I hate winter more than I can say.

Come one, come all to see our hot new group, The Wheezers, featuring our hit new single, RSV.

Okay, all joking aside, we are all very very sick, so don’t come anywhere near us at all! After about a week of Ruby’s constant wheezing and coughing spells finally getting the better of me (I had talked to the doctor on the phone about it, so I wasn’t completely irresponsible waiting this long), we took them all in (thanks again for the help Camille!). The boys, having just finished a course of antibiotics for ear infections needed a follow up anyway. The boys’ ears are still infected, and Ruby, though happy when she’s not in distress, was worrying the doctor quite a bit with her unstoppable wheezing. I have been treating her at home, and it wasn’t making a dent. The doctor had me a do a couple more treatments in the office, and then, much like Bennett’s first experience with Asthma, sent us to the ER for further investigation. After dropping off the others, Ruby and I went on our way, right at naptime mind you, to what felt like our death. I knew what this would entail, and I wasn’t excited. I just wanted my little, healthy girl back. We got right in and started on the hour long Nebulizer treatment. She didn’t like it at all. She was sweating and crying, with the occasional smile as I tried to distract her with pat-a-cake, and peek-a-boo. When it was over, and the wheezing persisted, I knew something was wrong. I’d had a nagging feeling from the moment her hacking began probably a week earlier, that is was something other than a post-cold cough. After an x-ray, and a swab test for RSV, she was confirmed positive for the virus. I was shocked. I thought this illness was only one to be afraid of when babies are tiny, but of course, then it could be fatal, so the older they are when they get it, the less dangerous it is. Thank goodness we had the vaccine for it last year. Anyway, the doctor said we probably couldn’t stop the wheezing, and as long as her oxygen levels were fine, which they had been the entire time, and she was eating and drinking well, we’d just have to ride this thing out. She was walking around talking to the nurses so cheerfully, telling them about her baby. When the doctor asked me if I thought she needed hospitalization, I said, I think we’ll be just fine at home, as they could all clearly see, has her happy, upbeat moments. Thank the heavens she could come home. She was very happy to tell the doctor “buh bye”. She did finally get some rest on the way home, but not before another scary cough attack, causing me to pull over on the freeway to console my poor baby, and force her to drink some water. Stupid, stupid RSV.

(She was pretty scared during the very short x-ray, but not too scared to smile for the camera.)

And let’s just rewind to last week, when I started feeling something coming on. Since then I have been tirelessly fighting the adult form of this disgusting illness with a horrible case of bronchitis that started with body aches and fever, chills, and sweating for a few days until it developed into this never-ending, head-pounding, chest-tightening, cough of my own. It literally feels like there are a million ants in my chest with every breath, triggering cough attacks all day long. My tongue is raw from cough drops, and I gag and shiver through dose after dose of cough syrup. It’s really making me sympathetic to what my sweet ruby is going through. She and I have spent a lot of time in the bathroom together with the shower running as we hack away together. And not having a voice for 5 days is quite annoying when you are talking to doctors everyday. I hate this thing.

We had some visitors last week, KC’s sister Camille and her boyfriend Tyler. I felt so bad the whole time they were here that I couldn’t be the hostess I wanted to be, and that the kids were sick. Not to mention Camille and Tyler didn’t feel their best either. They were incredibly helpful, and were so patient with with messy house, and my missing voice. We did manage to make it to restaurant week again, to try a place I’ve been curious about. It was a good time, and we laughed at our waiter a lot. We’d love to have them again when everyone is well and happy.

It’s been exhausting, to say the least. Of course I called my mom to vent to her about all that has been on my plate lately. She and my dad actually had a trip planned and paid for, for the beginning of February, so my wonderful mother moved her flight up and joined us on Thursday. Mom to the rescue again! I am a blessed girl. It’s incredibly handy have the extra hands as I am nebulizing a good portion of the day, and sometimes night. We will also have a lot of follow-up appointments that I could use a hand with. And it was KC’s birthday yesterday, so I could at least do a little grocery shopping to buy a cake and dinner makings. But there wasn’t much more celebrating than that. My poor 34 year old hubby. At least we went out earlier this week. And just maybe we can swing something else fun when the kids are better. Anyway, it’s wonderful to have my wise mother here to help all of us through this.

So now, we are just hibernating, fighting through this virus. The only thing to do is nebulize, and treat them with steroids, both of which might not do anything. They are all also taking antibiotics for the ears. (Did you know that the pharmacy can be even more of a nightmare when you have multiples?! Yes, you can have more than one kid with the same birthday and the same last name!) At our latest appointment, the pediatrician was very concerned about Ruby, strongly suggesting that Ruby is admitted to the hospital, but she said we could make a decision after another treatment at home, and a nap. That was a pretty low point for me. I was SO relieved that Ruby was a little better when the doctor called to check up on her (she just get so worked up at the office while we are nebulizing her, no wonder she sounded so bad.). At the hospital I’d probably be nebulizing her around the clock. Torture for all involved. It’s a very depressing feeling, holding a child that is wheezing through every labored breath, and coughs until she is purple and gagging several times throughout the day and night. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so helpless as a mother. Luckily, they are all happy for a good portion of the day which is so reassuring to me, and can actually play through the continuous wheezing and coughing. When Ruby gets into one of her coughing fits, I have a little routine, where I put her in her “coughing place” with her blankie, a bottle of juice (mostly water) and let her watch a show until everything in her little chest has calmed down. Or we go turn on the shower and breathe in the steam. Being the in the thick of this myself, I know how intense that feeling to cough-until-you-want-to-die is. I really really really hope the boys don’t get as bad as Ruby. I don’t know how many more beet-red, teary faces I can handle. They do have yucky sounding coughs, and need an occasion neb., but I have a feeling we are all slowly getting better. I know this cough is going to linger for quite some time, but hopefully it will calm down a little bit, for heaven’s sake. I’m not kidding when I say these kids are not going anywhere but the Chick-fil-A drive thru until the winter is over. I will be so happy when everyone is breathing clearly, sleeping well, and the house is good and sanitized ! Sorry about my complaint after complaint. This is just really running our lives right now. I’ll add a happy picture to make this post a tiny bit redeeming. See, Ruby isn’t too sick to enjoy her sitting-on-anything habit. This time it was the ball popper.