Sunday, February 7

We're Back

We kept waiting for Bryce to start feeling better but it seemed he was only getting worse as the days mounted.

His fever began on Tuesday and hasn't yet let up. Yesterday he seemed pretty good in the morning but by late afternoon he was wheezing, coughing and satting in the low 80's. He should, and usually does sat between 95 and 100, without extra oxygen. But he's been on extra oxygen for the last two days.

He scared Dad and Abuelita while I was out yesterday afternoon by turning a little blue all over and becoming extremely lethargic. So off to the ER we went for the second time in a week.

And the same old routine there: medieval chest xray (and now Caleb can vouch for the fact that my description does not even begin to do justice to its awfulness), draw blood, put in IV, swab nose. Only this time they swabbed his nose for RSV again and Pertussis, a.k.a. whooping cough, as well. Both came back negative.

We also had to call in the special forces for the blood draw and IV poke. After one poke and several nurses examining Bryce for access the NICU nurses came down and made it look like a walk in the park. Those ladies saved us, yet again. I wonder if they ever tire of being such heros.

Speaking of the NICU, I think the ER must have been terribly ready to get rid of us and Bryce's entourage of visiting RTs and nurses from upstairs. Word travels quickly in the NICU and we didn't even make it out of the car in the ER drive before we were recognized and Bryce was shuffled away by a former nurse of his.

It was looking like we might be taking him home last night again but then Bryce had several coughing spells that resulting in a complete inability for him to breathe. His entire body turned beet red and he simply couldn't get a breath in. After one I noticed what appeared to be a rash all over his neck and up his face. It was broken blood vessels from his forceful coughing.
And that's when they decided to keep him overnight to monitor his oxygen needs. The residents on the floor they put us on found his history quite intriguing. I had hoped that would encourage them to return after their millions of questions with some clue as to what is going on. It didn't.

Bryce slept quite well after we all finally got settling in right at 2 a.m. And since then he has eaten almost nothing and despite Tylenol is still running a fever over 100. But his lungs sound clearer now than last night and he isn't wheezing constantly any more.

I suspect that we will be discharged today but will be battling this thing for many more days. Unfortunately Bryce has also mastered the pitiful look in the last couple of days so even though I haven't gotten the illness yet, I'm in a lot of pain.

I'll be sure to keep the blog updated as the day progresses and we learn more. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to sign up to walk with us on May 8 at Auditorium Shores for the March for Babies (by the March of Dimes). And thank you as well to those of you who have so generously donated - we're more than a quarter of the way to our goal of $1000 raised already!

Much as the expertise of the NICU never ceases to amaze me, your love and support of us never does either.


Your gift will support March of Dimes research and programs that help moms have full-term pregnancies and babies begin healthy lives. And it will be used to bring comfort and information to families with a baby in newborn intensive care.

3 comments :

  1. We love you Bryce. Get better soon. We are praying for you.

    Aunt Gene,Uncle Lolo, Timothy

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  2. ahhhhh!!! SO sorry you all ended up in the hospital!! Hope you get to go home today and Bryce you feel better soon ok?? Baby Jack sends you a big, germ free, get well soon hug :)

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  3. Praying for you guys!! Brycey, I love you little guy and I'm sending big hugs and kisses your way. I miss you and can't wait until you are well again so your mommy can bring you over. Adalyn misses you too! Get well soon buddy!

    Love you all,
    Mary

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