Croup

I wonder when I'll forget that morning of hearing Dallin crying mid-sleep and realizing I could go to him but it was only 12 AM and it felt like we had just laid him down. While I waited for what seemed like forever on Mr Smith to make the initial leap, my body decided to get up before my mind even caught up. AS SOON as I opened the door and realized what he sounded like, I grabbed him and I told Mr Smith to get up; Dallin needed to go to the hospital. Mr Smith hadn't been sleeping. I slipped on slippers and I wanted to cry while I held Dallin close to me as Mr Smith changed and got Lexi up. It was more than just his inability to breathe, every breath sounded like his last. Inhale and exhale, that wheeze was so labored and so heartbreaking that I immediately thought about his baby cousins who were in our home the previous day. Oh my gosh, what if we passed this to them! We didn't even strap him in the car seat really. We didn't want anything restricting him. It was the longest 20 min car ride to the hospital. 

I hopped out with Dallin while Mr Smith parked. I rang the bell and told her my baby was having a hard time breathing. So help me before I breakdown. She said go ahead and check-in at the kiosk and I remember wanting to stab her hahaha. It really took 2 seconds and Mr Smith walked in as they walked us back. The doctor came to validate fairly quickly what the nurse called Croup. It had calmed a little most likely due to the brief exposure to cold air to and from the car, but he still couldn't breathe without intense effort, or at least that's what it sounded like. His comfort was his pacifier and when you can't breathe well, it's just sad and pathetic at 1 AM. The steroid shot was a miracle worker. He still would have a hacking cough every 5 min or so, but the airway was no longer restricted. He started playing with his sister like no big thing. They went ahead and did some sort of nebulizer too, but I'm not even sure how much of that he actually breathed in. Apparently I suck at holding him still. I was able to nurse him at this point and put him to sleep. They wanted him to stay a full hour after to make sure he didn't bounce back of which Mr Smith took Lexi to the car to watch a movie. They did an X-ray which woke him back up. After what seemed like forever waiting to be discharged, we finally left at 4 AM. THREE hours in the ER. 

While the nasty cough subsided that day, the cold symptoms came on strong and only began to ease 14 days into it. He slept with us the first couple of nights so that we could keep an eye on him and then he seemed to be ok on his own. His cough and congestion are still lingering, which is most annoying. We can really only use OceanSpray drops and the NoseFrida which have come in handy. It was during this time that all FOUR top teeth broke through. 

Needless to say, I'm already over winter.