Prayers for James (and the family too)

Well, we have been sick here in the Grumbles Family for two months straight. It has been very tiring to say the least. January, James was admitted to the hospital for Pneumonia, and RSV. He had the x-ray to show he had Pneumonia and the RSV test came back negative, but they told us it was a false negative. So, we went with that theory. So, anyway I kept James inside in a bubble practically for a month and half after he was released from the Hospital, banded any babysitting for anyone, didn't go to church, basically dropped out of the outside world for a while. We slowly started easing back into the real world, went to Stake N Shake, had to take him up to Reaganne's Valentine's Party, and to the Gym once or twice. Well, then our family got hit with the stomach bug, all five down and out for a week and half, then pink eye, then sinus, coughing, and scratchy throats. So, everyone in this house has gotten there fair share of crap. As a mother this has really worn me down, a little slight depression has set in and the fatigue has really set in. Not to mention that I have not been back to my doctor to see how I am doing after my surgery last May. He is so sweet and cares so much, he called me to remind me that I need to come back for the blood test and other test to make sure I am clear. I am trying to keep up and presume my duties as a mother and care taker, and employee. I have a great job that not only allows me to work from home on my schedule but understands when I need extensions on my deadlines. I have an amazing husband that cleans this house top to bottom and does all the laundry every weekend, when I can't do any of it through the week. I have sweet, loving kids that love me no matter what I look like, yell or cry in a day. I am very blessed with all that I have. BUT, I have to say the past two months have been really wearing on me and I feel that I am at the bottom of this ditch and cannot see the light. I use to be able to hold the smile when I needed to, but I have lost that and my spirit. I need to go to church, I need healthy kids, I need to be not tired all the time, and I need time to myself. Okay my rant is over on that...back to James!
So, exactly two months to the day, James gets the clear runny nose on Thursday, the green snotty nose on Friday and the can't breathe retraction on Saturday. Off to Children's Medical Center I go with him, last night and he is really sick when we get there. His fever spiked to 104.5 in one hour of being there. His eyes swollen shut from conjunctivitis, his labored breathing worsens and he is throwing up, the x-ray is taken and the RSV test, then they suction him (which is the worst thing to watch) Then they leave us alone for awhile so he can break his fever, with Tylenol and cold wet rags all over his body. He finally falls asleep, and we sit waiting for our answers of the test. The ER doctor comes in and says okay, he has double ear infections-really bad ones, you might need to get tubes in right away, double pink eye. X-ray shows junk in the chest, but it is not pneumonia. RSV test negative. So, I take the answers and still wonder if all that is right, because he is just soooooo sick...a lot worse than last time. James is the happiest baby in the world and even last time when he was in the hospital he still could smile when it was just me around...he was screaming in pain, lethargic, passing in and out, I was not convinced that the results were right. But, they sent us on our way after a night in the ER and we came home. Well, then the real fun began. He threw up on me three times before going to bed at 4:00AM, and Randy and I could not tell if it was b/c I was trying to give him medicine or the nebulizer or breathing was worsening. No matter what he looked like hell and was sick. I figured, I would let the poor thing rest and sleep, then I would call the pediatrician in the morning to follow up. So, he goes to sleep at 4:00AM and then I finish my reports that were due at 8:30 AM that morning. So, I slept about two hours before waking up and checking on him. He was moaning in his crib, and usually when I come in in the morning he hands me his bottle and says Mama with his arms out wide! But, he flopped around like a fish out of water from side to side, moaning and having that fast rapid breathing. He did not want to come out of the crib, so I left him there while I made calls and got the kids ready to go after the Dr. called back. Finally, I go to get him to change his diaper and get a feel for how he really is. As soon as I walked him out of his room and sat down with him, he was coughing and trying so hard to catch his breath he threw up all over me again. So, at this point the nurse calls back and tells me that she is double booking me for the fist doctor at the practice. I just told her which Dr. I did not want to see, and we got in to see Dr. Michaels. She is great and has always made good calls for James. My reg. Dr. was out on vacation. So, we head up to the Doctors, and James is moaning and crying the whole way, he did not stop until he passed out on the way home from the Dr. He is in so much pain, with no relief. I told the Dr. that I wanted a rocephin shot for him for the ears, because the oral will not work. She said no problem. She listened to him and was in shock that the ER doctor did not diagnose him with Pneumonia. She said that with the papers she was faxed from the ER at Children's that she saw that the ER Dr. diagnosed him from the x-ray scans NOT the Respiratory Therapist. What the hell? So, she called the hospital and talked to the Respiratory Therapist department and put in a complaint on the ER doctor for not having the scans looked at by the right people. Just listening to him, she said there was horrible crackling and wheezing. She gave us a different antibiotic to try for the pneumonia as well as the steroid that SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO HIM LAST NIGHT FOR SOME RELIEF! So, what makes me so mad is that we take our kids to get cared for and pay a butt load of money and think that the people caring for them know what the hell they are talking about. Makes me want to be a nurse even more now. Remembering back to the Tech that was helping me all night, cause you know in the ER you only see the doctor twice if lucky. The tech said he sounded so bad and that she was surprised herself that it wasn't something more serious. She said she felt it was a false negative RSV test, since we had that once before. But what it seems is that he has pneumonia for two months practically. So, the next 24 hours are critical to get hold of it and get the steroid working. I feel that since we have to orally give him the steroid he is not going to take it. This is not a time when I can hold him down and shove it down, he is sooo weak and throws up anyway. The pediatrician has scheduled us to comeback Wed. morning, but if the fever does not go down or away, or he is just as cranky tomorrow when he wakes up we go back tomorrow instead of Wed. At Least Dr. Michaels is keeping a close eye on him and we are in good communication with each other about things. I feel he is in good hands now, and glad to be in the comfort of home verses the hospital right now. We just need to get the steroid in him to work on the lungs.

So, sorry for my long winded story for those who read all the way through, but if you know me I feel better after writing out my thoughts. Thanks for listening and remember to keep James in your prayers. We need them! ;)