We have had a hard week. More sick children. Haley went in for a well check on Wednesday, and turns out she has an ear infection. Of course, they're not draining. Good thing we went through the hassle to get tubes. Yesterday, Haley and Kristin came down with fevers, coughing fits, and asthma problems. Haley has been clingy enough, but it was 10 times worse the past few days. Last night we went to dinner to celebrate Troy's promotion to a M-F job that will start in the next few months. Kristin was coughing so bad, she was begging to go home for a breathing treatment. We rushed home and that was the start of a horrible night. She couldn't sleep, and was just coughing non-stop. Her asthma medicine wasn't doing anything, and the on-call doc advised me to take her up to Primary Children's hospital. So, I was contemplating what to do. At this point it was 1 am. neither of us had slept, she was having a hard time breathing, but I knew if I took her to the ER, we would sit and wait for 3 hours, with no treatment, so, I decided to wait out the night. I gave her a nebulizer treatment, and slept in her bed with her. I thought if she got worse, I would just call 911, and then we wouldn't have to wait in the waiting room. (That's just to let you know how bad of shape she was in, that I would sleep with the phone in case I needed to call 911). Haley was coughing all night, but she only woke up, whimpered, and fell back to sleep. She was doing 100 times better than Kristin.
Kristin struggled through the night, but first thing this morning, I knew she was going to have to be seen. I got all the kids ready, so I could drop Kyle off to school, and headed towards the doctors office. On the way to school Haley started coughing up blood. I pulled over and tried to clean her up. I was kind of freaking out, because I knew she needed to be seen, but didn't know if I could handle both girls freaking out at the docs office. My parents are out of town, and Troy's parents were at the temple this morning. Luckily, one of my friends pulled right in front of me. I tracked her down, and asked if she would please take Jake, so I could at least just have the girls to worry about. Of course, she did (THANKS! THANKS!) and Cherice got me the number for the pager to our doctors office. I called and they told me to come straight in.
Haley's pulse ox was 92%. Not horrible, but not good. They gave her a nebulizer treatment. Told me her throat was just raw from coughing, which is what caused the blood.
Kristin was definitely raspy, and is now on a liquid steroid, a neb, and she also had an ear infection - so on augmentin. My girls are the grouchiest things you've seen, with a mom to match. They both want to be held, which just makes life difficult. I did take the car to get cleaned, cause I know that would make my day a bit brighter. For the record...it's so worth $25 for your car to be vacuumed, and cleaned! EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY!
I just need a break! Sometimes I think mom's should get a mandatory 10 minute break or 30 minute lunch. Just to re-group...sigh...
In the doctors office, I asked if Haley's immune system was non-existent. He said, with 3 siblings at home, she has the health of a day care kid. WOW! So, basically if you have more than 2 kids, you don't have a benefit of good health in your kids for being a stay at home mom. nice. So, it's now 6:25. I'm not cooking dinner. I'm just trying to survive the last half an hour until Troy gets home. Well, I'm being paged, Kristin just woke up from her nap - screaming and coughing, I'm sure there's throw up somewhere. Looks like my 'break' is over.
I know other parents may have it as bad if not worse than I do with illnesses. This is basically my journal, which is why I am documenting this...no sympathy needed...I know someone who is pregnant right now, who thinks that life couldn't possibly get worse. I am living proof that it does. You deal with it and move on, until the next major thing happens-and it will. Over all, I'm blessed. I'm grateful for my family and what I do have. I'm grateful I can afford the $90 I've paid in co-pays just in the past 2 weeks, not to mention prescriptions. As hard as life seems at times, you can always find something to be happy and grateful about. I think of the quote: Lose yourself. (I'm sure there is more to this, but that's all that's coming to me right now) Forget about how crappy my life is, and focus on helping others, and I believe in doing that, I will realize just how good I have it!
Kristin struggled through the night, but first thing this morning, I knew she was going to have to be seen. I got all the kids ready, so I could drop Kyle off to school, and headed towards the doctors office. On the way to school Haley started coughing up blood. I pulled over and tried to clean her up. I was kind of freaking out, because I knew she needed to be seen, but didn't know if I could handle both girls freaking out at the docs office. My parents are out of town, and Troy's parents were at the temple this morning. Luckily, one of my friends pulled right in front of me. I tracked her down, and asked if she would please take Jake, so I could at least just have the girls to worry about. Of course, she did (THANKS! THANKS!) and Cherice got me the number for the pager to our doctors office. I called and they told me to come straight in.
Haley's pulse ox was 92%. Not horrible, but not good. They gave her a nebulizer treatment. Told me her throat was just raw from coughing, which is what caused the blood.
Kristin was definitely raspy, and is now on a liquid steroid, a neb, and she also had an ear infection - so on augmentin. My girls are the grouchiest things you've seen, with a mom to match. They both want to be held, which just makes life difficult. I did take the car to get cleaned, cause I know that would make my day a bit brighter. For the record...it's so worth $25 for your car to be vacuumed, and cleaned! EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY!
I just need a break! Sometimes I think mom's should get a mandatory 10 minute break or 30 minute lunch. Just to re-group...sigh...
In the doctors office, I asked if Haley's immune system was non-existent. He said, with 3 siblings at home, she has the health of a day care kid. WOW! So, basically if you have more than 2 kids, you don't have a benefit of good health in your kids for being a stay at home mom. nice. So, it's now 6:25. I'm not cooking dinner. I'm just trying to survive the last half an hour until Troy gets home. Well, I'm being paged, Kristin just woke up from her nap - screaming and coughing, I'm sure there's throw up somewhere. Looks like my 'break' is over.
I know other parents may have it as bad if not worse than I do with illnesses. This is basically my journal, which is why I am documenting this...no sympathy needed...I know someone who is pregnant right now, who thinks that life couldn't possibly get worse. I am living proof that it does. You deal with it and move on, until the next major thing happens-and it will. Over all, I'm blessed. I'm grateful for my family and what I do have. I'm grateful I can afford the $90 I've paid in co-pays just in the past 2 weeks, not to mention prescriptions. As hard as life seems at times, you can always find something to be happy and grateful about. I think of the quote: Lose yourself. (I'm sure there is more to this, but that's all that's coming to me right now) Forget about how crappy my life is, and focus on helping others, and I believe in doing that, I will realize just how good I have it!
I think it's funny that Haley looks chubby in this picture. It's just how the clothes look and hang. At 15 months, she's 19 lbs 3 oz.
9 comments:
Oh Jen,
I am sorry you are having to deal with so many health problems. Athsma is not fun. We had a horrible winter last year with Addie. This year has been so much better since we have her athsma meds and don't take her to nursery. I am not looking forward to when she is in school and I can't control who she comes into contact with. I hope the oral steroids works quickly and she is able to get to a more comfortable point so she can sleep and really recover.
Good luck,
Marenda
I know how you feel Jen! Isn't living in Utah the best thing ever? I guess anywhere you go you are doomed. It will be so nice when it is summer and we can all actually live life!
I know I am counting down the days.
You know, my friend, I did offer to bring dinner. I should have just barged in with it anyway...you're just as stubborn as me : P. Here's to healthier times - things can only get better?!??!!
I made the kids dinner, just not Troy and I. I don't need meals...trust me, If I did, I would have taken you up on it!
Wow, that is so scary. I would totally freak if my kids was coughing blood too! I can't really beleive what they told you about daycare though. Since 3 of your kids are home with you most of the time and they are not all coming from different places. Haley is way better off at home with her mommy than at a day care. Just a thought. Your doing a great job, I hope everyone is healthy soon.
Well, there's always Disneyland to look forward to! Hopefully everyone will be well enough to enjoy some California sunshine and hugs from Mickey! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you! Please, please let me know if there's anything that I can do to help out!
YIkes, that's rough. I've never heard the whole three kid daycare thing, but I beleive it after this flu season. Man, can we ever get healthy?! Believe it or not I'm on a 14 day run with a non-sleeping baby. Seriously, he wants to be held all night, and I mean ALL NIGHT. It's nights like this I wish I was better at just letting our babies cry.
Maybe you should have left the phone in Jake's bed just in case you needed someone to call 911. :)
I do think that mom''s should have a mantatory lunch break....somehow...a time out for 30 minutes a day. How could we work that?
I hope you guys can get healthy and stay healthy for a while!
Holy Cow Jen. Could it get any worse for you right now? That is just a whole lot of no fun. I'm so sorry. Way to go trying to find that silver lining. You always were a spunky little lady. I hope you get a nice long break here soon.
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