My poor baby :(

Over the weekend, Keaton developed this AWFUL congested cough. Zach and I agreed it was allergies (since I'm suffering terribly) and it would pass. Then the ear pulling started...I wanted to try to wait a bit and see, but at the same time, I remember how much harder it was to get rid of the last ear infection because I waited so long.

Yesterday afternoon, he started to get very warm...very quiet...and VERY calm. He sat in Zach's arms after dinner for a good 20 minutes and in mine for about 15...Any stillness from this child over 2.5 minutes is cause for concern! At bedtime, I took his temp and it was 102.7. I just KNEW it was an ear infection and I had waited too long (this was after he didn't nap at all yesterday - just dozing off and on for about an hour or so with intermittent screams!)

So I called first thing this morning and got him an appt. I told the pedi. I thought it was an ear infection and/or allergies...she checked his ears and said they looked perfect. She listened to his back and chest and asked if he wheezed often. No, never...

She got very serious and said, "OK, well, we're going to do a breathing treatment and see if that can loosen anything up since it's the beginning stages of pneumonia...." Pneu...what?! Ugh, talk about feeling like the worst mom! My poor baby has pneumonia and I'm sitting here waiting out an ear infection!

So then the awfulness began. They brought in this loud machine with a long tube and a fish-mask attached that sprayed out a fine mist of medication. Keaton HATED it...and that's putting it nicely. I had to practically pin him to the floor because he wouldn't stay in my lap and hold the mask to his face...now, if that isn't a vivid enough image...laugh some more as you picture me with my big ol' baby belly trying to wrestle with my 14 month old son while he's hitting the nurse who's trying to help me.

Needless to say, hardly any of the medication went in his system. The fabulous NP said, "Let's try again..." ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! She demanded I hold him this time. So, here I am, trying to calm Keaton while holding him (which he hates anyways) I've got one of my arms pinning down his arms, and w/ the other, I'm cradling his head and holding the mask near his face (trying not to breathe it in myself because I wasn't sure of the affects on pregnant women!)

So this treatment "takes" and he does a bit better...still screaming bloody murder the entire time. The NP wants to send me home with the breathing treatment to do 3 times a day. I told her she had to be kidding...there was NO way I was going through that 3 times a day and there had to be a better way. She mentioned a liquid form, but it tasted nasty and most children don't like it. I said, "We'll take it!" Seriously. Did she not see what just happened?!?!

So, we got that and an antibiotic to kill off bacteria and what not.

Zach called his mom on the way home and when he got home, told me that she had warned him (did you follow that?!) that this particular medication can make people hyper - it did with her and with Zach. I laughed. Keaton had been asleep for almost 3 hours!!!! So much for the hyperness (THANK GOODNESS!!) And for the most part, he didn't have any trouble going to sleep tonight. (I also have the child who gets hyper with Benedryl - meanwhile, I fall asleep after about 10 minutes!)

You can tell he's feeling better already, but still slightly lethargic, still very congested, but it's "moving" (which is a good thing) and not just sitting and rattling in his lungs (that would be bad!)
The NP told me signs to watch for and when to bring him in immediately. Hopefully, we can avoid going back until his 15 month check up next month!