Influenza A and Pnemonia

Poor Poor Hunter! Friday night he started to feel a bit yucky. By saturday morning he had a full blown fever of 101.5. He was coughing really hard and his voice was gone. We loaded him up with advil and juice but nothing seemed to help. Saturday  night he woke up about every hour gasping for air. I was pretty sure it was the croup so I set up the humidifier and told him to relax and not panic. 

Sunday doned and he was no better, but really no worse. He spent the day laying on the couch coughing and watching football. Then all of a sudden at about 7pm he began really struggling to breath. He couldn't catch his breath, his fever was 102 with the advil, and said "Take me to the Dr. now I can't breath."  So I took him to the Instacare and they swabbed him up the nose (yes it was fun) and went out the door to run the 10 minute test.  3 minutes later the Dr. came in and said, "that was the fastest positive I have seen. He has Influenza A, so we are giving him and you Tamiflu.  He will also need an inhaler and we will be doing a breathing treatment on him.  Oh one more thing, he needs to blow in this tube and the plastic slider has to stop at about 200." Right.

So he blew in the tube and he blew in the tube but he couldn't get it higher than 75. His Oxygen level was 80% which was really bad and so he did another breathing treatment. By this time he was in tears and just wanted to go home.  So the nice Dr. took pity on him and sent him home with the promise of coming back tomorrow for a re evaluation. Oh and a handful of masks that he is to wear at all times!

Sunday night was as bad as Saturday night. He was gasping all night long. We did the inhaler every 4 hours and it did not seem to help.  Monday morning hit and he was worse than ever.  So, as promised, back to the Instacare. This time he did a breathing treatment and blew in the tube and still 75. So back to the breathing treatment and tube-75, what the- Dr. says "hmmmm lets get a chest xray, there is something else wrong here".  Chest Xray comes back, Pnemonia...ok that makes sense. So antibiotic now and nebulizer with albuterol is prescribed. And a fear that he will not be able to come home...tears, begging, tears. 

Dr. says, ok you can go home if you go to your Primary Care Dr. in the morning and check him out. Parting words are, "If he can' breath or he is struggling to breath-straight to the ER". That comment did not make anyone feel better about the situation.

When we got in the car Hunter, tears running down his face, says, "Just have Dad give me a blessing. I don't want to go to the hospital."  Dave and friend gave him a Priesthood Blessing and we tucked Hunter in bed telling him to let me know if he needs anything.  Then we all went to bed. Every hour I woke up in a panic and ran in to check on Hunter, but he was sleeping peacefully. Tuesday morning he woke up, took a vapor bath, all his meds, a breathing treatment, and by lunch he said, "I feel so much better than yesterday, I can breath!" Thank heavens for his faith and thank heavens for the Priesthood.

Hunter's fever is gone, he is back to laughing and wrestling with Hayden, and we are grateful he has healed so quickly.  He got to enjoy Thanksgiving with our family instead of isolation. We have a lot to be thankful for and this is but one reason.

Hunter we love you!