First ER visit for Luke

Luke had a cold last week that quickly developed into bronchitis.  He gets very wheezy when he gets a chest cold but he gave me a scare when his breathing became very labored...he was taking short hard breaths and you could see his stomach working very hard.  We were out at Hailey's rock climbing class and he just wasn't himself...he wanted me to hold him, yet he couldn't get comfortable.  Leevi was in the States on a business trip and I said to myself that I wasn't taking any chances.  We were seen very quickly at the ER and they started him on a nebulizer breathing treatment right away and took a nose culture for RSV and then we waited and waited!  I can't tell you exactly how we passed the 3 hours sitting in a hospital bed but the kids were amazing!!!!!  Luke fell asleep for a bit and the dr was able to get a good listen to his lungs without him squirming around and he felt like he needed one more breathing treatment and also started him on a 3 day oral steroid.   

 

I've read mixed reports about if it's helpful or not that he cried throughout the treatments.  Some say that it's fine because it opens his lungs more, but some say that so much time is spent exhaling with a cry that the medicine is wasted.  Regardless, he apparently got enough to perk him up a bit and regulate his breathing to where I was comfortable taking him home!   He did much better on the 2nd breathing treatment and didn't fight me as much after a few minutes.  

The nurse asked if the girls could have popsicles while they waited and thankfully she came back with a half of one for Luke or there definitely would have been a problem!  ;) 

We had to wait briefly at the ER pharmacy and the kids had the play area to themselves since it was 10:15PM!!!  And note Hailey's crimped hair...courtesy of her sleepover with Ava.

His inhaler to use as needed at home....the first few times weren't too successful, but I've figured out how to hold him (on my lap vs. laying him on his back) and the girls and I put the mask on our faces also.  We'll have to wait and see how serious this becomes as he becomes more and more active or when another cold strikes.

He is back to his normal smiley self now (he was also cutting two molars during the week he was sick!!!!!  Don't know how we all survived!!!) so I'll end with a happy picture of the brother bear!  :)