"...Or You'll Catch Pneumonia!"

My whole life I grew up hearing one phrase from your great-grandma and it always ended with, "or you'll catch pneumonia!"

"Don't forget a hat or you'll catch pneumonia!"

"Don't go outside with a wet head or you'll catch pneumonia!"

"It's too cold to play outside, you'll catch pneumonia!"

We teased Great-Grandma all the time for her, seemingly irrational, fear of catching pneumonia. I have a feeling she is looking down on us, shaking her head at me and saying, "See Court, I told ya, you'll catch pneumonia!"

Our house has been plagued with sickness since before Christmas and Ryan you've had the worst of it. Pre-Christmas I got the flu, but thankfully no one else did. However, you three boys all caught a cold. Wiley, you and Daddy shook it off pretty quickly, but Ryan it lingered with you. So, the first week of January we headed to the doctor where you had been diagnosed with back-to-back colds. Unfortunately, the doctor informed us that your pesky cough would probably be the last to go, as it usually is with colds.

Five weeks later, we found you still with a nasty cough. "Colds can typically last up to 2 weeks, with the cough lingering for 3." So, we assumed you had one more week of coughing and prayed you didn't get another cold in the meantime.

Sunday, we headed to church for church service + sledding! We were so excited to take you boys for your first sledding adventure. Wiley, you loved it!! Ryan, you hated it. Looking back, I feel like the world's worst parent. Of course you hated it, you were getting sicker. You barely touched your breakfast that morning and could tell you just weren't yourself. And yet, sledding you went. (Cue Great-Grandma: "Don't go outside with a cold, you'll catch pneumonia!")

 

 

 

Well, Sunday afternoon, once home and after your nap, we realized you had a fever. Again, horrible parenting. Guilty as charged. We gave you some medicine and your fever broke; we just chalked it up to your cold. We've since learned, you should never get a fever after the first three days of a cold (and being that this was week 2 of your newest cold, you definitely shouldn't have a fever).

Monday morning you didn't have quite as high of a fever, but you still weren't yourself. And on top of it, that pesky cough seemed to be changing. Monday night, you coughed yourself to vomiting and by Tuesday, your fever was back and cough worsening. It was off to the doctor.

After listening to your chest, he let us know he heard some "crackling" in your lungs which meant it was most likely pneumonia. Based on the timeline, he thought it was most likely viral (untreatable with antibiotics), but was still going to attack it as if bacterial pneumonia and give you antibiotics. If bacterial pneumonia, he told us not to anticipate any results from the antibiotics for 48 hours.

I didn't know much about pneumonia, except my grandma was terrified we would catch it, it lands you in the hospital, and can be life-threatening in little bodies and older bodies. So, as we walked out of the doctor's office, I felt very uneasy with how to care for you and to prevent this sickness from worsening.

So, we did all we know to do, we prayed. Paka came over that evening and anointed you as we all prayed for a miraculous healing.

That evening your fever spiked again, making me a little anxious. The next day, you refused to eat anything - Popsicles, ice cubes (your favorite), milkshakes, oranges (another favorite). We tried everything. You would take a sip or a bite and discard of it. It was heartbreaking. Wiley, on the other-hand, was loving life because he was finishing everything you didn't want (I know; probably not the smartest to share, but you had already shared everything all week. If Wiley was going to get sick too, he already had those germs). Wiley, you were getting all the perks of being sick, without the pain of actually being sick! You were loving the extra TV watching you were getting to do thanks to Ryan. Typically the TV is on for one "hot dog" (Mickey Mouse) before naptime and another episode with Daddy after dinner, and that's typically it. This week we were watching hot dogs whenever Ryan wanted. We even watched a couple of "moo-moos" (movies) this week too, which were big hits (you both love fish right now, so Finding Nemo was a quick favorite). 

 

 

 

(balloons from Boo, Pappy, and Carl brought a smile to your face)

 

However, your temp had stayed down all day and we counted that an answered prayer. By Thursday morning, you started to have your energy back, began playing (and fighting -- good sign we were healing!) with Wiley, and not only were you eating, but you were asking for food all day too! The doctor had told us he would be calling us Friday because we wouldn't see any change in your health before then. Silly doctor, he forget to take into account God!! We are so thankful for this big miracle in your little body, Ryan! It is now Friday afternoon -- your appetite is back, your energy is back, and you are completely healed! Thank you, Lord!

(And yes Great-Grandma, I know you're still scolding me from Heaven; we learned our lesson, don't go outside with a cold or you'll catch pneumonia!)