We'd wake each morning and make a fantastical breakfast and ate ham or bacon almost everyday! This too was a highlight to the kids as well as James and I for we don't eat pork unless it's offered at someone else's house. We felt the effects mind you but it was well worth it. We're detoxing this week as a result!
We went to ou wonderful annual Christmas Eve Service at church and then headed back home to Grammie's.
Then about 1am...happy feelings gone. Apparently, Croup came upon a midnight clear. James was sharing a room with Ireson and he came into our room at 1am and told us to "Come quick, Ireson needs you, he can't breathe." I was proud of him for acting quickly and looking out for his baby brother.
Sure enough Ireson was having an acute attack of Croup...except when he gets Croup (1 day out of the whole year!) it's a combo of Tracheaitis and bronchiolitis and he goes into respiratory distress. Big words I know- but trust me...it's bad. Due to having RSV when he was only 1 week old he's more prone to developing asthma and so this was basically an acute asthma attack. The poor boy was crying, freaking out and coughing and getting himself worked into a panic stricken frenzy. Thank the Lord, I got out some Eucalyptus Oil the night before thinking that he sounded slightly congested and I thought he may be getting a cold. I soaked a cotton ball with the oil and rubbed down his shirt and his chest and unfortunately I had to yell at him to calm down so he could breathe. He listened and started to breath a bit easier. I knew that we had to get home stat and get out his Nebulizer Aerosol Machine (that has been collecting dust for a year) and give him and Albuterol and Steriod treatment or head to the ER. His lips were actually starting to turn blue until I got him calmed down and taking deep breaths of Eucalyptus vapor. It's nature's bronchodilator!
Thankfully, I felt we got him stable enough to make it home. James, Ireson and I loaded up in the car and I told Sarah that we would be back sometime tomorrow. We got home in less than 10 minutes with no one else on the road at 1:!5 in the morning so that was a plus. After two, 30 minute steroid-aerosol treatments ( I mixed in a little colloidal silver too:)- my own special concoction and he was able to breath normally with minimal wheezing. He finally fell back asleep on one of us on the floor of the steam filled bathroom. I let James listen to his lungs to hear what wheezing sounded like. I think it made him appreciate the seriousness of the situation even more though it feeds the emotions of fear and stress. It's handy to be a nurse and have a real stethoscope lying around the house as part of the toy itinerary. Come 2:30am we said "Merry Christmas" to each other and we finally went to bed.
James and I now had time to come out of the adrenalin rush and deal with the emotional turmoil from the night. The kids rarely get sick, but when Ireson gets even a simple little cold-it takes me back to when we were in the hospital with RSV and almost lost him. As I lay next to him in bed watching him look all pathetic and weak and listening to him breathe, I tried to regulate my own breathing and tears as I thanked God for the reminder of his grace, watchful hand, and my abilities that he has blessed me with as a Mom and a nurse. The writing was on the wall. I still wouldn't go back and change a thing.
Ireson slept well the rest of the night.
He woke up around 9am and looked at me smiling and said with a frogy grogy voice, "Mom, I all better now. Can we go to Grammie's house now?" It was so sweet. I started him on a breathing treatment regimen for the remainder of the week. He was slightly congested on Christmas but happy and energetic just the same, a new kid. He was done opening his gifts in record timing and then began bestowing his adoration and thanks on the whole family with all smiles and snot.
We relaxed and stayed in our PJ's all day! The kids got a bunch of fun videos (animal, Shirley Temple, Charlotte's Web) tons and tons of legos and Knex, books, games, Teagan-fairy stuff, James got an orienteering kit and a flint necklace, Krinkle blocks, a dodge ball game with target vests!, hand made clothes from Grammie, and a lot of other loot. I even got a nap for Christmas!
That morning we discovered that Teagan had a loose tooth! She was thrilled.
The day after Christmas we went home, had naps, and then Teagan, James and I headed over to Cindy's where we had wonderful time with the entire extended family. We had oodles of fun and ate like kings while Ireson had special Daddy time back at home!
We were simply having a wonderful Christmas time. See ya next year!
