Elder Richard G. Scott said: “Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more (see Proverbs 3:11–12). He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1995, 18; or Ensign, Nov. 1995, 16–17).
Scott and I have felt so overwhelmed by the last six months of our lives. I think both of us thought that things would let up a little once Quinn was here, but the hard times are still here (should we mention the septic tank, that we had emptied 6 months ago and how it (it, being poop) back flowed into our back yard this weekend?). I found this quote on Facebook this last week, and with tears in my eyes, was able to grip the reality that He is helping me to grow and become.
RSV. As a parent, I would always cringe when I heard people using that acronym. It's one of those sicknesses that you know is bad, but you don't know how bad it is until you have it--let alone, your newborn baby has it.
I now know how bad it is.
When Quinn was 2.5 weeks old, Scott's sister Holly drove all the way down from Salt Lake--about a three hour total trip--to come meet Quinn for the first time. We were all excited for her to come--especially the kids! We had all been sick (and had been since before Quinn was born. What's up with all the super bugs out there this year?!) and Quinn was just getting over pink eye from one of the sicknesses.
The Saturday she came down, he just kept getting worse. I had always heard about mother's intuition, when it comes to your kids' health-related matters, and all day I kept having this nagging feeling about RSV. I finally said a silent prayer, and I got an overwhelming feeling that we needed to bring him in to the ER. (I should mention there is no urgent care, so it was off to the ER!)
Poor Aunt Holly came down to meet Quinn, and we took him away!! She was so kind, and she watched the other three kids as we headed to the ER.
Quinn really didn't look that bad. He had a terrible cough that made him throw up after he had eaten a few times. I don't think the doctor was convinced it was RSV. They sucked out his mucous (snot) by sticking a long probe up his nose and down into his airways. They sent his snot to the lab to test for Influenza and RSV.
It came back negative for influenza and positive for RSV. By the time the results came back (like 1.5 hours later) we had convinced ourselves that Quinn was fine! The doctor even seemed surprised when he gave us the results. He didn't seem too bad, but we soon learned that RSV is the worst on days 3-5, and we were at the very beginning. The good news was that Quinn's oxygen was fine, so we could go home! We were supposed to bring him in to the respiratory therapists to get his airways cleared (READ: snot sucked) as often as needed and make sure his oxygen stayed up. Other than that, we could stay at home with him.
We brought him home--nonplussed and not worried about anything. In fact, we went out to dinner with the Carters and a wedding reception of one of Scott's former students. And it was totally fine because Quinn was doing awesome!
The next day, Scott was a brave dad, and took the three little kids to church by himself. While he was gone, Quinn and I went to the hospital to do our check with the respiratory therapist. She tested his oxygen, and it dropped drastically. Not only that, but it would go up and down really easily. He went from 76% while he was eating to 93 while he was sitting. They couldn't get the numbers to steady.
Our doctor was out of town for the weekend, so we met with another doctor who told that he wanted to admit us to the hospital. I had just a diaper bag (with two diapers and 2 bottles of formula) when we were admitted into a room. They had diapers and formula on hand that we were able to use until Scott could bring me a suitcase of clothes and supplies. When he came several hours later, He brought all three of the kids, but we didn't find out until he got there that no one under 12 could come in. So a nice nurse waited with the kids in the waiting room and Scott ran back. He held Quinn, and I went and visited the kids.
It was so incredibly hard to be away from everyone. When I walked away from those kids, I cried all the way back to the room where Quinn was. Quinn was only two weeks old, and I was on an emotional roller coaster still. I felt like my husband and kids needed me at home, but I felt like Quinn definitely needed me at the hospital. Plus, the night before going into the hospital, we hardly slept, and sleep has been basically non-existant since then. :)
In the hospital, Quinn had his own crib, and I slept in a hospital bed. Respiratory Therapists came every 2-3 hours (sometimes every hour) to suck out mucous and administer breathing treatments. He had an oximeter measuring his oxygen at all times. He had a hard time sleeping, so I slept sitting up with him or rocking him in my arms. Even through the night, we were up every two hours getting him sucked or administering medicine. Sometimes, he couldn't make it the two hours, and he fussed until they got there. It was miserable to watch as a mother, and he was completely miserable!
One of the hard things about this has been the unknown. The worst days of RSV are days 3-5. We figured out that would be Monday-Wednesday of that week. We watched and waited to see if and when we would be able to go home. Sunday came and went, and we knew we would stay over night.
Scott was able to stay home with the kids on Monday, and we found out that afternoon that Quinn would have to stay another day. Our friend, Kari, who lives around the corner, offered to watch our kids so Scott could come sit with us. The kids were more than happy to leave--because the Lovell's have way cooler toys than the Bagleys! Scott brought another nights worth of clothes and supplies and he got to hold Quinn for a while (and mom was able to shower for the first time in 3 days). Not only did Kari watch our kids for a couple hours, but she fixed my family dinner and had everyone over to eat that night!
Because I was still in the hospital, on Tuesday, my mom came down and stayed with the kids so Scott could go to work. She brought Macey to preschool and put the kids down for naps. When Scott got out of work, my mom was still with the kids, he was able to come right over to the hospital to visit Quinn and I again.
My doctor gave me the option to come home Tuesday afternoon or stay another day. I was so anxious to get home and get back to normal I chose to leave. (Looking back, it probably would would have been good to stay another day, but I guess life had to get back to normal at some point--whatever normal means! :))
We didn't get home until after 8:00 that night. We went home with Quinn on his own oxygen tank, an oximeter to measure his oxygen levels, and a nebulizer for his albuterol treatments. After a week, I feel like an expert in all things breathing! I didn't care what time I left or what I needed to do at home, the most important thing, at the time, was being able to go home!
Do you like the robe over the oxygen tank?? Turns out little kids are VERY interested in the knobs on oxygen tanks...I had to hide it for a while!
My sister Amy came down on Wednesday to take the kids so I could nap. She brought lunch and dinner and brought lots of projects for the kids. She saved me that day!
My mother-in-law Marilyn offered to take the kids overnight. She drove down to Monroe, picked up the older three kids and headed back to her home in Moroni. I stood in the driveway and bawled as they drove away. As a very independent person, it was hard to pass my kids off for an overnight trip! Honestly, it was perfect timing, and the kids were absolutely thrilled to get to go on an overnight trip at Grandma Bagley's house!
While they were gone, I worked through loads of laundry, took a couple naps, cuddled my sick Quinn and cleaned every single room in our house. With all the sickness and little kids, I didn't feel like it was totally clean until they had left the house. (We learned that RSV can live on a surface for at least 4 hours--if not longer.) Uncle Jake and Kassidy drove them down to drop them off the next day.
We have been so taken care of by our ward family! We have had visits, texts, phone calls, meals, desserts--everything! My Visiting Teacher offered to bring me a meal every Tuesday night because Scott has mutual--just until life slows down. I turned down her offer, but she has brought a meal every Tuesday for the last 4 weeks. It's funny because every Tuesday has been so extremely stressful and her smile and meal has brought tears to my eyes every week. It is just what I needed. If this has taught me anything, it's that it's okay to let others take care of you. And oh, how I have needed that help!!
Quinn has had a REALLY bad case of RSV. We are told that RSV is a 7-10 day virus, but even on day 17, he is still sick and on oxygen (but a lower dose of oxygen!).
For a week, we had to bring Quinn in to the hospital at least twice a day to get his nose and airways sucked out. Because Scott had to work, and I had all 4 kids, I usually tried to go when Scott got home from work, wake up before Scott and the kids in the mornings, and go late at night, right before we went to slept. I was told that Quinn had extremely thick mucous, and being so little, he just couldn't bring it up on his own.
After doing this for a week, Quinn seemed to be doing better, and could go 24 hours or so without being sucked. I asked for advice from the Respiratory Therapist--if it would be okay if we didn't come in anymore. He reminded me that every time we came in, they were charging our insurance for a visit. Honestly, I hadn't even thought about it! (I was running on zero sleep!) Of course no one wants to suck my son's snot for free...only a mom would do that! :) We decided to try extra hard to manage it at home, and we have been doing a pretty good job! We have only had to go in once since then, and he has been doing really well on his own.
This weekend, Quinn has found his nasal canula, and he does everything he can to get rid of it! I found him napping like this, happy as could be. The next step is to get him off oxygen. We were finally able to lower his dosage his weekend, and our goal is to get him totally off of oxygen this week. Wish us luck!!
I should also mention that most little kids lose weight when they have RSV. Our Quinn went from 9 pounds 9 ounces to 11 pounds 1 ounce in 2 weeks! The doctor check his weight this last week, and mentioned that only a Bagley could gain weight during a sickness like this!! (Go Quinn!!)
