What a Week.

For those of you that don't know...Cohen just got home from a 5 day hospital stay.....He was checked in on Monday around 3 and we were released Friday afternoon.
Here's the rundown of events. Cohen had the Croup a couple weeks ago....we took him to the doctor and he gave us a steroid. The barking went away but he was still coughing, had a runny nose and what not. So we treated it like the cold...gave it a little while. well the next weekend he came down with a fever of 100-102. We gave him some tylenol...talked to the pharmacist and he said switching between that and Ibuprofin was a really the best thing...if he hit 104 take him to the E.R. If we can't KEEP it down after 24 hours...take him into the doctor....meanwhile...I start getting sick....extremely congested and a little light headed. Well I went to work on Monday and during our morning meeting, I got an extreme hot flash, and my body felt all tingly...and I felt like my body was going to give out. I felt like I was about to pass out. So I sat down.....didn't feel so good....the doctor (my boss, i work for an orthodontist) let me lay down in his office for awhile....I couldn't kick it....Then I thought...why am I here? I'm sick...my boy is sick...I need to be home. So I left after being at work for a whopping 30 minutes. I went home and tried to rest ....Cohen's fever would go down with Medicine but the second it wore off, it jumped back up...it had been over 24 hours...and as it neared his nap time... He just looked sooo so so sick...just red cheeks and circles under his eyes, and we couldn't get the never ending snot out of his nose....just kept coughing and...I just thought....we need to tak him in. I told Jerry and he was like yeah...but they are just going to give him the same thing they always give him (Cohen is sick ALL the time) and tell us to do what we're doing.....and YOUR sick and I have homework....and I said I know...but his fever has lasted to long...we NEED to bring him in...he agreed.....but then there was an argument on if I would go because I felt so sick myself...but something kept telling me I needed to be there....so after much debate...we went. Dr. Santos walked in and immediately said..."He is a very sick little boy" He listened to his lungs and watched what his body did when he was breathing...more like wheezing. He was using too many muscles to breathe...Dr. Santos said that he had Bronchilitis and was in Respiratory distress and that he needed to be admitted to the hospital. He hooked a machine up to monitor his oxygen levels....98-100 is normal....Cohen was at 91...The. Dr. did not like that. Said that he was Hypoxic. They gave him a breathing treatment...that Cohen HATED, and told us to go to the hospital immediately...So we did...once we were checked in and showed to our room Jerry went home and got some stuff for the night (the doctor said we'd probably be there for awhile). I stayed with Cohen....the time came when they needed to hook him up to an I.V......They tried 4 TIMES....couldn't find a vein....They decided to give Cohen a break...it broke my heart to have to have him go through something like that THAT many times...and know that they still didn't reach the goal that they HAVE to reach. We took a break from trying.....They thought he had RSV...which if he did then he would have to be isolated, and anytime anyone came in the room they would have to be in gloves, gowns and masks......we prayed SO hard that that wasn't the case....He tested negative....however they did find that he was a bit dehydrated.....which was a lot of the reason they were having such a hard time finding a vein. So we had to try the I.V. again....it took 3 more times.....finally they got it.....it was the saddest thing in the world...anytime anyone with scrubs would come near Cohen he would just start crying. They didn't even have to touch him. So the night came on and I was the one to stay with him....Jerry went home because he had so much homework and had school early in the morning....okay so I got absolutely ZERO sleep that night....I was so so SO congested....I couldn't breathe...I didn't have medicine there....They wern't aloud to give me anything because I wasn't there patient. I was superparanoid that cohen was going to wrap him self in his oxygen tube, or his I.V. or his oxygen monitoring chord....He rolls around so much in his sleep I just couldn't shake my paranoia.Every peep he'd make I'd be at the crib......or should I say cage (that's seriously what it looked like). Anyways the long night came to an end...finally...Jerry stopped by before going to school to give me medicine and some nasal spray.....The doctor came in ....and said that they needed to take another xray because the first one looked like Cohen had signs of pnemonia...but because there was dehydration going on...he needed another x-ray to be sure. ....meanwhile Cohen was given breathing treatments every three hours,

after his second xray Cohen went to sleep and I finally felt like I could lay my head down and get a snoozer. the second I dozed off His oxygen machine started beeping like crazy...I looked at the numbers and his oxygen level had dropped between 87 and 88. Remember....98-100 is normal. I called the nurse in...still laying down mind you....he came in started writing down what the machine was reading...he kept looking at that...finally he turned around to Cohen...and he said "Mom, he's bleeding"....I jumped up and there was blood ALL over the crib....his pillow case..his shirt was drenched in it...I started freaking out......Cohen had pulled his I.V. out....or rolled over it...or something...but it was out.we got him changed...his bedding removed......cleaned up and stopped him from bleeding...we then had to try again with the I.V. I wanted to cry for him....or WITH him, is more like it. Anyways, they coudn't find another vein in his arm......so they had to go to their last resort....his foot. Which they didn't WANT to do because Cohen wants to stand and crawl and what not...and he can't do it...They were successful with it though. It meant a lot more work on my part...which is fine....it was just sad that he coudln't even stand or crawl or anything.....anyways...I was bushed......my mother in law came and forced me to go home to get a nap....I wasn't doing anyone any favors by being there so sick...I was having a hard time functioning....so I went home....and I still had some cold and flu medicine in my system...but I NEEDED sleep and I was TOO congested to do it...so I took singulair and mucinex together...wasn't so sure that was the smartest thing..because I started feeling really really weird. I called the pharmacist to see if that really was as retarded as I was thinking...and he told me that it was fine because they attacked different things. It completely dried me up which was nice for my nap....I slept for an hour and a half....got up, showered got back to the hospital...fully anticipating that I'd be able to spend the night....my husband got there and about 2 hours later...my body just had a physical and emotional crash....I was at the point that I felt like I was either going to puke or pass out. I new I shouldn't stay....I called my friend and coworker Kathy to come pick me up and take me home....she was an angel. Jerry stayed at the hospital for a few more hours....and waited for my mother in law to come...she was going to stay the night and Jerry was going to come home to do his homework and take care of me. Well when I got home I felt like my sinuses were so dried out that my vocal cords were so tight and that my sinuses were squeezing my brain....I felt that I hadn't eaten or drinkin enough that day so I started drinking and drinking and eating and drinking and eating...you get the point....Jerry put me to bed and tried to get me to relax...I started feeling like someone was squeezing my lungs...It was so so hard to breathe....as I got closer and closer to sleep and I had to work harder and harder to breathe....it was scary and unlike anything I'd ever experienced....I got out of bed and just started puking...and puking.....Jerry took me to the E.R. I was a ghost......and so short of breath. They gave me medicine right when I got there, and started me on a breathing treatment.....I puked in the middle of it.....They looked at my height and weight....as well as taking into consideration how much I had thrown up and it was enough to make them concerned so they hooked me up to an I.V. and started pumping fluids and nausea medicine into my system. At first it made my stomach really upset and I couldn't stop the shakes.but when it was done I felt better...not well...but like I could go home and sleep. They thought I had an Asthma attack, which I never had asthma growing up but as an adult I've acquired a bit of it through sickness...not through physical activity.....When I get sick things seem to settle in my lungs. Anyways...they gave me a Z-pack....and an inhaler.....and sent me on my way...they thought that the throwing up was due to stress and lack of sleep (which I'd gotten like 3 hours in 2 days...so uh, make sense I guess) I went home got a solid 8 hours...I gotup with intentions of going back to the hospital.....but my body was screaming at me. And I wasn't doing Cohen any favors by going in my condition. Jerry had school, so Melissa ( my sister in law) went and relieved my mother in law and stayed with him till 2:00...then My Father in lawtook over till Jerry got there. ( I don't know what I would have done without so much family support.) finally around 5pm...I felt like I could go visit at least (The nurse said as long as I didn't have a fever that it wouldn't be a problem to come for a few hours...but staying the night would be a bad idea, and if I was still coughing I should where a mask.) so I finally felt functionable, and went from 5-8:30. played with him, fed him, read him stories and what not....I then found out that his X-ray DID prove that he had pnemonia, luckily that doctor started treating aggressively when he THOUGHT he had it....he didn't wait to be sure- so he was already on his way to recovery....thank you Dr. Santos. I went home...got a REALLY good nights sleep and made my way back in the morining. Cohen's oxygen levels were improving, he however had to keep high oxygen levels for at least 24 hours unassisted to be alloud to go home. We took him on a little wagon ride through the halls and even brought him into the play room...we had to hold him to play, because of his I.V. but seriously it was like DISNEYLAND after what he'd been through. The nurses were in love with him.....and his demeanor was improving. Finally they took him off oxygen completely at 3:00...he just had to make it through the night...and we could go home the next day.. Jerry and I both stayed at the hospital that night...and it went well...he was released on Friday afternoon. HALLELUJIAH!!

We've been home for a day now...and Cohen is happy as a clam at his new found freedom :). He sleeps a lot and just wants mom to hold him forever (which i don't mind :)) but he spurts of exciting energy....and it warms my heart to know that everything will be fine. He has to do breathing treatments at home untill summer.....every 4-6 hours till his cough is done...then twice a day for a month...then once a day till summer. I just want to thank all the people that were so supportive during all this...family members that sacrificed time and resources to help, all the people that showered Cohen with stuffed animal love! My work girlies...for being so understanding...and for bringing me chocolate fruit! Kathy for driving me home! My visiting teachers for bringing us dinner....Brian and Will for bringing us movies and goodies to stay sane. We are super lucky to have so many people that care. We love you all.