It is good to know your neighbors

Last night, before 10 pm we heard Tee up in his room wake up from his sleep with a cough that sounded much like a seal (croup) and some other strange noises. We both headed to his room to check on him. He was coughing and having a hard time breathing. Every breath in would lead to a big cry and him telling me it hurt.

I called the pediatrician's office and she asked us to put him in a bathroom with the hot water running to see if the humidity would clear him up. She also said to go ahead and give him a breathing treatment. I sat in the bathroom with him and it was painful to watch. His chest would sink in each and every time he breathed. Phlegm was coming out. He was a little hysterical. I could not calm him down.

While doing his breathing treatment, my husband called the neighbor who just happens to be a pediatrician at our practice. She came over to look and listen. I have to say she is so good at her job. She is such a nice, calm, soft spoken person. She looked at us and told us to take him to the hospital because he was not moving enough air and seemed very tight in his chest. She said a steroid treatment would help him. She left but said she would call the hospital to let them know we were on our way.

Luckily, the trip to the hospital went well. He could not speak loudly and he knew it. I was just happy he had calmed down and was smiling a little. He did say some of the funniest things on the way to the hospital. I think I used the word "hate" for something. He looks at me and says Mom you should not say that word. How right he is because I tell that to my boys all the time.

We checked in and were taken back to the pediatric area of the er. They confirmed croup and also said he had stridor which means that his airway had swollen so much that it would be like breathing through a straw. A breathing treatment and liquid steroid were given to him and then it was sit back and wait. They wanted us there 2 hours to ensure once the medication wore off it would not come back. I guess there is a possibility of it returning a little worse than when it started.

We got home around 1:30 am. And are we all tired today.

I was looking at the paper work I received regarding his condition. I am assuming he had spasmodic croup which is caused by a cold or allergy. He had been fine yesterday with just a little runny nose. So this did catch us a little off guard.

The neighbor called this morning to check on him. She is so sweet. I think I will send them a little thank you gift.

Tee just fell asleep in my bed as I was folding. So off to get housework completed.