As I was well aware before becoming a mom, sickness happens. I have a lifelong history of ear infections, surgeries, sinus infections, and one particularly awful experience with the flu. What I wasn’t aware of is how awful it is to have a very sick baby – and then compound that by becoming sick myself.
As I sit here writing this blog, Cole is napping in my arms. The past two weeks have been an exhausting and scary blur, bringing back some vivid memories of the first few weeks after bringing Cole home. Yep, THAT level of exhaustion. I’d almost forgot what it felt like. Cole started getting a runny nose on Valentine’s Day. The next day, we added a dry cough and increasing temperature. Sunday, more congestion. By Monday, the cough got deeper and he had started wheezing. It was scary how fast things were progressing, almost by the hour he was getting a little worse. I had taken him to the Pediatrician that Monday and the PA thought he had Croup cough, so we treated it with a steroid. By Wednesday, he was getting worse, back in the office, and he was diagnosed with RSV. (For those unfamiliar with RSV, adults can get it and barely know it, but the virus is very dangerous and can be life threatening for babies and the elderly.). Nebulizer treatments, continuing the vaporizer, saline, suctioning mucus out of his nose, and just praying that he could continue breathing well enough to keep him from being admitted to the hospital. The Doctor we saw Wednesday told us that Cole was strong and doing better than most babies at this point, and I was so thankful for my big strong boy.
We went back to the Pediatrician and saw the same Doctor that Friday, and he saw some improvement but also confided that he was really worried about Cole earlier in the week – he just didn’t want to worry me. Cue the mom panic! I’m somewhat thankful he allowed me to keep my cool, I was already not getting any sleep for fear he would stop breathing in the middle of the night.
The whole next week we continued breathing treatments, letting him sit in a steamy bathroom, nose suction, etc. Thankfully, he’s on the mend and this pesky cough will likely go away in a few weeks or so.
Somewhere in the middle of this, both Mitch and I also got sick. I used to think being sick before having a child was bad, but holy hell was I not prepared for what it would be like to be sick myself (ear infection and sinus infection) and NOT be able to take care of myself like I normally would. It’s been a struggle to get myself better, I’ll be honest. The symptoms are definitely lingering despite being on an antibiotic. But, momma’s gotta do what a momma’s gotta do. It’s amazing how much you can push through simply because you have no other choice.
I’d been forewarned that these occurrences are the norm for daycare babies, and that Cole’s immune system will greatly benefit in the future. But that doesn’t make going through it any easier, and sure as hell doesn’t make me worry any less!
As You Can See, I’m New At This.. 