Or so I'm told by the last person I told this too. Basically you all need to brace yourselves, especially any of the former or current NICU moms.
Julius has RSV, respiratory synctial virus.
And so did I.
I'm all better and now immune, but he is still sickish, not quite there. For those who wondered, RSV's like the worst most exquisitely painful respiratory illness I've ever had. (The antibiotics I had cleared up my ear infection though!)
I know it's bad, and fragile babies can die from it, but that's really the sum total of my current knowledge. Bizarrely, I haven't googled it, because right now, I just keep thinking that he must be getting better! And the pneumonia it caused is cleared up! And the fluidy crackle in his lungs is gone! And it's not bacterial meningitis!
Which would have been deadly. Sort of like when he was born not breathing and blue and yet came back to life anyway. And then when he was breathing funny and got out of the NICU in only one day. Sort of like when he was never supposed to be here at all if I believed all those REs who refused to treat me because I had ovarian failure, yet somehow here he is.
So my perspective is slightly weird right now. He was fine before, and he'll be fine again. He has to be. I just keep checking that he is still fine every 20 seconds or so. Just in case.
So the RSV thing? Tell me it ends soon and even though he is still sometimes feverish and his ears and throat hurt, that he'll be ok?
OK?
Please?
The website I read said, "Almost all kids are infected with RSV at least once by the time they are 2 years old." I think that if he seems to be getting better that is a good sign. From what I understood, they're mostly worried about complications in premature babies (in Israel, they vaccinate all babies born prematurely for it).
ReplyDeleteSo sad you're going through this! Feel better soon. And yes, Julius is going to be OK, since he's got a terrific mom who's watching out for him.
He'll be okay. My littlest, most achingly delicate g-tube-fed one had it, and was terrifyingly ill and in the hospital for a week with it, and yes they talked to me at one point about "maybe using a machine to HELP HIM BREATHE" which HEL-LO, I have a terminal degree and KNOW you're talking about a vent so just SAY IT...but he got through it. Didn't end up with asthma, even (which I'm sure you've read can occur as an aftereffect). I on the other hand got my childhood asthma BACK after the RSV, because I had it with him and HELL YES it's awful! Everyone kept telling me that adults experience it as a "common cold." BULLSHIT! I was SO SICK! So don't let anyone make you feel like a pansy for having caught it, too. Or, well, you're in good company at least :) He'll be fine. He's a strong little guy and it sounds like he's through the worst of it. Oddly enough getting a diagnosis seems to be the hardest part--we were in-patient for GI stuff when he caught it, and I kept telling the nurses he was coughing and they kept saying how reflux babies have SECRETIONS and looking at me like I was squirrelly and then we were discharged, the pediatrician said the same thing, and then he turned blue and we took him back to the hospital and a seasoned nurse met us at the elevator, heard him cough once and exclaimed "THAT CHILD HAS RSV!" Good times. He will TOTALLY be fine!
ReplyDeleteI have no knowledge of RSV, but I wanted to send you both some (((hugs))).
ReplyDeleteJeebus, I'm so sorry. I think like above said the big concern is premature babies (and very, if that) because the lungs haven't quite developed to whatever point they need to be in order to have a chance of fending this thing off. But I could be talking out of my ass, here. And face it: anything -- flu, pneumonia, etc. -- can be deadly for an infant *if not treated quickly and properly.* I think a lot of this stuff slips through undiagnosed because parents think "it's just a cold" and docs blow parents off saying "it's just a cold." Clearly that didn't happen here, so I'm breathing a big sigh of relief even if you're not.
ReplyDeletePoor wee pea, give him a hug from me and tell him to have a speedy recovery, please!
He's going to be ok. Like Tash said, it's such a good thing that this wasn't just brushed off as a cold. Little man is getting all this immunity built up!
ReplyDeleteHang in there
xo
Over from LFCA and wanted to drop a line. Your baby is strong and will overcome this, too! I hope it is fast for the sake of your anxiety!
ReplyDeleteHi there,
ReplyDeleteSo sorry for you sick little boy. It's so terrifying when they seem like they can't breathe. I used to work in a Children's Hospital and help with kids that had RSV, so hard to watch them suffer.
I connected here from a comment from DecemberBaby who pointed me here after I posted that I was recently dx with possible POF and an endometrioma in my ovary. She said you had gotten pregnant despite similar issues.
I would love to hear more about your experience, as I'm feeling pretty down about my chances right now.
Thanks so much!
Eve (eve_62025@yahoo.com)
Oh wow. I JUST learned about RSV at my "mommy group" yesterday and now here it is popping up again.
ReplyDeleteI've come down with a cold too now and I can hear Ruby is a bit snorty so I spent much of last night just listening to her breathe. It's scary (and yes I am easily paranoid).
I hope Julius pulls through this quickly and everyone is feeling better soon.
I'm glad you went fabric shopping or I guess we'd be in the same boat.......umm, thanks?
ReplyDeleteIt's scary stuff, but if a comforting anecdote would be at all helpful, I've known three moms with babies (two of them preemies) who had it and they all ended up just fine. Hope J is better very, very soon.
ReplyDeleteHere from L&F.
ReplyDeleteMy little M was admitted with RSV at 3 1/2 months. She was in the hospital for a week, receiving breathing treatments every 3 hours. She also had an IV in her sweet little head and was Oxygen by cannula.
You're right, it's one of the scariest illnesses I have ever encountered. It's so hard to see your child so sick. She was sick for about 3 weeks before the RSV started, and it took another 2 weeks after being discharged for her to be completely better.
You have all of the good thoughts that I can possibly offer.
I'm with Loribeth. Hoping he is well soon.
ReplyDeleteMy son had it was well and despite all of the awful ER trips when he wasn't breathing well and all of the fun nebulizer treatments, we both survived.
ReplyDeleteYou are both in my thoughts and prayers.
I hope the little guy is recovered soon. And I hope his mommy is feeling better, too.
ReplyDeleteComplications are rare (do yourself a favor, DON'T Google it!); I'm sure that big fine baby of yours will be absolutely A-OK...
ReplyDeleteDr J
I've heard of RSV, but I don't know much about. I hope you both recover fully soon.
ReplyDeleteYeah, this isn't really going to cut it as a comedy routine. Sigh. But I am glad to hear he is getting better, and I hope he is over it soonest, and so are you.
ReplyDeleteGlad he's feeling better! Obviously I'm reading this after the update which said he was. Such a relief.
ReplyDeleteBea