It was an INTERSTING past few days to say the least! Gannon was sick like 2 weeks ago – typical virus – coughing, sneezing, runny nose, etc. His cough never quite went away. He got better but never fully recovered. On Tuesday night, Gannon was pretty whiny and clingy. I thought maybe he felt warm. He was coughing some more. I didn’t think much of it.
On Wednesday morning he woke up with a low grade fever and seemed to be coughing more. The boys had an eye doctor appointment in Decorah anyway so I thought I’d swing by the clinic and have Gannon checked out. I wanted to make sure he wasn’t getting yet another ear infection. Gannon seemed okay but had a tiny wheeze so she suggested to dose him with steroids and continue breathing treatments. We were hesitant to jump on antibiotics just yet because his symptoms were so mild. We got ice cream and headed home. Gannon had a coughing fit in the car – he coughed so hard he vomited that ice cream right back up all over his car seat.
On Wednesday evening, Craig came home early. We had an early supper and then the pager went off – severe weather. Most of Northeast Iowa was under some kind of tornado watch or warning. Craig and I are both storm spotters so we headed to the fire station to deploy. We dropped the boys off at moms. Gannon seemed to be coughing a LOT more but we had a duty to serve! Craig and I took the rig and watched the storm. Several tornadoes touched down within about an hour’s distance from us but we hardly got anything more than rain.
We were headed back to mom’s house to pick up the boys. She told me Gannon was not well, just laying on the floor coughing and coughing. We went and picked him up, did a breathing treatment with him but nothing helped. HE JUST WOULD NOT STOP COUGHING – for an hour I sat with him on the couch and held a bucket – cough cough PUKE cough cough gag PUKE. It was terrible for all of us. He couldn’t keep anything down – but not because he was actually vomiting but because he was coughing so hard he gagged and puked. His face was so swollen and puffy.
We went back and forth – take him in or not – by now his fever was 103 but he couldn’t keep anything down. We decided to lay him down and see how the night went. By 4 am his fever was even higher and he was lethargic. I drove him to the ER I used to work at and was so delighted to see my old night shift crew who took such good care of him. We decided to rule out COVID and RSV and Influenza. By now, we’ve all had COVID swabs and know how uncomfortable and painful it can be. Gannon didn’t even cry and he had to have two swabs. We also gave him antibiotics and THANKFULLY he kept them down so we didn’t have to do shots!
By process of elimination and the history of a virus two weeks ago, he was diagnosed with pneumonia. His oxygen was good and he wasn’t coughing as hard. We got to go home. I had to stop at Walmart and get rectal Tylenol in case he started throwing up again and the poor guy just laid his head on the shopping cart like this the whole time:
I felt so terrible even bringing him in the store but I couldn’t leave him in the car! Poor guy. We got home and we both slept from 7 am – 11 am and then again from 2 pm – 5 pm. We were both tuckered out and that fever would not let up! I’ve never seen him so punked out and this kid has been through the ringer.
Anywho, that’s our update for now! Thanks for reading guys!
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RSV is rampant in our neck of the woods, unheard of in July! Crazy, crazy! Poor Gannon, get well soon little guy!
That poor little guy has been through so much but what a trooper! I always think about the poor mum who has no medical training and has to try to figure out if it is something serious or warrants an ER visit. Even though it was a pain in the butt to have to take him to the ER, what fun to be somewhere that knows you well. At least they wouldn’t have questioned your ability to self diagnose that your son needed help.
Poor Gannon! Poor mom! He does seem to get sicker than other kiddos and that is so hard for everyone.
Poor baby and parents too
Poor little guy – and poor you…it’s awful when our kids get sick – and it sure puts us thru the ringer.
Praying for him and the rest of you!
Love and prayers