Saturday morning I stumble into Ethan's bedroom, still sleepy from a late night scrapbooking with "the girls". Any lingering thoughts of sneaking back into bed after feeding Ethan a bottle are instantly erased from my mind as I am jarred awake by the worst breathing any of my children have ever experienced. He was struggling to get breaths and though it sounded a bit croupy, I felt it was more then that. I woke up Bart..."Ethan needs to go to the ER. Now."
I am not one to overreact. I generally try to keep my children out of the doctors office unless absolutely necessary...I mean, Jackson had pneumonia and I was wondering "Should I take him in? Hmm, it might just be a high fever."
I felt this was necessary. Even after he and I were dressed he could not breath. He could not drink his milk, he could only cry between gasps for breath.
I am not one to overreact. I generally try to keep my children out of the doctors office unless absolutely necessary...I mean, Jackson had pneumonia and I was wondering "Should I take him in? Hmm, it might just be a high fever."
I felt this was necessary. Even after he and I were dressed he could not breath. He could not drink his milk, he could only cry between gasps for breath.
I took him to Children's hospital where he was quickly assessed by a nurse. By the time the doctor wanders in 1/2 an hour later, Ethan's breathing is better, but still very raspy and his voice is very hoarse.After a less then stellar once over, Dr. J. pronounces Ethan as "fine...barely even a red throat."
So, I leave feeling like an idiot...Dr. J. did not make my concern for what to do in the future if Ethan cannot breath seem necessary, as if I were overreacting and silly for coming. (B/C it was croup he had, of course he was better by the time we were seen at the hospital. It was a cool morning and being in the cool air helped that time)
Luckily, Ethan had a nine month well check scheduled for Monday, so I thought to myself, "Well, I will just bring this up with the doctor and if Ethan is still feeling bad, she will help him. I will NOT just go to the ER and be treated like a fool again."
By the time Monday morning came around, his breathing was worst then it was on Saturday and Sunday and I just sat there, twiddling my thumbs (and doing cold from the freezer and hot from a shower) until 10 came and I could leave to go to Doc. Walters.
I get there and everyone is immediately concerned for this 24 lb. 8.4 oz. baby who could not breath. He was 31 inches of sadness and had the doctor's and nurses full attention.
After receiving breathing treatments and steroid shots at the doctors office, it is decided that Ethan needs to go back to the Children's Hospital ER to be observed and given a different and stronger breathing treatment. He had croup and he was having a hard time with it.
We got there, same nurse. Same doctor. I explained to Dr. J. what was going on (even though Doc. Walter's had already prepped him) and what Ethan needed.And waited.
Jackson and I were starving, so Bart, who had taken off work when we had to go to the ER, went to get food and as he came back, they finally came in to give the much needed medicines.My favorite part was when Dr. J. asks, "What treatment did I do for him when he was here Saturday?" My response?
"You said it was not necessary to treat him because there was nothing wrong with him. Lucky for him he had a doctor's appointment today."
Ethan struggled with the mask but settled down after a minute or two. He did great and started feeling much better, though he still had a raspy breath and wheeziness. We were discharged and told to come back if he started to breath that way again because "Only the ER can give you this medicine"...talk about a God complex in Dr. J.
We left and went home, where we all fell asleep until smells of bacon and eggs clouded our dreams and we awoke to Bart cooking a yummy brinner. He's just THE BEST HUSBAND EVER.Today Ethan is doing better. No fever and no deep wheezing. However, he is still not 100% and that might take a few days.
So for now, we sit. Twiddling our thumbs again. Hoping he continues to get better and praying we don't have to go back to that darn ER where Dr. J might still be...and we are thankful...thankful that it was just croup. Thankful for the medicines to make it better. Thank for the best pediatrician, Dr. Walters. And thankful for brinner.
I know croup is no big deal. Kids get it all the time. I just feel bad that Ethan may have contaminated some of his baby friends at our baby play date on Friday.
12 Words to brighten my day:
This makes me so sad. We love children's hospital. Luckly we haven't had to go there through the ER. Complain like Megan did. Maybe they can get their staff in the ER as awesome as the rest of the hospital. Glad to hear that Ethan is doing better. Call if you need anything. Dang you weren't in church for me to hint to Jackson that I should win the wet bag.
Well first off, I am really glad Ethan is feeling better. Secondly I love his monogrammed shirt in the top picture..very cute! (Where from?) Also, I don't know Dr. J but I already dislike him. Luckily, like Rebecca, we've never had to go to the ER at Children's with Kylee so we've had nothing but good experiences. Oh and I'm really glad E is a big boy and can protect K.. how big was his head?
And a big fat whoppin YAY for winning! I'm stoked!
I am sorry you had such a lazy Dr. at the hospital. I hate when they do not take us moms seriously, like we know nothing. Thank goodness for attentive pediatricians. I am glad the Ethan is feeling better and wish his a speedy recovery.
Awww! Poor little Ethan!
Troy and I were talking about this the other day actually- about how Doctors don't always have all of the right answers and sometimes get it wrong.
Someone in our ward just had a similar experience- they went to get their yearly and the Doctor did a cursery once over on her and told her she was fine.
Four days later she felt prompted to give herself a breast exam and she felt a lump. Sure enough, upon going back, they found that she has breast cancer and she is now starting chemo therapy. Scary!
Thank goodness your pediatrician was on the ball! It's scary to think that our ancestors didn't have access to the same kind of medicine we have available right now. I'm glad Ethan is on the upswing!
And thank heaven for wonderful husbands who know how to comfort us when we need it.
Awww poor little guy! Sorry you had to go through that at the hospital. Glad to hear he is feeling better!
I'm so glad that Dawson can get his breathing treatments at the doctor's office. I'm like you - I never take my kids into the doctor besides well-baby visits. But Dawson gets croup and wheezes a lot and he needs breathing treatments to get over it, so off we go to the doctor's office. I don't know what I'd do if the doctor acted like that ER doctor. I'm also so grateful that our pediatrician does weekend hours for emergencies - no ER for us!
I'm glad he's doing better. We had to do breathing treatments with Madeline, right about the same age as E, and they were no fun. Luckily, our dr. gave us a nebulizer for home and we never had to go the ER for that.
The one time we did have to go to Children's we got pretty much the same treatment. She had a high fever, they gave her some tylenol and sent us home. Only to have to back to her regular doctor the next day. I'm not a fan.
Zach had bronchitis for the first 4 months of his little life and just couldn't seem to beat it. Fortuantely we got a neubulizer for home so he's never had to go to the ER for breathing treatments. I'm not looking forward to what this winter might bring!
I could go on and on about the ER since we had so many visits this summer. They either make you feel like a hypochondriac mother or like you've neglected your child and almost caused their death because of it. I'm sorry you had to experience the dreaded ER.
I am glad that your sweet baby is doing better!
I'm glad he and you are doing better. I meant to call yesterday to see how he was feeling - now I'm sorry I didn't... take it easy!
That sounds so scary. It made me tear up seeing the breathing mask on his sweet little face. I'm glad he is feeling better.
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