On Brielle's birthday, Hyrum woke up with a fever of 104.6. He didn't move that whole day, just sat in my arms like a lump. Brielle had a preschool field trip and we went to Jump Planet with all of the huge inflatable toys, but Hyrum just dozed listlessly on my lap. His fever remained high, fluctuating between 104-105, so two days later I took him to the doctor. (The day of Brielle's birthday party.) They diagnosed him with a double ear infection and we started amoxicillin. However after three days the fever should have come down, and hadn't, and Hyrum still wasn't eating or moving. So I returned to the doctor (this time to his regular pediatrician) and after checking his oxygen level, and x-raying his chest, Hyrum was diagnosed with pneumonia. A very serious pneumonia, as the majority of his right lung was affected. They gave him shots, and the next day they gave him shots again. The day after that our doctor sent us to Seattle Children's Hospital where they immediately admitted him.
The concern was that he might have a pleural effusion, and empyema, which is when the pleural cavity (area surrounding the lungs) is filled up and infected, creating counter pressure in the lung space and making it even more difficult to breathe with his damaged lungs.
After X-rays and Ultrasounds, it was clear that Hyrum DID have an empyema, and that he would need to stay in the hospital for a week.
It was so hard to see my baby in the hospital. Especially because he didn't understand that the doctors and nurses poking and torturing him were in fact trying to make him feel better. He was so dehydrated that the nurse punctured through three veins before getting an IV in his little hand.
After the first few days of lying in my arms and crying, Hyrum started to feel a little better and would sit and play with cars for a bit each day.
A Pirate came to visit him. And a golden retriever. Hyrum was more impressed with the golden retriever. =0)
Day 4: After receiving pain medicine, Hyrum would seem much better for a few hours. One of Hyrum's chief delights was in explaining the remote to everyone. He would point out what each of the buttons did (light, 'nother light, TV, etc.....) and then always last was his favorite button. The red one which would call the nurses, he would tell you very solemnly that we can't push that button or else the nurses will come in. =0)
Within hours of Hyrum being admitted, my Mom had flown in from Montana to help us. We're so very grateful to her, there's no way we could have gotten through that week without her there.My Mom was amazing, she cleaned the house, watched Brielle, played with Hyrum and made him smile when no one else could, walked the dog, did the laundry, weeded the garden, planted flowers, cooked meals, and basically did the work of 10 women while she was with us. I sure love my Mom!!
Here Mom and Brielle are showing Hyrum what all of the wind-up toys do. Mom also brought pez and pez dispensers, which entertained Hyrum greatly, since he had to use his teeth, head and arms to get the candy out (one hand was immobilized with the IV, and the other one was a big swollen bruise from the attempted IV's)
On the last two days Hyrum felt well enough to go to the play room for a few minutes at a time. (He would tire out extremely quickly, poor guy)In the play room we mostly played with the train table. Hyrum would push the train around and around the track......
...and I would follow after him with his IV pole, around and around the train table.
Brielle on the other hand was able to enjoy the play room more fully. She painted, played with toys, climbed on the outdoor playground.....in fact she thought the Hospital was a wonderful place. Nurses would bring ice cream and pudding on request, there was a never ending supply of children's movies to watch, and huge rooms filled with games and toys and crafts. Too bad the children that need to be there can't enjoy it as thoroughly.On the 6th day we were able to bring Hyrum home. He's still very sick, he tires easily, has a hard time breathing, and is generally extremely weak from losing so much muscle tone. It's sad to see him hobbling around when before he used to run everywhere, but he's definitely getting better each day. Hyrum lost quite a bit of weight during his illness too, so now his clothes don't stay on very well.
In about a month Hyrum should feel better, and after two months we'll have X-rays done again to see if the pneumonia is completely gone. It may take up to three months. Thank heavens for modern medicine! And we're also so very thankful for all of the prayers from family and friends during the past couple weeks, thank you!
