{Pretty Croupy}

Two days ago at 4 a.m. the baby monitor woke me up, and I could hear Finn coughing and thrashing around.  I got up and went to check on him.  He was coughing pretty good.  I picked him up.  He continued to try to cough, and soon he was also trying to breath.  Soon, he wasn't able to catch his breath.  He couldn't breath.  Snot was forcefully coming out of his nose, and he was making a coughing/choking sound. 

Panic.

I took him outside on the front steps, as I was told that if a kid has croup the cold air helps to open their airway. 
I called for Kurt.  He stumbled out of bed and and I told him that Finn was having a hard time breathing and handed him to him.  I ran and got him a blanket and his oxygen.

He was still having a hard time.

We were going to the hospital.  NOW.  I ran throughout the house trying to get dressed and throw things in his diaper bag (as I know what it's like to be stuck in the hospital without things you need).  I kept asking Kurt what we should do.  I was frantic.  Kurt was calm.

Finn hadn't completely stopped breathing and his lips hadn't turned blue....yet.  Which was what we were looking for, but all the while he was struggling; not able to catch his breath, coughing.   But it was getting to that point and it was coming fast, as all of this happened so fast.  He started to foam at the mouth.

At this time, Eli came out of his room crying saying that we were scaring him.  I ran down, woke up Isaac and told him to take Eli in his room and watch t.v. 

As I was running trying to get my shoes on (with no socks), I thought-we aren't going to make it.  If we get in the car, he's not going to make it to the hospital.  I told Kurt, I'm Calling!  I grabbed the phone and dialed 911.  A lady picked up on the first ring.  I gave her my info and she had me stay on the phone with her until the ambulance came.  It took them about 5-7 minutes to get to our house.

Two cop cars, and and ambulance showed up.  No sirens, no lights.  I was glad as I didn't want the whole neighborhood out there.  By the time they got to our house, Kurt was able to get Finn somewhat calmed down and breathing.  Not normal breathing, he was still struggling to breath, but breathing.  He had his oxygen on him and he was just holding him. 

Once help arrived, they asked questions, we answered them and then I hopped in the ambulance with Finn and went to the hospital.  Kurt was going to get the boys situated and then was going to drive to the hospital and meet me. 

Once at the hospital, they took his pajamas and onsie off and every time he would breath his chest could just sink in.  Because he was trying so hard to get a breath, his chest was retracting-BIG TIME.  It looked unnatural.  They ended up cranking his oxygen up to 1.5 where it's usually at .25 and they gave him steroids.  Two treatments of epinephrine and a dose of decadron.  Usually when they see kids come in they give them a dose of decadron and send them home.  Epinephrine works immediately to help open the airway, and the decadron takes 3-4 hours to kick in to help open the airway.  Finn needed 3 doses and ended up staying in the hospital for two days.  He was discharged yesterday afternoon.  He still labors to breath a little, but not like he was.  He is back on his normal oxygen level, and is still sick, but a normal sick.  And we can do normal sick. 

A scary experience to say the least.  We have never experienced croup in our house.  Ever.  That's 11 years croup free!  We are thankful that Finn is doing better.  This little guy is definitely keeping us on our toes.  I am armed with a dose of decadron should this ever happen again, which I hope it never does.