Zach at the Hospital

About an hour and a half ago Zach came home from the Hospital. On Thursday night he started wheezing and complaining of a bellyache. Zach is usually so happy, even when sick, that this complaining was VERY out of character. He usually gets cuddly but is still happy. I called his doctor and was told to take him to a specific ER at a hospital that specializes in respiratory and gastrointestinal issues. At the time, the doctor thought it might be appendicitis.

In the ER they started nebulizer treatments. A face mask is held up to his face and medicine is put into a machine that vaporizes the medicine to help him breathe. Josh's twin, Jake, uses a nebulizer everyday and Zach had seen it so he knew what was happening but very much didn't like it. X-Rays showed what might be a little Pneumonia but the final diagnosis was Broncialitis.

He got two medicines in the nebulizer and a steroid. They determined at 1am on Friday morning that they would check him in and keep him at minimum overnight. This was going to be on the third floor and being horribly scared of heights I couldn't go with them. Josh was a preemie so he spent a lot of his childhood in a hospital. Daddy is more comfortable with Hospitals then Mommy. It was better anyway that Zach just had Daddy most of the time. I couldn't watch the IV being put in but gave him tons of kisses. Luckily, we had brought some toys, books, food, and comfort objects.

On Friday afternoon I went with my Dad, and was able to make it to the third floor with his help. I was terrified but it was for my baby and this time I was rested enough to handle it. When we walked in the room Zach was laughing and playing. I had brought more books, toys, and comfort objects with me. His Rescue Bots being the most popular. At my Dad's suggestion we also brought Burger King.

It was a nice visit. Josh and I talked over the phone several times yesterday and today. By noon today they knew he would be released after his 5pm nebulizer treatment unless there was a setback. He needed oxygen last night so this was a good thing. I stayed busy during the day. I planted 20 Hyacinth bulbs and got new orange window lights. The lights from previous years were burnt out. I walked to the Nursery and Walgreens. I also did other things here too. I needed to stay busy.

He was playing when I got up to the floor today in the play area which is right by the elevators. I went up while my Dad parked the car. It was a big deal that I did that, including that I sat in the heavy windowed play area. He played and everything went as it should. Now he's home.

While I was out today I got him a miniature pumpkin at the nursery and a spiderweb with an orange spider decoration from Walgreens. Welcome home gifts. He was so distracted by them he didn't eat much dinner until he put them where he wanted them, the pumpkin in the garden and the spiderweb on the hall closet door. Just like Mommy, decorating is the priority.

It was rough for me as well as my guys. I'm the Mommy I'm supposed to be the comforter but I was limited in how much I could be there to do that. But he has a good relationship with Daddy and Daddy did a fantastic job. When I was there, the doctors and nursers were incredibly nice and did a fantastic job at answering my questions. He still has some medicine he'll have to take. They are treating it like it's asthma but not formally diagnosing it since it was his first wheezing episode.

His doctor was my doctor so when Dr. Flyer called he said "I've known you for 31 years." I couldn't help the correction "32, my birthday is Monday". He laughed at that. He was in constant contact with the hospital and has records of what happened. I asked about the asthma thing and he said since this was a particularly rough episode he suspects he has asthma but won't know or diagnose it until another episode. In the meantime, we have instructions and are supposed to treat it like it's asthma just in case. Including spares of the medicine for future episodes.

When the IV needle came loose the nurse was going to reinsert it in his other hand but the medicine in it could also be oral and he was ready for the oral. She asked the doctor and the doctor said he didn't need the IV anymore. When Zach heard that he ripped the bandaging for the needle off! It was funny. Remember, the needle wasn't in him at the time so no damage was done. Off like a band aid.

I hope it's not asthma and just a one time thing but these are things that come out in time. He's home, he's as adorable as ever, and Mommy REALLY REALLY REALLY missed her guys. It's not what Josh PLANNED for Daddy time but it's what he got. All this after the water was off all day Thursday. We are all ready for normalcy.