We have been so blessed to have three beautiful, amazing, healthy children. Yes, we battled ear infections with Ella and eventually did tubes, but it was nothing major. Aside from the surgery, the longest 12 minutes of my life, I believe. Anyway, chalk it up to his winter birth or the fact that our luck was due to run out, but Cole has RSV. And let me tell you, those three little letters are pretty darn scary. For a baby as tiny as ours (in age, not stature), they can mean big trouble. After weeks of congestion and several days of serious coughing, I finally took him in to see our doctor. I truthfully thought they'd send me away with the suggestion of the inclined bed and a humidifier. Instead, three--yes, THREE-- different medical professionals listened to his little lungs. And each spent a long amount of time doing so, I must say. So finally, the doctor says, "Cole definitely has bronchialitis, most likely caused by RSV. I don't think hospitalization is necessary yet, but I want to watch him closely." Well, let me tell you, it was all I could do not to break don't crying right there in the office. You don't want to hospitalize my tiny, brand-new baby YET? It was the last thing I was expecting. Instead, they sent us home with THE MASK. A little bit Top Gun, a little bit Hannibal Lecter, a lot sad. Sad sad sad when you're littlest is wearing it.
So we've followed doctor's orders. Mask every four hours for a fifteen-minute treatment, inclined bed, humidifier, lots of rest, and lots of love. I don't know what's more sad--when he hated the mask and fought it the whole treatment, or now that he's given up and just sits there for the whole treatment, a very resigned look on his little face. So he wears the mask, we cuddle him all we can, and in the meantime, the house has fallen apart.
But alas, our little man is starting to get better slowly. Apparently, we can expect this to last a total of 3-4 weeks. Yikes! And as for the big sister and biggest brother? They're surviving. Big sister likes to take advantage of the treatments to wreak havoc, but that's to be expected, I suppose. I have to remember she's not yet two. And in between times, they're hanging out together, no worse for the wear.
So I hope to be posting in just 2-3 weeks that all is well. I hope. Until then.
So this has been our life for over 3 years with Rachel. It can be so much worse; you are so fortunate that you were able to treat him at home. And, in a few weeks, you will be done with the mask. We, unfortunately, may never be done with it.
ReplyDeleteAnd heck, he's still so cute with it on!