3.09.2014

5 days

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Candy is bad...
especially if you inhale it.
Just ask Theodore.
A long night, a scary ER trip and a scarier few days in the hospital...
it was a horrible way to spend 5 days, but kids are amazing.

Both our kids have been chokers.
We are pros at the Heimlich and big back slaps at our house.
They like to laugh, scream and cry - all the while shoveling food by the fistfulls in their mouths.
Dang little multitaskers.

This time the candy corn sat up shop down deep.
The big back slap wasn't quite enough.
A few hours later a cough started, then Theodore woke up struggling and grunting to breath.

Turns out the lungs just don't work as well with melted sugar and corn syrup gunking up things.
Breathing treatments, oxygen, IV's, more machines, a scope and lung wash-down, 
ventilator, antibiotics, sedatives and steroids....

Theodore, you were a little fighter.
You kicked, tried to bite and pinched the nurses in the ER.
You came out of your sedatives unexpectedly and ripped out one of your IVs.
I was getting lunch, but your daddy looked like a victim from a slasher movie when I came back.

There was also a lot of worrying, pacing, fretting, coffee, more coffee...
chairs that turn into "beds", cafeteria food and nights spent counting each breath.
I think I gained a few wrinkles and a few hundred gray hairs.
Watching one of your babies fight to breath and then knowing the other one is away missing you...
it hard on the heart.

Seeing them bounce right back.
Waking up in the morning to find you climbing your crib/cage walls.
ripping off oxygen sensors, and pulling the emergency nurse cord...
Those Theodore will do the heart some good but not those gray hairs.

You are NEVER EVER allowed to do something like this again.
Capiche? 

7 comments:

tinajo said...

Aww. poor little one - glad everything turned out well after the circumstances! Things like that are scary indeed. :-(

Adrienne said...

Funny how different kids are...both of mine had gag reflexes that were crazy...Not only did nothing ever get down that wasn't supposed to, but a lot of things that they needed (medicine, veggies) didn't get down either. I only had one minor experience with a child (son) in the hospital, and he was much older than Theo and never in any real danger. I'm glad the days have given you enough distance to share the story - you're one brave little family! And I'm so glad everyone's ok!!

Julia Goolia said...

A candy corn!! Gah, Theodore!! I'm so glad it's over, really hated seeing your pictures on IG knowing how hard it must have been to see him like that.

Julia Goolia said...
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Olivia Grace said...

I've had yall on my mind so much. SO thankful that Theo is on the mend! No more candy corn little buddy!

Meredith said...

HOLY. CRAP.

How scary and stressful! So glad that you guys are home now and everything is okay!

Kellie said...

OMG, the pic of him on the vent broke my heart. For real. Even knowing he is ok now, I nearly cried. I am not sure I could have lived through that momma!