Just a Little Bit Sick?
Why don’t my girls ever get just a little bit sick?
There is no such thing as ‘just a cold’ with the Twinadoes. It might look like just a cold when it first starts, but that little bit of snot is just the beginning of the end. A ‘little cold’ always turns into a full blown chest infection/asthma incident and means pumping them full of ventolin and steroids and hoping that we won’t need to make a midnight dash to the hospital this time. All this within 24 hours of that first, innocent looking snot.
Izzy ‘cold’ peaked on Tuesday night and I was up and down to her over night making sure she stayed hyped up on ventolin and steriods and doped out on antihistamine….and watching to see if that would be enough. Zoe peaked last night and by the look of her at about 8pm on her way to bed I was pretty sure we’d be at the hospital by midnight, but the massive amounts of ventolin did the trick and she has steadily improved since then.
They both sound terrible today, coughing and wheezing and snotting… but really they are both much better. Both back to playing and driving me nuts after three days stuck at home. So while I’ll probably be up a few times in the night to ventolin someone I am confident that a trip out in the cold and dark is not on the cards tonight, thank goodness.
So yes, they have really just had a cold, but for us it means so much more. Mostly I just deal with it all without too much bother. It is just the way it is for us, a little legacy from being born at 29 weeks. We are lucky really, they don’t get sick all that often, they don’t get asthma unless they are unwell (or allergic) and considering they were born so prem we are lucky to have very few lasting complications, lucky just to have them both with us at all. So we know that a cold will mean they get asthma with it and generally we deal with it and move on.
Unfortunately I caught a second or two of some show on ABC on Monday night (Australian Story? 7:30 report? no idea really) which showed a woman caring for her husband who was now pretty much a vegetable after a massive asthma attack left him brain damaged. Holy Crap…. I’d never really thought about how the lack of oxygen during an asthma attack might be messing with their brains! Now that is a nice comforting thought isn’t it! Just another worry to add to my midnight ponderings of how on earth I’d cope if I had to call an ambulance if I was home alone with all three kids….
Still….no point on dwelling on the negatives is there? They are both much better, and they will go back to kinder on Monday… five sleeps and counting!
Poor darlings. I hope they get well just as quickly as they get sick.
Take care of yourself too, mum. It’s horrible when your babies are sick, even if it’s “just a cold”.
I understand poor little twinadoes.I worked for over 10 years in a children’s ward and asthma /chest infections are tough on little bodies.
You are amazing to do it all alone Kate – at home – most parents can’t … well I know it is scary for many too. Keeping them at home is good if they are stable.
Yes like PQ said – take care of yourself too.
Awwww… hugs to the girls, and to you too! I do hope that they feel better soon. I never realised that asthma could do such damage.. thanks for opening my eyes….
Good luck and I hope they get better soon.
I never really understood how serious asthma was until I had a serious attack and there was no wait at the hospital. There were multiple people rushing around me like an episode of ER and it only then did it finally hit me.
I hope the girls are feeling better real soon and there will be no midnight, (or any other) trips to the hospital.
Oh how I can identify with your week. I also spent early this week up at night with a ventolin and spacer and wondering if it would be enough or were we headed to hospital again….I hate that point where you are trying to decide whether things are working or getting worse – always so worrying
– Kylie at Baysidemama
Hugs kate. I know I am about two days too late on this but I just want you to know, I know and I am thinking of you and the girls and hoping the roid rage is not too bad and thet they don’t eat you out of house and home before the asthma passes. Also that you avoid the hospital.
hey kate, so sorry to hear your babies have been unwell. we too have no in betweens sadly – its all or nothing – recently spent the night in emergency with C and croup!! lovely days! hope the girls improve quickly!!!!