3 Days in the ICU

I'm sure most of you heard, but we had quite the scare a few weeks ago. Jackson got croup for the second time this winter, but this round was bad! He started having a hard time breathing Sunday night so we took him to the St. Clair hospital's ER in the middle of the night. They gave him a breathing treatment of epinephrine mist and a shot of steroids and sent him home 2 hours later; so we weren't too worried. Monday, however, he got progressively worse as the day passed. He pretty much stayed in my arms all day and by 2pm was struggling to breath so much so that Jordan came home from school early and we took him back into the ER were he was immediately given more breathing treatments and admitted to the hospital.

We finally thought everything was going to be ok so Jordan went to grab dinner while I rocked Jackson and waited for our nurse to come check on him. Then came the scariest few minutes of my life as I helplessly watched my baby get so bad so fast that he was barely breathing and I was running down the hall with him crying for help. Thankfully someone at the nurses station got the doctor and respiratory therapist so fast that we didn't have to wait long for him to start another breathing treatment. Realizing how bad Jackson was and how busy the hospital was, our doctor wisely decided to transfer Jackson to the Children's hospital downtown where he would be monitored much more closely and where they had more treatment alternatives. The epinephrine breathing treatments weren't working well enough and they had to give him so many while we were at St. Clair that his heart rate was getting way too high. So an ambulance came, strapped Jackson and I in, and took us to Children's where they put him on helium oxide that immediately opened his airways and helped him breath so much easier. I can't even describe my relief. Despite the fact that Jackson was in the picu with a breathing tube taped to his face, an IV in his arm, and tons of other monitors and wires coming off of his little body, he was finally breathing easier and his heart rate was normalizing. It took 2 more days in the icu, 3 more IV's (he kept pulling them out), and continual doses of steroids and antibiotics, but he finally was able to go home Wednesday afternoon.

Jackson was such a little trooper. I didn't want him to be scared of the doctors and nurses that kept poking and prodding him so I tried explaining that they were helping him to feel better by having him tell them "thank you". So bless his heart, after crying "done, done!" through every check or needle poke my sweet little boy would turn to the nurse and say "thank you" in a funny little chipmunk voice (due to the helium). I really think it made him understand that they were trying to help him and made the whole situation a lot easier.

This experience made me grateful for so many things. I'm grateful for good health and strong bodies that can do so much. For hospitals and all of their staff. For the advancements in medicine that we have access to. For supportive family and friends who pulled together in prayer and fasting for Jackson, who offered help in countless ways, and even grandmas who were ready to fly out here on a minutes notice. For a loving husband who selflessly and without thinking does anything for his family. For a sweet little boy that can always make me smile. For the gospel of Jesus Christ and my testimony of our Savior who understands all that we go through and is with us every step of the way. For a loving Father in Heaven who hears and answers our prayers.

Finally well enough to get unhooked from everything for a few minutes to get down and play! All 3 of us were quite happy!

Gotta have an open gown butt shot:)