Scare

Early this morning about 2:30a.m., I awoke to the sound of my little son coughing. It was more like a barking sound. Drowsy at first, I was trying to figure out what he was doing. Then, concerned that he was vomiting, I ran to his room. He was making a wheezing, barking sound and gasping for air which didn't seem to be able to get in. I could tell he was really struggling to breath. Terrified, I tried to get him to take a drink thinking it was mucus lodged in his throat. He couldn't get enough of a breath to even take a drink. I yelled for my husband to come get him while I searched for the Vicks (the only thing that seems to help Little Mister when he has a cold).

My husband went to him and got him from his bunk bed. We hurried him to the bathroom and I turned the hot water on in the shower. Immediately the steam began to form. He was still struggling. I ran to the phone to call 911. I got through and they were asking me all kinds of questions. I was trying to answer while hurrying back to my son to see how he was doing. She said that help was on the way. Little Mister had now stopped barking and was actually being able to breath better. I told her this and said that maybe they didn't need to come.

She asked if he had asthma. I said no. She asked if he'd ever done this before. I said no. She said, "Then he definitely needs to be seen. We don't have to transport him to the hospital but someone needs to assess his condition." That sounded reasonable to me. The fire truck pulled up quietly with their lights going. Five firemen came into my house. I was shaking and wanted to break down bawling but amazingly held it together.

They talked to little mister and he was acting shy at first. Then the main fireman made him laugh and he seemed more comfortable. They said that it was croup but that his airways were swelling and he needed to get to the hospital for a breathing treatment. We decided that I would take him. The fireman said to get him there within the hour. My heart raced at the sound of his urgency. My biggest fear was that he would start up again in the car on the way there but he didn't. He even asked if we could sing Christmas songs together on the way. It was calming to do something normal.

We got to the emergency room and they were ready for us. The fireman had called ahead to let them know we were on our way. The nurse that checked us in was so kind. Little mister had started laboring with his breathing again but then calmed down when we got seated. They hurridly got us a room with a television. What a blessing! He got to watch cartoons while we waited. He was such a trooper. Never cried through the whole thing. They gave him a breathing treatment. Took x-rays to be sure it wasn't anything but croup. It wasn't. They did see on the x-rays that his airways were swelling. So they gave him steroids to bring the swelling down. I will give him steroids for four more days to make sure he's safe. Finally, after two and a half hours, we were released. We took the morning off and slept in. He is acting himself now. I only have to keep him calm (not a lot of crying) and keep him somewhat still (not a lot of running).

I will have to say that just those few short minutes of wondering whether or not he was going to make it, was enough to scare the wits out of me. I was begging God to save him. I hated feeling so helpless. Tucking him into bed tonight I gave him extra kisses (as well as his sisters) and thanked God for letting me have another day with this little jewel. Moments like these make everything come back into perspective very quickly!