Things continue to be ultra-hectic around here, and we are going through another round of illness (as expected with going to daycare or starting any school). I celebrated my 30th birthday yesterday, and had fun celebrating over a three-day weekend. Saturday night, for the first time I heard the unmistakable croup cough coming from Liam's room for the first time over night. His bed was disgusting and snotty in the morning, but I know it's a common and not serious illness so I didn't think much of it. Sunday we did keep him out of church, in part to keep it from spreading and in part to protect him from picking up anything else. My parents came down and took me shopping for some much needed cool weather maternity clothes.
After I returned and Liam woke up from his nap, the poor baby was roasting with a 103.5 temperature, that I left alone at first since fevers can be helpful when they don't get too high and a child isn't completely miserable. But, it started to climb and I gave him ibuprofen around 4pm. I tried to put him to bed at the normal time, but he had a hard time settling and woke up around 9. I noticed he gasping when he was breathing and making the barking cough, and burning up again. This time the fever was 104.5, which is getting a little scary to me. Based on how miserable he was, how high the fever was, and his breathing we decided to err on the side of caution and take him to the ER at our local Children's Hospital. The ER experience is never very fun. He wasn't in critical condition (actually was better after being in the car in the cooler air), so we had to wait for a little while. Several doctors and nurses ended up checking him, and we got moved around a few times. To make a long story short, thankfully he didn't need any serious breathing treatments (which would have kept us there a good part of the night) and didn't have any other infections. It was just a particularly bad case of croup. I was glad it wasn't anything more nasty or dangerous to me. In adults, croup would just seem like a very mild cold (which I already had felt like I had a touch of). They gave him a little Decadron (an anti-inflammatory to help his swollen air passages that cause the croup symptoms), and sent us home just after my birthday began. We got a fair amount of sleep, considering the circumstances.
On my actual birthday, our whole day was thrown off and the weather was pretty gloomy. But the best part was being with my little boy who was in complete "I love Mommy" mode. He was extra sweet for me all day, never threw any big tantrums. A good part of the day he just wanted to cuddle and be held (he kept saying "Up! Up!" and smiling at me). He was also doing a lot better, didn't appear to have a fever. We had to run out to the BMV since I forgot to mail it in, then went to a local chili parlor together to have lunch, just him and me. He behaved well the whole time. After we got back I laid next to him on the twin mattress in his room, and we both took a much needed nap (along with a new kitten we just adopted on Saturday, that has yet to be named). Usually he won't cuddle and sleep near me well like that anymore, so it was a special treat. He moved around a lot, but I didn't mind it and we both got about 2 hours of rest! At one point he even put his little arm up on me like he was trying to put it around me, it was so cute!! That was probably my favorite time of the day.
Michael and I still got to go out for dinner, while he played at a friend's house (that didn't have young children). It turned out to be a good day, despite a few bumps. Liam's fever did return later in the evening, but was only in the 101 range.
This morning the fever was still there, but still not too high. I had already planned to have my birthday off, but had to use a sick day today. Considering the circumstances, and I got a lot done around the house that was much needed! Liam was a little more challenging today, and his symptoms were getting worse. After his nap, his temperature was back up to 103.5 again. I called his doctor as the hospital had recommended, and they had him come in. This time they discovered a developing ear infection, which explained the new temperature spike. We started him on amoxicillin tonight, and they gave him another dose of Decadron (since the first dose would have worn off now, though he spit most of it out anyway... he got a lot more down today). I hope this finally does the trick. I will have to take the day off work again tomorrow, just to make sure the fever goes away and he's fully improving and healing. I hope we can get back on track again on Thursday.
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