Nathan had a regular appointment at the respiratory physiotherapist this Wednesday. He’s been having treatment for a cough and blocked nose. I’m sad to say he’s relapsed and the physio said we should take him to the emergency department at the local hospital as he had become very blocked up. So off we drove and took him into the emergency ward.
The emergency ward took us almost immediately into the emergency paediatric section. As he’s only 3 months old – as of yesterday – he was given priority since breathing difficulties are much more serious the younger the child is. The doctor was kind and we were taken up to the regular paediatric ward after initial treatment by hospital staff who reassured us. The diagnosis was that he’s had a second “attack” of bronchiolitis and he needs respiratory help for a while. He’s been on regular oxygen mask treatment – they add drops of medicine in a breathing mask which vapourises a mix of oxygen and drugs to help him breathe – about three or four times a day. He’s also being treated by the suction of excess mucus from his nose, mouth and trachea.
The key signs of serious problems seem to have been overcome: he doesn’t have a high temperature, his blood oxygen saturation is normal, and he’s eating properly but the poor little fella is still quite blocked up and has rasping breathing tones. He could be in hospital for a few days more, I’m really hoping he’ll start to clear up a bit over the next couple of days. As you can see, his Mummy is being a diamond and looking after him by staying with him most of the time he’s there. I’m off there now.
16/1/2006 at 10:11 am
I hope he is on the mend and you can get him home soon. It horrible when a child is sick, especially when they are so small.
16/1/2006 at 1:25 pm
Hi Pauline
Good to see you back! Nathan is indeed on the mend and we hope to have him home in the next few days. The worst thing about the little boy being sick is that it’s very hard to know how to comfort him. Sometimes he looks so uncomfortable and it’s impossible to know if what we’re doing is helping him. Except of course when he smiles, which he still manages to do.
-Fruey
16/1/2006 at 8:56 pm
I had very similar problems when I was very young. I overcame them and I’m sure Nathan will, too. And medicine is so far advanced now than it was back then. I still get sinus issues once in a while, but, I’m sure that’s due to my smoking. I wish you all the very best, Fruey. I just hope that wasn’t what caused my premature baldness.
17/1/2006 at 2:15 am
Feel Better Soon, Nathan! (Fruey, you’ll have to pass that on to the little guy for me). I hope you are all hanging in there and wishing you easier breathing soon.
17/1/2006 at 10:15 am
Hi Carrster!
I will be sure to pass on the message to him 🙂
You’ve been poorly yourself and I’m glad to see from your site that you’re feeling better too!
-Fruey
17/1/2006 at 10:32 pm
Hi Dave
Sorry I should already have replied to your comment but something went awry when I submitted it and I didn’t realise.
Nathan is back home and seems to be better than he had been over the last few days. Smoking can of course cause sinus issues especially if you breathe the smoke out of your nose… but I think you’re a cigar smoker, right?
-Fruey
17/1/2006 at 10:45 pm
Yes, I’m a smoker, but, I wasn’t back then, when I had bronchitis as a baby. I was in the hospital, too. Of course, I was too young to remember. I had a sinus infection once. It gave me terrible headaches, to the point I couldn’t stand it. The doctor told me I had to quit smoking. I did and the headaches went away the next day. My sinuses cleared up, too. Unfortunately, it didn’t last. The smoking part, that is, but, I’ve never had another sinus infection.
BTW, that’s a very good picture.
18/1/2006 at 10:02 am
Was it that forced weaning from cigarettes that led to the exploding glass scenario?
Thanks for the compliment on the photo. One thing that helped was that the natural light was coming from the left of the frame and slightly below the cot, and some of it was being diffused by the side of the cot that you can’t see. So it’s an indoor photo with completely natural lighting, which gets rid of flash “bleaching”. I like the contrast between Yasmina’s dark hair and the white, well-lit bedsheets.
-Fruey
21/1/2006 at 8:31 pm
Oh Fruey and Mrs. Fruey…any parent knows how frightening this can be. Although, I must say, Mrs. Fruey looks smashingly lovely, despite the stress and most certain sleeplessness. As much as we hate uneccesary medical intervention for our children, we are always so grateful when it is required, it is available, and that so far in their lives, and prayfully forever more, nothing has occured that could not be treated. Our baby boy, now 5, acquired RSV at 4 months. One of the scariest things any of ours have ever gotten. We were told he would probably have asthma the rest of his life, due to the invasion of crud in his little lungs and sinuses then, but it never materialized. He recovered completely (although I’m not sure I ever did!), and is the most healthy, crazily active boy…prayers to you all, for the what is sure to be the same outcome for your baby boy…
21/1/2006 at 8:43 pm
Hi Allison!
What a lovely comment. It’s true indeed that we have so much to be grateful for when medical care is there when we need it. Nathan’s doing quite well now, he’s out of hospital and seems to be almost back to normal, smiling and grinning and generally being a 3 month old baby boy. He had his last physio appointment today and the doctor was very encouraging. There’s a little remainder of crud in his lungs but he should be fine.
I’m glad to hear everything turned out OK for your boy. I just looked up RSV and I see just how worrying that must have been for you.
Thanks for your prayers. Happy birthday to your 8 year old!
-Fruey