Where Have I Been?

Today is Princess's 7th birthday, and I'll be writing a birthday post about her soon (or eventually...hopefully before she turns 8). 

So far, I've failed miserably at my 2015 goals.  I haven't so much as started to think about doing any of the things on my list.

Here's why...

No, he hasn't been in the hospital all this time-he was actually only there for one night.  However, it's been a terrible year for him health-wise.  He started getting sick on December 31st and ended up with pneumonia.  Just for fun, he was on amoxicillin for a double ear infection when he came down with pneumonia.  The ER doctor switched him to a stronger antibiotic and in a few days, he seemed to be on the mend.  He had 2-3 good days when I was mentally cheering for myself for getting him through pneumonia without a stay in the hospital...and then he got RSV which is what landed him, you guessed it, in the hospital.  However, the doctor that read the x-ray mis-diagnosed him with worsening pneumonia despite being on his second antibiotic of the year, and put him on an even stronger antibiotic before discharging him from the hospital with retractions while breathing, a fever, and a high heart rate.  We took him to Urgent Care at a different hospital the next morning (January 18th), and they did what the first hospital should've done right away-run a test for RSV.  It came back positive and, while we've managed to stay out of the hospital, he's been at the doctor twice this week already because of worsening breathing and has been throwing up quite a bit.  Thankfully, the G Tube allows us to keep him hydrated by giving him small amounts of formula or Pedialyte more frequently.  The doctor told us that we just need to make it past days 5-7 and then RSV typically starts getting better.  Yesterday was day 7 so hopefully Little Dude will start improving now!  I miss my happy little boy.


Things that happen when your baby has been sick with pneumonia and/or RSV for 23 days....

Your daughter wakes up on her birthday and excitedly asks you where the treats are for her to bring to school today.  You hype up a package of oreos that you quickly dig out of your "sanity" stash before stuffing it into her backpack.

Your house is a disaster and your laundry is "this" close to being classified as a national disaster.

You have to call your mom on the way home from taking the baby to the doctor because you keep falling asleep while driving.

You have significant mom guilt over the fact that your three oldest kids have spent the last three weeks being shuffled from one person to the next while you are at the doctor's office, ER, or hospital with their baby brother.  The mom guilt is worse because it's your oldest child's birthday this month, and you keep remembering that Little Man's birthday last year fell right in the middle of a nine day hospital stay with Little Dude.

The extent of your social media presence is an occasional update for family on Facebook and quick pictures on Instagram (if you want updates on Little Dude, IG is where you want to be!)

It's January 22nd and so far this year, you've only left the house to go places with medical personnel and equipment.  And church.  Once, in between the pneumonia and RSV.

Your almost-potty trained 2 year old will have a regression so bad that you're going to have to start the whole process over again.  Someday.  Definitely not right now.

You keep thinking, "It can only go up from here, right?" and then remember that you have a medically complex child...