Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Four Infected Ears, Two Infected Eyes and a Case of RSV

First of all, let me just tell you that the four warm chocolate chip cookies (with milk!) that I'm eating right now are delicious and well deserved. It has been one heck of a day. I'll start from the beginning.

When I woke up this morning I thought Gaines was almost fully recovered from his cold. He slept all night without coughing and when he woke up for his usual 4:00-4:45 (A.M!) play time (he likes to wake up around 4, play for a little while and go back to sleep until 6...I love him but it is a touch annoying) he was just awake and playing...no coughing which had become pretty standard the last week. When I left for work he was playing on his mat and I was not worried about him at all. He still had the occasional coughing fit but they were fewer and fewer each day.

Fast forward to 11:30. I'm working away getting ready for lunch and my phone rings. It's Reed's daycare. Deep breath before I answer. They think he may have pink eye and I need to come pick him up. Awesome.

I quickly call Beau since he is at the doctor's office with Gaines for Gaines' 9 month check-up and monthly synagis (RSV vaccination) shot. He calls me back on my way to get Reed and tells me to bring him on, the doctor can squeeze him in too. We hurry to the doctor and find the exam room. The scene is not what I expect. Everyone seems kind of worried about Gaines and Gaines does not look like he did when I left him. Beau tells me that as they were getting in the car he started a coughing fit and his sats dropped and he was obviously not feeling well at all. Beau even turned his oxygen up some.

Long story short, both of Gaines' ears are infected (even though he's on antibiotics) and he has RSV. (Yes, even though he's been being vaccinated for it the last 5 months and despite the fact that he comes into contact with very few humans). The doctor thought he should be admitted to the hospital and was trying to decide if Gaines should go to Children's in Birmingham or if he could just stay here. He called and talked to the pulmonologist in Birmingham and somewhere in that conversation they decided he could be treated at home. He responded well to an albuterol treatment and had come back down to a liter of oxygen with good sats so they both felt pretty good about it. He got a steroid shot in addition to the oral ones he's been taking for a week. We have been giving him breathing treatments every two hours this afternoon and will be going to every four after the 8 p.m. one. That means we'll be waking up at midnight and 4 a.m. but at least we are avoiding the hospital for now.

He seems great right now. That's the thing. He'll seem totally fine rolling around and really playing but then he starts coughing and it takes him a few minutes to get over it. It obviously hurts him to cough and his face turns red and he gags and it's just bad. You feel so sorry for him. Anyway, right now he seems to be doing well so please pray that he gets over this without a hospital visit. He goes back to the doctor tomorrow for a check-up. Pray that it goes well.

Someone asked the other day what all medicines Gaines was on so here is the current list. Keep in mind that the antibiotic and steroid are only temporary. Here goes. Lasix, Diuril, Aldactone (all diuretics to keep him from retaining fluid), Baclofen, Prevacid (both for reflux), Vitamin D, Sodium Chloride (both supplements because of all the diuretics), Orapred (steroid), Augmenten (antibiotic), Albuterol via nebulizer (usually just twice daily), IP Bromide via nebulizer and Flovent. I can't decide if CVS loves us or hates us. Either way they definitely know us.

As for Reed, he does not have pink eye. He has two infected ears that apparently can cause eye infections. I've never heard of this happening until today but it seems that it can. He's not contagious so as long as his eyes aren't all matted shut tomorrow he can go back to school. I'm just not sure they aren't going to be all gross tomorrow. His eyes did not look good when he went to bed and are both of them are looking goopy now. Hasn't slowed him down though.

Actually, I was at CVS with him this afternoon picking up his medicine and ran into a lady that works at my company. I don't know her well but well enough to speak. She asked if Reed was mine and I looked at him with his crazy hair from his nap, crusty nose and swollen and running eye (let's just say he was not looking his best) and said, "Yes, but he's normally cuter than this". Does that make me a bad mother? Oh well if it does.

I washed my hands like crazy before I took my contacts out but I still cringed as I did it. Reed isn't contagious but it still grossed me out touching my eyes right after I wiped nasty goop out of his.

I guess that's about it for now. I've got the 4 o'clock shift so I'm headed to bed. Please keep my little patients in your prayers.

Love to all,

Brittany

8 comments:

Penni said...

Jackson and I thoroughly enjoyed your description of Reed at CVS. No, it doesn't make you a bad mother. Yes, it sounds just like something you'd say. We're hoping Gaines stays WELL and out of the hospital. Keep us updated!

Stacy Brown said...

Hope you all get some rest. Praying for Gaines!

Tara Harden said...

Hey Brittany,
My 14 month old could have been reed's twin. He went to the dr yesterday because we thought he had pink eye, and it turns out he had ear infections and what sounds like the same eye infections, and one ear drum had perforated. His eyes were a little goopy last night and I totally expected to have to pry them open this morning, but they weren't bad at all. And he went back to daycare today. ;) Love my child, but I also love daycare. I have a week of vacation, and too much to do. The daycare said he did fine, and he was back to warp speed this evening! Hopefully your bunch will have the same course.

jessie said...

i've been reading your blog since you started it. so, i feel connected in some strange way! my little girl is 8 1/2 months and we're on round 2 of RSV this winter. i realize your case is different but i do feel your pain. i'm praying gaines and reed feel better soon!

Diana said...

Oh man! So glad that you were able to avoid the hospital. My girls both have RSV right now. Both have lung issues, so we have been holding our breath that nothing serious would come out of this. So far, we have had some low sats and an ear infection, but they are responding well to treatment. I will be thinking and praying for you guys as we are recovering.

Amanda said...

Brittany you made me smile this evening. I'm SO sorry to hear about your sick boys! that's rough. Hearing your little one in so much pain from coughing is hard. My 29 month old former 26 weeker was diagnosed with RSV this weekend after her first winter without Synagis- awesome. And she had an ear infection as well. double awesome. She's not responding to the neb treatments well and at 1am this morning I wasn't sleeping well debating if I needed to take her to our Children's Hospital and soothed myself with cookies and milk as well. Great moms think alike. Eat all the cookies you want. (just don't burn them like I did) I'm so glad Gaines is responding well to his treatment. You are a great mother! Praying for your family.

Unknown said...

Brittany:
One day this will be a distant memory, but I know it's rough now. I'm praying for the boys and for your continued strength. You are strong enough to do this--I've known you a long, long time and of this I am absolutely sure. Love, Ms Angie

Angela said...

yeah, you don't know me- found your blog thru a friend. Anyway, my daughter has frequent ear infections and just recently had the eye goop to go along with it. Yes, gross, but at least not pink eye.
And I totally get the "yes, but he usually looks cuter." Would have said the same thing in that situation. Stay at home and they look adorable all day. Run one errand and they look slightly homeless. Just the way it goes. (don't mean the homeless part with any disrespect!)