Baby N's [2nd] Trip to the Emergency Room

At one month we took our sweet boy to the Emergency Department per our pediatrician. You can read about that experience here. Fortunately, by the Lord’s goodness, he was quickly healed and all was well. It was my hope to never have another venture such as that again. As life would have it, we can hope, but sometimes things still may not go as we’d like.

Saturday began wonderfully. Both kids woke up happy and G was eager to attend her friend’s birthday party that morning. I noticed N had two little red dots close to his eye and another couple on his knee. I assumed they were bug bites from having been outside the evening before. No big deal.

Tooth #5 broke through that morning...

We went to the party, which began around 10am and I noticed another little spot had developed on his face and a couple more on his leg, as well as his arm. He had been in the grass playing near the playground and it was warm. I once again assumed either he had gotten bitten by something or the heat was causing his eczema to flair a little. No worries.

Around 11am there were more noticeable spots and when I changed his diaper, I saw several had developed on his stomach and diaper area. Still thinking it was probably the heat, I was not too worried. I just kept him cool and hydrated. He seemed un-phased and happy. I left it alone.

By 12:30pm when we left, my friend’s mother-in-law pointed out that he appeared to have several more spots or “bites”. She was right…a little bit of worry began to creep in. By the time we got home, the spots were multiplying at an alarming rate and they were getting larger. I contacted a nurse friend and she recommended we take him to the Emergency Department.

I dropped my daughter off with my in-laws and my mother came along with me to the hospital (my husband was on a day trip). We arrived about 4:30pm at the hospital and got him registered. By this time, the spots on his face had begun to merge. He was quickly developing more spots and the ones he had were getting larger. I was anxious to find out what was wrong with my boy. I kept going through everything since the night before…had he eaten something new? Did I notice any actual insect bites? Had he touched something? What was I missing?!

The rash progression (it was all over his body by the afternoon)

Eventually we were taken back to a room and met with several doctors. The lead doctor determined that N has roseola. He had a fever a couple of days ago that I attributed to his runny nose. However, the doctor said that was his body fighting off this virus. I have no idea where he picked it up. We left a little after 8pm and headed home. We basically have to let it run its course and the doctor did warn me that the rash would look worse before it got better.

As of this morning, that has proven true.

-Sunday morning-

Bless his heart

I’m grateful that his condition is nothing more serious and will pass. I swear this little guy just likes to make his mommy worry. We’ve had several health related scares with him. He doesn’t tend to get the typical “whatever is going around” kind of stuff…it’s always something bigger and more dramatic. ::sigh:: Regardless, I am so thankful for a healthy boy. Despite the rash, they deemed him in perfect health and when this passes, he will be as good as new.

::via::

Linking up for Mommy Moments

Countdown to Halloween Link-up : Week 3

via

I really wish I had something spooktacular to share. I had every intention of enjoying some of the fall activities in the local area. Instead, this week was filled with doctor appointments and I can still be found laid up on the couch, waiting for the antibiotics to kick in.

N waiting on the doctor earlier this week.

I woke up Friday morning with a dry throat. I assumed with the change in weather I simply needed to run the humidifier. As the day went on, I still felt ok, just really tired. However, I attributed that to two children who are not sleeping like normal.

The in laws came to watch the kids so we could head to our friend's wedding dinner party. With each passing hour I began to feel worse and worse. I was suddenly cold and achy and my throat was becoming more sore. By the time I got home I had a fever and was feeling miserable. I slept on the couch so as not to have additional contact with my kids and hubby.

I woke up Saturday morning feeling awful. I went to my doctor's office to discover what I had feared. I had strep throat. A few kids at school had been diagnosed and I assume that with my pitiful immune system, it was inevitable.

So...instead of taking the kids to the annual Apple Festival on Saturday and to the orchard Sunday after church,  I spent my time resting. My hubby took the kids so that I could rest child free. Prayerfully this week will go better and the meds will kick in quickly. So far this fall has been a bust and I want that to change.

Linking up for the Countdown to Halloween Link-up

Baby N's Trip to the Emergency Department

::via::

A mother's intuition is often a force too be reckoned and rarely disagreed with. I almost never forgo my gut instinct but of course, the one day I do, serious happens. Never again.

I noticed a couple days ago that N's right pectoral muscle seemed a bit hard and slightly larger than his left. We had this happen with G the week after her birth, not 5 weeks later, but even so, I did not read too much into it since with G, the condition was considered normal. It generallly occurs because of hormones passed on from the mother.

When I woke up with him on Friday morning I noticed he was more fussy than normal. He's typically a pretty chill baby. Nothing seemed to make him happy, he wasn't eating well and the swelling in his chest became concerning, especially since he had developed a couple new symptoms.

I was freaking out a little in my head and eagerly awaited my husband to get home from work. When he got home I called our pediatrician, and while she said it could be "normal", she thought it best to bring him in. I wanted to go but with my classroom unfinished and my sub plans needing to be complete, against my better judgment I took G to school to work while my husband took N to the doctor. Even on my drive to school I felt like I should have gone with them.

His appointment was at 10:30 and around 11 I got a call from my hubby. He didn't say anything other than the doctor wanted to talk to me. My heart sunk to my stomache. She proceeded to inform me that she was concerned that he had an infection. She thought it best to send him to the hospital for further testing since it could be potentially harmful. This would mean blood work, possibly a spinal tap and potentially a couple days in the hospital. I know she had to provide the possibilities but I was terrified of the unknown. Afterall, he's only 5 weeks old!

I immediately packed up my work, got G and headed down the hallway towards the exit. I felt prompted to stop in my friend's classroom. I asked her to pray with me over the situation. As she prayed I felt a peace come over me. The Lord was making His presence known.

I called G's baby sitter and made plans to drop her off on my way to the hospital. I dropped her off and quickly stopped at home to grab extra clothes in case he was admitted. As I tried to stop crying I kept praying for his health and wisdom for his doctors. In the midst of my tears and fear, I was led to this verse:

::via::

It served as such a source of reassurance as I waited to hear updates. On my way to the hospital my husband let me know that they had taken blood and were prepping him for an ultrasound. It was killing me to not be there.

Upon arriving at the hospital, I could not get in touch with my husband to find out where I needed to go. I must have called his phone a dozen times. No answer. I finally made my way to the Emergency Department where I spoke with a hospital volunteer at the desk. I informed her that I was there to be with my infant son who had been brought in earlier. She called a nurse to ask if I could "visit" the patient. I kindly made it clear that I was not there to merely visit. I was his mother and needed to be with him. Shortly after I was escorted back to his room.

No one was in there but the relief of finally being there hit me hard. I just started crying (for the 20th time). A med student came and checked on me and did not seem confident in me when I told him that I really was ok. He gave me a brief update and eventually allowed me to just sit in peace. After what seemed like forever,  my husband and baby were wheeled back into the room. I immediately picked up my son and of course,  cried again.

We waited for a long while on the results. The doctors were surprised, but pleased to announce that his tests came back clear. He had NO sign of infection. He did have some inflammation but could not find an infectious cause. They eventually allowed us to be discharged with the understanding that we would need to maintain monitoring and follow up with our pediatrician.

We 100% attribute the good news to the Lord's healing. The doctors can't explain the lack of infection but we know that it is God's intervention and response to numerous prayers. Afterall, He is the Great Physician.

Linking up with Mommy Momments

Baked Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Saturday began before the sun as G and I headed out to meet one of my dearest friends at a consignment sale about an hour from home. It was quaint but I found several great deals and enjoyed adding some much needed items to G's Spring wardrobe. We then visited a local toy store that I have been eager to go to since my friend told me about the place. I picked up a book and a couple goodies for G's Easter basket. After a morning of walking around downtown we made our way back to a local eatery for lunch. I enjoyed their classic Buffalo Chicken Fingers while my friend enjoyed her Smothered Chicken. You know something is good when it tastes just like the delicious smell outside.

Girls Day 3.22.14

I loved catching up. She filled me in on her pregnancy (yay!!!) and other exciting tidbits regarding her family. Our friendship has grown so much over the last several years and I always looking forward to picking up right where we left off. Amidst the laughter and conversation, my poor baby became quite sick. Let's just say she went through two outfits, a blanket and several napkins...not to mention she lost her shoe, which my friend graciously retraced our many steps to find. We decided to call it a day and head home. She had a low grade fever and was very clingy. She also did not want to eat, which is a sure sign that my child is sick.

After a pretty restless night for both myself and G, Sunday morning brought about a need want for some comfort food...something that soothes the soul while it fills the tummy. While I missed my church family, I knew it was best to give her a day to recuperate.

I opted for a new recipe that I found on Pinterest. It was a delicious Baked Apple Oatmeal. I enjoyed a slightly altered version of that from The Dietitian Diaries.

Mommy's Little Helper

I began by halving the recipe. As where she combines everything in a casserole dish, I chose to mix the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl.

I then evenly distributed the mixture into two smaller baking dishes. I topped the mixture with another sprinkling of brown sugar and a tablespoon of chopped pecans.

I then poured 3/4c. evaporated milk over the oatmeal and placed them in the oven to bake at 400 for about 30 minutes. (I would have used regular milk had I not run out. This would probably cut down on the calories).

Yum! This dish was perfect! The only thing that could possibly make it better would be a dainty drizzle of caramel sauce...hmm...maybe next time? By the way, I took left overs for lunch and they were just as good!

 

 

 

 



 

Put on the fuzzy socks...

Frigid. The only word I can use to describe today's current temperatures. According to our thermostat, the outside temperature is currently 9 degrees. That does not include the wind chill which is making it feel like -10 in full sunlight.

So...I thought since they cancelled school today, I'd put on my warm fuzzy socks and curl up under a blanket where I'd stay nice and toasty...this has been short lived.

G has come down with what I have been battling for the last few days. The poor baby is fighting a runny nose and a small cough. She's pretty miserable. To make things worse, the swing that she so dearly loves to nap in appears to have swung its last. I've tried many things but nothing. It made a few odd clicks this morning and then died. We can't complain. It was given to us and it has had a good run. I believe it went through at least two children prior to our daughter. We've decided that we'll just have to break down and invest in a new one at some point. We've been working on transitioning her to her crib for naps anyway...I guess the swing decided to give us the final push (no pun intended) towards this transition.

Even sick she is absolutely adorable!!!

 

We have no idea what she does in her sleep that causes such a fuzz head mess, but let me just say, my kid can rock a faux-hawk!

I took one of our quiet moments to read through one of the books G received for Christmas from our dear friends. I'm so glad I didn't read it while at their house. I got pretty teary. It is such a sweet story and drives home God's goodness and His blessing of a child into the lives of her parents...

::find it here::

 

 

I also love how there is a sequel to this story. It helps to prepare the first child for the arrival of another. I look forward to adding this to our collection for future use.

 

::find it here::

 

 

While it seems we've been battling one illness after another lately (maybe I should not clean the house and stop stirring up the germs haha) I do have some good news to report. Over the last two weeks I've lost 2 pounds! While the number is small, I'm encouraged (just imagine holding 2lbs of butter in your hands...that used to be on my body...eeek!) I've been focusing on my eating, primarily portion size and low sodium foods. In doing so, I've had some eye opening experiences.

 

It's easy to say "I'll wait until tomorrow, I've already messed up for today..." and it was that kind of thinking that kept me from moving forward. With the realization that I need to take control of my health, I had to stop at that moment of recognition. While I'm not in horrible shape, I'm far from being a healthier version of myself. Upon getting serious about my health, I began this devotional...

 

 

I ran across this during my reading: "One way that you can learn to defeat procrastination is by paying less attention to the sacrifices you're making today and more attention to the rewards you'll receive tomorrow." I keep reminding myself of this.

 

Another battle I've been facing is "clean-your-plate-syndrome". I was raised in a home where if it was on your plate, you ate it. If you took it, you ate it. No one around our table would ever be accused of wasting food. While I understand the good intentions behind this way of thinking, it has plagued my eating habits as an adult. To combat this embedded way of thinking, God provided this scripture: "For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God." Titus 2:11-12

 

If I am to live totally devoted to God, that means ALL of me. I can't let my soul be all that longs to please God. My body is a temple and it should be treated as such. By caring for my body and using self-control I can make positive changes in myself that will glorify God.

 

I'm already seeing benefits to implementing this scripture...I'm slowing losing weight (which will increase as I begin a consistent exercise routine) and my blood pressure has been good. I know that the medication is a key player in improving my BP at this time, but my hope is that I'll be able to get off of it sooner rather than later.

 

You never know the road God is going to take you down, but you can bet that you will never go down it alone. I have been asking Him to guide me in my food choices, portion control, and positive thinking. Not only am I reaping positive health benefits, but I am finally tapping into a spiritual arena that I have never really let God be a part of.



 

As I close this post for today, I ask that if you would, just lift our family's health to the Lord. Satan is shameless in attacking when we're not at our best. We pray for restoration of health and for encouragement along the journey to both physical and spiritual improvement.