Hunter's Hard Week

On Tuesday, my beautiful baby boy turned 18-months-old. (Where has that time gone?) Several of the children have had nasty colds and by Tuesday evening, Bryan and I were feeling it too.

Just before crashing early that evening (you know I wasn't feeling good if I was going to bed early!), I told Bryan, "I bet Hunter has an ear infection by the end of the week."

We weren't shocked when he started crying at 2am. Nor were we stunned by his wheezing. This is well traveled territory for us. We gave him some Tylenol and a breathing treatment and put him back to bed.

At 4am he was up again. The wheezing seemed worse. It was like he couldn't draw enough breath to cough. After trying a couple of things without success, we decided that the only choice was an ER visit. Again - been there, done that.


Hanging in the ER

Bryan took him in and we text-ed back and forth over the next couple hours. At 7am he called to tell me that Hunter had been admitted. What?! He wasn't responding to the breathing treatments or steroids. While Bryan was talking to me, there was a sound like a squeaky rocking chair in the background - that was my son.

Getting settled in the hospital room

At first we were hoping he'd be home by lunch, then by the end of the day. Around 3pm Wednesday we learned that he'd be spending the night. All this time the poor guy was breathing like he'd just run a marathon. At some point the official diagnosis of Bronchitis was handed down.

We called his bed "The Cage." Hunter chose not to sleep there.

Hunter did as well as a sleep-deprived, Albuterol-amped, steroid-grumpy toddler could be expected to in a hospital room. He slept pretty well Wednesday night, except for the every hour-and-a-half interruptions for temp-taking or breathing treatments.

We took several laps around the floor for entertainment


He must be feeling better - Fruit Loops topped with Bacon?!

At 8am Thursday, he was released. He was so happy to be home! We have to continue treatments around the clock all weekend, but all things considered, he's doing great!

Just a couple hours after getting home. Completely wiped out!