Blogging From the Hospital

Little John had to be hospitalized again this afternoon. Poor little Pooka. His breathing became labored on Tuesday and I took him in to the pediatrician. She evaluated him and sent us over to the hospital for a chest X-ray. His lungs appeared, "wet" in the films and we were sent home and told to monitor him closely. When his labored breathing did not improve we were told to increase his dosage of Lasix and begin to administer Albuterol in addition to his usual Pulmicort breathing treatments . These changes only seemed to help him slightly and I spent a good portion of the day yesterday waiting for the doctor's office to call me back with advice as to what to do. My main question was if I should just take him into the emergency room as we have done in the past but we were instructed to, "try and hold off" because there have been many cases of the swine flu in the ER in recent weeks and I had an appointment with the pediatric pulmonologist (lung specialist) at 10:30 this morning . It took the pulmonologist approximately 2.3 seconds to tell me that she wanted to admit him to the hospital after she observed his chest sinking deeply into his little body as he drew each breath.

We are receiving excellent care and hope to be home really soon. I was hoping to avoid a hospital stay but those little lungs of John's have a mind of their own.

Now, if I could only figure out where my mind has gone.

Uh...I was just told by one of the nurses that I have to go back into the room because John is on what she called, "Gown, Glove and Mask Precautions" and that I can't be in the main area (to use the computer) of the floor because it is officially cold and flu (RSV) season and it could be dangerous for John. How's that for a dramatic ending for this post? Gotta run.

Oh, hey Aleasha...there is a really good looking doctor taking care of John tonight. I mean, this doctor is no Mike Marshman, but I think he'd be exactly your type. Okay...I've really gotta go...I am getting the stink eye from one of the nurses at the nurses station...