the first week

We've been home with Noah for a whole week now, and what a week it has been. It started off as it should have: quiet days, lots of snuggles on the couch, staying in pajamas all day. Then Mia woke up with a cough Monday morning. 

It continued to get worse all day. By evening, she was a miserable, crying mess. She's usually such a trooper when she's sick, but this was different. I couldn't find any way to console her except sit and hold her as she wiggled around. Even that wasn't really helping.  I posted this picture on Instagram as part of my thirty thankful photos challenge, but mostly as a reminder to myself that things have been worse and we would get through this "little cold."

But by nine or so, she couldn't breathe well or sleep at all. I started to worry. For over two years, she has proven herself strong and healthy. I admit to letting down my guard in regards to her health and her history. By midnight, after getting only a half hour of sleep with her, I told Ryan to call his mom, a respiratory therapist. By this time, Mia's sides were pulling in as she struggled to breathe and she was wheezing. I felt terrible for waiting so long. Ryan and his mom took her to the ER where she was given a couple of breathing treatments and they took X-rays. She was given a diagnosis of bronchitis and sent home to follow up with the pediatrician.

 

Meanwhile, I sat at home with the other two, feeling torn. Wanting to be in two places at once...again. It was hard. My mom, love her to death, came up to sit with me as we waited for text updates from Ryan. It killed me to not be with my baby in such a scary situation. Ryan assured me she was being brave and bossy. Telling the nurses "Me do it" and pushing every button within reach. When he said they were on their way home a few hours later, I felt so relieved. Except she really didn't look that much better when they arrived. We gave her another breathing treatment around four, and she was finally able to relax and get an hour or so of sleep. We all "napped" as there was still a long day ahead of us. 

She couldn't make it more than two hours between treatments before she started having trouble breathing again, although she was making slight improvement between each dose. Noah conveniently had a well baby check scheduled for Tuesday morning (where he was pronounced the most healthy baby on earth), so they squeezed Mia in during his appointment. She's been on an antibiotic and a steroid since her appointment, in addition to breathing treatments as needed, and has been showing steady improvement. In fact, today, she was downright wild. Probably a combination of the candy I've been using as bribery to get her to take so many medicines, the Albuterol crazies, and being cooped up in the house for a few days now. 

I'll not be letting my guard down again for a while. She will always be the one we worry most about when it comes to health matters. 

So, that's how our first week home has gone. Stressful. Exhausting. I don't recommend pulling two all-nighters in the same week (the night Noah was born and the night Mia was sick).  Demanding.  A newborn and a sick one who needs medicine every few hours. I had to make a list to keep it all straight because, um, new mother brain is about the least reliable brain ever. And now Miss Laci has the runny nose and cough. She is generally a healthy kid so I'm hoping it doesn't hit her as hard as it hit Mia. As for little Noah, well, I just keep feeding him, as much as he will eat, which happens to be A LOT, hoping my body will protect him from getting too sick. I, myself, am not feeling to great, but who has time to be sick? And Ryan, is just saving me left and right. I'm so grateful to have him home to help.

Good things are happening around here, too. It isn't all just sickness and sadness. Noah weighed a whopping 8 lbs 9 oz at his appointment (that's an ounce a day for those counting). I finally got my real camera out today, pictures to come soon (these are all from my phone). And I am enjoying those few quiet moments each day when everyone is happy (or asleep) at the same time. 

This too shall pass and life is good.