What might go down as the longest 48 hours of my life started pretty normal. I kept Calleigh home from school on Thursday. She had a runny nose and was sneezing. Pretty normal. Thursday night before bed she seemed to be getting a cough so I decided I would keep her home the next day. I had an appointment Friday morning to get a root canal. After returning from my root canal I noticed Calleigh seemed to be working hard to breathe. Her chest was retracting a lot and she appeared to look a little blue around her lips. I called her pediatrician and was told to bring her over now. Keep in mind at this point she was in the happiest mood. Running around, playing, laughing. Having a great time.
I kind of have a sixth sense when it comes to Calleigh. It's just a feeling I get. It is NEVER wrong. As I put her in her car seat for the ride to the pediatrician's office I lowered the rearview mirror so I could see her on the ride. In my head I kept thinking. "If she stops breathing is it faster to pull over and call 911 or is it faster to get to the doctor" (we live pretty close to their doctor). Most people wouldn't have these thoughts but Calleigh has scared us before. I just kept praying we would make it to the doctor. She was still laughing and talking in the car but I had this feeling. We got to the pediatrician's office and they took her right away. They put the pulse oximeter on her and the nurse and doctor kind of looked at each other. They said we need to do that again. Calleigh is NOT a cooperative patient. At all. She freaks out like you have never seen a child freak out. They tested her two more times and the doctor says to me "If this reading is accurate she needs to go to the ER." I think, OK, I will get my stuff together. She says no, "I need to call 911 to get her transported. Her levels were about 82". I know normal is 100. 95 is OK. 82?? I was wondering how she was still awake and alert. I saw one of the measurements and it was 79.
A few minutes later we were in an ambulance being transported to the hospital with Calleigh receiving Oxygen. It was not a "oh, she needs to go to the hospital ride, It was she is in bad shape ride. We had two ambulances going full speed. Light and sirens. I had already called Frank from the doctor's office and he was on his way. My Mom was on her way down because I knew I would need someone to pick up the boys at school.
Her Oxygen level was still dangerously low. Frank arrived after apparently after the fastest ride ever down the turnpike and the parkway. They ran some bloodwork, did chest x-ray and examined her. Her chest x-ray showed the very beginnings of pneumonia. This was not enough cause such labored breathing. They said she also had some viral infection along with a double ear infection. Keep in mind this kid had NO FEVER on Thursday before bed. She was in the happiest mood and more than normal except for a runny nose and a slight cough.
After nearly six hours in the ER we were moved to a room. I must say the room was private and brand new so it wasn't too bad. They had her hooked to an IV and Oxygen. During this time my tooth took a turn for the worst and I was in pain like I have never felt before. Apparently, I had an infection. I would not tell anyone I was in pain because I didn't want to leave Calleigh. By night time I was in bad shape but managed to make it through the night without totally losing it. Calleigh was still not doing great on her oxygen levels all night. I stayed up all night with her keeping watch on her monitor
By Saturday morning Frank came back to the hospital and the boys were allowed to visit too! This made her so happy. I left the hospital for an hour and went to the dentist to try and get some relief. I wound up getting antibiotics and a pain killer. Sounded like a plan. While I was gone the doctor came and rounded. He said she had to stay another day because she was still requiring some oxygen that day. We took her off Oxygen after he left to see how she could maintain her numbers. At this point she had four doses of really strong anitbiotics. As her infection cleared she would be able to breathe easier.
I got the first relief I had in nearly 24 hours after taking the pain killer. Advil and Aleeve were doing nothing. I thought it was great. Little did I know I would get horribly sick from taking them. I took them every few hours on Saturday and by Sunday morning I was vomiting. (at the hospital, on the car ride home, and pretty much the rest of the day) I know now I could NEVER be addicted to pain pills. It was probably because I wasn't eating much while I was taking them but I was stuck in the bed with Calleigh because she didn't want me to leave her.
On Sunday, they said she could come home. I was puking at this point. We got home Sunday and I was good for nothing. I passed out in bed from not sleeping for two nights and got up to be sick a few times. Calleigh on the other hand was doing great and playing at home. This morning I am better. Calleigh is coming along. It might have been the longest 48+ hours ever.
She is such a trooper. It terrifies me how quickly things go bad with her. I don't know why it happens to her. She gained a reputation quickly at the hospital for being "much stronger than she looks". It took 4 nurses and me to hold her to draw her blood. The big burly paramedic on the ambulance was no match for her. The police officer who first responded to the doctor's office who was at least 6 feet 3 decided to take his report from the hallway and not even go near her! I told them she may be small but she is MIGHTY!
Thank you to everyone for all the well wishes and prayers. We appreciate every single one of them. To my sweet friends who dropped off food for us you have no idea how much I appreciate it. It was such a relief to not have to worry about dinner last night or for tonight and possibly tomorrow too! It gives me time to focus on Calleigh and the boys. My boys are such good kids. They put up a brave front but I know them too well. I could hear their voices on the phone and knew they were worried. Ciaran was so afraid. I could just tell. His little voice quivering on the phone while I talked to him. It breaks my heart. They were so excited to see her on Saturday and brought her all her favorite toys from home.
So we are home and she is on the mend. Let's hope it stays that way. We could all use a little rest!
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