It's still hard for me to believe all that has happened in the last two weeks. Two weeks ago today the twins turned one. Then on Thursday (9.27.12) they had their 1 year check up with Dr. Hirsch. It was our last visit with him. I brought up my concern of Suzie seeming to wheeze every now. After checking her he recommended using a nebulizer with albuterol as needed, but didn't seem overly concerned about it. We had the big birthday bash that weekend and I continued to use the nebulizer about 3 times a day for the next few days. On Wendesday (10.3.12) she woke up with watery eyes and a runny nose. I just though the cold she had gotten over was coming back. More neb treatments throughout the day then off to bed. Thursday (10.4.12), exactly one week from the day they saw Dr. Hirsch, she woke up at 4:30 am finding it very difficult to breath. I did a neb treatment then and another at 8:30 am - there was no improvement. I called a friend to come over and watch Ian while I took Suzie to our new pediatrician here in VA. They gave her yet another neb treatment then checked her oxygen level, which was 83 (normal is 97-100), and recommended we go by ambulance to the pediatric ER at INOVA Loudoun hospital.
I was so concerned for her seeing nothing was helping and her breathing was only getting worse. I just wanted to get her whatever help she needed ASAP. After a few quick calls to Dave and my friend who was with Ian Suzie and I were in the ambulance en route to the hospital. They paramedics gave her another neb treatment with some extra stuff besides albuterol. Nothing seemed to make a difference. Once in the ER the nurses and doctor were quick to evaluate her, make a plan then begin treatment. To help bring her oxygen level back up they hooked her up to an oxygen mask, administered more nebulizer treatments (with steroids this time) and performed test to determine if she had RSV, strep or the flu. Suzie also had an x-ray done to see if it was pneumonia. The 3 first test came back negative and we were still waiting to hear about the x-ray results. During that whole time her oxygen levels only came up slightly, into the low 90s.
Seeing her so helpless and not knowing why was extremely difficult. The ER doctor told me she would need to be admitted since there were no signs of improvement. I called my parents who were quick to drop everything and come help. My mom got to our house just in time for Dave to leave and meet us in the ER before going to the pediatric floor. Once in the room the nurses were quick to get Suzie hooked up to an IV (only took 3 times to get a good vein, poor girl!) and change the type of oxygen tube she was using to one that would give a stronger flow. The doctor then came in to say it looked like there was a spot on her x-ray that either could be pneumonia or a mucus blockage and to be safe they wanted to treat her for both. Another round of steroids and then a plan to do nebulizer treatments with 3 different types of medication every 2 hours for the next 12 hours. Dave gave her a blessing then left for home and I crawled into the hospital crib with her (it was really like a regular hospital bed, just shorter and with rails on all four sides that could either be all the way down, half way or totally up) and held her in whatever position was comfortable for her to rest. Throughout the entire night she never got more than 20 minutes of sleep at a time. By the time the morning came the respiratory therapist, nurses and doctor were all concerned she still hadn't "turned the corner" after all the medication she'd been given. There was talk of possibly being transfered to another hospital with a pediatric ICU. Dave came by in the morning and together we again prayed for our sweet girl. Friday morning she was watched closely and it was determined being transferred to another hospital wasn't needed, but she would most likely have to stay until Sunday or Monday. By Friday evening she was showing some improvement and the feeling among all of us was she finally "turned the corner." Some of her personality was beginning to shine through again. Oh, how I missed seeing her smile and hear her laugh. Dave stayed with her that night while I went home to be with Ian. Saturday morning he sent me this photo...
showing how well she was doing - off oxygen and able to be unhooked from her IV! Suzie had maintained regular oxygen levels throughout the night and was able to have the neb treatments scaled back to every 4 hours. Her lungs were sounding clearer with every hour that went by and Dave told me all the nurses kept telling each other to go in an listen to her themselves since they wouldn't believe what an improvement she made so quickly. It took her a little longer than anyone expected to get over the worst of it, but once everything started to kick in she was doing so well! The official diagnosis of bronchiolitis was made and the doctor explained that when she had her cold the virus attacked while her immune system was down. The airways in her lungs had slowly been filling with fluid and mucus and once they were able to stop and then reverse what had been happening she started to improve.
That morning I spent alone with just Ian and was not prepared for the ache in my heart of being without Suzie. Not just physically being away from her but having a glimpse of life with just one baby, not two. It was awful. So quite and lonely. Ian was also missing Suzie, grabbing at her high chair during meals and screaming during the middle of naps since his conversation buddy wasn't in the crib next to him. The thought of possibly not bringing Suzie back home flashed in my mind and it was utterly unbearable.
Once my dad arrived to watch Ian I headed to the hospital Saturday afternoon to find my sweet Suzie in the best of spirits. I got the biggest smile when I walked into her room. I think my heart melted into a puddle on the floor right there. Then Dave surprised me with the wonderful news from the doctor that she may be able to go home with us that night! We waited a few more hours just to make sure she was doing okay with her breathing and then got the all clear for her to be discharged. We were thrilled! Just the day before being told she may not leave until Sunday or Monday and now we were getting to walk out with her on Saturday. To us it was a miracle. An answer to so many prayers by us and others. A tremendous feeling of gratitude washed over me and I was giddy at the thought of all four of us being together again. I know it was only a few days, but they were scary and filled with so much uncertainty of what the outcome would be. Ian slept well that night with Suzie back in the crib next to him and Sunday we all enjoyed being lazy laying around the house and listening to general conference. Joy filled our hearts watching Suzie and Ian play together again and we knew our girl was back.
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