Its been over a week since we came home from the hospital after Livvy landed a spot in one of the rooms at Primary Children's. Our all-inclusive stay lasted for four days, and it was four days too long!
After taking Livvy to InstaCare one night, they told me that I needed to take her up to Primary Children's Hospital because her oxygen intake level was way too low and getting lower as time went on. They could also see a lot of liquid behind her lungs which is a huge warning sign and suggests that it could be RSV or even pneumonia. Being kind of naive about RSV, (the only thing that I knew was that it could be deadly) I started to stress immediately. I left the InstaCare at about 10:30 p.m., and headed up to the hospital. I was so stressed about the situation, I passed my exit and found myself heading towards Kirk's work instead :) It probably ended up better this way; we were able to go to the hospital together and for me, everything is much better when Kirk is with me.
About 2:00 a.m., after monitoring Livvy in the ER for a couple of hours and taking a few X-rays, they ruled out pneumonia and received back a positive test for RSV. The doctor came in to tell us the outcome of the tests, and let us know that we would be moving into a room upstairs in the Infant Care wing of the hospital. What!? AHH!
During our time in the ER they also started suctioning out Livvy's lungs, something that they would continue to do all day, every day, while we were there......this was pure hell for me. I had to leave the room each time (sobbing of course) as Kirk and the nurses tried to hold her screaming body down. The first time it was done, the nurse had to change the size of the tube that they were putting up Livvy's nose and down into her lungs because the liquid was so thick and so abundant. Pure torture for everyone. This is one of those things that really exemplifies the statement "I'm doing this for your own good, and only because I love you." I try to keep reminding Livvy (and myself) of this every time she has to be suctioned out, especially while I have to suction her here at home. It is truly something I would never do if I didn't love her so much!
We were released from the hospital after Livvy was able to do three things: keep her breathing saturation up on her own without oxygen, suctioning with a bulb instead of the vacuum (so I could do it at home), and eating regularly (which was much easier once she could breathe better). They tried several times to take out the oxygen tubes but they kept having to replace them because her oxygen level would drop as soon as she fell asleep (its natural for it to drop when you sleep, but not to the level that Livvy was dropping).
We were finally able to go home after four days...which was fabulous, especially since they suggested at the beginning that we would be there at least a week. I lived at the hospital the whole time because I could not bear to leave, even though it meant showering in the nasty, nasty hospital shower! (I wore my socks in the shower and then threw them away after I was done.....hehehe, Kirk says he does not know how I survived Chile...and my response is "Flip-flops!")
The doctors suggested that we keep Livvy quarantined until May....the nurse laughed after they said it because my chin hit the floor. I thought they were joking at first, but they were serious, serious! So, for now, Livvy isn't leaving the house except for a fast ride around the block and in a month or so, she can start going to places that are not heavily populated. The doctor said to definitely stay away from the grocery store, restaurants and church and if possible, small kids since they are "germ-carriers". Livvy can contract this again, in fact, the doctor said he has seen many children have it twice in one season. No thanks! (and peak has just begun....February and March are the worst months for it). So if I seem to be going a little crazy, I probably am :) but once again, if I didn't love her, I wouldn't do it! Luckily, Kirk is a gem and does his best to relieve me as much as he can.
After taking Livvy to InstaCare one night, they told me that I needed to take her up to Primary Children's Hospital because her oxygen intake level was way too low and getting lower as time went on. They could also see a lot of liquid behind her lungs which is a huge warning sign and suggests that it could be RSV or even pneumonia. Being kind of naive about RSV, (the only thing that I knew was that it could be deadly) I started to stress immediately. I left the InstaCare at about 10:30 p.m., and headed up to the hospital. I was so stressed about the situation, I passed my exit and found myself heading towards Kirk's work instead :) It probably ended up better this way; we were able to go to the hospital together and for me, everything is much better when Kirk is with me.
About 2:00 a.m., after monitoring Livvy in the ER for a couple of hours and taking a few X-rays, they ruled out pneumonia and received back a positive test for RSV. The doctor came in to tell us the outcome of the tests, and let us know that we would be moving into a room upstairs in the Infant Care wing of the hospital. What!? AHH!
During our time in the ER they also started suctioning out Livvy's lungs, something that they would continue to do all day, every day, while we were there......this was pure hell for me. I had to leave the room each time (sobbing of course) as Kirk and the nurses tried to hold her screaming body down. The first time it was done, the nurse had to change the size of the tube that they were putting up Livvy's nose and down into her lungs because the liquid was so thick and so abundant. Pure torture for everyone. This is one of those things that really exemplifies the statement "I'm doing this for your own good, and only because I love you." I try to keep reminding Livvy (and myself) of this every time she has to be suctioned out, especially while I have to suction her here at home. It is truly something I would never do if I didn't love her so much!
We were released from the hospital after Livvy was able to do three things: keep her breathing saturation up on her own without oxygen, suctioning with a bulb instead of the vacuum (so I could do it at home), and eating regularly (which was much easier once she could breathe better). They tried several times to take out the oxygen tubes but they kept having to replace them because her oxygen level would drop as soon as she fell asleep (its natural for it to drop when you sleep, but not to the level that Livvy was dropping).
We were finally able to go home after four days...which was fabulous, especially since they suggested at the beginning that we would be there at least a week. I lived at the hospital the whole time because I could not bear to leave, even though it meant showering in the nasty, nasty hospital shower! (I wore my socks in the shower and then threw them away after I was done.....hehehe, Kirk says he does not know how I survived Chile...and my response is "Flip-flops!")
The doctors suggested that we keep Livvy quarantined until May....the nurse laughed after they said it because my chin hit the floor. I thought they were joking at first, but they were serious, serious! So, for now, Livvy isn't leaving the house except for a fast ride around the block and in a month or so, she can start going to places that are not heavily populated. The doctor said to definitely stay away from the grocery store, restaurants and church and if possible, small kids since they are "germ-carriers". Livvy can contract this again, in fact, the doctor said he has seen many children have it twice in one season. No thanks! (and peak has just begun....February and March are the worst months for it). So if I seem to be going a little crazy, I probably am :) but once again, if I didn't love her, I wouldn't do it! Luckily, Kirk is a gem and does his best to relieve me as much as he can.
This experience will definitely be added to my review of the year as one that we will want to forget! If I had to describe our experience in one word it would be: HEART-WRENCHER!
