My Three New Least Favorite Letters...

RSV.

So, if you thought I had just forgotten about my blog, you were wrong (this time). I just didn't have access to a computer in the hospital.

Yep. Hospital.

What started out as a little runny nose last Thursday ended up as a four night stay in Decatur General for Miss Audrey. Evidently RSV is running rampant right now. Several of my friends' babies have had it, although Audrey and a set of 2 month old twins are the only ones that ended up with a hospital visit.

Audrey just had a little runny nose at her well visit last Thursday, which we just attributed to allergies. But that run ny nose soon had a cough to keep it company. And they kept getting worse. We had plans to go to Athens to see my family Friday night, and waffled after we found out the Matlock babies had RSV. It wouldn't have been so bad, but my cousin has a 7 week old baby that we definitely didn't want to share anything contagious with. I had already called the doctor's office once about seeing if I could give Aydrey something for her cough and had been told there would be someone in the office all weekend. So I called the on-call pediatrician's number and got the nurse and she said to give Audrey some Dimetapp cold and cough an call back if she got worse. She said if they did an RSV test too soon, you could get a false negative. So I called to say weweren't going to Athens. My aunt said for us to come on and they would just leave with the baby right before we got there. So we loaded up and went on.

We spent the night with my brother and then went to my parents' Saturday. Audrey was getting progressively worse. We went back and forth over whether or not to call the doctor back. We decided to give it one more night and see what happened. So home we went Saturday evening.



Sunday morning, I got up and got my shower and got ready to call the doctor. We live a little over an hour's drive from our pediatrician, so I wanted to be ready when I called in case they wanted us to come on in. And they did. But they wanted us there in 45 minutes. They were wrapping things up already and getting ready to head out (this was like 10 a.m.) When I told them there was no way I could be there in less than about an hour 20, they told me in that case I could either wait till Monday and see her regular doctor or take her to Huntsville Women's and Children's ER. Kinda aggravated at this point. They didn't even advise me to go to their own hospital's ER. I really wanted her regular ped to care for her, so we decided to wait it out if at all possible. We could always run to the local ER if necessary. At this point, Audrey feels terrible, just wants her mommy, is wheezing, has a tight barking cough, and is so hoarse she can barely cry.



Monday morning I was on the road with my sick darling before the doctor's office opened. I wanted to be there as soon as they could get her in. I called them on the road and set an appointment for 9:40, but we got there about an hour before that. I tried to nurse her, and just went on in, and they went ahead and called her back, thankfully. They confirmed that it was RSV and checked her pulse oxygen level.It wasn't grat. The nurse finally got a 96, but she had to try about 5 times. They gave her a breathing treatment in the office and listened to her again. Dr. P. decided since we lived so far off, he wanted her close by where he could keep an eye on her. (One of the many reasons I love Dr. P!) He was also concerned about dehydration. She felt so bad that she wasn't nursing well. I am so glad he made this decision, as when they checked her pulse oxygen at the hospital, it didn't read as high as they'd like so she was put on O2. Had to get an IV, do bloodwork, and a chest xray. My poor sick baby. :(




To shorten this long story, we ended up being in the hospital till Friday. He wouldn't let her go until her pulse oxygen stayed above 90 and she didn't need oxygen at night. We managed to make it all night Thursday night, though it was border line part of the time. She was so happy to get unhooked from all of her tubed and wires, and we were both ecstatic to be getting to come home to all our boys!



The nurses and staff at Decatur General took such good care of us while we were there, and I am so thankful for that. They never left the room without checking to see if I needed anything and did everything they could to make us as comfortable as possible. We are so grateful for them andDr. Parmer. And for the family and friends that have been helping us out, and checking up on us, and sending up prayers for us. We are so blessed.