Dry like the Sahara

The past week have been long and hard in the Bradshaw house.  This week (Starting LAST Sat - I realize I'm behind on this post) Austin was hit with a terrible virus as well as a massive ear infection.  Although we didn't know these things until Monday afternoon when Austin was taken to the Pediatrician. 

It all started on Saturday LATE in the night (around 1 am) when Austin was moaning in his sleep.  Although I normally don't go in his room in the middle of the night unless he's shrieking or something unusual, this moan was out of the ordinary.  Austin's been sleeping through the night since he was roughly 6 (?) months old so again his moan was unusual.  The only times he doesn't STTN are when he's teething, sick or having growing pains so I knew something wasn't right.  When I went in he was sitting up rocking, so I picked him up.  It was then I felt fire within my arms.  I took his temperature - something he HATES having done normally - as he just laid there on the changing table moaning.  Before I looked at the thermometer to see what was registered I knew it was going to be high.  It was 101.7  Austin's been sick before with a mild cold and even an ear infection a time or two, but he's never had any fever higher than 99.6.  So I changed his PJ's into something without his feet being covered, gave him some water - which he refused - and medicated him with some Motrin.  After that I cuddled with him on the recliner until 5 o'clock am when it was time for me to go get ready for work (Sunday Morning).  After I verified that Scott could handle a feverish toddler + having to teach the Youth Sunday School at our church, I sadly got into the shower to go get ready.  I was really reluctant to leave for work since I'm the Momma and Momma's are suppose to be the one to 'fix' broken/sick children - or at least that is how it was in MY house!  ( <3 you Mom!) But this momma had to go to work. . . it's tough being the sugar momma at times :( 

Every few hours I'd call for an update where the report was that Austin was still running a fever and slowly losing speed.  He's not a 'typical' crazy "cRaZy" toddler but he definately wasn't his usual self so Grammie came over to watch and nuture Austin while I was at work and Scott at church.  Grammie loved on our lil Love Bug all day long but by the time I came home Austin looked like death warmed over.  Not a pretty sight to see.   After checking his temperature yet again (still 100+ ) and trying to force him to consume some sort of liquid - where he yet again refused - I gave him a lukewarm bath to try to break the fever.  That was a complete Disaster.  Poor baby arched his back in agony everytime I'd pour water down his arm/back and was shaking so we quickly ended that!!  After another yet unsuccessful attempt at liquid I took him in my arms and we rocked in the living room for a while.  After he was sleeping - very soundly I might add - I placed him in his room with the humidifier going and the bed propped up.  I went on with my evening and every 3-4 hrs I'd wake up to check on him (the video monitor is by my side of the bed and the volume was WAY UP!).  He still had a fever but was sleeping so soundly I didn't dare wake him.  

Austin's typically my morning wake up call.  He'll wake up anywhere between 7:15am and 7:30am GUARRANTEED!!  On Monday morning however, I awoke at 8:15 worried that I didn't hear him but found that he was sleeping soundly (again God LOVE the video monitor maker! LOL)  I made my coffee expecting to Austin stir any moment as he normally does if I'm awake before he is. . . NOPE not even a flinch. So I sat to watch the news and enjoyed some coffee half expecting him to wake up any moment.  Finally when 9:30 rolled around I called my mom to see what to do.  My mind was telling me "Never wake a sleeping baby, especially a sick one" but my heart was saying "wake him up! Give him Tylenol/Motrin!"   After consulting with my mom we decided to leave him be until HE wakes up.  Well 11 o'clock rolls around and I'd had enough - yes he was breathing but there is NO WAY in heck he can get better without drinking anything since God only knows when since he was refusing liquids and eating.  I was so blown away that he slept till 11 (only because I woke him) that I knew something just wasn't right.  So at that moment I called the Nurses' Line at our Pediatrician's office.  Knowing it was a Monday morning I knew they would be busy - as they always are on Mondays!  I told the nurse Austin's signs and symptoms of illness:

-coughing

-runny nose (clear with occasional green thick discharge)

-Fever - only to go around 99 with meds

-refusing any & all liquids

-not eating (had only 1 bite of a nutrigran bar when he woke)

-random bouts of vomit (liquid/mucous only)

-lethargy* 

-no urine output since Sunday at 1pm*

The two with * had me, Nurse Bradshaw, especially worried!!  Thoses two combos + fever is NOT a good sign at all!!! So we had an appointment to visit Austin's pedi at 4:15.  When I woke Austin up at 11 he still had a fever, no urine output and was just very tired/clingy.  So we chilled while watching Thomas DVD's that a friend of ours made for him.  At around 1pm - his 'normal' nap time - he showed signs of wanting to sleep again even though he was only up for 2 hours but I went ahead and put him down where I finally had to wake him up at 3:45 for the pedi visit.  Of course, he refused liquids and still NO urine output before we left (no pee for 27 hrs!!!!)   Trust me I know all the tricks to get a toddler/infant to drink but Austin was throwing me for a curveball!!  We all tried:

-Pedialyte
-G2
-Sippy cups
-"big boy" cups (open at top)
-Straws (loves them)
-Milk
-Water
-Danibals fruit smoothies
-Juice
-Popsicles
-sucking on washrag
-ice cream
-taking small sips frequently (ie: 1 tsp every 30 min or so)

All were a NO GO for the Austin boy.

At the pedi after a weight checkup (24 lbs 8 oz) and realizing he did indeed lose weight - DUH! - we found out that Austin had a "Massive Ear Infection" and a "Super bad virus" that was going around.  His lungs were clear - great, although I ausculated his lungs prior to the appointment - and so was his throat so no strep.  The pedi said that after 2 doses of the antibiotic Austin should start to feel better and have less pressure in his ear/jaw thus have the desire to drink.  If he didn't drink and thus urinate within 6 hours I was to take him to the hospital to get him rehydrated via IV!  While we were there at the pedi, Austin also started having the 'red brick staining' in his diaper which signals severe dehydration and concentrated urine crystals. . . = not a good sign!  After going to the pharmacy we returned home for some more TLC while we eagerly awaited the meds to kick in and for him to pee!!

Tuesday morning I was SO SO EXCITED!  There was a small amount (very small LOL) of urine in his diaper and he asked for wa-wa even though I put some in his crib that night.  He drank SO much I was in near tears.  I was so happy!  The whole day we chilled, watched movie after movie after movie and didn't get out of our PJ's.  It was great he is s.l.o.w.l.y. on the mend.  By Tuesday evening he actually was 'well enough' to eat a whole baked potatoe!

My sick lil Love Bug vegging on the loveseat with his lovies on Tuesday.  

Wednesday was the same as Tuesday although his runny nose, lethargy, and fever were gone.  :-)  He also was drinking SO MUCH more and he ate SO MUCH that day!!  I guess he was making up for lost time LOL  

Although his cough still lingered on Thursday we went ahead and took him to Preschool since he was on antibiotics for 2 1/2 days thus any bacterial illness was protected.  However after taking him to school we found out that Austin wasn't the only one hit with the "Super bad virus".  There were quite a few affected :(  

I know you're probably reading this going why was this post SO stinkin' long.  Well my baby boy was sick and I was worried that we'd have to be admitted to the hospital - truly - due to dehydration status.  Thank God for antibiotics and thank goodness for the desire to drink.  We were no longer Dry like the Sahara!!