Sick Little Baby {RSV}

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7 weeks old – spent the whole last week in the hospital

Whew!  It’s been way to long since I’ve posted.  This is not the kind of post I’d like to be writing as my first one back after having baby, but I want you all to know what’s been going on.  As all the people in the upper midwest will agree, it’s been an awful winter with so many sicknesses.  We have literally been sick for almost all of 2017 it seems.  I think I’ve only made it to church 2 Sundays this whole year!  And of these first 7 weeks of Havilah’s life, our family has been sick or contagious/quarantined for 4 of them.  Currently I’m two hours away from home sitting with Havilah in the nearest Children’s hospital as she recovers from the latest illness – RSV.

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{Written Friday, March 31.  Read to the end for an update today.}

We never imagined we’d be here this long, but yes, Havilah is still in the hospital (almost one week now). The doctor is hoping she will be able to go home Sunday.

As a little recap, she tested positive for RSV, had a bad cough with mucus which caused her to be unable to eat, and had some periodic breathing. There are no treatments for RSV (which is essentially a bad cold), and for a little baby, being too congested to breath is dangerous so she has been on monitors and had other support for her body so she can fight it. She has had an IV most of the week for fluids, and yesterday got a feeding tube as she still couldn’t eat or choked and coughed so bad and for so long she would throw everything up. I am very happy and relieved that now she can get the nutrients she needs! She came very close to having to go to the PICU (Pediatric ICU) for more breathing support, but ended up not needing it – praise the Lord!

She has been a very sick little girl.

The RSV virus should have run it’s course by now and been gone – days 3-5 should be the worst, by day 8 you are no longer contagious, even if the cough hangs on a bit… today is day 10 for Havilah. And she STILL has a fever. This is concerning to the doctor. Fevers in a 6-7 week old are taken very seriously, and are a sign there is something else still going on. After reviewing chest x-rays with the specialist, the doctor said today that possibly there is something that could be pneumonia showing up, so she is starting antibiotics. Lord willing, this will be the cause and the fix! Her breathing is much improved.

In order to go home, Havilah needs to be able to nurse or take a bottle (eat by mouth) and keep it down, and not have a fever. She has definitely improved some from the beginning of this week, but still has a bit of a road ahead of her. She is comfortable (unless the nurse is suctioning her nose, ha!) and pretty happy, though she sleeps more than normal as she heals. With her tube she is able to get breastmilk so she is well hydrated and fed. 🙂

Ben is able to be with us again here at Sanford in Sioux Falls (I have been with Havilah 24/7 the entire week). A big thank you to the aunts and uncles and Grandma and Grandpa who have been and still are caring for Ole and Maple at this time! I have been getting a bit of sleep, and am looking forward to taking a break and going out for a short time while Ben is here! We feel so blessed to be here at the Children’s castle hospital, and are able to stay right here in the room with Havilah and be very involved in her care. I am learning all I can from the nurses and enjoying chatting with them all. (Can you imagine? ;)) We have a great care team!

I’m trying to put an update on my personal Facebook page every day with some pictures, if you’d like to follow Havilah’s journey a little closer.

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UPDATE TODAY: Today is day 11 (since RSV started; one full week since Havilah was hospitalized). She is no longer on continuous monitoring, which makes it so much nicer and easier to hold her without all the cords.  Breastfeeding (or bottle) is sometimes going so-so, and sometimes a complete struggle and doesn’t work.  Often she’s still vomiting afterwards.  Today we are experimenting with spacing out feedings, and other tactics.  We are cautiously optimistic that the antibiotic is starting to work and keeping her fever down.  For now we just have to wait for her body to pull out of this.

To those of you who have been tirelessly praying for her all week, THANK YOU!!!!!

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Havilah’s care team at Sanford Children’s Hospital
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Our very sick little girl 🙁
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Havilah’s comfortable, spacious, beautiful room!

*** I have to add, our team at Sanford Children’s Hospital has been absolutely amazing!  The nurses, doctors and other staff have been confident, fun and great to work with.  They have looked after little Havi with such tenderness and concern; it is obvious they care about each of their pediatric patients very much!  So if any of you nurses are reading this… shout out to you with a big THANK YOU!!!!!! 😀 ***

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The Castle with changing-color lights

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