DeVos Part 3: The Good, the Bad, and the Puffy

I am overly exhausted, so I am not hardly even going to edit this post. Some of you have been asking, though, so I wanted to update...

Back up to thursday night. When we left the ER, they told us that Bryce's condition would probably get worse before it got better. His breathing would be congested, so just be ready for a full blown cold. Thus, when Saturday rolled around and his breathing was labored, no alarm bells sounded. Sunday came and during the day he sounded very congested - had a hard time breathing all day, but I was prepared for that after Thursday. We got home from the in-laws and went to put Bryce to bed and I could hardly get him to breathe. So labored, loud, almost panting like a dog. He just could not catch his breathe. His head was rolling around gasping for air. I called the nurse after-hours line who told me to call an ambulance. Fearing I am the dummy who called an ambulance for my child with a cold, I called my mom and we headed to DeVos with my tail between my legs, sure I was wasting her sleeping time...again.

We went to registry, and the nurse took one listen to Bryce and rushed him back to Ped ER, where they worked to stabilize his breathing. Once stabilized and throroughly sucked out, we waited to see if it would get better. We did a few breathing treatments to see if that would help. Nothing worked. Hour after hour passed with us watching him struggle to breathe. Finally, they took Xrays and admitted him around 3am.

The Xrays came back around 4am, and the nurse came and said they showed something very unexpected- that he had a second aeortic valve (we should only have one), and that he would probably need surgery. However, he was stable and they would keep him stable until he was strong enough to go in for it, whether that was a month or a week. The nurse said they would run more tests to see how extensive this condition was and what treatment we would take.

Treatment after breathing treatment, suctions, oxygen, things going down Bryce's throat to try to clear this out or take this culture, and his breathing still was not improving. Plus, the finding from the Xay were just a freak coincience and had nothing to do with the breathing issues. We were told that we would get a CT scan done for that and give us more information on how to best treat that. So, more pokes and pricks- IVs, leads, a pick line in his arm for the dye. 1pm we went for the CT scan and Bryce did incredible. Did not even cry when they put the dye in that supposedly stings. I am not sure who has cried more today, but it is pretty safe to say that many tears have been shed by all.

The good: after hours of waiting and fearing the worst, the second aerotic valve was just a shadow they believe. I am sure many mothers would do the same, but I immediately jumped to the worse outcome and was literally sick for hours. Thank God and Praise God that he does not have to have heart surgery!!

The bad: He does have a pretty kicking case of RSV. Every person that enters this room has to wear a mask, other than immediate family. He is still struggling just to breath and eat, and time just has to help him through this as there is no medication. He is on a steady flow of oxygen that really helps.

The other bad: Oddly enough, the CT scan did show that he also broke a rib during birth. So, we went to Xray again tonight for another agonizing hour of him crying through us positioning him for Xrays. At this point, it seems like every hour of this day has been spent fussing with him for something or another- putting on leads, taking temperature, fixing IVs, watching pulse ox levels, suctioning out his nose, etc. etc. He is at the point where he just gets mad if anyone touches him. Hopefully nothing else is broken, although I will gladly take a broken rib over heart surgery!

The Puffy: 4 hours of sleep within the last 48 hours, crying fifteen hours at the drop of a hat, a kickin cold, and the stress of my newborn going through this whole process has made me look and feel 10 years older than I am. We will probably be here at least one more day, as they like to watch him for 24 hours once he is off oxygen. Kayden was missing him mommy today, too, which breaks my heart.

Prayer Requests: Please pray for us that tomorrow will be better and that my little boy will come out of this and start breathing on his own. That we will not get run down, and that there are no other broken bones. Thanks in advance for your prayers for my sweet boy.