thermometers. stethoscopes. breathing machine. x-rays

I got a call from Radiant Kidz Zone (his preschool) at 4:00pm on Tuesday. Vaughn was running a 102.7 temperature and his breathing was shallow.

From the time I picked him up to the time we got home, he didn't say one word. It made me realize how chatty he typically is. I missed it! He laid on my chest while I was figuring out what to do. His breathing sounded like he just ran a mile. It was so short, deep and fast. I was nervous.

As soon as Dave came home, we went straight to Goodnight Pediatrics Urgent Care to find out he may have pneumonia. The doctor totally changed the way Vaughn views pediatricians and stethoscopes! He doesn't see it as a torture machine anymore! I was happy something positive came out of his Urgent Care visit. That and he got a prescription for antibiotics.

That night was a little rough. For the first time in his life, we let Vaughn sleep in our bed. I didn't sleep much as his breathing was so unsteady, I kept making sure he was okay. He only lasted in my bed until 12:30am because I had a migraine. Dave then took Vaughn in his room and slept next to him on the floor. Neither of us felt rested on Wednesday but it was worth it to make sure Vaughn was breathing!

On Wednesday, we went to his pediatrician appointment. The doctor didn't think he had pneumonia and was going to take him off the meds. She did a breathing treatment which did nothing but make him scream and cry for ten minutes. I sang, If You're Happy and You Know It, ABC's, Five Little Monkeys Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, AND The Wheels on the Bus. All of that singing and torture for no improvement in his lungs at all. She then decided to see what his breathing capacity was and since it was at 94% she gave us an order for xrays to confirm.

Vaughn was a CHAMPION with his chest x-rays. We had to wait almost an hour beforehand, but once we got to the x-ray room, he didn't cry at all. They put him in this crazy contraption that kept him in place. The technician was hoping he would cry so his chest would expand, but instead, he just looked around.

Three hours later, we made it home. Shortly after I put him down for a nap, I got a call from the doctor saying that it was confirmed as pneumonia...in both lungs and to continue his antibiotic.

He only acted like he was sick for the first two days. He still has a cough but the humidifier is making it so he can sleep. I think he'll return to preschool next week. Dave and I are starting to feel sick now. We are going to rest lots and get healthy so we can continue to take care of our baby Vaughn.