Well, as most of you know, this was a very long week.
It really started Wed, the 28
th of Nov. when he was diagnosed with asthma. We began giving him breathing treatments at home. He seemed to be doing just fine. Then Sunday night we put him to bed about 8pm, and at 10:15pm he woke up not being able to get a breath. After watching him for a few minutes, I woke Mike up to look at him, and we decided to take him to the hospital. That in itself was a nightmare. We thought there was a hospital very close to us, near a mall because we had driven by a big building that said "Florida Hospital". Turns out it is an Urgent Care and closes at 7. (Apparently ALL the hospitals and Care Offices are called "Florida Hospital") They had a phone number on the door that Mike called and got directions to the REAL hospital. About 15 min away. THANK GOD, it is across the street from the Science Center we were at the day before, so Mike knew exactly where he was going. While driving there on the freeway, Zachary couldn't hardly breathe and was in
soo much pain.
We took him to the ER and they took one look at him, and rushed him to Triage. He was
soo blue. His lips were blue, his face had no color and he couldn't even breathe enough to cry. He was just limp. They started him on oxygen, and his oxygen level was 80%. It should be 100%. After stabilizing him, they called the Florida Children's Hospital to have him transferred there. FINALLY at 4am, the ambulance arrived and transported him with lights and sirens to
FCH. He was so critical that he was immediately put in the Pediatric ICU.
There he received breathing treatments and steroids every hour. Once he was out of danger it was every two hours. He was in ICU until late Monday. I didnt take any pictures because he was soo sick looking. Then they transferred him to
Peds. Its a level 2 unit. There they gave him treatments every 2 hours, then every 4 hours.
During the day, he was OK, but at night when he fell asleep his Oxygen level would drop to 88%. Every time that they have to give him Oxygen its automatically 24 hours before he can be released. Finally last night he was able to keep his levels at a normal rate without any oxygen! So the Dr said he should be able to come home today! Yeah!!! Boy, all these lifestyle changes we are trying to make, will really start to come into play. We need to figure out his triggers and eliminate them.
Here is his monitor. The top green one is his heart rate. When they give him his steroid breathing treatment his heart rate goes up to 170. The blue one is his oxygen level. The bottom white one is his
respiratory. At the point I took the picture he was pretty much in the normal range except for the oxygen. 97-100 is where they want it.
Here he is getting a breathing treatment and a 'beating' on his back to loosen any blockage.
They let him wear his favorite clothing instead of the ugly hospital gowns. So of course he is wearing his
SpongeBob shirt!
When we were in the ICU, a nurse brought us a 4 balloon bouquet. Someone had donated them to the
children's ICU. Zachary smiled and LOVED them! In
Phx, for the last few years Mike and I donated $20 a month to Phoenix
Children's Hospital. We need to do that here. I also am going
thru the boys toys and all the ones that are too young for them we are giving to the hospital. They also had a wagon full of toys that came
thru and let the new kids pick out a toy. Last year at Attitudes I organized a toy drive that brought in a total of 6 Hefty bags full of toys that Mike and I took to
PCH. It was such an awesome feeling donating all those toys, now I KNOW what great feeling those kids found in
receiving the toys. I wish I could do the same here, maybe next year. I hope each and every one of you will find it in your hearts to donate, even just a small toy to your local
Children's Hospital. We got to see first hand the joy it brings these kids. It truly puts smiles on
their faces. And it will put a glow in your heart, I PROMISE YOU!
During the day, he was OK, but at night when he fell asleep his Oxygen level would drop to 88%. Every time that they have to give him Oxygen its automatically 24 hours before he can be released. Finally last night he was able to keep his levels at a normal rate without any oxygen! So the Dr said he should be able to come home today! Yeah!!! Boy, all these lifestyle changes we are trying to make, will really start to come into play. We need to figure out his triggers and eliminate them.
Here is his monitor. The top green one is his heart rate. When they give him his steroid breathing treatment his heart rate goes up to 170. The blue one is his oxygen level. The bottom white one is his respiratory. At the point I took the picture he was pretty much in the normal range except for the oxygen. 97-100 is where they want it.
Here he is getting a breathing treatment and a 'beating' on his back to loosen any blockage.
They let him wear his favorite clothing instead of the ugly hospital gowns. So of course he is wearing his SpongeBob shirt!
When we were in the ICU, a nurse brought us a 4 balloon bouquet. Someone had donated them to the children's ICU. Zachary smiled and LOVED them! In Phx, for the last few years Mike and I donated $20 a month to Phoenix Children's Hospital. We need to do that here. I also am going thru the boys toys and all the ones that are too young for them we are giving to the hospital. They also had a wagon full of toys that came thru and let the new kids pick out a toy. Last year at Attitudes I organized a toy drive that brought in a total of 6 Hefty bags full of toys that Mike and I took to PCH. It was such an awesome feeling donating all those toys, now I KNOW what great feeling those kids found in receiving the toys. I wish I could do the same here, maybe next year. I hope each and every one of you will find it in your hearts to donate, even just a small toy to your local Children's Hospital. We got to see first hand the joy it brings these kids. It truly puts smiles on their faces. And it will put a glow in your heart, I PROMISE YOU!
