She Caught Croup

Last night as Justin and I were catching up on season 4 of Ugly Betty I heard a raspy noise coming from Vada and Kiliegh's room. I paused the show and listened for a moment. Sometimes, after giving Vada her medications she sounds this way. I told Justin that was probably what we were hearing. Instinct told me that it was more than that, but I waited.

The next couple of hours were tough. Vada was having a difficult time falling and then staying asleep . She was fussy and raspy and full of coughs that were clearly begging for full breaths of air. Around 4 A.M. I took Vada to our room, woke Justin up and handed her off as I began packing her a bag.

Half an hour later I pulled into the closest hospital parking lot. I sat for a minute contemplating the situation. This particular hospital didn't have a childrens floor. If Vada would need to be admitted they would have to transport her to another hospital by ambulance. I glanced back at Vada. She was sleeping better now, in her car seat, than she had been all night and I knew that the extra five minute trip to a hospital that did have a childrens floor would be better now verses taking her in an ambulance later.

Vada was never admitted to the Children's floor. Our stay consisted of 6 hours in the ER. Over all and compared to recent hospital visits, 6 hours was nothing to complain about.

Vada did show signs of struggle and her pulse ox was sitting at around 85% so she was giving a breathing treatment and a dose of steroids to open up her air way. At first they wanted to give her oxygen but with her heart condition(s) giving oxygen can sometimes cause more damage than it can good. (Something that I had learned during one of our more recent stays in Peoria.) When the treatments showed no signs of helping, the lab work began and she was given a chest Xray. While waiting on the results of everything a second breathing treatment was administered. That treatment really seemed to help and she was able to rest. I was too.

Vada and I had been laying down for about twenty minutes when in walks Justin and Kiliegh. It turns out that Justin had been trying to call me, but the battery in my cell had died. Since I had no news to give on Vadas condition, I hadn't attempted calling him. I never knew that my phone was off.

Justin, had become so nervous that he came looking for us. His first stop was also mine and after finding out that we were not at that particular hospital he eventually made it to the one that we were in.

While I was very close to falling asleep at the moment of their arrival I welcomed their company. Justin has always been a very calming aspect of my life. When I am in need, he is there. Sometimes, he will mess with me to the degree of annoyance, but its intentional, I think and either way, he has served the purpose that he sat out to achieve at that very moment. Usually, it's to help get my mind of a particular issue.

Kiliegh's presence was nice as well. She has a fear that her and I share more than she will ever be able to understand at this point in her young life. The fear is of loosing Vada. For Kiliegh to be here, in the hospital, on this occasion was perfect. Vada was already doing much better and this would prove to be a non frighting experience for her. She needed this experience, as odd as that may sound.

I was hoping that this trip to the ER would ease some of Kiliegh's fears. I even tried to make it fun for her. We watched Sponge Bob and then her and I went to the little cafe on the upper floor of the hospital. On the way there we skipped down the long halls while holing hands and singing a little song. It was fun. I enjoyed our moment together and I think that this was a good experience for her. As good as a trip to the ER can be.

Around 11A.M. Vada was released with the diagnosis of Croup.

We are home now and Vada is doing well. She is a tough baby who in general seems to be content with her life.

Right now, I have just laid back down on a bed that I have made for myself on our living room floor, (which is a whole other story). The humidifier in the back ground seems to be singing me a personal lullaby. Vada's musical fish tank is still playing the tune which has put her back to sleep and has automatically shifted it's volume to low. Soon the house will be filled with silence and I welcome it with anticipation. Sleep couldn't come fast enough at this moment.

Tomorrow, I will take her to see the pediatrician as a follow up from today's visit at the hospital. I pray that she is able to fight this one off. It seems as if she is doing just that.