It didn’t seem like it was going to be a bad day this morning. I woke up feeling better, Trevor seemed to be in a good mood, and Brendan had an “OK” night but he was on his normal oxygen in the morning and his numbers were ok.
He just started to decline quickly. As each hour of the day went by, I had to keep turning up his oxygen. He started to visibly work harder to breathe. By 11am, I had pulled out the ventilator for him to try to give his body a chance to rest and recover. It didn’t help much.
By the time Bill got home from work, I was really scared by the amount of force it was taking for Brendan to exhale and his oxygen needs were too high. He looked miserable and tired, he couldn’t sleep even though that is all he wanted to do. We knew we had to go in.
Arriving at the ER, they immediately classed him as a “Level I” and rushed him to a “resus” room. The stabilized him pretty quickly with some breathing treatments and extra oxygen. Then they traumatized him with a chest xray, starting an IV, and doing nasal swabs. It took a long time for him to calm down. The xray showed no sign of pneumonia but it did show some hyperinflation from his inflamed airways.
Then we just had to wait four and half hours for a bed so that he could be admitted. There were no beds available in his usual cardiac ICU so he had to be admitted to their regular pediatric ICU.
The admission process is traumatizing to Brendan and both of us. We get hit with a barrage of questions while a huge mass of people in masks and gowns attack from every direction, all of them trying to get a stethoscope on Brendan or to poke or prod or push or hook something up.
I would guess there were 9 people. Only 3 of them bothered to tell me who they were and why they needed to be there. They are as aggressive as a bunch of children when a piñata breaks open, all trying to get to the same small place.
I could have gone my whole life without seeing a trauma room in the children’s ER.
I asked Bill to back up a bit so I could take Brendan’s picture
But he was stuck
It was a struggle to get rest, he finally got a short nap on my arm until it fell asleep
I don’t know how he is supposed to get comfortable
Getting ready to move to his real room
And here are his temporary quarters. He will be here a few days I am sure. He is on IV fluids and IV steroids for the respiratory inflammation. His trach smells very bad so we are waiting for all the cultures to come back with results so they know how to treat it.
I hoped I was past the illness, but currently my sinuses are jam packed and my eyes hurt. I hope Trevor is still OK in the morning.
We owe a big thank you to Christine who came right over and took care of Trevor tonight. He was able to eat, have his bath, read and play and go to bed on time. Bill relieved her just after midnight.
I only have one picture of Trevor from this morning, he got ahold of the phone and I think he was trying to dial China.
It is going to be a rough couple of days, we all hope Brendan gets better as quickly as he got so sick. This illness hit him hard and fast.
It breaks my heart for Brendan that he is sick again so soon. He seemed to be doing so well and going in a forward direction after the last illness and hospitalization. Poor little guy. 🙁
I worry about you, too. You are ill and should be getting extra rest, not sleepless nights and extra stress. You must have been so frightened for everything to happen so fast.
Once again, I don’t like the helpless feeling of not being able to do something to make it all better. I know Brendan will fight his way through yet another challenge. He is an amazing little boy with amazing parents.
I will hope and pray that the doctors will figure out what got a hold of him, be able to treat it, and he will recover quickly. I also hope that you don’t get any worse and get some rest. As you have said, this just seems like a very cruel joke that you have all been on this roller coaster of illness for the past couple of months.
Thank you, Christine, for being there for Trevor. You have been a good friend, and I am so glad they have you to help through this yet another crisis.
I love you all very much. I am sending all of the positive and healing thoughts that I can. You surely don’t deserve what you have had to endure, especially that sweet smiley-faced little boy who just captures your heart with his silliness, funny faces and positive attitude through everything he has gone through. He is so amazing!
Get well, heal fast, and I will have you on my mind and in my heart every minute.
Lots and lots of love,
Gramma
Feel better, Brendan. Your brother needs you at home to supervise and laugh at his silliness. K recorded a special growling video, just for you, when you are well enough to laugh hysterically again. We hope everyone there is healthy soon.
Oh Brendan, we wish with all our hearts that you could catch a break. You would think that pediatric ER doctors would have a better bedside manner and not overwhelm the poor boy and parents. It is good to know that you have a friend like Christine to call in when you need her. That can make all the difference when times get really rough. We will pray that whatever is plaguing Brendan is something easily and quickly cleared up, and that he will be home with Trevor and back to his usual antics in no time!
Good morning from the really caring and concerned East Coast! Saw your face book post this AM and my heart sank! Hang in there, you all know what is best for Brendan and he will get better. Bill and Tiffanie you are loving, hands on parents and the boys know this! That alone will help Brendan heal! Your friend Christine is an angel. Cranking up the prayers, many hugs, kisses and lots of love for all of you! 🙁
Tiffanie, you have my thoughts and prayers that your family heals quickly and are once again back to the sometimes crazy but loving home you and Bill have provided those two awesome little boys. My hearts breaks for Brendan and all that he has been through. He is such a strong little fighter and once again, he will come through this too. Godspeed.
Brendan, Come right fifteen degrees, steady up on course “strong and healthy”, speed, “full ahead”. 😉 * in other words, get well, quickly, there’s life to be enjoyed, ……and a “little brother” who needs teasing. 🙂 🙂 🙂 *
Tiffanie, Bill, your loving and caring have brought Brendan through so much, I am confident that it will continue to see him through this too. You are amazing parents.
There is also Family, ……
praying, ……
and I add my prayers to those already offered.