E.T.

What a weekend!

On Saturday we had a family get together. My nephew Emerson was fussy the whole time. My sister took him to the doctor's office. They determined it was his 6 years molars coming in that was bothering him. I held him. It seemed like the only time he'd stop fussing is when I blew raspberries on his cheeks - in the spots where his molars are coming in.

In the night Emerson got worse. He was super fussy, was having trouble breathing, was cold, and when my sister Terra checked his heart rate it was all out of wack. They called my parents over to take care of her other kids, and rushed Emerson to the ER.

They ran some tests, did some x-rays, and came up with no answers.

I took in my other nephews on Sunday. It was a packed day for sure! The youngest Edison is only 2. We had potty training going on. He repeated everything the boys said. Edison wouldn't go anywhere without his brother Elijah by his side. Elijah had to go to the bathroom with him. Edison said, "You pee too!" Edison had no accidents.

We built a giant train track for Edison.

Here they all are:

My oldest nephew Evan was pooped! He had a Boy Scout sleepover. 

We went to the hospital. I didn't know if I should take up my two. As if I want them to get whatever nasty germs there are in the hospital. It was kind of hard not to. We had a potty seat in our car. Evan hadn't seen his parents all weekend because of the Boy Scout sleepover. Edison was asking for Mommy and Daddy all day. We washed our hands at every elevator stop. 

The lady at the front desk couldn't believe how many boys there were. We had to spell out all their names because they are unusual names for the most part. I think at first she was thinking, "Oh no! Look at all these kids!" She quickly realized that they are good kids. 

Emerson was still fussy. My sister was dead tired. Isaak asked why his finger was glowing. I said, "He's E.T. phoning home." My brother-in-law laughed and said, "Actually he's E.C. Emerson Charles." I explained the real reason why Emerson's finger was glowing to Isaak.  

The hospital still doesn't know what's wrong with Emerson. He did vomit in the middle of the night, and seemed much better after that. He slept pretty good, and went to the bathroom on the toilet. He's a little more smily.

My sister with Emerson

It takes 24 hours to get blood samples tested, so maybe something will turn up. With kids like him that have Trisomy 18 they kind of have their own unique systems. They get Pneumonia really easily. Emerson does have a hernia that she thought may be the culprit of the problem, but the X-rays showed no real threats. He does throw doctors for a loop at times. 

Evan their oldest son went home, and threw up. I'm hoping it was just because he didn't sleep and eat well because of his Boy Scout event. I used to get stomach issues after a weekend where I had an overnight. It seems like every Thanksgiving and Christmas one family has the stomach flu. I hope we're not next. 

Full of It!

Last week when Travis went to pick up the boys he saw Isaak in pain. He was hunched over, and just complaining saying, "My bladder hurts!" Isaak said he just started hurting about the time school was about out. Travis rushed him home, had Isaak sit on the pot to go to the bathroom. 

Our Conversation on the Phone:

Me: "Does it burn when he pees?"

Travis: "No." 

Me: "Then it's more than likely not a bladder infection. I hope it's not his appendix! Ask him where it hurts?"

Travis: "In the middle below his belly button."

Me: "I'd think it wouldn't be his appendix then. That's off to the side, but kids act different than you'd think they would. When my sister had her appendix out when she was little she hunched over like that to. You said he pooped right?"

Travis: "Yep."

I drove home. 

I repeated all the same questions to Isaak. I made him some tea. I told Travis to set up a bed for him on the couch, plug in the heating pad, and to call the nurse. Thankfully the boys' doctor's office has a nurse on call all the time. I was trying to get the rest of us some dinner, and coddle Isaak at the same time.

She told us to go to the ER. I had my doubts thinking, We're waisting our money! Then I thought, This is our kid! It's best to be on the safe side. Travis gets annoyed with me because I'm not quick to rush to the emergency room. 

Sure enough the doctor didn't think it was his appendix. He wanted him to get a scan just in case. I was thinking, Are you sure this is 
necessary? Isaak was happily bouncing over to get his scan. I was thinking, I'm paying for this. He's fine! If I don't have him get the scan it seems like I'm that Mother that doesn't give a crap!

The boy was full of crap! We've hardly had constipation problems in our family. If anything the opposite. 

He was watching Alvin and the Chipmunks.

The boys eat really well actually! BUT last weekend I told the boys they could eat my broken cookies. If you remember I dropped a tin. They were eating way more than they should. Like shoveling the pieces in their mouths. I cut them off, but I think they snuck more behind my back. I know the cookies were the culprit. They just are not used to eating that much sugar and flour.

We had a choice: An enema, MiraLax (a stool softener), and/or fiber bars. I decided that MiraLax would be the best choice. I wasn't sure how Isaak would go for an enema. Then I told the doctor I'd put Benefiber in our smoothies in the mornings.

The doctor was talking to us like it happens to all boys much of the time. Being full of it has never happened to us. 

Isaak was so worried he'd miss school the next day. He has perfect attendance so far. 

He went to the bathroom 4 times before school. (Thank Goodness) Every time he went I said, "That was the most expensive poop EVER!" I'm scared to get the bill on that ER stay!

Travis walked him into school to talk to his teacher about letting him go potty whenever he needed that day.

I found out Travis was giving the boys my cookies for after school snacks. I said, "Nope! Only at Christmas time, and New Years! Let them eat fruit, nuts, seeds, or veggies for a snack!"

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!

Tonight We Went to the Emergancy Room

This afternoon Grandpa helped Isaak up off the couch and pop went Isaak's arm. He cried for 20 minutes. My parents had a hard time understanding what happened to his arm.

When I picked him up and they told me what happened; I thought I knew what it was. I read about Nursemade Elbow before. Plus one of my friend's sons had it twice before. I just couldn't remember the name of it for some reason. My friend's son got it from someone helping him up just like Isaak. Then he got it from just taking his coat off. Crazy, right?

Off to pick up dinner and go to the ER. I knew Mica would never hold out for dinner! I should mention that Mica's in an All About Me stage. Mica was excited to get a Roast Beef Sandwich at Arby's. He was even more excited to go to the ER to see their big screen TV and they have toy things that hang from the ceiling. Never mind that his brother was in pain. I had to get after him.

Here's Isaak when he got his vitals done:

We had to go back in the waiting room for a bit.

When we went into a room the doctor knew right away what happened. She asked us other questions just to be sure. What I didn't know is that he had a slight temp when they took his temperature. Well it dawned on me that he had his hat on. His robot head just overheated him. Sure enough she took his temp again and he didn't have one.

Isaak had Nursemade Elbow and popped Isaak's arm back. She said that kids do not like using their arm after they pop it back because they are scared it will still hurt.

What they did to get him to use his arm, was give a Popsicle. The rule was is that she'd give it to him as long as he'd eat it with his previously hurt arm to eat it. He was back to himself.

Grandpa felt guilty. There's no need to feel that way. The lady that checked him out has 4 kids. She said one of her kids had that happen 4 times. Then there's my friend's son that had it happen just from taking his coat off. Heck we box in our living room. If Isaak were to get hurt, you'd think it would be from something like that!

I'm glad he doesn't need a cast or sling!

With Nursemade Elbow they grow out of it after 5 years. Well Isaak will be 5 in May. I hope he doesn't have it happen again.

Eye Update

If you read about Isaak's sluggish eye and my concerns, he woke up and his eye was back to normal!

This is what it did look like.

That was super strange! I have no clue what happened to his eye. I've seen eyes get swollen because of an allergy or bug bite. I've never seen an eye get sluggish like that.

Last night I looked online a little. There was one site that talked about Trichiasis, it's where an eyelash grows abnormally and scratches the cornea. I thought it could possibly. That usually happens in elderly people, but can happen in younger folks. Isaak has super long, beautiful lashes that I'm jealous of.

Now that everything is ok, I guess I should stop thinking about it. I'm one of those people that want to understand the human body, and why it does what it does.

Another Note: Cousin Elijah almost had to go to the ER last night as well. He woke up wheezing, coughing, crying like crazy! I sure hope he doesn't have asthma! I had it when I was little. It comes back with cold/exercise. I also had a few attacks when I lived in Savannah, GA. The pollen was so bad there that you could see yellow powder all over the cars! Cats can put me in a fight to breathe as well. Fighting to breath is scary! Fingers crossed that Elijah just had a bad dream and he had allergy issues from playing outside! That family doesn't need another thing to worry about!