RSV Misery

It has been a rough few days. Q, as I mentioned, was very fussy on Sunday. On Monday, he had a fever and was really coughing, so we took him to the doctor. The doctor said it was probably RSV, but usually the virus didn't get very severe. Still, Q had to stay home from daycare. I was holding him later that afternoon waiting for T to come home so I could go into work. I noticed Q was breathing very rapidly. I consulted my trusty Dr. Spock's book and it said babies should breathe 40 times a minute, but Q was clipping along at 95! It was frightening. He was limp and hot and his eyes were even rolling back a bit. T took him back to the doctor, and he ended up spending the night in the hospital. Seeing him get hooked up to an IV was absolutely miserable. He screamed and bawled in such sheer pain. I also couldn't nurse him for hours until his breathing slowed. That was quite horrible also to listen to him cry but be unable to help. T and I spent a nearly sleepless night squashed onto a single cot awakening every time Q's monitors went off.

The next morning I had to quickly find a replacement for my emcee gig, which didn't seem to go over well. You'd think people would be a bit more understanding when your baby is in the hospital. Q was doing better so we took him home. Later in the evening, his fever returned and his breathing sped up again. T took him to the ER, and he was admitted once again. Our room is better this time with two beds for us and some room to actually walk around. We didn't sleep much again because Q was crying quite a bit. He is on oxygen now because his oxygen saturation levels were dipping. I had to wake up early to go to teach yoga. I was feeling less than zen though, let me tell you.

T ran into work briefly to finish a story. Now he is back to the hospital, while I stop at home quickly to down some coffee and shower before heading into work.

My conclusions are: my back hurts, thank god for coffee in large quantities, I do not like hospitals, and RSV is evil.

--MM