ER Update 1

Well ... this morning I guess ... we made our first trip to the ER at BC Children's.

Aidan woke around 1:15 this morning, and Gwen went and got him. He was quite warm, and when we took his temperature, it was about 101.5. This was surprising since he'd been fever-free for the past four or five days. We dosed him with the infant Advil, but by 1:45, his temperature hadn't budged, and his breathing seemed rapid and shallow. Since these were the symptoms we were told to watch out for, we packed up and headed to the emerg.

And arrived around 2am.

And, although we were shown into a room immediately, and the triage nurse bustled in and around, took his temperature and hooked him up to the monitor, it was quite a while before we saw a doctor. In fact, it was pretty close to 4:30 before the resident mosied in and took a look at him. She ordered a chest xray and a ventolin mask. We made it to radiology just as the xray tech was packing up, but she squeezed us in.

The sight of your infant son, literally strapped to a chair, with his arms strapped above his head, bawling his eyes out, and you forced to wait behind the radiation shield is not a pleasant one.

Back to the exam room, and wait for the paediatrician to visit. He took the mask reasonably well, but of course he was exhausted from the continuing ordeal.

We saw the paediatrician by about 5:45 where she told us that we were to increase his ventolin masks, she was adding pulmacort to the mix too. The pulmacort is supposed to continue for the next month, and the ventolin for the next two weeks. The chest xrays didn't look too bad, but there were sufficient dark spots that he was also prescribed amoxil. After receiving the verdict, we had to wait for the scripts and for the new nurse to give him the first amoxil dose.

We were back home around 6:30.

Gwen and Aidan went to bed, and at 8, I headed to work.

Right now, his fever's still up, and we're all tired. The antibiotic is 3 times a day, the venolin 4 times a day, and the pulmacort, twice daily. Why can't they change the size of the doses so that the drugging schedules mesh nicely?

And, oh, Gwen & I are still being knocked around by our own colds.

Pray for sleep.

Dr's Office Update 2

So, the afternoon check-in with the doctor has meant that he's still on the Ventolin mask for the next few days. Apparently Dr. Izen isn't too concerned about his breathing, but given the little bit of wheezing still going on, it will help him out. Other than the wheezing, the rest seems to be just your typical spring cold.

Don't I wish. This typical spring cold still has me pumping the cold meds and sucking back liquid vitamin C apple juice like it was going out of fashion.

Gwen got a quick check-up at the Dr's office too, and came away with something to treat her sinus infection, which is compounding the allergies, which is compounding the cold. Oh, and the asthma. Sounds absolutely horrible, but I think she's doing quite well. Her energy's up, she hasn't needed a mask herself, and her eye's aren't at all puffy. But, still.

Let's hope we all clear up in time for the weekend!

Dr's Office Update 1

OK, so Gwen's back from the doctor's office. She thinks it's just viral, but in order to help Aidan breathe, we have a ventilator, and some Ventolin.

Fun, fun, fun trying to keep the mask on The Boy. The hands are working overtime, the head whips around, the whole body arches and strains to get away, and for the whole time, he's bawling his eyes out. I'm sure he got at least 1/4 of the dose he was supposed to get.

2:45 appointment on Monday for follow-up with our family doctor, Dr. Izen.

Apparently not

So, Gwen was hoping that we weren't going to get whatever Aidan has.

Ah, well, hope only gets you so far.

This is now day 2 of sick leave for me, and Gwen's been pretty miserable too. Aidan's cold has moved into his chest, but his fever has disappeared. He's been pretty good, maybe a bit less energetic, and coughing of course, but doesn't seem too bad. He slept well last night and had an over three hour nap this morning.

Gwen's not doing too bad either. It's in her chest too, and her sinuses are bothering her, but she's been pushing through.

I'm doing better today. Yesterday was a different story. I don't handle fevers well, and was pretty much useless yesterday. Between not sleeping the night before, the fever, and all the other symptoms (not the least of which was my voice passing through the deep, sexy stage straight to "gone") I was pretty miserable. But today's better, I've been able to read and work on the computer a little bit. Plus I actually had some solid food.

In the end, Gwen's taken Aidan to the clinic now, just to get someone to listen to his lungs. They're going to tell her that his lungs are congested, but I'm not sure how they (the Dr's) make the decision on when it's time to do something about it versus just letting it ride.

Oh look, another sunny weekend predicted. We spent last weekend inside tending to a sick boy. This weekend we'll spend inside trying to tend to sick us.

Happy St. Paddy's Day. Have a beer for me, 'cause I'm not having any today!

Finally Sleeping

Aidan got sick on Saturday and let us know about it on Saturday night. He got up every hour on the hour and was feeling pretty bad. He nursed like crazy since it was about the only thing that kept his nose clear. Sunday was about the same and it was then that we started giving him some pain and fever medication. I decided to give him the infant ibuprophen because if he had any teething pain as well it should be more helpful for both things. I guess that this was "Mommy intuition" because in the middle of that night when he was very feverish and totally miserable I noticed that he had some white points on either side of his bottom teeth. So my baby boy is the proud new owner of two new teeth.

I had been joking earlier that week that Aidan was waking up at 4 because it was time for the trip to Nova Scotia time. It had been three months and that was how long it was between the last two visits. It seems to me that he got multiple teeth on those occasions as well. Our Aidan never does anything the easy way.

Monday Aidan was still sick with a head cold and we now had the fight of wiping the nose. We can't find the nasal aspirator and we don't think that it would be anything like easy to get that in Aidan's nose without hurting him or us. You would think we were trying to kill him just with the kleenex. He went from the not being able to breath through his nose at all, and consequently not eating or drinking very much at all to the chest cold. He could breath a bit through his nose on Monday night and this made it mostly easier for him to sleep. (However the three times he did wake up coughing he went straight to sitting up. Anthony was reaching for him in the dark, the power went out last night too, and couldn't find him. He was very surprised to find Aidan sitting up leaning against the crib not really awake.) Aidan had a few hours like this before getting up with me nursing like crazy, having medication stuffed in him while mostly asleep and going back into his crib for the rest of the night.

Today wasn't too bad and he is getting better. Aidan is still got the chest cold, and his voice is lower and rough but he had a real nap this morning. He has been a little on the cranky side but the supper,vapor bath, and bed seem to be working. Now we just need to keep the temp down like it was today and we will be set.

Anthony and I haven't totally succumbed to the cold yet and we are valiantly hoping that we will be spared but Aidan's hands and nose have been everywhere. But we can do it --- right?

Naked Chinese food in the snow, except in reverse

What an odd day.

First, we woke up to snow on the ground, and falling from the sky. A few centimetres here in Fairview Slopes, trace amounts in Kits, and 5+ cm up at the University. It cleared up by about 10am, and was bright and sunny (no trace of snow at all) by the afternoon.

Chinese food for supper tonight, and shared with The Boy. Still doesn't like rice. Seemed to like a few bits of Lemon Chicken, but didn't have too much of it. Also seemed to like tepid green tea. Go figure. Definitely didn't like the fortune cookies, though.

On our way back from the restaurant (which we made a quick exit from, since The Boy was on his second mini-tantrum) we stopped in to London Drugs to pick up some magic (sinus) pills. We're pretty sure we saw Vancouver-based alt-rocker-chick Bif Naked in there. Despite all the "celebrities" that live in Vancouver, we don't see too many. Gwen saw Kelsey Grammer last year during the CBC Food Bank events, but I think that was the first "celebrity" sighting either of us have had (oh ... wait ... actually, we were on the same train as Vicki Gabereau when we took the Dinner Train to Squamish -- but I don't think current or former CBC TV/radio employees count as celebs, though).

Cheers!

Happy Birthday Nana!

Mom, Aidan and Anthoony and I wish you the very happiest of birthdays. In fine tradition it has been snowing here in Vancouver for your birthday. I hope the weather isn't too bad there. (The snow didn't stay here.)

Love Gwen

Blue gone.

I am just coming off the remnants of getting the blue streaks in my hair.

Sigh. I was just reading a blog by a mom who wants to get pink streaks in her hair and it makes me sad that I just got rid of the blue streaks in my hair. I loved seeing the blue in my hair when I was brushing it out at night. Unfortunately with Mary across the country I really don't have anyone to dye the streaks back for me. They were getting a sickly green-gray colour and that made me feel old.

Oh well, I dyed it dark brown/black and I think I might try to go get it cut. I am not sure though, it has taken me almost two years to get it this long. I will keep you posted.

Mothers wise, give some advice.

Aidan has been eating solid foods for a while now without any problems. He is now almost a year old and he should be getting ready to eat more table food and leave the baby puree in his dust. However, Aidan still spits out almost all "table foods" except for cereals. He loves cheerios, puffed wheat, crackers, bread, even pizza crust. As long as it is crunches he seems to like it, but anytime he eats our food, eg. pasta, cubes of meat, potatoes, cut up fruit, he chews it and then spits it out or just throws it on the floor. We are starting to get a little worried and we need some advice on how to get him to start eating our food.


Help!

Music Time!

Sorry this has been so long in coming. I know that I promised them at least a week ago and I did try a couple of times but Aidan is just so darn tiring now that I have been napping when he finally goes down. The one day I suppose I really could have blogged was the day last week that Anthony stayed home, but that was because I had a migraine and I was drugged and slept all day. (You know that wouldn't have happened with only myself and Aidan at home.)

So with out further ado:



This is my music class. Aidan and I have gotten to know some really cool babies and parents.



This is Aidan, Tristan and Genvieve. (Who happens to be a childhood friend of Andreanna's, as we found out on Wednesday.)



This is Aidan and a shaker. He really likes to shake and drum.

Anthony was at the last class and Aidan really seemed to like having his Daddy there to play and sing with. We need to find a good class for Anthony and Aidan on a weekend. I am sure this would be good for both of them.

Three things

Yes, we're still here. I know we haven't updated much recently. No, I'm not sure why, and I don't know where those photos are that Gwen promised, but I'm sure they're coming soon.

In the meantime, I present three things I find cute this week:

1. Aidan will now crawl over to you and lift his arms to be picked up ... when you call his name and ask him to "Come to Daddy"
2. Aidan will offer you things now. His remote control for the mobile (which is no longer attached to the crib for its own sake) is willingly offered to an outstretched hand, and will also willingly take it back after Daddy has had some play time of his own with it. Mind you, he also offers me Cheerios, but just as he's about to put it in my mouth, he pulls it back, giggling with excitement and eats it himself.
3. Aidan is becoming a little more cuddly. When he's tired now, and especially at night in the dark in his room just before putting him into his crib, he will put his head down on your shoulder. Mind you he's equally as likely to throw himself back in your arms, beat his fists on your chest, pull your ears, pull your chest hair (um, well, my chest hair), and so on ... but really he's never been cuddly, so I see this as a positive step!

Well, that's it for now. Until next time Faithful Reader.