It's been quite the whirlwind here this past week, and I think it's safe to say we are all beyond exhausted, ready to be healthy and pick back up on life. It's been rough, really rough, really really rough!
Here is a glimpse into our week:
We got back from our Colorado trip Saturday afternoon, and the kids were great. All of Saturday and Sunday the kids were happy, we went to church and spent the day as we usually do. We didn't suspect anything.
Monday morning, The kids both woke up a little cranky and June was trying so hard to play and be her normal self, but she just kept wanting to lay down. I asked her if she wanted to go get into our bed, but she would sit back up and say "No, I'm just laying here, and then I'll play". We just let her be.
There was also an ice storm Sunday night and Monday morning. Nothing crazy like last year, but enough to keep Dan home from work. We both noticed that the kids weren't too happy. Owen has been a bit cranky anyways, but he did just get done taking a 10 day antibiotic for an ear infection and teething molars. As Dan and I were doing things around the house, We realized how quiet it was. Owen was just laying on the floor in the play room, and we found June sound asleep in her chair.
If you know June, she DOES NOT sleep during the day, so when we found her curled up in her chair we knew she wasn't feeling good. I put her blanket over her and she slept like that for a couple hours.
The rest of the day was spent huddled on the couch and trying to make the little ones feel as comfortable as possible. Neither June or Owen had hardly any energy. They literally just laid there.
Tuesday was not much different. Dan was able to make it into work, but our day was mostly spent on the couch listening to my poor little ones cough up a lung, and breathing very shallow. It was a long day. Both had a hard time falling asleep but both were so tired.
I basically didn't move all day either. When Owen fell asleep on me I didn't move a muscle. I just so desperately wanted him to sleep.
It was a long night with both of them. Dan or I got hardly any sleep, because we were both with a child, just trying to get them to calm down.
Wednesday I decided it was time to go into the Doctor. We mostly went in for Owen, because June seemed to slowly be getting better, but was still pretty sick. Owen on the other hand just could not shake this virus.
We made an appointment at my peds. office but we weren't able to see our actual doctor, we saw a nurse practitioner. It was fine and all. I usually prefer to see Dr. Tomecko but I get it's busy and I was just glad to get the kids in.
Dan was able to meet us at the doctors office to help with the kids. Thank goodness! Neither of them had the flu, and Owen was checked for an ear infection, possibly seeing if it was still lingering since he just had one the week before. She told us everything looks fine and that it's just a nasty cold. I wasn't totally satisfied with this conclusion, but what was I to do? So we left the doctors office and headed home.
We spent the rest of the day, mostly asleep.
Owen would have nothing to do with his crib, but if I sat him on the couch he would be out in a matter of seconds, so he slept either on me for a couple hours or on the couch for about a half hour.
They both were just so incredibly sad.
Thursday was when things got ugly.
Both kids were still sick. June was slowly on the rise and she became much more happy when she had medicine and her fever wasn't spiking as high.
Owen still had a fever and really lethargic. He just had no movement about him. He threw up that morning and had a really bad blow out. From then on he wouldn't eat or drink anything. Dan came home about mid afternoon and brought us some pedialite popsicles and juice, hoping to get Owen to drink something.
Later that day he slept a lot. June was actually up playing and seemed to be feeling much better. She still had a pretty nasty cough and runny nose but she was acting happy!
Thursday night, I had MCO rehearsal until 10pm. I left around 7pm and everything was the same as it had been all day.
Through rehearsal I checked Owen's monitor cam, to see if he was asleep still, and he wasn't in his crib. I knew Dan had him and was just having a hard time sleeping, so I finished rehearsal.
I got home and walked in the door...
(I will NEVER forget the look on Dan's face when he saw that I was home)
Dan came around the corner, holding Owen. He looked scared, and relief flooded his face when he saw me. He instantly told me that we had to get Owen to the emergency room. He knew that Owen needed help and was dehydrated. I panicked a little wondering what to do. June was still pretty sick, so we didn't want to wake her up, and Dan was in much more control of the situation, so we thought best he take Owen into the E.R. IT KILLED ME. My heart was completely torn on what to do. But at the time we just thought Dan would take Owen into the E.R and be home within an hour with some medication. So I stayed home with June and Dan took Owen to the E.R. They were at Baylor Medical Center. I have never felt so awful, so unsettled in my life just waiting to hear from Dan. I really can't even put it into words how we both were feeling that night.
Around 11pm, Dan sends me an update at what is happening. They instantly ran an IV to get fluids into his body. He was severely dehydrated and had an ear infection... They did a chest x-ray to make sure his lungs were clear. I was texting Dan like a mad woman.
They were at the emergency room well into the night. I kept getting updates here and there but nothing was really progressing. I just sat on the couch waiting for anything new. I tried to turn the TV on for distraction but really nothing at all would help.
Around 3am I got a call from Dan telling me that they were going to transfer and admit Owen to Children's hospital in Plano. I just cried. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know if I should let June sleep, if I should be up there with my son who at the time was being strapped to a gurney and being put in an ambulance for transfer. I was sick. Dan was a rock! Now looking back on the situation we both strongly agree that it was better that Dan was there and not me. He said it was pretty awful and as a mother I'm glad I didn't have to witness it.
I decided to let June sleep for as long as possible without me going completely crazy not being at the hospital. I knew Dan was with him and that he was in good hands. I still just felt awful.
I got a text from Dan about 3:45am telling me they were at the Children's hospital and now they were just letting Owen rest. He had an IV and a strong antibiotic going through his poor little system.
The only thing I could do was wait. I packed a bag with a few things for Dan, Owen, June and myself. Just to be prepared for a day at the hospital. It felt like forever. I fell asleep for about a half hour, then woke up around 5am. I just couldn't wait any longer. I woke up June and got ready to go.
OH WAIT! We are going on a little family road trip this next weekend and thought it best to take in my cay for a checkup to make sure everything was good. I HAD NO CAR!!
Thanks Heavens for Uber. That seriously saved us and I am so grateful for that ride to the hospital.
We got up to Children's hospital and I did all I could not just to run to his room. I wanted to hold Owen so bad. I walked into his room 2356. It was dark, except for the glow of the machine from his IV. Dan was holding Owen in the bed. He looked so exhausted and I have never felt more grateful for that man and more in love with him, then seeing him hold his tiny little son so calmly. I instantly started crying. My emotions got the best of me and I just saw how helpless my little boy was.
I switched Dan places to give him a bit of a rest and let him stretch his legs for a bit. It was a long night for me, but an even longer night for Dan and Owen.
We spent the day in the hospital just waiting.
Dan took June home to give her a break from the hospital and a chance for him to shower. Poor little June bug, she was sick herself and she was being dragged from car to car. She was such a little trooper. Oh my I love that little girl so much and how patient she was with us running around like we did. She never complained, cried or made a fuss at being in the hospital. She was awesome. We had many friends offer to take June so we could focus on Owen and we are so grateful for those who reached out to us, but with her being sick still, we didn't want to risk spreading our germs. I honestly was so glad she was there, but I was worried about her too. Gosh it was rough.
We would be discharged if Owen would drink on his own and have a wet diaper. The morning didn't go so well, so he stayed on the IV and had no interest in drinking. His whole hand was wrapped to keep his IV in. He kept tugging at it and wanting to rip it out so they wrapped it pretty good and kept a cup over it. He finally was leaving it alone so we were able to take some of the wrap off.
His little hand was completely taken over by the IV. It was so sad.
Later that day, when he was a little more awake he drank a little bit which was a huge step! At this point he hadn't had anything to drink or to eat.
If he wasn't sleeping he was usually pretty upset. Dan and I were using our awesome rap skills to try and cheer him up and dance around. It may have been to entertain us as well?! Either way it made us laugh and and eased the situation a little.
They took him off his IV to see if he could produce enough liquids on his own. It was just one long waiting game. And we were all down right miserable!
Thank goodness for cartoons! Took our minds off of the pain when he would actually sit and watch.
As the day progressed, Owen seemed to cheer up a bit. He was drinking a lot more and kept producing wet diapers.
We also were having the snow storm of the Century here in Texas, so that made it fun to look out our window. If only we could go out and play in it.
Our hospital stay wasn't too long and I was so grateful for that, though I was hesitant to leave. We were told to just keep an eye on his drinking and wet diapers. I just didn't want to end back up in the hospital again. But we knew he would rest a lot better being at home. We were only at the hospital over night and that was even too long. We were discharged and we headed home.
Both kids were out cold on the way home. When we got home June just wanted to go to bed, so we went and laid her down thinking she was only going to sleep for a couple hours... Nope! She slept the entire night, about 15 hours. She was so tired and I don't blame her. Owen on the other hand really struggled. He was up about every two hours. He still was having a rough time drinking and nothing really would calm him down except walking back and forth for about an hour. And we did this over and over again. Though it was still really nice to be home and resting. He still hadn't eaten anything but was drinking a lot of liquids. The pediatrician at the hospital told us that was what was most important. He was diagnosed with an ear infection, dehydration, and bronchiolitis.
Owen didn't eat for a solid 72 hours. It was scary. He only lost 2 pounds which is good. We had our follow up today and his ear infection has cleared up, still a little red but no swelling or infection. Now we just have to get his cough better and feeling back to himself. Especially since we are leaving this weekend.
I just want to give a quick and HUGE HUGE thank you to everyone who reached out to us. For offering to take June, for dinner, for phone calls, for the love and prayers for Owen. I hope you know how much we truly appreciated it and how much we felt it all. Not being around family is especially tough when situations like this happen, but we are surrounded by so much love! I can't thank you enough! XOXO
