxygen. It was low! She said that she wanted us to go to Primary Childrens Hospital and since he required oxygen, she didn't want us to wait in the ER until they could get to him. So...she had an ambulance come and transport him. It was so pathetic to see our little boy in his carseat on a stretcher, with an oxygen mask that just drowned his little face.

We made it to the hospital, where they started suctioning, his nose to get all of the stuff out, and then they put him on oxygen. They ran the secretions from his nose to test them and it ended up being RSV. The thing that I have been so concerned about since he was born. Yesterday was great! Ryan was so happy and was keeping his oxygen level up. So, they took him off the oxygen, but after several hours it started dipping again. So, they put him back on the oxygen yesterday late afternoon. Well, then...the saga continues.

I was sleeping last night and the resident doctor came into the room and said that Ryans blood culture grew out bacteria, so they needed to do a lumbar puncture. Not a good way to be woken up in the middle of the night. So, I got up and sat with Ryan for a couple of minutes, they then took him into the other room. It was so sad to hear him just screaming knowing that there isn't anything I could do for him. They ended up hitting a vessel and so blood got into the fluid they took out, so they couldn't use it. Well, we talked with Dan ( the pediatrician) this morning. We get the results of the blood culture from the lab tomorrow which will let us know what we are dealing with. If it ends up being a valid bacteria (instead of contamination) they will do another lumbar puncture tomorrow.

Poor little boy has just been put through the ringer. He is such a brave little boy and we are so hoping that he will pass through this quickly. As soon as he doesn't need suctioning for 12 ours and oxygen for 24 hours we can take him home. Quite honestly that is the least of our worries right now. I am concerned about the blood culture. He could end up getting a pic line inserted and have to take antibiotics through that line for up to 21 days. Eric and I are going to be eating rice and potatoes for the next year to pay for all of the bills this is going to create. But it will all be worth it. He is worth every penny!!! How can you argue with his beautiful little face.

On the upside, he is gaining weight great (up 2 pounds from birthweight) and he is just an alert attentive baby! Eric and I feel so lucky to have him in our family.