Thursday, December 11, 2008

things I should have learned by now

I have said, more than few times, in the past few weeks that life would be calmer once my regular semester ended. I should have known that this was a guarantee that it would in fact get harder.

Yes, my regular semester classes are over. I have gone from 4 classes to just 1. My work load is drastically reduced.

Enter, Croup.

Yep, Madeline has croup. It is exhausting. For any mother out there who has had a child with croup, you know what I am talking about. I'll explain.

Sunday Madeline had a runny nose. Nothing strange really. By Monday afternoon Madeline was coughing a bit. But at 4pm she started a fit of coughing that lead to her choking on phlem and panicking. (Her and be both). She didn't turn blue or anything, but she would cough, which would loosen the phlem, which would make her choke, which freaked her out, which made her cry which made it harder to breathe.... you get the picture right.

I took her to the doctor and they said not to worry about it. Her lungs were clear by the time they saw her. Really early Tuesday morning (4am) she woke up with another fit of coughing and choking. This time I just brought her into bed with me because she was so freaked out... and frankly so was I. When I called the doctor they heard her cough over the phone (like a seal's bark) and confirmed that it was probably Croup. Of course there is nothing to treat croup, except rest, humidity and warm liquids. (Darn the AAP for banning decongestants for small children!)

Fast forward to last night. Madeline had been feeling better all day. She hadn't had a choking fit since Tuesday morning, and she hadn't had a fever all day. Things were looking up. I thought to myself, "I guess she'll go to daycare tomorrow and life will be back to normal." WRONG! As we were finishing dinner she was coughing so hard trying to get rid of some of the massive amounts of phlem in her throat, that she threw up. Twice.

It is at this point that I realized our washing machine isn't fast enough (do you know there are machines out there that wash an entire load in 9 minutes!), our water heater isn't big enough (I can't do a load of hot laundry and give Madeline a bath at the same time), and this cold/crupe can't go away soon enough!

She is feeling better today. But you never know. I know better than to say things are going to get easier... because I don't want to see what worse looks like...

So I am days behind in my house work, the cat has decided the tree skirt is her new bathroom, and I have a head-ache. Someday I will get back to my neglected blog and my even more neglected blog friends. I love you all, please come back. Please?

Until then, I leave you with... well nothing because I'm tapped, but maybe I'll have a photo or two this afternoon that I can share. (no promises though...)

mg

4 comments:

Molly said...

You write this so well, I can feel the exhaustion creeping in! A picture of a bleary eyed mama and/or baby girl would be nice. But no pressure! The important thing is that you two get some good rest!

Michelle said...

When she has a coughing fit, go in the smallest bathroom you have, turn on the shower as hot as it gets and let hang out in the steamy bathroom. It helps. An alternative is just take her into a warm, steamy shower with you. (worked in a pediatrician's office in H.S. and ironically got the croup at 18).

No advice on the cat using the tree skirt as a bathroom, except that I've been told cats are afraid of tin foil so maybe if you cover the tree skirt with some tin foil she will leave it alone and go back to the litter box.

RPS said...

Crossing my fingers that Madeline is on the upswing and life settles down a bit for you. Hopefully you can get some rest in today...

Jen said...

You won my eternal love and loyalty with the bit about the cat and your poor tree skirt.

I feel so bad for you and Madeline. Not that I'm Dr. McDoctorsen, but the thick chest secretions don't sound like croup to me, they sound like bronchitis. This is based on my extensive knowledge of one kid with croup, and my many bouts with bronchitis. I went to the medical skool of hard knokz, yo. Anyway, I'm voting that if she continues choking on the phlegm, you take her in to the dr. or to a CVS minute clinic or something. I wonder if they can give anything to thin secretions, that isn't available over the counter.

Anyway, good thoughts are on the way for you, Maddie, and the tree skirt. I wish I was there to help. I have a super capacity washer AND hot water heater.