Croup Strikes Brecken Again!

What a CRAZY and EXHAUSTING couple of days it has been.  It started, Wednesday, April 3.  Cameron was sick with croup and must have given it to Brecken.  I took both of them to the doctor that night and they both got shots of decadron (a steriod to help reduce the inflammation in their throats).  Brecken did fine that night - slept through the night.  But Thursday morning he was NOT doing well.  I get a little nervous with this one due to his history with croup.  But his breathing was bad enough that I almost took him to the ER - since the pediatrician was not open yet.  Then he got a little better so I called the pediatrician and they could see him at 9:20 (it was 8:40).  When we got to the pediatrician, he was ok.  But then he would have a hard time breathing.  After I talked to the doctor and explained what happened November 2011, he decided it would be best to start him on antibiotics (that is what the doctor the night before said we would do if he had croup very long).  So Brecken and I left to go pick up his prescription at Target.  Halfway there, Brecken's breathing got so bad that he was grabbing his throat, tears streaming down his face, and GASPING for air.  It was a sight I had seen before and had hoped to NEVER see again.  He never stopped breathing but it got close.  So I turned my car around and SPEED back to the pediatrician.  By the time we got back, he was breathing ok and would have moments of happiness (like below).

 But then he would have a hard time breathing.  The doctor called in another doctor to figure out what to do.  They decided that with his history, that he needed to go up to Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake.  When they called the ER up there, they said that he needed to go by Ambulance - too risky to have me drive him up.  I was totally ok with that!

 We didn't have to wait too long before the paramedics (seriously about 8 of them - including a BIG fire truck) showed up at the pediatrician's to take him.  Brecken was a little nervous to go in the ambulance but the paramedics were SO NICE!  They got down on Brecken's level and talked to him.  They told him he was going to go on a cool ride like at Disneyland - that cheered him up and he HOPPED on the gurney.  He got scared I was going to follow him and calmed down when I did.

I wish I had had my good camera and that I was walking in front of him but side views and from behind and pictures from my phone will have to do.  They took him out a side door to the ambulance.

The paramedics were going to have me drive separately until they started to put Brecken in the ambulance without me.  He started to get really upset, he started to cry, and his breathing got worse.  So they asked me to ride with him - I was more than happy to go with my little guy!  He was still scared but started to calm down.

 He wasn't sure what was going on.

 The paramedic that rode with us, Paxman, was so nice.  He gave Brecken a stuffed puppy that they first named Charlie but Brecken changed the name to Thomas (like Thomas the Train).  That definitely cheered him up!

 That smile was so nice to see!

They took his blood pressure while driving up to the hospital.  The paramedic knew that Brecken needed to stay calm so he talked to him and helped Brecken find different color trucks the whole way up (about an hour drive).

 He was tired so he closed his eyes for a minute.

 We finally made it to the hospital!

 He got a little nervous about getting out of the ambulance.

 Here he is going into the ER on the gurney.

 Here is the AMBULANCE that Brecken rode in!

 Here is Brecken in the ER getting switched to a hospital bed.

 After the paramedics left, several different doctors came in and listened to Brecken and got his history. This sounds bad but luckily, they heard him struggling to breath (so they didn't think I was crazy).  After seeing even more doctors (Residents, ENTs, etc.) they decided to take some x-rays to make sure he hadn't swallowed anything (which I KNEW he hadn't) and see what it would show them.

 Brecken did great with the x-rays - even though they had to have 2 people do it to get him to sit correctly.

Here are the 2 x-rays of Brecken's neck.

This second one apparently shows a narrowing of the throat, consistent with CROUP.

 Finally around 3:30ish, they decided they weren't going to put a camera down his throat (surgery) so he could eat.  They let him have some juice and an uncrustable PB&J sandwich.  That made him feel better!

Then they FINALLY moved him up to his room (room 3021) - after seeing several more doctors.  It had to be a private room since he had CROUP and possible something else.  Shortly after taking him to his room, more doctors came in and said that the x-rays from today, compared to November 2011, showed more profound swelling and ABNORMALITIES.  So, they wanted to do a CT.  Which meant NO MORE FOOD - just CLEAR LIQUIDS. More doctors came and talked to me.  3 doctors in scrubs came in and said they wanted to do a CT and if they could see enough, they wouldn't have to do a bronchoscopy.  But we had to wait and wait and wait - which is hard with a sick 5-year old that just wants to eat.  Thankfully he was allowed to have apple juice.

Finally, around 7:45, they came to take Brecken to get his CT.  I am so sad that I don't have any pictures of it - my phone died hours before!  When we got back to the room after 8, Brecken watched a little TV and feel asleep!  He needed to sleep.

Nurses were in and out all night checking on him so I slept a little here and there - but he pretty much slept through ALL of it! Ed did come after Brecken was asleep and brought me my phone charger, camera, laptop, clothes, iPad for Brecken, etc.  I must say I LOVE this hospital.  They are so prepared for parents that are NOT prepared to be there.  They had a tooth brush and tooth paste for me but they even had sweat pants for me to wear - I LOVE this hospital!

His nurse did tell me that the nose swab they did came back saying that he had CARONAVIRUS - which was helpful to know because they didn't find any bacteria infection.

Doctors started coming in around 6:30.  Two doctors in scrubs came in - they said that the CT was consistent with CROUP and NOTHING ELSE FUNKY!  YEAH!  But they also said they would probably want to see him when Brecken was all better and do a bronchoscopy then to figure out what was really going on.  They said they didn't want to do it now since it could cause scarring and there would be a chance he would have to have a tube down his trout for a while because of it and it could cause more inflammation.  I agreed it was a good idea to wait but that I wanted it done later.

 We had to wait HOURS more before they would let him eat - they had to have all the doctors talk and make sure they didn't want to do anything else.  So the nurse (Lauren both days and Celeste at night) had to keep flushing his IV).  All morning he chanted CHEETOS, CHEETOS, CHEETOS.  That boy was so hungry and just wanted Cheetos.

Finally, the nurse got the doctors to say that Brecken could eat!  Normally you have to order any food but Brecken's nurse went and got him a bag of Cheetos!  He was SO HAPPY when she brought it in.  I was so happy he got to finally eat and I was so happy when the breakfast cart for parents came around and I was able to eat a little something too - did I mention what a GREAT hospital this is!

 But about halfway through the bag of Cheetos, he was WORN OUT!  He had to lay down and rest for a while!

 About 30 minutes later, Brecken's food came - french toast (I insisted), french fries, chocolate milk, and of course, MORE CHEETOS!  What a "good" breakfast!  I didn't care - he really hadn't eaten in a day!

 He ate a ton and had to rest!

 After more doctors came in, they said we were going to get to go home - and I was okay with that.

 Brecken couldn't wait to go home!  He LOVED the cool yellow socks they gave him - he HAD to wear them home!

 Yeah!  Around 1:00 we got the okay to go home!

Brecken was super happy to get in the car and go home - after we stopped and bought him a prize at Target first!

Now, here is the official diagnosis (which I don't totally understand but we have a follow-up appointment with our pediatrician on Monday so I will get him to explain it):

Caronavirus positive

CT: subglotic edema consistent with croup

X-ray: 1. filling defects within the anterior proximal trachea may represent phlegm although thickened pseudomembranes or other soft tissue lesions cannot be excluded.

2. Apparent thickening of the aryepiglottic folds of uncertain etiology, atypical for epiglottitis without involvement of the distal epiglottis.

I need to google some of that but I will ask the doctor on Monday.

On Monday I am also calling the ENT up at Primary's to make an appointment for 4-6 weeks - at which time they will do a BRONCHOSCOPY.  I am so happy they are going to do that.  For sure I can get that doctor to explain some of the official diagnosis and hopefully we can really figure out what is going on with this kid.

But for now, we know he has CROUP but he is breathing better and home playing with his siblings.  You can tell he still doesn't feel great but he is doing "good".  Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers!