31 for 21: Croup x2

I have not been keeping up the last couple days with my blog because Caleb and Isaac decided to get sick and keep me busy (or should I say busier)..

Yesterday morning around 3:30am Isaac awoke me by barking his horrible deep..deep croupy cough.  I got up and took him outside into our 45 degree rainy weather to see if that would help.  He really didn't appreciate that and started scratching me and yelling and making the croup worse.  I took him back inside and rocked him back to sleep.  I usually give it a good one or two tries to get them to stop before I call it quits and head to the ER.  Well, Isaac slept for another whole 20 minutes and back up crouping again.  I decided to head off into the ER with him.

Here is where I explain the difference between my "typical children" and my guys with "Down syndrome".  See its not the Down syndrome that ALWAYS puts me on high alert when and if they get sick.. My other 3 children, when they were croupy we just cuddled them and got through the night for a few nights without seeing the doctor.  The twins on the other hand, they both have other underlying medical conditions that we have to take care of sooner than later.  It IS NOT because they have Down syndrome. They both have grade II subglottic stenosis, size 3+ tonsils (when not infected) and asthma.  Subglottic stenosis means they have narrow airways.  We were told they were both very close to having to have a trach when they were evaluated as infants.  Their airway is only 60% normal size and this does not stretch, but will continue to  grow with them as they grow bigger.   This means they will always have a narrow airway, but always be at risk when swelling occurs.  Their first two years they had strider so bad it was nerve racking for us to always hear them breath like they were struggling.  So, I DON'T mess around when they sound croupy.

After arriving at the ER we found that Isaac also had an ear infection.  Poor bugger got tubes in his ears this May for the second time and when we went in June for our follow up to the surgery, one tube had already fallen out :(  This is the ear with the infection.  After 2 shots of Rocephin and a shot of Decadron and a new red teddy bear, we were sent home.



On the car ride home, he falls asleep to my liking.  I was ready to jump back in bed and take a nap before the other children woke.  Laid him down and went out to talk to my hubby before he headed off to work for the day.  I hear the croupy cough starting again and gagging, so I go into the bedroom to check on Isaac... IT WASN'T ISAAC.  It was Caleb starting.. *chuckle* this is seriously how they roll.  They are so identical in so many ways its fascinating to me.  I got Caleb calmed down and back to sleep, I laid down for a little nap alongside him and when we woke, called the doctor and took him in for his shot of Decadron.

Today is better, they are still croupy a little but they are coughing and moving gunk so I am happy they are both on the mend.  Also, note in the photo above Isaac holding my phone.. All I can say is Thank the good Lord for technology, Isaac enjoyed watching YouTube videos for two hours during our ER visit.  There sure is no tv entertainment for a 6 year old sick child on the tv at 5am.