Croupy

My baby has croup. Sob. He was feeling fine all day Saturday and the only indication we got that he might not be 100% was that he wouldn't eat his dinner-- DEFINITELY not like him. That night he started a barking cough which just got worse and worse as the night went on. I slept in his room and tried to get some sleep, which was hard because he was wheezing and coughing so much. We both had a fitful night, with much rocking, walking outside (the cold air is suppose to help the inflammation in the vocal cords go down) and worrying (on my part). At about 5:30 AM his breathing was getting really shallow and he was crying uncontrollably, he wasn't himself at all. Since it was Sunday the Dr.'s office and the InstaCare were closed so we had to take him to the Emergency Room. They gave him a steroid and a breathing treatment that opened up his airway and helped him calm down. After that he started to feel much better. He has been getting increasingly better, and last night he hardly had any cough or wheezing. We put a vaporizer in his room, to keep the air cold and moist, and that REALLY has been helping a lot. He just has to be "quarantined" for a few days now, which means that I too will be quarantined. Sob. But it will be all right, we'll just eat popsicles and watch movies:)

This is the first time my little boy has been really sick and it has been SO hard on me. It breaks my heart to see him not feeling well. Even though he tries SO hard to be happy even though I know he is feeling crummy. Even with the croup he still has more energy than I do! I'm just grateful he is starting to feel better, and I am so grateful to live when and where I do. As I was sitting up with him the other night I couldn't help but think that somewhere across the world there was another mother in Africa, Asia or a less developed country, sitting up with her sick baby too. Except that mother wouldn't have access to the medicines, Dr.'s, support and medical care that I have at my fingers tips. She might just have to watch her baby get sicker and sicker and not be able to do anything for him. The thought just about broke my heart, and made me wish SO bad that no mothers and babies had to suffer. Life just isn't fair, and sometimes I can't figure out why things are so unequal. Why I have so much more than others just because of when and where I was born. I wish it wasn't like that. Even so, I am very grateful for all the resources I have and to live where I do. I just have to remember that God loves every baby and every mother, and no matter where they live and what they are suffering He is aware of them and helping them too.