X-posted to Nov DDC<br><br>
So as I've posted before my entire family has been battiling pertussis since DD2 was born. DH was one the one who brought it home, he was sick when Gabrielle was born, despite going to urgent care several times it wasn't dxed until dd1 got sick, and the rest of us followed. I knew DD2 was heading down hill last week, I spent the entire week nursing her nonstop trying to keep her hydrated because she would cough and throw up almost half of her feedings. She started getting lethargic over the weekend, followed by a fever, and then she stopped nursing all together.<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/greensad.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="greensad"> Poor thing is so tiny, she has been sick most of her life. Gabrielle was 6lbs 11ozs when born, and is barely 8.5 lbs now at 7 wks despite practically living at my breasts.<br><br>
Anyway, DD2 was on an IV for 2 days to get her rehydrated, plus we discovered her O2 levels were really low. I had been taking her in the pedi office frequently to get her levels checked since we do live at 7,000 ft, they had always been fine there, but at the hospital she was hooked to sensors all the time. We found that her levels would drop way down, then come back up, repeat constantly, I think that at the pedi office we always checked her when her levels were ok not when they were dropping, I feel in hindsight that she could of used oxgen for at least that week before. Gabrielle came home on O2, I'm expecting that she will need it for a couple weeks.<br><br>
So we got to come home last night because there is nothing else the hospital can do for her. We can't do anything for her cough, and it sounds awful. She just coughs, and coughs, and coughs until you are starting to get really worried, finally she'll be able to take one breath, and then starts coughing again. It's really nerve racking, I feel so bad for her, she gets so upset, it is just heartbreaking to watch.<br><br>
The hospital stay wasn't that bad, it could of been worse. My pedi is really great and made sure I was able to co-sleep with DD2, which is against hopsital policy of course. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/irked.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="irked">: I had to sign all kinds of waivers, and deal with a few nurses who felt that I shouldn't be doing it in spite of it being" doctor's orders". The hospital couldn't give me a food tray since DD2 was the patient, but I couldn't leave her, which meant I had to beg people to bring me food. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/irked.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="irked">: My sister works across the medical complex so she was able to bring me carry-out on her way into work, DH would drop dinner off on his way home to DD1. DH has taken so much time off work with everyone being sick that he had to work while Gabrielle was in the hospital. My mom watched DD1 during the day, and DH would pick her up at night. It was just me sitting there holding DD2 the entire time with people dropping off food a couple times a day, that part really sucked.<br><br>
I just feel so bad that I couldn't protect her. DD2 ws born at home, a beautiful water birth, then just a few short weeks later we are in the hospital with IV's and several blood draws every day. DD1 is taking it hard, she isn't upset at DD2, she blames me, which is better I guess but it's hard to hear your child say that she doesn't care if you come home or not.
So as I've posted before my entire family has been battiling pertussis since DD2 was born. DH was one the one who brought it home, he was sick when Gabrielle was born, despite going to urgent care several times it wasn't dxed until dd1 got sick, and the rest of us followed. I knew DD2 was heading down hill last week, I spent the entire week nursing her nonstop trying to keep her hydrated because she would cough and throw up almost half of her feedings. She started getting lethargic over the weekend, followed by a fever, and then she stopped nursing all together.<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/greensad.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="greensad"> Poor thing is so tiny, she has been sick most of her life. Gabrielle was 6lbs 11ozs when born, and is barely 8.5 lbs now at 7 wks despite practically living at my breasts.<br><br>
Anyway, DD2 was on an IV for 2 days to get her rehydrated, plus we discovered her O2 levels were really low. I had been taking her in the pedi office frequently to get her levels checked since we do live at 7,000 ft, they had always been fine there, but at the hospital she was hooked to sensors all the time. We found that her levels would drop way down, then come back up, repeat constantly, I think that at the pedi office we always checked her when her levels were ok not when they were dropping, I feel in hindsight that she could of used oxgen for at least that week before. Gabrielle came home on O2, I'm expecting that she will need it for a couple weeks.<br><br>
So we got to come home last night because there is nothing else the hospital can do for her. We can't do anything for her cough, and it sounds awful. She just coughs, and coughs, and coughs until you are starting to get really worried, finally she'll be able to take one breath, and then starts coughing again. It's really nerve racking, I feel so bad for her, she gets so upset, it is just heartbreaking to watch.<br><br>
The hospital stay wasn't that bad, it could of been worse. My pedi is really great and made sure I was able to co-sleep with DD2, which is against hopsital policy of course. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/irked.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="irked">: I had to sign all kinds of waivers, and deal with a few nurses who felt that I shouldn't be doing it in spite of it being" doctor's orders". The hospital couldn't give me a food tray since DD2 was the patient, but I couldn't leave her, which meant I had to beg people to bring me food. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/irked.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="irked">: My sister works across the medical complex so she was able to bring me carry-out on her way into work, DH would drop dinner off on his way home to DD1. DH has taken so much time off work with everyone being sick that he had to work while Gabrielle was in the hospital. My mom watched DD1 during the day, and DH would pick her up at night. It was just me sitting there holding DD2 the entire time with people dropping off food a couple times a day, that part really sucked.<br><br>
I just feel so bad that I couldn't protect her. DD2 ws born at home, a beautiful water birth, then just a few short weeks later we are in the hospital with IV's and several blood draws every day. DD1 is taking it hard, she isn't upset at DD2, she blames me, which is better I guess but it's hard to hear your child say that she doesn't care if you come home or not.
