Thursday, September 18, 2008

In Sickness and Health




Evie woke up with a fever Friday night.

It ended up being a mild illness. She ran a moderate temperature for a day or so, and was a bit irritable. Then yesterday, I noticed a fine pink rash on her torso and back. After consulting a handbook from our pediatrician, I diagnosed (all on my own) Roseola. The rash has already disappeared.

She is just fine - healthy and beautiful.

But every time I feel her hot skin, I think about the time Evie was hospitalized. And it kicks my Mother-Worry-Skills into high gear.

It was April 23rd, and she was just three months old. I had only been back to work for a week. Evie had run a fever for a couple of days, and Monday morning we took her to the pediatrician. He knew she had an infection, but couldn't diagnose the cause. The doctor sent us to the emergency room so they could run tests and treat her.

Oh, the ER! We waited and waited and waited! We were there all morning and into the afternoon. She was finally examined by a doctor who told us her RSV test was negative and ordered a breathing treatment.

While we were waiting, Evie's breathing became extremely labored. Her whole body moved with the effort to get oxygen to her lungs. The doctors talked about admitting her to the hospital, then to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. She got worse and worse. She was so dehydrated they had to put an IV in her little head and she needed to wear an oxygen mask.

That night was terrible. The house pediatrician at the hospital prepared us in case they had to intubate her. She was hooked to so many monitors that we couldn't hold her. We huddled over the sterile metal crib and tried our best to comfort her. Monitors beeped warnings all night. I was scared to death.

She recovered faster than anyone anticipated, and was home by the end of the week. Mickey and Minnie Mouse even had a chance to visit on our last day. But the experience has stuck with me. I have a little too much fear when she's sick, worrying the fever will escalate into something more.

Most of all, though, I appreciate my healthy child. When we were in the hospital, there were so many other children in the PICU who wouldn't have such a happy ending. So much suffering in such tiny bodies...

When little, unimportant things disrupt my world, I have to remember how blessed we truly are. We have our health. And we have each other.

11 comments:

Jackie said...

Oh! My heart hurt just reading this...I know how awful it feels when your innocent little baby is sick and you can't do anything. So awful. You are right...as long as we have each other, there's really nothing else that matters.

Jackie said...

I forgot to tell you that I have a little somethin' for you today...stop by when you can. :)

Anonymous said...

what a scary experience. she looks so small laying there in the hospital bed. I am so glad she got better and is now healthy. We have an amazing God!

Scarlet O'Kara said...

I am so very glad that she recovered from her bout with RSV. It is a very scary sickness...

jennifer said...

Amen! Thank you for sharing this...

What a great reminder to be grateful and appreciate every little second.

Love the picture of your fam from your earlier post. You are such an adorable family!!!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting this. I really needed a wake up call tonight.

Mozi Esme said...

Oh how scary! I'm so glad she's fine now.

Susan (5 Minutes For Mom) said...

I'm so glad to hear that your little girl is well. There is nothing worse than watching our little ones suffer.

That fever at 3 months sounds like it was very scary... and i can understand why you'd get scared every time her temp rises.

Shari Baby said...

i almost forget she (and you guys) went through all of that. God answers prayers that is for sure. what a little Miracle Evie is. (well a BIG one!)

Anonymous said...

I had forgotten about this! Evie's so healthy now that I don't even remember how sick whe was at times when she was a new baby. My poor little niece!

I guess I'll stop teasing you when you think Evie's sick. :)

Anonymous said...

Oh how terribly scary that must have been!