Ava Battles RSV

February 2011 was quite a Month.  It started with taking Ava to the Doctor.  She had been having fever that was up to 104.  Ava had an ear infection and was given Amoxicillin.  During the time she was on Amoxicillin, she developed a nasty cough, and I started her on Pulmocort, to try to ease the symptoms.  On her last day on the Antibiotics I took her back to the Doctor.  I was just not comfortable with the coughing.  The Doctor tested her Oxygen levels and found them to be at 77%.  That day he was going to admit her to the hospital, but when he looked at her she was so happy!  He gave her a breathing treatment, and her Oxygen levels came up to 92%, which is satisfactory.  So he gave her some new medicine.  This time Zithromax, Prednisone, and Albuterol, for five days.  On day six, I brought her back to the Dr.  I knew that Ava was just not alright.  Again, her Oxygen was at 77%, this time he wanted her to be admitted to Cardon Children's Hospital, but first he gave her a breathing treatment, this time her Oxygen level only came up to 82%, I knew that was not good.  At the ER, they tested Ava for RSV, and took some Chest Xrays, while we waited they did a breathing treatment, after the breathing treatment, her Oxygen level dropped even more, and they immediately put her on Oxygen.  The chest Xrays were clear, but the RSV test came back positive.  We waited in the ER for a bed to open up, the hospital was full, full of children with RSV, this season has been so bad, the news had a story at that very hospital two days earlier...and there we were, Ava on oxygen, waiting for a bed to open.

At this point we'd left the house at 7:30 in the morning to take the boys to school, had an 8:30 am appointment at the Dr. office, and we'd been sent directly to the Hospital.  Now it's 4pm.  I hadn't eaten all day, had nothing to drink, can't walk more than 3 feet from the wall as Ava is hooked up to Oxygen...and I feel a Migraine coming on!  Of course I don't have medicine with me.  I tell the nurse, I have to get something to eat and drink.  Hours pass, and finally she brings some water, and a PB and Jelly sandwich.  I get that down quickly, but it's too late.  Around 8pm, they have a bed open upstairs in the NICU.  They wheel us upstairs, the hospital lights are killing me, and the curves of the hospital hallways.  We get in the room, and Oh yes, I vomit!  I feel so horrible!!  Here is my little Ava, so sick and needing Mommy, and I am throwing up.  I call Scott, feeling so guilty to have him drive an hour at that time of night with all the kids, but I needed my medicine so I could take care of Ava, and give her the nutrition that she needed.  I was so relieved to see him walking through the door, knowing relief was near! 

Ava spent the next three days on Oxygen.  Eventually getting weaned down.  The hospital staff was great!  They gave Ava such great care.  Ava surprised everyone with how well she ate in spite of being so sick, never losing an ounce, and always having plenty of wet diapers, she escaped IVs!  On day three, I realize that Ava had thrush, and so did I, Ouch!  We were hopeful that we'd be going home on day four, but dips in her Oxygen level, meant her meter alarmed all night long.  It was frustrating, but we kept our hopes up that one more night would do the trick, trying to be patient, knowing that it was best for Ava to be on Monitors so we knew she'd be safe.  That night went great!  No alarms, she was maintaining good Oxygen levels on her own!  The doctor came in that afternoon, on Day five and said we were good to go!  Ava's beautiful smiles got us through.

We were blessed to have many prayer warriors praying for Ava and our family.  It was a tough time, but we knew we were so blessed.  We have supportive friends and family, God working his magic through the Doctors, Nurses and Hospital Staff, and we have a little fighter on our hands...Ava!