Processing

It's definately weird to be back in the hospital with Marino. I find it sort of ironic that we spent so many months of his short life quarantining him and then his first sniffle of his second flu season and he is back in the hospital ::sigh:: Even stranger is that I had a dream on Sunday night that he caught H1N1 and we were in the Pediatrics Unit here. Of course, then the dream shifted to me discovering a candy buffet in the Pediatrics Unit and being mad I didn't know about it last year, but it is still bizarre I dreamed of this very thing and within a week, something similar occurred.

While it definately sucks to be here, we're getting great care. I'm very thankful the ER doctors took our situation very seriously, even with a packed ER of flu patients. Within minutes we had a team of very nice, patient people helping us. It's also comforting that we know a great many of the doctors and nurses in the Pediatrics Unit from our last stay here. One of the respiratory therapists last night even remembered Marino from the NICU. So, while it sucks to be here, it's nice to have good care.

We should be discharged in the morning, as long as all goes well tonight and he isn't wheezing terribly in the morning. We're down to 4 hour intervals in between breathing treatments, and his desats are staying in the 90s. He's also playful and talkative. We had some scary moments last night where he would try to talk and nothing but a choking sound would come out.

You know what sucks about hospitals? They're not child proof. Presumably, they expect if a child is sick enough to be here, they are sick enough to stay in bed all day. This may work with a baby or small child, but try telling your toddler to stay in a crib all day, sick or not! So, we had lots of play time today, and he just took more naps than usual. But, there are way too many things in this room Marino can't touch or climb on! We had plenty of sad faces today.

I'm really happy with how well he's doing. Last night was pretty terrifying. I know he's much stronger now than he was last year at this time, but pneumonia is nothing to be taken lightly with preemie lungs. I definately feel comfortable taking him home now that his oxygen is staying up (breathing treatments I can handle, but I don't have oxygen at home).

I am counting my blessings, but still bummed Marino will miss Halloween this year:( I was really looking forward to taking him trick or treating at a few houses, since he loves to socialize. I'll still put him in his costume and take lots of pictures to share, of course.