Sam's RSV Update

Road Trip!!

My husband took our son to his follow up appointment for his RSV diagnosis from November 5th.

Based on the readings that they got (on room air) in the office, Sam is able to come of oxygen during the day but will have to go back on at night.  That is still a great development.



Gunnison, here we come!!

By the way, if anyone is still wondering what to get me for my birthday later this month--  Toy Story 3-- Hint!  Hint!

Charlie's Soap Ultra Dirt Fighting Combo Kit for $35 with free shipping!

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30% Off Fitness Items & Apparel

Please visit one of my other blogs Mission Probable to take advantage of 30% off at See Jane Run.

Starting my Newest Adventure

On Saturday, I attended the Kick-Off meeting for this season's The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training program to complete the Canyonlands Half Marathon on March 19, 2011 on my way to complete my first full marathon Colfax Marathon in May 2011.

I met some of my teammates and was even able to walk away with a free pair of training socks.

Check it out- Kick Off

TMJ- Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

I have heard of people with TMJ, but never thought that it would affect me.

TMJ- Temporomandibular joint disorder- is an umbrella term covering acute or chronic inflammation of the temporomandibular joint, which connects the mandible to the skull. The disorder and resultant dysfunction can result in significant pain and impairment.

My jaw had been bothering me since mid last week, but I just thought that it was something small, so when the pain with away with Tylenol, I wasn't very worried.

The night my son was admitted to the hospital with RSV, I was unable to sleep because, whenever I laid down, my jaw was in tremendous pain.  I kept trying to take Tylenol to make it go away, but even after 4 pills (and hours of not sleeping), the pain wasn't going away, at 2am I decided to go down the hall to the emergency room to find out what the hell was going on.

I was seen pretty quickly by a doctor who diagnosed TMJ and gave me 600 mg of ibuprofen and 6 Vicodin.  After an hour, the ibuprofen still wasn't working, so I decided to take 2 Vicodin.  After a half hour (around 3:30am), the pain subsided and I was able to sleep until 7am, when my son woke up.  The rest of the weekend was much better for me, personally, but I continued to worry about Sam.

I have been taking the ibuprofen every 6 hours since then, but I have discontinued the Vicodin.  I'm thinking that it was the stress that caused it.

Does anyone have TMJ?  How have you deal with it?

Children's Hospital at Parker is Awesome

I was hoping to never have to know the inside of the Children's Hospital at Parker, but alas, it was not to be.  Sam had a fever on Wednesday night so Brian stayed home with him on Thursday.  He wasn't sounding very well on Friday morning, so I took him to his pediatrician's office and, based on his pulse oximeter and RSV (positive) results, we were sent directly to the emergency room.



When the PA mentioned the words "emergency room" my eyes welled up and I was so worried.  The PA told me that this is normal.  Children do not always handle RSV very well, so this is a precaution.  A nurse walked me to the emergency room and helped me get Sam checked in.

Initial Small Room

He was immediately put on oxygen and x-rays were ordered.

We were put into a very small room for emergency patients.  I called Brain and told him what was going on.  He busted ass and got to the hospital within 50 minutes, by way of cab ride (paid for by his office) and his vehicle.



Large room



It took a few hours, but Sam was formally admitted to the hospital and we got a very nice, big room where he had room to move around.  We moved right in.

Friday night and Saturday morning were not the best days for Sam.  His breathing was was not the best, so he had to be put on oxygen. 

The first few nurses wanted to give him Neb treatments, but as before, they didn't do a lot to help unclog Sam.  It was just something that annoyed Sam and was pretty worthless.

Sam's oxygen tube



Suctioning treatment



Staring on Saturday afternoon, he started feeling a lot better.  The suctioning treatments were really starting to work and he was doing a lot better.  We were pealing him off the walls.  He was having a whole lot of fun.

Gunk from Sam's nose

Playful Saturday afternoon

Even though he was looking and acting well, tested him without the oxygen and his stats would drop again.  They wanted to keep him overnight again, so we pulled out the pull-out bed and set up for another night at the hospital.

Considering we were at a hospital, the food was actually pretty good.  The best meal that we had was Saturday night.  Their ham and pineapple pizza was pretty good.  I should have taken a picture of that.

Sunday morning and afternoon, Sam was doing just as well as he had been doing on Saturday.  The nurse was somewhat optimistic that Sam would be able to get out later that day, but didn't want to commit to it.  Sam could only leave the hospital if his oxygen content (on room air) needed to be above 90% or
he could leave if he was on 1/2 L of oxygen per hour and keep his oxygen content up. 

Sunday night, around 6, we received a call in our room from Sam's doctor and, since he was on 1/2 L of oxygen per hour and keep his oxygen content up, we were allowed to take Sam home and set up a visit from a respiratory therapist to check his oxygen over the next few days (awake and asleep).  We packed up and got Sam into bed around 8pm.  Brian promised to stay home on Monday so that we could get the house in order before he went back to work.

Sam did very well today.  He was his playful self.  We were able to use a nasal bulb to get more of the gunk out of his nose, but the quantity was greatly reduced.  We received 4 tanks of oxygen this morning to cover him for the next couple of days. 

We received a call to set up an appointment with the respiratory therapist to check his oxygen between noon and 2pm tomorrow.

We will continue to keep everyone up to date on his progress and when he will be able to go back to daycare.

Thank you so much for all of your worry and good wishes.  They have really helped us get through this trying time.

P.S.  I'll talk about the TMJ that I developed on Friday night another time.  :(

Thursday's Houshold Tip- Mouse Control

Anybody that has suffered a mice infestation will know only too well how much damage and destruction these creatures can cause. Infestations can have a disastrous effect as the invading army of mice eats their way through food supplies, belongings and furniture. Worse still, mice have the ability to carry a number of diseases that can have a detrimental effect on human life. Some simple housekeeping rules and some basic materials will help keep mice at bay.

You Will Need:

■Ammonia-based cleaning supplies

■Plastic containers

■A selection of household tools

■Caulking and sealants

■Steel wool

■Expanding foam

■Peppermint, cayenne or clove oil

■Mothballs

■Shed snake skin

Step 1– Thorough Cleaning

Make sure your home is thoroughly tidy. Mice only need a minimal amount of debris to make a nest, so make sure that all unnecessary waste and clutter is cleared away and binned effectively. Small pieces of food or crumbs can also attract mice, so be wary of drops and spillages by children in your home. If the attractions of food and shelter are removed, mice will be less likely to visit.

Step 2– Cleaning Products

Many of today’s popular cleaning products contain ammonia. Pour a small quantity of bleach or a similar product onto a cloth and wipe along the length of skirting boards and the edges of floors in every room. Ammonia is unpopular with mice because it smells like the urine of other predators.
Step 3– Kitchen cleanliness

Kitchens are the most common place to find mice because of the large number of food sources. Make sure that dirty plates and pans are cleaned and put away. Additionally, make sure that as much food as possible is kept in air-tight glass or metal containers. Mice will quickly become frustrated if they cannot access food.
Make sure that worktops are wiped daily and floors are regularly swept and mopped.
Step 4– Clearing Clutter

Remove as much clutter as possible from your home. Stacks of books or piles of clothing make wonderful nests, so find a place for your belongings that mice can’t access. Keep items away from walls to stop mice from hiding and consider the use of strong plastic storage containers to store out-of-season clothes.
Step 5– Sealing Cracks

Check around the home for signs of large cracks that mice could be using as a point of entry. Bearing in mind that a mouse can squeeze through a hole no bigger than a fingernail, it is vital that all potential access points are sealed up to prevent entry. A household sealer or caulking is ideal for this purpose.
Step 6– Spices and Mothballs

Soak pieces of cotton wool with cinnamon, cayenne or clove oil and place strategically around the home, especially along walls and in corners where mice like to hide. The use of mothballs in cupboards and wardrobes are also a great deterrent. Mothballs can also be used outside the home.
Step 7– Predators

Allow nature to take its course and leave predators be. Hawks and skunks enjoy feasting on mice, so don’t deter them from coming near your property. Alternatively, borrowing a cat from a neighbor for a few days might help to drive the mice population down.

Wordless Wednesday- Halloween with Daddy

Taken outside of the "Trick or Treat Street" at the Denver Children's Museum on 10/30.