RSV

So back to New Years. The weekend after Christmas Oma and Opa showed up with even more presents like a play tent, stroller and baby doll. They watched the boys, which allowed Rus and I to go out for my birthday. We went to Bar Crudo, which we hadn't been to since they moved. They had a prix fixe dinner that night. Our first thoughts were to pass as the menu didn't sound that exciting, but it was too hard to get reservation elsewhere since it was New Year's Eve.

The food ended up being fantastic. We even tried Walu, which is a Hawaiian fish known for having laxative properties. Luckily the restaurant knew how to prepare it in such a way as to reduce the risk of getting the runs. After dinner we saw True Grit, which was really good. Rus and I stayed up until midnight even.

Unfortunately, the Farmer's Market wasn't open on Saturday as it was New Year's day. My parents and I took the boys for a walk, but my dad turned back with Seth as it was so cold.

By Sunday it was clear that both boys were sick and running low grade fevers of around 100. My parents stayed for a bit on Sunday and then left for Southern California. Sunday night was horrible as Seth was waking constantly and Wyatt was coughing horribly. He had some minor boughts of coughing so hard he threw-up, but nothing so bad we had to change him and the bed thankfully. Monday Rus had off. He stayed home with both boys and took them to see Dr. Saba.

Seth had an infection in each ear. Apparently the last infection didn't clear. Both boys seem to have RSV. Wyatt was swabbed to confirm this, which he did not find pleasant. Rus was told to keep Wyatt on Pulmicort and albuterol. Unfortunately, Wyatt wanted nothing to do with his nebulizer treatments. Seth was put on a new antibiotic.

Tuesday I stayed home with the boys and Dr. Saba called to confirm the RSV. It was likely Seth had it, even though he wasn't tested. I was told there was little to be done other than wait it out and as long as he seemed OK and didn't spike a fever he could go back to day care. Neither of the boys had fevers on Tuesday, so I thought I would take the boys in to day care after Wyatt's neurology appointment on Wednesday.

The appointment with Dr. Malhotra went really well. He was very pleased with Wyatt's progress. His tone and relflexes are stable, so he is less concerned about a neuro-degenerative disease. (Good grief. Was he really worried about that? I mean really?) He recommended we get Wyatt a tricycle to help with his movement on the stairs.

We talked about the No Dada and No Baby and Dr. Malhotra said that was typical behavior as Wyatt was so attached to me right now and doesn't want any competition from anyone. His sudden "helplessness" was normal given he watched Seth get so much attention and so many things done for him. Dr. Malhotra guessed correctly that we had probably started to divide our time with me attending to Wyatt and Rus attending to Seth, but we shouldn't do that or get in the habit of doing too much for Wyatt even though it was likely easier most of the time.

We were about to leave, but on a whim I asked Dr. Malhotra to listen to Wyatt's lungs since he had RSV. (And Dr. Malhotra and nurse were wearing masks the whole time.) He listened and said his lungs were clear, but his heart rate seemed high and was he possibly dehydrated? I explained that I had been giving him more water and juice since all he wants to drink is soy. It was possible he hadn't been drinking as much. Dr. Malhotra decided to do a pulse ox reading. The pulse ox came back at 92, when it should be around 98-100. Still 92 didn't seem that low to me.

We tried two albuterol treatments, but his pulse ox didn't change. Dr. Malhotra told me we would have to be admitted to the hospital. That Wyatt had RSV bronchiolitis and there was danger of his pulse ox dipping too low while he slept. I assumed he meant admitted for a short observation. When he told me overnight I started to panic. I still had Seth with me. I called Rus and had him come and meet us at the clinic.

Our neuro appt was at 9:30 in the morning and we were finally admitted at 1pm. Wyatt was not happy about having the monitors stuck to his body or a pulse ox monitor on his toe. He cried and kept saying 'No stickers." He tried to pull them off. He said, "No lady." when a nurse of doctor showed up. He kicked at them. He tried to hit them. Sometimes I stopped him. Sometimes I didn't because I felt like they really should just leave the poor kid alone. He had just fallen asleep for his nap when transport came to take him down for a chest x-ray. I just held him on my lap as we were wheeled down. He had to wear a mask.

His oxygen dropped at one point and they tried to put a cannula on him, but he wouldn't tolerate it. So, they set up some tubing that blew oxygen through it continuously that I could hold near his nose if he dipped.

Since he had RSV he had to be isolated with another infant with RSV. Anyone who came in to the room to treat him had to be masked, gloved and gowned. It was a miserable night. He didn't like staying in the crib as you can imagine. He was scared and didn't understand what was going on. I stayed with him and slept on one of the fold out chairs. His oxygen dipped through the night and I setup the tubing near his face. It had to be adjusted when he moved. One of the nurses determined he dipped when he curled up so they handled it by changing his position.

As you can imagine, it was horrible trying to keep Wyatt contained in a crib the whole time he was there. I couldn't take him out to walk around the floor because he was supposed to be isolated. Plus, he was on monitors. We watched a lot of TV. Although the DVD player in our room didn't work. Thankfully, they brought in a portable.Here's Wyatt in his hospital gown. He doesn't look like he feels too good.

In the morning, a doctor came by and said it didn't seem like Wyatt was drinking much. The nurse from the day before had mentioned that if he didn't drink they might place an IV. I said that I didn't think he was going to drink or eat much while in the hospital. She left and I assumed the worst - they would place an IV and we would be there for another night. Ten minutes later though, another doctor showed up and said we were being discharged. Then ten minutes later a nurse asked me if I had called my husband yet. And then we were out. At least he had pancakes for breakfast.

I have never seen Wyatt as joyful as he was prancing through the lobby of the hospital.

We took him home and I slept in his big boy bed with him the next two nights so I would be less worried about him. After his experience in the hospital, he did NOT want to sleep in his crib. He's been in his new bed ever since.

After being on antibiotics for around five days Seth finally started eating better and sleeping though the night. Before that he was waking up every one to two hours and he wouldn't allow us to put him back down. I ended up taking him in to urgent care last Sunday though as he was wheezing. We were told we could use albuterol on him if he was wheezing, but there was only a fifty percent chance of it working with RSV bronchiolitis. The doctor told me his ears and lungs were clear.

So, the boys went back to day care this week. I think that Seth is sick again though. He doesn't have a fever, but he just seems lackluster and hasn't been eating well. I am concerned about ear infections again. Monday day care will be closed and Rus will be home with the boys as he has the day off.