Thursday, February 22, 2007

Be careful what you wish for...


I have been trying to get a grip on my life (meaning, catch up w/ laundry and actually cook something for dinner) lately. The broken computer is only part of it. Life has been made a bit more difficult by sick kids, cranky kids, ski week (what the #&# is that? Who needs a week off in Feb? It just means that Lu is home, and bored.....). I have been existing in a place of "not quite sick enough to be sick, but too sick too have enough patience with my kids". We have all been there. Admit it. You know when you hear the kids first banging on the door at 5:30 am, ready for the day, and you want to crawl into a cave and sleep till spring? That is me. Or is that just my kids and your kids don't get up that early? Actually, it is only ONE kid of mine that does it. The one that chewed through his crib tent and will shove various items under the door until I let him out. If the item is TOO BIG to fit under the door, like say, a jewelry box, then he will destroy it and break it into tiny pieces and THEN shove them under the door. When you reprimand him, he will give you a look that says simply "you should not have left me alone in there....". He is right.
Sigh.
Anyway, the kid's finally caught the bug as well and have also been sick, but not SICK sick, just sick enough to whine and cry all day and be totally grumpy and toxic. Poor Norah has had a cold and is sniffling and crying with the rest of them. She is my third, so I don't get too worked up about sniffles. I don't even have a thermometer at home (and I am always kind of embarrassed when they ask if I have taken her temp and I say no, but who am I kidding, it would be lost or swiped by Cubby anyway....). This morning, after being up ALL night with sick Norah I realized it has been three days since Norah had a wet diaper. She also had been throwing up every bottle. Not just spitting, but "projectile, soak everything in its path" throw up. After the first day I switched her to Pedialite from milk, thinking that it would help her congestion. We have been battling an RSV-type rattling chest since October and that is what the Dr. had advised before.
I called the advice nurse and they said to bring her in right away because my doctor had an opening. I couldn't find a sitter for the big kids so they ALL came with me (another story in itself). The doc looked at her, checked something and then left the room really fast. When she came back she told me that the baby needed to go to the hospital RIGHT NOW and that they could have an ambulance take her or I could drive her but it had to be RIGHT NOW.
Yikes.
I found someone to take the big kids and raced the baby to the hospital (which ironically wasn't the hospital adjacent to the doctor's office and a few blocks from my home, I had to take her to one 15 minutes away). It turns out she is dehydrated (very) and wasn't getting enough oxygen and they wanted to do the nebulizer treatment. It is a similar thing we have been fighting, but this time it was much worse and I just didn't realize it. We haven't gotten the RSV test back, but she might have picked it up over Christmas in Utah. They want to give her an IV and major breathing treatments and let her sleep. So that is where we stand. I just left her in the hospital and came home to get some things (like a bottle, formula, clothes for her, my wallet.... I thought I was just going to the doc... and I haven't carried a well stocked diaper bag for years...). Then I get to spend the night in the hospital (that is, if my husband can come home tonight, he has a late night scheduled w/ work) and if we are lucky, she can come home tomorrow. I have to find someone to take my kids tomorrow, but so far my dear friends are stepping up to the plate and taking the kiddo's for me tonight.
Technically I can just leave the baby in the hospital, but I don't want to do that. Besides, the thought of sleeping in a hotel chair sounds like heaven. Like a vacation or a spa. I don't have to deal with Cubby for a few hours (don't get me wrong, I love him dearly but he makes me tired), I get to eat breakfast that I didn't have to make. I just have to deal with one small child that can't move. I can read a book. I can brush my teeth alone. I can eat a meal with out sharing. Lately, the only food that my kids want to eat is the stuff that is on my fork, halfway to my mouth. That is THE ONLY morsel of food that they want. I kind of miss the days when they wanted to eat off the floor. :-)
But, back to the title of the post. The other day I was thinking that I wish I had something interesting to blog about to get me out of the rut.

Ha!!!
(P.S. Pictures tomorrow -- if the computer is better....).

22 comments:

angie said...

I hope Norah is o.k. that is so scary especially when they are so little. poor little thing. I will pray for you guys.

Unknown said...

Oh man, how scary. I will be praying for you guys.

QueenScarlett said...

Oh my goodness. Poor Norah. Poor you... enjoy the going to the bathroom alone while you can! I'm sending prayers too. So glad you have people to take the kids. AND... I'm with you re: mornings... although mine doesn't get up that early... she just likes to get naked and excrete all over her room. So I choose... sleep now or clean up filth later. ;-)

Suzie Petunia said...

Oh, poor Norah! I hope she is better soon and that you are able to enjoy your mini-vacation. (I'm secretly looking forward to staying at the hospital when I have my baby! ...if I'm not in too much pain.)My Waverly had RSV when she was 6 months old. She didn't have to stay at the hospital, but it was terrifying. I couldn't sleep because I had to listen to her every breath all night. Prayers for a speedy recovery!

dalene said...

Prayers to you and yours. I'm glad they admitted her and that you are getting a little bit of a break.

Keep us posted.




(Ski week? In California????)

sue-donym said...

I hope Norah gets better real soon. So scary when they are so little.

Enjoy your spa day at the hospital (how sad is that when our nicest break is at a hospital?)

Prayers for you and yours.

Julie said...

Oh no! Prayers for you all!

Syd said...

Oh Bek, I am so sorry. Sounds like an all around awful week. I hope Norah recovers quickly and that you get some recovery time as well. Wish I was there, I'd take the kiddo's - yes, I'd even brave Cubby!! :) Prayers and cyber hugs coming your way!!

wendysue said...

Ugh. I don't do well with sick/sniffly/coughing/RSV babies. Molly had that at like 5 weeks old and I think she took about 15 years off my life. That is so scary when they're so little and can't say what hurts or what's going on! Everything is just a hundred times worse in those tiny lungs!

I hope she's doing better soon. . .it's amazing what those breathing treatments will do (we didn't end up in the hospital just had a nebulizer at home--and we pulled it out several times over the next few years for her)

In the mean time, take a little nap, or catch up on your fabulous mags and catalogs (I went online and requested a bunch after you did that post!!)

Thinking of you. . .

angie said...

Bek- I would love the details of "7 days of nothing" thanks!!

Erin said...

Sad! I hope she gets feeling better, and you too.

Lisa said...

Poor baby! I'm sorry its been so difficult for you! We are all thinking of you.

LuckyRedHen said...

Oh dear. I feel for ya and appreciate your candor. Luv, me

LuckyRedHen said...

Oh dear. I feel for ya and appreciate your candor. Luv, me

~j. said...

bek -- best wishes from here to you. Norah will be fine. Curly had RSV and wasn't admitted to the hospital, so in a week's time we ended up at our doctor's office 4 times and the ER 3 - in 1 week! I hope you get some rest and some peace. (I, too, tend to think of the hospital in vacation terms.) Bless your friends for stepping in and helping with the older kiddos.

ferenge mama said...

oh gosh - i haven't checked in for a few days, and you have all this going on!!

I'm so sorry Norah is sick. You are in my thoughts are prayers.

liz said...

wow- hope she gets better FAST how scary!!

Emily said...

Sending lots of get-well, cheerful, restful thoughts your and Norah's way!!!!

More Caffiene, Please said...

I hope everything is okay! This post (although sad for Nora) made me laugh because of what you wrote about wanting a break - even if it's in the hospital. It's so true! I hope your "vacation" went well.

tracy m said...

Oh Bek, we're having parallel lives. I was at the hospital all day on Thurday- and it was supposed to be an in-out thing too. I hope N is better soon.

Carina said...

I am so sorry! The poor thing.

Leisha Mareth said...

You are handling it much better than I would, kudos to you. I too appreciate and enjoy your candor (I can totally relate). I hope your little one recovers quickly!