(Big sigh) So on Tuesday of last week I took Ryder to the doctor because E and I had heard some wheezing and he was pretty congested and yucky. The weather has been all over the place here so I just figured it was some sort of seasonal asthma thing like Sav gets. Our doctor confirmed that he was indeed having severe difficulty breathing... no other symptoms though... we were sent home and told to do breathing treatments three times a day and prescribed an oral steroid. He also asked that we come back Friday for a recheck. So in the meantime we went home and did what we were told and poor little guy just kept getting worse and worse. I could tell from the minute we walked into the exam room that this wasn't going to be good. The first thing they did was weigh him and then tell me that he had lost a pound (in two days). Then they tested his oxygen levels and listened to his breathing... the look on the nurse's face... I knew we were in trouble. Before telling me the result she went out and got the doctor (which they never do. Typically they tell you what they hear and then send you to another room to wait for the doctor). He came in and repeated the tests and then asked what was on the schedule for me today. I asked what he meant and he said that I was going to need to take Ryder directly to the hospital for immediate treatment. He explained that his oxygen levels were very very low and that he was in bronchial distress. Soooo, off to Cook's Children we went. I called E and told him to bring some things and meet me there. I wasn't sure what to expect once we got there... I had no clue that we were going to be direct admitted. There was no secondary consult... they had us fill out paperwork and then escorted us to our room. The nurses came in and confirmed what the doctor had already told us... they then also said that he was severely dehydrated and that they were going to swab him for the flu and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). Test came back positive for RSV... which is NOT something you want to hear. This meant that we had to remain in isolation due to the fact that it is extremely contagious. They explained that RSV is a "cousin of the common cold" and that it does not always cause such severe symptoms. Ryder has asthma tendencies, so this means that RSV is a worse case scenario for him. Breathing treatments, steroids, oxygen tests, antibiotics for his ear infection (caused by the drainage from all of this) were all started immediately. Ryder slept on and off the entire time that we were there. He was feeling so badly that he would reach for the crib to lay down and sleep. He ate close to nothing and drank very little the entire 36 hours we were there. The night was rough... nurses were in and out messing with him all night. By the morning his oxygen levels were above the borderline requirement and his breathing had improved. He was still pretty dehydrated, but they felt that we could handle that at home, so they went ahead and discharged us. Thank God. I am not sure how we would have handled another whole day and night there. It's one thing to be in the hospital, but to be isolated to your room just plain sucks. This hospital has the coolest amenities and activities for the kids that have to stay there, but we couldn't even take advantage of the playroom because of how contagious he was. The nurse said that once you are diagnosed with RSV the hospital's policy is you remain in isolation for 21 days or the duration of your stay. What the hell... 21 days!! So happy that was not us.
This is what I saw when I was woken up very early on Saturday morning. That crib and it's clear plastic tarp thing were no fun.
So you would think that a hospital would have a good variety of allergy friendly foods... yeah, not so much. Maybe if he had only one allergy... but with all his allergies, it was a little tricky. If he had been Savannah's age it would have been a little easier, but a toddler is picky.
Stir crazy little guy watching the birds and cars from our window five floors up. Again, how can someone stay in that tiny room for 21 days?????
Ryder's progress since we got home has been steadily going in the right direction. Saturday night he was still pretty blah and not eating or drinking. By Sunday he was a little happier and actually taking a few bites and drinking juice. This morning we headed back to the doctor for a recheck on his status since leaving the hospital. The doctor said that he oxygen levels are good but his breathing is still not great. Until this RSV runs it's course, Ryder will probably continue to wheeze and cough. The doctor was also pretty concerned at the amount of weight that Ryder lost in less than a week (nearly two pounds). So we will be going back in two weeks for a weight check. Hopefully this virus is nearing it's end and Ryder will be back to his happy, hungry, and healthy self soon.
