Well THAT sucks!

When is a cold, not a cold?

When it’s pneumonia.

Middle of last week  the sun was out, the temperatures were almost balmy and Emma enjoyed lots of walks around the neighborhood.

Nothin’ better than being out for a walk while enjoying lunch.

But this past weekend Emma started coughing, sneezing and became very lethargic. Her parents were already sick with bronchitis and walking pneumonia. Fortunately they had Grandma Kathy out there to take care of everyone.

Early Monday morning Seattle Children’s Hospital asked them to bring Emma into the Emergency Department (ED). Her O2 levels had been fluctuating too much and they were concerned. She had just endured her second sleep study in 2 weeks and now she was back, under observation again.

How is someone supposed to sleep with all these connections?

They hooked her up again and Emma alternated between suctionings (where they use a  tube connected to a Mucus Suction machine to draw all the mucus from her sinuses, throat and lungs) to chillin’ with Grandma.

Sporting the latest in pulse/ox toe monitors and green sock IVs.

All day Monday Emma would be suctioned, be happy and play a bit, tire quickly, fuss a bit then nap some more.

Late on Monday, she was moved up to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)… they stressed that it wasn’t because Emma was in any imminent danger, but that the PICU was better prepared to deal with her frequent suctionings. We think that that was a grand attempt to make the family feel better about having Emma in INTENSIVE CARE.

Emma with her Personal Penguin heading up to the PICU.

In the PICU Emma was suctioned every 4 hours for the first 48 hours and had to wear her BIPAP for 23 of every 24 hour period. She would eventually get to the point where she would sleep soundly with the BIPAP pumping away, only to be woken up after 4 hours, suctioned out and then patted back to sleep.

It was hard on everyone too, because there wasn’t much time to hold, rock or play with Emma in between sessions.

Dad doing his “Lion King Emma presentation” for the hospital staff.

Tuesday passed with suctionings going from 4 hours, to two hours… the wrong way. Emma developed a bit of digestive upset and the staff wasn’t sure if it was because of the change in her formula or the pneumonia causing a lot of fluids to “go the wrong way”.

But Emma kept sleeping well with her BIPAP on, watched a couple of in-room movies and had some good snuggles with Penguin, Mom and Dad.

 

Late Wednesday (yesterday) Emma was able to have better (near naked) snuggles with Mom.

Hmmmm…. much better!

And, despite regular suctionings, is getting closer to her old self.

Now if I can just yank this off, my pink toe will go away…

The family is hoping Emma will continue her progress, with less frequent suctionings, and maybe even get to be home to see what the Easter Bunny brings.

We’ll keep you posted.