Well we did our best to prevent this dreaded virus for over 2 1/2 years now. Unfortunately it wound up in our house over a week ago. We now believe that the illness we have been fighting for the past week is indeed RSV in both kids. Rachel, as sick as she has been, has been able to over come the cycle and is recovering as if it was just a horrible cold. Getting down to brass tacks, that is what RSV is really, a very bad cold. Anyone can get it at any time in their life. Tyler on the other hand, clearly wasn't strong enough to fight this.
Tyler has been sick since Thursday. Up until Monday it was just a very bad cold with a fever and some unpleasant fluid grossness. Monday he woke up having some visible respiratory trouble. For the first time in a year we wished we had that dreaded pulse ox machine. We got him into the pedi that afternoon. At that time the examine did not show any bactericidal infections or smoking gun pneumonia. So we were sent home with a steroid to help his lung function and instructions to give him Albuteral and watch. We were to call if he gets worse or does not have any improvement by Wed morning. By Tuesday afternoon it was apparent that he was worse and he stopped eating and drinking. The nebs were no longer completely easing his breathing.
So back to pedi where he was diagnosed with pneumonia and promptly sent to our local ER for IV fluids, antibiotics, and chest x-ray. Upon arrival to the ER, we did the x-ray and nebbed him and started oxygen. The x-ray did show some areas of interest but no smoking gun "this is most definitely pneumonia". At that point they started to try to get the IV in and some labs. 3 tries by the ER people produced a very angry pin cushion, but labs where drawn. Pedi people came for 2 more tries and still no IV. Labs came back with a near normal white blood cell count indicating that he does not have a bacterial infection at this point. So back to viral, let's test for RSV. Positive. Admitted and brought to pedi. Where they tried 4 more times to get an IV in him. No dice, he needs fluids, transferred to DHMC Lebanon at 230am.
Things get slightly blurry here. I'm a little out of practice for those long all nighters. He rested quietly on the way to Lebanon. It took 2 more tries for that IV. So a total of 11 sticks for 1 stinking IV. This is our record. But he's been getting fluids now over 12 hours. Here is the catch 22. He needs the fluids to combat dehydration and to help regulate his temp and all those "I need water for my body to work correctly" things. Because he was so dry, his respiratory situation was very understated. As he has become hydrated today we've seen his dependence on the oxygen and Albuteral rise and his breathing become nosier and having to work harder. This is the reason they told us to expect Tyler to get worse before he gets better. The RSV has a few more days to run it's furry before it starts to ebb away and with the fluids he needs from the IV his lungs will have more junk in them.
So we take this moment by moment. Let Tyler rest when he's sleeping, and support him when he needs the extra help. Right now he has a high fever and is covered in cold compresses satting beautifully with his oxygen, enjoying his Albuteral hits, all while watching his favorite movie "Cars". Always anxiously waiting for the infamous tractor tipping scene. As far as the next couple of hours, we just keep doing what we are doing now.
No comments:
Post a Comment