Allen's turn in the ER

He's OK.

But it was a fun night last night! I got home from work, got out of the tub and heard Allen gasping and crying in his bedroom. When I went to get him, he was red-faced and rasping with every breath.

Now, I knew he had been hoarse earlier in the day, and I knew he was whipping himself into a tizzy because he was coughing and had no voice... But he really couldn't get a breath. And he really wouldn't calm down!

So, I told Steve that we were heading to St. Luke's ER. I figured Allen really needed someone to look at him, and maybe they had medicine that would help. So, at midnight, off we went. Deja vu...

He was still pretty upset in the car, but his breathing calmed somewhat. We listened to Classic 99 (which is actually very peaceful in the middle of the night!) and Mommy rocketed up 141. I dared those Manchester cops to pull me over!

We got there, and of course, Allen is starting to realize what's going on, and he gets a little upset again, but I told him that we were there to see if someone could help him breathe better, and he really calmed down after that. So much so that when we got in to Triage, and we saw Larry (!) the RN, Allen was quiet and breathing normally. Great! Now I look like Psycho Mom.

Allen was still in the computer, from being born, so the check-in went smoothly. Larry took his temperature (just a little high) and measured his pulse and blood oxygenation (a perfect score of 100, Psycho Mom!) using a little lead on Allen's big toe. Cool! So now, I'm a lot calmer, and of course a little sheepish because the kid seems totally fine. Still voiceless, though. Staffers would ask him about that limp, gray thing he was holding... He whispered: "Shark."

So, in we go, to Room 20 (sorry, buddy, no 5), and who should stroll in but... Dr. Alison Bedell! The wonderful pediatrician who saw Emilyn in the same ER when she had appendicitis. Now I know everything's going to be OK... She looks Allen over, listens to his lungs, checks his throat and ears and pronounces that he as croup. He's doing better, she says, probably because of the trip into the cold night air. A virus is attacking his vocal cords, which, in little ones, can cause a scary and dangerous narrowing of the airway. The scary episodes always come at night, she says, and kiddos make it worse by getting upset.

She does have medicine that will help, hooray! A steroid that Allen can take by mouth (chased by apple juice to kill the taste). He was so good, and of course, quiet, through all of this, and he drank his medicine right down. For good measure, he got some Tylenol to help with the throat pain. An hour and a $75 co-pay later, and we're on our way, with instructions to try steam or more cold night air should this happen again.

Whew! I guess I knew about croup, in theory, but these kids have never had it. And who knew it could seem so scary! At least we got good medicine that we couldn't have run out and picked up at Walgreens.

Needless to say, it was another night of no sleep for Mommy, so I'm barely functioning (and still trying to get over this same virus myself!). So, we'll take it easy today. More props for St. Luke's! Thanks so much for the great care.