That's something I thought about most things in life.. We all know we aren't as invincible as we hope. This was especially true about viruses that seem so ancient. Pertussis is a word that I in all honesty had NO IDEA even exsisted. I knew about my baby getting vaccines when she was two months old & our doctor advised us to be couch potatoes until she got those vaccines- but I never thought anything of it.
Pertussis- or whooping cough is the virus my baby girl got at 6 weeks old. On July 4th I noticed that Lexa had a cough- but I figured it was from the smoke of fireworks. The next day her cough was much worse. Very scary & she just seemed sick. We went to the doctor the next day & our pediatrician told us it was a small cold & she would just improve. He advised that if she didn't get better or ran a fever to come back. Her cough got worse. But my mom instincts kept telling me she was fine and to trust the doctor. He knows what he is talking about. He has seen thousands of babies and knows that she will be okay. A week went by and her cough was much worse. Her coughing got so bad that she would start choking and Trey and I could barely sleep afraid that her cough would choke her during the night and we wouldn't hear. We tried many things- steam from the shower, saline drops to clear up the congestion, a humidifier. Nothing seemed to help so we went back to the doctor the following Monday- a week after our initial visit.
That Monday Trey started summer school and I was supposed to go back to work. I called my job and explained my daughter was sick and I had to take her to the doctor- if I could I would come after the appointment. Our amazing pediatrician knew exactly what to do- he tested her oxygen levels after listening to her cough and sent us to the ER after her levels got down into the 70s. (Normal is anything above 91). We got into the ER and they started to put a few monitors on Lexa to test her oxygen, gave her oxygen thru her nose and immediately they knew something was wrong. Even with the oxygen she was getting to assist her breathing she was still choking and her levels were still going down.
I called my job and informed them I wouldn't be in. They admitted Lexa, gave her a chest x-Ray and while we were still in the ER the nurse informed me that an IV would be necessary- just in case they needed to give her fluids if she were to stop eating. Well, as I was holding my daughters arms down, her screaming so loud my ears were ringing- the nurse attempted to put an IV in her foot. Her veins were so little it was pretty difficult- and thats where it started to go downhill for me as a mom. Hearing Lexa in pain, screaming& crying I felt like she was telling me "MOM MAKE THEM STOP! THEY ARE HURTING ME!" and i started to get so teary eyed. After two attempts to give Lexa an IV it was successful. Thankfully my sister was with me at the ER but stood back because she didnt want to see the nurses poking Lexa. The IV was almost done- and they also needed to do a blood test and then again my heart was breaking!! The IV was loose, the blood started dripping and as they were fixing things and taping it down I started to get extremely lightheaded. The last piece of tape was getting put on the IV and I felt the words: "I THINK I'M GOING TO PASS OUT....." coming out of my mouth and then BLACK. I completely passed out almost on top of my daughter. THANK GOODNESS Madilynne was there. The two nurses were able to catch me and Madilynne saved Lexa from me landing right on top of her. SERIOUSLY- I felt so bad. My poor baby was getting poked and bleeding and I pass out. Awesome. MOM FAIL. I woke up and thought I was in a different room. Sweating and dizzy- I got better quick remembering my baby was the reason was in the hospital. We got moved to a different room and nurses took a swab in Lexa's nose to test for RSV. Trey finished class and came to the hospital.
We were informed that as long as Lexa's oxygen levels were low we would be in the hospital. My poor little girl. I was so upset I cried. Upset because I couldn't do anything and because I would much rather be the one sick. She was too little and I would have switched her places in a heartbeat if I would have. Over the next two days I got zero sleep. They swabbed her nose for a panel of viruses and then for pertussis. Those tests could take up to 5 days. I was so frustrated because I just wanted to know exactly what was wrong & for it to get better. Lexa continued to cough, got antibiotics each night, got 2 breathing treatments, & was hooked up to way too many monitors. Meanwhile Trey still had to go to school, I hadn't showered in three days & we still weren't sure what was wrong.
Antibiotics to help her out- she is no longer contagious.
Each person that visited had to wear masks & gowns. It was all very stressful, sad, & just plain hard. I am soooo grateful for prayers said on Lexa's behalf. I know they helped. On day four she was diagnosed with pertussis. & we were glad to finally know what was wrong. It was hard tho because there is nothing you can do for pertussis. Just sit & wait. This cough can be deadly in some circumstances. It can last for months. I guess where I am getting with all of this is - get vaccinated. Whooping cough, along with other diseases & viruses seem to be making there way back into the world because of more & more people not vaccinating. Lexa was so tough through all of this. She got poked so many times, got medicine, had monitors, oxygen, and tape holding everything all over. She might not talk to anything yet but she was SO GOOD the entire time. The nurses loved her. She was still so happy. She nursed well and didnt need fluids. She had a few times where she wasnt eating enough and the doctor suggested fluids: they tried to use the IV in her foot but it was bent and not working. They tried in each hand and the other foot and it didnt work. Once again she was screaming and i was getting light headed- they then said they would have to try her head because the IV wasnt working. I couldnt. An IV in her head?! I asked to try to feed her again and so I pumped and she downed 3 bottles. She didnt want that IV in her head either. I was so glad she was doing so well. It was hard not being able to hold and cuddle her all the time like we do at home, but she was a trooper. Her oxygen would go up and down. She would have a few coughs where her levels would be normal, and sometimes where they would drop into the 60s. On day six she was weaned off oxygen and did awesome. She would still choke occasionally but it was much better. We were so excited to get discharged.
Lexa watched baseball with her dad everyday while we were in the hospital.
It's not only babies that depend on herd immunity. It is cancer kids, sickle cell kids, & other kids that are sick & cannot receive those vaccines. I would hope that no 6 week old has to go through what my baby went through. She may not be able to tell me what's wrong, or what hurts, but I can only imagine- coughing so hard for around 2 minutes every 30-45 minutes, choking on that cough& not being able to breath. She would cough & immediately fall asleep. It wore her out. Babies shouldn't get sick. Its not fair. We were lucky to only be in the hospital a week. Lesson learned- with my next baby we will be much more cautious as to who is around him or her. Booster shots are needed every 7-10 years. Did you know that?! Because I sure didn't. I am much more knowledgable on the entire thing- grateful my daughter is now healthy. I am so grateful also for modern medicine. I know we are lucky to live in this time where doctors know what to do, how to help, and how to prevent. Vaccines save!!
My PSA here is to be smart, follow your gut, listen to your doctor, and get vaccinated. I am so glad this wasnt worse, that my daughter is happy and healthy. HEALTH IS EVERYTHING. Lexa Pictum, you are blessed, and you are oh so loved.
