As most of you have probably heard, we had quite the Mother's Day scare last week.
Poor little Elizabeth had a terrible asthma flare-up, which resulted in a trip to urgent care, and then an ambulance run to our local Children's Hospital. Which then resulted in an overnight stay in the pediatric intensive care unit.... An experience I hope we never have to repeat!
The doctors think that the rapid changes in weather here contributed to her flare-up and then the sudden deterioration. I'm honestly not sure what caused it.
During our ER experience, Elizabeth was treated with a combination of helium and oxygen, "Heliox," something she's never had to have before. That seemed to get her oxygen levels up to a somewhat decent level, but she was still having to work too hard to breathe, and the doctors wanted to observe her overnight. She was still very weak when they wheeled her back into the PICU (where for some very odd reason, they would not allow us to enter until she was officially "admitted." Elizabeth was very brave and did not cry, although the same cannot be said for mommy! Although it took just a few minutes, it was awful to have them wheel her away alone.)
I don't think my nerves have completely recovered. We really really hope and pray that her illness will resolve as she gets older.
Seeing your child struggle for breath, and grow weak and listless is just something I never imagined. It's something that I just hate for her to have to go through, and wish that I could take it on for her.
Elizabeth was such a trooper through the entire ordeal, and even seemed to enjoy the "truck ride" to the ER. Poor little diva!
By Monday morning, she was her spirited self, waking up demanding "macaroni and cheese for breakfast, please!" And as I trudged down the PICU hallway to exchange her DVD, I could hear hear singing and yodeling.
By later that afternoon, she was allowed to walk around and explore the hospital somewhat, even meeting our new Governor, Nathan Deal and his wife, who were there for a press conference.
By the time we were discharged on Tuesday, Elizabeth was completely smitten with the hospital video system, koi pond, putting green and free video games, and did NOT want to come home. I suppose it felt a bit like a hotel stay for her.
Thanks for your prayers and support during our scary week! In the meantime, I am praying for a very boring, uneventful Mother's Day weekend next year!!
