Growing Up - Staying Little

Looking at this picture I miss that cute little boy. Isaak was always my helper. He's now resists helping, as most kids his age do. He was always happy with little things in life. Finding a penny, a rock, or a washer on the sidewalk. Finding little things on the ground made his whole week. He's still like that. I love his big eyes, and when he was little I liked running my fingers though his baby fine hair. He now wants short hair. 

This week part of me wishes my little man would grow up, and part of me wishes he'd stay little.

A few days ago I got a call from the boy's school, "Mrs. Apel Isaak did something on the playground to his arm. He's just sitting here with ice on it. He says it has happened before."

I said, "I'll come get him."

Off I went knowing that it was probably what he experienced before - Nursemaid's Elbow.

I got to his school, and sure enough Nursemaid's Elbow is what he had. You can tell it's not a broken arm because the child didn't fall, or bump into anything. The arm just gets pulled, and then you hear a pop noise. The first time it happened Grandpa was helping Isaak up off the couch. This time he was playing on the monkey bars (I think). They also hold their arm in a cradle type position, not wanting to move it. It's very common, but I've found that a lot of people do not know what it is.
 
It's good to know how to fix it. When kids get Nursemaid's Elbow it is bound to happen again. It is something that can be fixed at home. What is it? The elbow bone (radius) is connected to the elbow joint (humerus) by elastic bands called ligaments. These ligaments grow stronger and tighter as a child grows older. In little kids and babies, the ligaments are still loose. This makes it easy for the elbow to slip out of place. Waving a kid around in circles (like I've seen people do) is asking for a kid to get Nursemaid's Elbow. Kid's usually grow out of it by the age of 5. This is Isaak's 2nd or 3rd time getting Nursemaid's Elbow. One time we thought he had it, he popped it back in himself we're thinking.

This time we were ready to pop it into place. A nurse showed us how on YouTube.

We were ready to pop his arm back into place, so little man didn't hurt anymore. The trouble was that he was screaming. Freaking out screaming.

Travis said, "Let's just call your sister Terra." She's fixed our nephew Elijah's Nursemaid's Elbow 3 times. Travis took Isaak to Terra's house, and she fixed the screaming boy up.

I'm so ready for him to grow out of getting Nursemaid's Elbow!

A week and a half ago Isaak got Croup. While kids can get Croup, it's usually a baby/toddler thing to get. 

This to I'm ready for Isaak to grow out of.

This morning I went to gather laundry. I picked up Isaak's underwear, and noticed that they were sopping wet. When I asked Isaak about it he acted as though he knew nothing about his wet underwear. 

I said, "Isaak it's important for me to know if you wet the bed, or not. I need to know because it's not healthy to sleep in a bed that has pee on it." Sure I could have felt it, but I wanted it to come from him. He admitted to wetting the bed. He'll go for months not wetting the bed, then bam wetting it often. A few times Dad got after him. I told Travis when he was getting after Isaak that he's not helping. Now Isaak's afraid to tell me. He fears he'll get in trouble. I think some kids just sleep so sound, that, that signal that tells you to go to the bathroom is sleeping to.

This to I'm ready for Isaak to grow out of. No one likes washing bedding. Isaak doesn't like wetting the bed.

Although I miss my babies. You've heard the saying, I'd like to put a brick on their heads. To keep them little forever. There's some things I'd like for them to grow out of for sure!

Was it an Asthma Attack? Nope it Was Croup!

I thought Isaak had allergy issues all of last week: Stuffy nose, sore throat, warm, but no fever. His throat looked fine. He was extra emotional, but I've always said that Isaak's the girl I never had (emotional wise). I don't say that to his face.

Then on Saturday I heard a loud bang at 2 in the morning. Travis and I both rushed into his room. He was crying hysterically. I thought he fell out of bed. I don't know what happened exactly. I just know he was screaming saying, "I can't breathe! I don't want to die. Please don't let me die!" He was wheezing. 

I thought he was having an asthma attack. I've had them. Sometimes if allergies get really bad, an asthma attack can occur. 

I was trying to stay calm. I grabbed Isaak, told Travis to get the Vics Baby rub to rub on his chest, and a drink of water. I know Vics does nothing. I was just trying to calm him down. Then I told Travis to get my phone, so I could call the oncall nurse. Travis at this point was about to come unglued on me. He said, "I know I'm quitting my job, but we NEED to get him to the emergency room NOW! It's not time to be cheap Alissa!"

I said, "I know Travis, but we need to ask the nurse, and we need to calm Isaak down. Calming him down will help him to breathe."

The nurse asked me some questions and said, "Take him to the ER."

So we threw some clothes and slippers on Isaak, to go to the ER.

Travis nearly went threw red lights, and sped the whole way there. Isaak by that time calmed down.

The doctors, nurses and receptionist were great. They really knew what they were doing. I didn't have to deal with insurance - Dad did that. Isaak and I went to get him treated. They said, "Hear that cough? It's a seal's cough. He has Croup."

I said, "He was freaking out because he couldn't breathe." They said, "Yep they all do."

They handed Isaak an ipad with Fruit Ninja on it.

Then they gave him a Steriod drug to open him up.

Besides his seal cough, here's the difference between an Asthma Attack and Croup: Asthma is tightening in the chest and Croup is tightening in the throat. They both need a Steriod treatment if they get bad.

I know what Croup is. Mica had it as an older baby. I just thought only babies and toddlers got it. It's a parainfluenza virus. It's most common in babies and toddlers, but any child can get it. 

Since then I got this sickness. Adults can get it to. They just don't get the breathing problems that go with it. Now Mica has it. He's just sneezing, and coughing. 

What to do with Croup:

• We did do the right thing to go to the emergency room. Steriods will help open the airway. They even said we could come back if needed.

• Steam helps. We've had some baths and our Crane frog humidifier with peppermint oil has been getting a workout.

• Drink a lot of water. My kids swear I'm trying to drown them. You know they aren't getting enough water if their lips are dry, or their pee is yellow.

• I had to point this next one out to Dad: Keep them calm! If a child, or an adult gets panicked during an Asthma or Croup attack that can close up their airway even more. 

Croup gets worse at night. 

Isaak feel Croupy!

 Yes I know Mr. Sicky needs a hair cut.

I'm not looking forward to the bill we'll get, but we did what we had to do. The hospital was wonderful!