My Scary Morning in the ER with Levi

I'm very thankful for lots of orders to work on, but between that, taking care of a big family, and just life in general, I'm having a hard time keeping up with blogging. And I don't want to give it up because it's such a great way to document all the happenings in our life, but still. It's tough.

Poor Jonah was feeling lousy for several days a couple weeks ago, and after he began vomiting and ran a fever, I brought him in to the doctors. Diagnosis: pneumonia. Poor guy. He has been my sidekick for the past two weeks, which has been kind of nice (minus the not feeling well part). Of course I thought back to when Ethan and Isabelle both had pneumonia last summer, and then little two month old Levi got really sick, and that phone call from the doctor a couple of hours after his appointment saying that we needed to get Levi to the hospital right away. As in, don't even finish dinner, just get to the hospital. Thankfully he responded to antibiotics and recovered fairly quickly, but he had such a rough start between his stomach issues and then the pneumonia. (The stomach problems persisted for several months, but seemed to go away on their own as he grew older.)

This past Thursday morning started like any other. My husband left for work around 4:15 and then I waited to hear Levi, who usually gets up to nurse and go back to sleep any time between 4 and 5:30. That's quite a gap, yes, but it works for us. And I'll take that over Ethan, who used to get up for the day at 4:30, but of course just be miserable, because really, who wants to be up at 4:30? I heard Levi call out, but it sounded strange. It wasn't a cry, more like a moan, or even a quieted shriek or gasp. I flew into his room because something just felt off when I heard it, and was surprised to hear his crib rails rattling about. For a split second, I thought he was being silly and shaking them, or rolling around and playing, making them rattle. But then my heart crashed to the floor. He was making a troubling sounding clicking noise, as if he were choking, and I bent down to scoop him up, but he would not stay in my arms. He had no control of his body and flopped back down onto the mattress. Normally, when he knows I'm there to get him, he sits up for me to reach under his arms and pick him up. The second time I tried to retrieve him, I felt him shaking all over. And then I felt his skin. I was horrified. He was burning up, hotter than I have ever felt a person's skin in my life. I kept telling myself to stay calm, stay calm, but my thoughts were already racing and my heart was pounding in my chest.

I rushed into my bedroom with him and turned on a light. I had to fight back the urge to panic as I watched him convulse and could not get him to open his eyes and notice me. I wondered if I should call 911, but because he was obviously breathing, I called my husband and told him that something was wrong so he had to come back home. It must have been around this time that his little body stopped shaking, but I could not get him to wake up. That's what I remember thinking, you need to wake up, wake up! He opened his eyes once or twice, but they rolled back in his head and his body was limp. He was still breathing, but I was terrified he might stop. He hates having his diaper changed in the early morning so I thought that might wake him up. It didn't. He fussed a little, at first, then went limp again. My heart was in my throat by now.

I called my parents and my Dad told me he'd come down and we would drive him to the ER together. So I grabbed whatever outfit I'd left draped over the edge of my chair from the day before, threw it on, and ran downstairs with Levi. I woke the boys up and told them they were in charge because we needed to get Levi to the doctor. I knew my Mom was coming down in a bit to help Isabelle also.

I did not put Levi in his car seat to get him to the hospital. It's a ten minute drive, maybe less, and I was afraid if he stopped breathing I wouldn't know it, so I kept him in cradled in my arms. He didn't move the entire drive there. That broke my heart, knowing that he would normally be climbing up me to get a better look at what was going on, curious about everything. But he was completely still.

I could tell that his fever had come down a bit, and then suddenly I was walking him inside the ER. It was barely six and empty as far as I could tell. They got us into a room quickly, attached an oxygen monitor and took his temperature again. 103.8, or maybe .6 - it was high, but I knew it had been higher at home. We gave him Tylenol to keep his fever under control and to avoid another seizure, and then it was lots of waiting and trying to keep Levi comfortable. He wasn't interested in eating or really drinking much, but he did want to nurse, so we settled into the hospital bed and he even drifted off to sleep a few times. At one point my hip was absolutely throbbing because of the way I was positioned, but he was sleeping soundly and I didn't want to move a muscle- literally- to risk waking him. The things we Mamas do for love, ha ha. :)

My husband arrived sometime during our wait, and after a while, Levi even felt well enough to play peek-a-boo with me with the big privacy curtain and then spin around on the doctor's stool for a bit. What a relief! We were given the green light to go home shortly afterward, and the fact that his well check had been scheduled for that very afternoon was perfect. Throughout the rest of the day, we just played, tried to keep him happy and keep any high fever at bay.

This was one of the scariest moments/days of my whole life, one I hope to never ever repeat. My heart goes out to you Moms and Dads who are living with sick children. Truly. I will be praying for you! This was just one day, and yes, I haven't slept great since because I'm constantly worried, but this isn't an ongoing issue for us and I know that isn't the case for everyone. My heart just aches for families whose lives revolve around sick kids. I admit I have begun to worry about things like this, and sometimes it seems overwhelming and consuming, and it cripples me. I have a story to share, later, and I know it plays into this fear. But fear is not from God. I'll share soon....hope you have a great day!

His little body was so, so tired

 I look haggardly in this photo- I'd just taken a shower and desperately needed sleep. BUT Levi was smiling and it was the best thing in the world!

Looking a bit nervous at the doctor's office that afternoon

our big boy is long and lean...just like his Mama used to be, ha ha ha

Do not fear, for I am with you;

Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

John 14:27

I'm hoping to get my Ten on Ten post done tomorrow, and I've got quite the story to tell. It may have involved a crazy lady threatening to call the police on me... I couldn't even make this stuff up! :)

Things I've Loved This Week...

Family fun! 

We had some gift certificates for Chuckster's and finally went there as a family! It was a fun, fun night!
**I just remembered...I got 2- count 'em, 2!- holes in one! And I didn't even cheat!  :)  **

These pretty blue flowers Jonah picked for me.

It was actually cool enough to wear my big fuzzy robe- I'll spare you a picture of that, ha!, but it felt wonderful.

Replacing the summer things on my mantel for some fall ones.

Here is a full view- honestly I love how it looks in person, but it seems kind of pitiful and horribly out of scale in the photos. Oh well, I love it! So simple yet a great pop of color.

Discovering just how knowledgeable the young men in this house are about all of the princesses! And how willing they are to engage in fairy tales galore with Isabelle. Priceless.

Remembering to read a passage of Scripture during each breakfast "shift"- maybe I will finally get some more verses memorized after all that reading! Today there was a pretty major brawl going on, and after we talked about it, I asked them (the boys) to bow their heads so we could pray about it. My parents love the Lord, but this is not something we did growing up; but I want it to be something my children do instinctively, as naturally as breathing. God totally and completely transformed each of us in those moments...amazing!

Seeing (and feeling) God's hand at work in really, really big ways and smaller, more intimate and special ways. Life can be so, so hard sometimes! What would I do without the One who knows me more than any other ever could or will?

Some things were, rather, unexpected...such as:

Buying brand new rear tires for my van (and deciding to walk across the street to the Olive Garden for lunch while the work was being done- it was the quietest lunch I've had all year!) and then trading that van in less than 24 hours later, and THEN watching this out the window this morning...

(more on that later, but this is the "new" car being hauled away, just so you know)

Getting a call from the school nurse- I know, I know. That's never good, right?- to come pick up Jonah because he has chicken pox. So I promptly asked her to check out Caleb while I drove in, and sure enough, he was sitting alongside big itchy brother when I got there. Ethan, too, stayed home on this dreary, rainy day. Lots and lots of red spots and dots!

I tried to make the best of it. :)

After I may have had Isabelle eat off the same spoon as a brother, the doctor and I decided that this is most likely NOT chicken pox. But they'll still be out tomorrow I think. There goes my plan to have friends over for tea. That's OK- I just want my guys to feel better.

This makes me very mindful of parents whose children are facing downright ugly illnesses with their precious children, and I'm so thankful for our general good health.

Updated 9/8...
Though we didn't forget to celebrate our 3rd anniversary of being reunited as a family of 6, I did forget to mention it above. I can't even begin to put into words that feeling of coming home that night three years ago! (The photos on my sidebar are links which explain in more detail what I'm referring to if you'd like to read about it.)

Mamas Can't Be Sick!

My brain is a little mushy these days...so many projects to distract me (yet I can't finish a single one, blech!), thinking of all we need to cram into the last TWO weeks of summer, big plans, stalled plans, and everything in between. Oh yes, and I've been hit hard with bronchitis- I've had pneumonia and bronchitis tons of time in my life, and I have never experienced such breathing problems as I have with this bout of it.

Thursday was the day I spied the new sign on the tree, and I already didn't feel well. The whole thing really bothers me, and it makes me sad and angry and annoyed. I'm sure I don't have to tell you how demoralizing it feels. But mostly, it bothers me because of the way it affects my children. It makes them feel awkward and unwelcome in their own space, and with the sign staring them down from everywhere inside their little fort, I knew I wanted to do something to try to make it better for them. It made them happy, but I'm still not happy with the situation. I'm glad I got to work right away, though.

The next morning I was a mess. I was so thankful that my Mom and Dad took the boys all day to go kayaking and canoeing (sad that Isabelle and I couldn't go). I could barely move all day Friday, but I've discovered that taking care of girls requires waaaaay less moving around than it does boys! We dressed baby dolls in my bed, she sang songs to me, and she happily colored things beside me on the floor. That would've lasted, um, maybe two minutes with the boys when they were little!

I know the perils of drug-sharing (no, not that kind- antibiotics!) but Bill just happened to have a bottle of some antibiotic for a sinus infection that never got used, so...I thought I'd give 'em a try and see if they helped. I was relieved when I woke up on Saturday and could actually lift my head, and...get up!

We'd been waiting for the perfect opportunity to get back to the beach, so off we went! It didn't start out smooth- there was an accident en route which added another hour to our hour-long driving time. And then it was high tide so sandy real estate was hard to come by. We finally found an okay spot, which actually turned out to be great once the tide rolled out a bit.

Smack in the face, ha ha!

Things were going well until some lady walked past me with a smoldering cigarette. I thought I was about to lose. a. lung.

I kid you not. It was actually quite embarrassing. This went beyond coughing- this was like hacking and gagging and choking all at the same time. Not pretty, I tell you.

Oh, I forgot...the boys and I enjoyed a campfire in the backyard later that night (it was okay as long as I stayed clear from the smoke). Little bats started swooping down over us, which got them all excited. Me, not so much. I like them better behind glass.

 

And then it was like I never recovered. I was worse than ever on Sunday. So bad that Bill brought me to the pseudo-ER- it's smaller, and closer to us). I felt so dumb once we got there because the can't-catch-my-breath episode was over, and didn't return. Good, but bad too. So it felt like a waste of time and money. (The nurse figured I had bronchitis and wrote a prescrip for stronger meds.) We were grateful that Bill's parents were around and offered to take all four off our hands, as if they wouldn't have made the trip a little more fun, ha.

The kids ended up eating at their grandparents so Bill and I had a quiet afternoon. That part was really nice. He got me Chinese food for dinner, which we figured we'd just wait to eat, but when we got home no one was there yet. So we rushed inside and scarfed it down before they came back to interrupt us. It felt kinda funny, in a good-sneakish way.

Poor Isabelle. I think the stress of Mommy being sick was getting to her, and she hadn't had a nap in...forever, so she was so, so tired. She just plain lost it Sunday night. We couldn't figure out what was wrong with her but her howling got louder and louder. Finally Bill calmed her down enough to catch what she was trying to tell us. Are you ready for this?

She was insistent that the nightie she was wearing was missing a bow in the front, even though it never had one. You know how you just get something in your mind, and when you're tired...she was a mess! Through sobs, she would look up with those big, sad eyes and her lips would quiver as she bawled about the missing bow, and then she'd come undone all over again. The second Bill and I left her room, we just lost it and roared with laughter. Okay, so I probably roared, then coughed, but you get the idea. That girl is so funny!

And yesterday...yesterday was Monday. We made it through the day. Somehow. It was pouring rain all day long, but we need the rain sooooo badly, nobody even minded.

This morning I dragged the three younger lads to Target. I am slowly making my peace with it- they have been remodeling the store for months now, and I think it's finally done now. It's okay, but I won't be used to it for a long while. It did make me happy to walk through the Back-to-School aisles. Sigh. I think the high I get this time of year is a big part of the reason why I became a teacher in the first place, ha!

Poor Itchy Jonah!

I had to bring Jonah in to the doctor's office today because he has an alarming-looking rash (aren't they all alarming looking?) that is continuing to spread like wildfire down his sad little body. There is also a concerning discoloration of the skin on the backs of his legs, like a deep purple, mottled look, so we've been asked to return tomorrow to decide whether or not to proceed with lab work. The doctor thinks it's a virus that is making his system go haywire at this point.

My poor itchy, swollen, uncomfortable little guy!

All this drama started last night, but it wasn't here- it was at my parent's house! Jonah was there for a sleepover when I got a frantic call from Mimi around 9:30 pm. So much for learning the secret to Pippa's lovely figure...I was watching some A&E special, ha!

My Mom, Jonah and I were sitting around the living room talking well past 10:30, which felt both odd and kind of neat at the same time. We were waiting for the Benadryl to kick in, which thankfully, it finally did. The on-call doc had said if the swelling or redness didn't dissipate then we'd have to make a midnight run to the ER. Fun fun! In my hasty 10pm impromptu trek to the pharmacy, I picked up some Benadryl itch spray- let me just tell you how awesome it was! I know there's nothing worse than someone touching you all over when your skin is already on fire and crawly.. and this just sprayed on easy peasy.

I could tell that Jonah felt bad about the idea of disappointing his Mimi by asking to go home, which was so sweet, but she insisted that she always felt better in her own bed when she was sick, too. We promised him that he could have a make-up sleepover as soon as he was feeling good.

I was relieved that Jonah slept the rest of the night- sometimes he is a fitful sleeper. I was also so thankful it was a rather cool night, not sticky hot and uncomfortable like most nights recently. When he woke up this morning, I held out hope that he'd be all better, but...nope. The redness and swelling perked right up, even after another dose of Benadryl. Dernit!

Isn't it the absolute worst when you can't make your kids all better?

Beauty Secrets

I completely forgot about today's SUYL over at Kelly's Korner.  This week's topic is beauty secrets, and my regimen is pretty simple (and it has worked, I'm told...still no crow's feet at 36!  yay!) so I thought I'd share.

I'm the first to admit, I don't know my way around a make-up counter very well, I still have a tolerate it/hate relationship with my hair, and I usually only wear black Great Lash mascara and Burt's Bees gloss unless it's a special occasion, so...my tips are geared more towards skin care and prevention.

Also, I believe our inner beauty correlates directly with outward beauty, so I try to remember that I'm a beautiful, unique individual that God created and takes delight in.  But honestly, I haven't been doing so well with that lately.  And it shows!  An inner peace and a positive, resilient, loving spirit are a vital part of our appearance.

guess I'm an Olay girl!!  my other fave- Noxzema- is missing from this pic 

I've been applying Oil of Olay with SPF 15 (higher SPF in the summer) daily since I was about 12.  It has worked!  However, I did not apply it to my neck and chest, and am now suffering some consequences there...I'll be scouring through all the entries for advice about that!

Since I was pregnant with Jonah, my second son, I have routinely applied a nightly eye cream after cleansing before bed.  I really notice the difference in the morning when I skip this, especially in the cold, dry winter months!  (I also slap on some good ol' Chapstick in the summer, Blistex in the winter.)

I don't cleanse my face twice in the winter because it's too drying for me, but in the summer I do (I get dirty and sweaty a lot, eww- we play hard in the summer!)  I switch cleansers around to suit the climate.  I also exfoliate once or twice a week, but don't skip the moisturizer after doing this!

I do have a hard time remembering to moisturize my arms and legs everyday, but when I remember, I really notice the difference.  I love the smell of the Jergen's in the pic above.  There's a Vaseline one that smells delicious too- many of the higher-priced lotions irritate my skin...go figure!

Lastly, hydrate!  I drink lots of water...easy peasy, and cheap!

Oh, and floss well- a nice smile is priceless!

Thanks for reading ~ I can't wait to read everyone else's tips, especially for curly, fly-away, difficult hair!!