Kendra's Home and Doing Well!

I don't like seeing my baby like this! Sick, sick, sick little girl. She had a cough and fever, then vomiting, continual fever, etc. until Saturday. She woke up from her nap and was bright red, gasping for air, and breathing really fast trying to get in any oxygen she could. We were in Chico visiting my parents for the weekend, giving Trent time to study alone with no children. We rushed over to the prompt care clinic and they hooked her up to machines and gave her oxygen and determined she needed a higher level of care than they could provide. So, they called in an ambulance and off we went to the Chico ER. This was my first ambulance ride! I held her on my lap and held the oxygen mask over her face while we drove.

They ran a battery of tests on her. Steroid shots, antibiotic shots, chest x ray, blood draw, catheter, nasal swab for RSV, etc. The test came back positive for RSV and then we waited to hear if we'd be admitted or flown via helicopter to Sacramento for higher level peds. care. Fortunately, they said they could take care of us there and we were quickly admitted and taken to our room. This pic is of poor Kendra finally relaxing after all those terrible tests that she cried through the whole time. I felt so helpless just watching her and holding down her tiny body while they pricked her and tried to figure out why she couldn't get a full breath of air.

She got the electrodes placed on her body and we watched her heart rate, pulse oxygen rate, and breath rate for 4 days straight.

Kendra got a nasal canula to keep a steady flow of oxygen going in to her. Every time they turned her O2 down or off, her levels would drop dangerously low meaning she couldn't breathe on her own. I hated seeing her like this. She's usually so happy and smiley and content.

Here she is getting one of many breathing treatments with a nebulizer. The nurses had to wear an extra layer every time they came in the room and scrub down afterward since we were in an isolation room. Little angel sleeping

We slept in the bed together at night and with all the breathing treatments, monitors beeping, nurses checking stats, and an uncomfortable baby, we didn't get much sleep.

The girls came to visit a few times and give her some lovin.
Papa came after work to visit and so I could go for a walk to stretch my legs.
Magaw watched the big girls and then came to the hospital to play with Kendra and bring me yummy food!
Changing diapers was tricky with all the cords and monitors. And thanks to Leann, a Chico friend, who came to visit with the heart blanket and pillow and magazines for me. Thanks to the Chico Bishop too for coming to visit, I appreciate all the phone calls, texts, emails, and love and prayers! Finally feeling better! RSV is REALLY common in infants and symptoms present themselves like a common cold at first and get worse and worse. As was our case. Long, thick strands of mucous line the throat and nasal passages into the lungs. As the coating gets thicker, breathing gets more difficult. We were forunate to catch it before it turned to pneumonia. Babies with RSV who also get pneumonia have a high mortality rate. Only 2-3% of those infected with RSV get it badly enough to be admitted to a hospital and Kendra's case was pretty severe. We feel quite blessed and fortunate that she's doing so well now. We have a nebulizer and give her breathing treatments every 3-4 hrs. around the clock. We'll do this for the next month or so and then re-evaluate her condition at that time.

In Mikayla's prayer the other night she said "thank you for making baby Kendra better. And thank you for helping the Dr.'s make her better too since they needed your help to do their job Heavenly Father. We know that you and Jesus love us and love baby Kendra and answer our prayers." It was so sweet, I wanted to cry. Yes, we are all very thankful.