As I mentioned back in August, our trip to Virginia Beach started with a late-night visit to the emergency room.
I had spent two days packing and cleaning, and doing little else, in preparation for our trip. The day before we were to leave Andrew seemed a little off, but I didn't think much of it. We were all exhausted, so Scott and I put the kids to bed and were looking forward to a few hours sleep before heading out early in the morning.
About an hour later, I heard the unmistakable croupy cough coming from Andrew's room.
By the time I went in to get him, he had become so agitated that he could hardly breathe. Evyn has had croup a couple times, but she takes being sick in stride. Andrew - not so much. With our trip just a few hours away, and Andrew fighting for air, I wasn't going to mess around - it was off to the ER.
Our hospital has a great E-Care department within the emergency room, for non-emergency treatment. Oh, they know us well there. I don't even have to show them my insurance card any more - just sign in. (Why do my kids always get sick or injured on weekends???) But the doctors were concerned enough about Andrew's oxygen levels that they admitted him to the regular emergency room around midnight, for a 4-hour breathing treatment.
Step one involved me pinning down Andrew's limbs while a specialist held a mask to Andrew's face to administer the treatment. (Have I mentioned that Andrew is a firecracker?) The nurses were all shocked by how strong - and ANGRY- he was!
It took a while, but he made it through the treatment, and there was an almost immediate improvement in his breathing. But he was still mad. VERY mad. So mad, in fact, that he projectile vomited all over the two of us, the bed, the one blanket I had brought, and the oxygen apparatus. (Note to self - next time Andrew needs to go to the ER, bring changes of clothing for both of us, and a few extra blankets!)
I cleaned us up as best as possible, and we snuggled up to get some rest- the specialist wanted him on oxygen for an hour or so. The specialist - having seen Andrew's fiesty side- made the wise decision to cut the mask off of the oxygen tube, and just have me hold the tube end pointed toward his little face. Andrew quickly went to sleep, while my arms went numb holding the tube in place.
They cut us loose around 4 am, tired and cranky. We left late for the beach, got stuck in mid-morning traffic, which turned a 5-hour drive into an 8-hour adventure. Ah, well, Andrew bounced back after a day or two (me- a few more) and had a great time on our vacation.
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