On Tuesday, Elysse was acting ornery all day. That's rather normal for her, so I wasn't concerned. But after her 2nd nap, she woke up really lethargic. In the evening, she didn't want dinner or even juice; she just wanted to go to sleep. When she went down, she started coughing a bit and had a higher breathing rate.
I left to go running and when I came home, Nate was with Elysse in bed. She had woken up and was breathing a lot faster now, but now was sleeping peacefully. I called the doctor. He said we should go to the ER if her breathing was > 40 breaths/minute. We counted and she was breathing over 70 breaths/minute. However, since she was sleeping fine, the doctor said we could wait until she woke up again. She woke up at 3:00am and wasn't getting any better so I took her in to the ER immediately.
As I walked in the ER door and told the secretary she had shortness of breath, immediately the lights went on (I guess the staff was resting because there were no patients) and 3 doctors rushed over. Her breathing was at 77 breaths/minute, her heart rate was between 170-185, and her oxygen level was a bit low -- 90. They gave her a steroid and albuteral to open up her airway and eventually her breathing slowed and both she and I caught some shut eye. Poor Elysse had to endure an x-ray, a rectal thermometer, a monitor clamp on her toe that really bugged her, and worse still, an IV starter. At 7:45am, the doctor decided to send us via ambulance to Kapiolani hospital in Honolulu, simply so she could still be monitored during transit.
Nate and the girls came to see us before we took off, and when Elysse saw them she was SO EXCITED!!! Her was a girl who just a bit before couldn't squeeze a word out and now she shrieked and ran to see them! Here she is holding the stickers she well earned.
Frankly, I think Elysse was really hoping for a $1000 ride, because as soon as we got in the ambulance, her O2 level rose to 95.
Getting ready to go in the ambulance
They concluded at the hospital that she had RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), which is a very common respiratory virus, but dangerous for babies due to their smaller airways. The doctors said Elysse was pretty old to be having these symptoms. But they wanted to monitor her overnight, and because she had a virus, and because we were on a floor with kids with cancer, we could not leave our little room.
Nate and the girls had followed us up, and I was grateful for the relief so I could get a little sleep. Plus, he had brought food and a cell phone charger. Isn't that thoughtful?
Kezia and Elysse playing with toys the hospital staff lent her. Elysse was so excited to be wearing a new "dress".
When they left, Elysse cried for 1/2 hour! She wanted to go home too! Grandma Burgoyne visited that evening, and was so thoughtful. She had stopped at the store and bought Elysse some toys and books for Elysse, and for me food and time to get out of the hospital. Thanks, Kay!
Because she required some oxygen during the night, we stayed the next day until after her nap for more monitoring. She quickly got a reputation for being a "handful" because she did NOT want any more poking and proddding (who could blame her?)
Elysse was back to her old self and was a lot more cooperative with the doctors.
Elysse receiving a breathing treatment in the hospital
We bounced from one activity to the next, laughing at movies, reading stories, coloring, dancing, hide-and-seek, etc.
Elysse enjoying food brought just for her!
Playing hide-and-go-seek. Can you guess where Elysse is hiding?
We were soo soo excited to go home!!
Getting ready to leave the room we had been in for 36 hours.
Although staying sedentary in one small hospital room for 36 hours can really get to your nerves, it was a real blessing to spend such dedicated 1-on-1 time with Elysse. My phone had died (I didn't use the phone charger Nate brought! Duh!) and I had nothing else to do but give Elysse all my attention. What a blessing for a third child! We got to know and love each other even better. I learned what a sharp child she is.
Friday she continued at home with breathing treatments and a steroid. Saturday she was acting back to normal, except had diarrhea that night. Sunday morning she woke up and was really thirsty. She sat in the kitchen and was breathing quickly again. Her face was pale and the paleness crept down to her shoulders. The skin on her arms were mottled and she was not her active self. She just sat there. I picked her up and she went limp in my arms. I gave her another breathing treatment, but it didn't seem to do anything. Her pupils kept rolling back in her head and her lips were turning blue. Her body was very listless. So Nate and I rushed her back to the ER. On the way I had a hard time keeping her awake and "with it". Her skin was very cold and clammy.
We got to the ER and they monitored her again. O2 level and heart rate were normal. Her skin returned to its normal color on its own, although her face was still pale. She fell asleep and her body warmed back up. Everything seemed normal except her energy level was still very low and she was still a bit pale. The doctor thought perhaps she's just still trying to fight the virus and it was a sign that the virus is still in her. So he sent us home to continue to observe her. She is sleeping now and is still the same.
In the meantime...
While we were in the hospital, Kay called. She had taken the girls to church and just after the sacrament, Ivy threw up!! She said it was a big mess and she took her home. She also had a fever. She is still resting.
And then...
Kezia was excited to see us when we returned, and wanted to jump on my back, but did so just as I threw my head back! There was a "CRACK!" and I thought it was her teeth that had hit my head, but it was her nose!! From the looks of it, we were turning right around and going back to the ER!!
However, after Nate's careful examination of nose-honking and beeping, she seems to be alright.
Here's to your health! May it be better than ours!
:)
