A few weekends ago, my family and I took a little weekend trip to Galveston. My mom and I are both on the board of directors for our local municipal utility districts and there was a state wide conference we were going to attend. We got adjoining rooms at the Hotel Galvez and my dad and Dave came along to watch the kids while we were in meetings and seminars.
We drove to the hotel on Friday and took the kids to lunch at the Rainforest Cafe. At first, Katelyn was impressed. We got a booth right next to a giant aquarium and she loved looking at all the "Nemo" and "Dory" fish. And then the thunderstorms started happening. About every fifteen minutes the restaurant lights would dim and there would be sounds of rumbling thunder and pouring rain. Poor Kate is terrified of thunder so this pretty much made the Rainforest Cafe her worst culinary nightmare.
Sam loved it though. The constant stream of french fries and salsa music was enough to keep this kid dancing through lunch.
That night we spent some time at the pool which was beautiful. It was a little too chilly to swim but the hot tub was just right and the kids loved it. We put the kids to bed and my mom and I had dinner in the hotel restaurant. It was so fancy!
The next morning Sam woke up with a runny nose, cough, and a fever. He seemed to be doing okay after some Tylenol though and I knew he was in good hands with Dave and my dad so my mom and I headed over to Moody Gardens to learn about water. The most interesting class we attended was a lecture on water borne pathogens. It was both fascinating and terrifying at the same time.
When we got back to the hotel, Sam was just waking up from his nap and he was not doing well. It was obvious that he was miserable. We all started talking about whether or not Dave and I should pack up and take the kids home so he could sleep more comfortably in his own crib. I thought a bath might help him a bit so Dave and my dad took Kate down to the pool for a swim while my mom and I stayed behind to bathe Sam. That was when we started to realize that he was more sick than we had initially thought. When he got him undressed we noticed that his little belly was going in and out way more than usual and that he was struggling to breathe.
I called the after hours doctor who told us that we should probably take him to the ER. Dave and I left immediately for Texas Children's just in time for evening traffic. That drive felt like one of the longest of my life. I sat in the backseat singing to Sam and praying to Heavenly Father and watching Sam's little chest going up and down.
When we got to the hospital, they wasted no time getting Sam treated. I was both relieved that we weren't going to have to sit for hours in a crowded waiting room and scared by the seriousness of his condition. Within an hour Sam was hooked up to heart and pulse ox monitors, oxygen, and an IV. Placing the IV was the worst part. It took four adults and an ultrasound to place the IV. I stood by his face trying to comfort him while he screamed and stared into my eyes with a look of utter confusion and terror. I'm not sure whether it was more traumatic for him or me.
The doctor came by soon and told us that he had croup and bronchiolitis and that his prognosis was good but that he would need to be admitted for a few days to make sure he wouldn't have breathing trouble again. Apparently his respiratory distress was caused by a simple cold virus but because babies have smaller airways, the impact of inflammation from a viral illness is a lot worse.
Thankfully, his condition improved almost as quickly as it had deteriorated and within hours he was breathing much, much easier. He was sounding better before we were even admitted. We were really blessed to be so close to such excellent medical care.
We ended up staying at Texas Children's until Tuesday afternoon. We were moved into a nice big room with a hospital bed and a couch that pulled out into another bed. Dave and I took turns holding Sam while he either napped or crawled all over us trying to get down to play. Once he felt better, he was fed up with being stuck in a bed for so long.
During his short stay in the hospital, Sam had so many visitors. My parents both visited a few times, each time with good food and gifts. My grandparents stopped by with dinner, presents, and perhaps best of all, a big bag filled with cans of Diet Coke. It was like Christmas morning each time someone stopped by. Sam is so lucky to have so many people that care about him and I really think it helped him to see familiar faces that he loves.
The only person who couldn't see Sam was Kate because she was too young to be a hospital visitor. However, my mom said she kept asking about him. I was so grateful to live near family so that I knew that Kate was safe and comfortable while I was in the hospital with Sam.
Finally the time came for Sam to be discharged and sent home. Dave and I took him straight to Grandma's house where he was greeted with a hug from his sister, a meal of his favorite foods, and best of all, the freedom to roam free and play without the restriction of hospital wires and cords.
I am so grateful to have Sam home and well. While this was a scary weekend for us, I know that there are so many families with children who are more sick than Sam and who won't be coming home soon. I'm also so thankful that Dave and I have an amazing and supportive family. There were so many friends and family members both near and far praying for Sam and letting us know that they were thinking about us. We are so blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives. This has been an experience that has caused me to stop and count my blessings and be grateful for the wonderful things in my life.
And having these two babies of mine upstairs asleep in their beds healthy and happy might just be one of the best things of all.
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