HOSPITAL -- AMBULANCE -- ASTHMA-- OH MY!!!

Well, here I go again. As with her big brother Gary, our little Hannah has asthma. Now this diagnosis is not a big surprise for me. I have been trying to pry the words from our doctor's lips for some time now. I've heard chronic bronchitis, accute bronchitis, bronchial pnuemonia and viral syndrome. This time, was going to be different. She wasn't sick. Not a fever, not a cough, not a bit of a symptom. She had a little wheeze on Sunday afternoon. We gave her a breathing treament with the handy dandy nebulizer we've had for three years thanks to the accute bronchitis that accompanied her ear infections. Gave her another one Sunday after dinner. I looked in on her around 11:30 and still heard a bit of wheeze so we gave her one more at midnight.

When I woke at the ungodly hour of 5:00 a.m. for a potty call, I peeked in to check on her. She was sound asleep and panting like a runner who just finished a marathon. Uh oh!!! Not good. Time to go to the ER. Of course, my hubby, couldn't believe it, but I assured him that I've been down this rocky road and it was time to go. So we packed child, blankie and lambie in the car and zipped over to the ER.

After 3 breathing treatments in 3 hours her pulse ox was still under 95. Actually it was higher when we came in than it was at this point. They gave her oral steriods and had to hold her down. She was not having any yucky cough medicine or so she thought. Poor orderly felt so bad that he kept sneaking her Sponge Bob stickers. Meanwhile, they put her and her lambie on oxygen. Cutting the little cording and fitting to lambies soft plush head really helped ease her adjustment. They then took lambie's pulse ox while they took Hannah's. Lambie even got a sticker. They were really great. Sadly, Hannah was going to have to stay. Even more sadly, for my health coverage carrier, she would have to be transported to another hospital where there was a pediatric ward.

She loved the ambulance ride and all the attention. Daddy followed in our car. And she was greeted right away by the pediatric nurse who knew her name and all about Lambie. My step sister who works at the hospital in nutrition, saw to it that Hannah had VIP status which meant anything she wants they would make. She had pizza, chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese during her stay. She was pampered. She also had a video tape player and some movies and a t.v. and a Super Nintendo and games. She learned to play Super Mario Brothers with help from Gary and had a blast.

The first day she slept and watched t.v. quietly and did breathing treatments every 1-1/2 hours. Day two she felt better but was still on oxygen and thank God for Nintendo. It was what kept her in bed and contented. She was really very good and not whiny or miserable at all. By late afternoon on Day 2 she was able to go for a bit without the oxygen and we got to go to the playroom. They had another t.v. and more movies. Lots of movies and books and coloring books and games and jigsaw puzzles and carnival mirrors in the hall that did not do anything for my hips. She had so much fun and drove a little car up and down the halls and it was okay. No one minded at all.

My mom came up for a few hours so I could go home and shower and change clothes. I took the overnight Monday and Joel came up Tuesday night and spent the night so I could go to work. On the third day, they released her, with more steroids and more prescriptions and a follow up with the pediatrician. She has asthma. No kidding, I thought, I knew this 3 years ago. I'm just so grateful that I know the signs and know when to go to the ER. She is still on steroid breathing treatments and has gained about 3 lbs. but she's doing fine. Thank God.