The Pox

Surely this was something we hadn't planned on dealing with yet ...

So first a lovely pic of our boy ...

Chicken Pox, Day 1 ... you'd never know

And no, we have no idea where he caught them. We've barely been out. And not many people have been around. Who knows ... and really it doesn't matter. But still .. 4-1/2 months is sooo early but especially so for a premie whose immune system isn't as strong as a full-term baby.

Friday with Oma Didi - Chicken Pox, Day 2

Day 3

It started Thursday afternoon when I noticed a blister on his head. A friend said it looked like a sweat blister. Hmmm, ok ... Another on Friday and I still wondered. Oma Didi who popped by said the same, a "sweat blister." Saturday a few more including some on his face and torso and he slept almost the entire day.

Day 4 

Sunday morning, yeh, definitely a fever and more pox but he was in a good mood. Still, we decided it was time to call the house doctor who confirmed my suspicion. I'm telling you .. *always* listen to your momma's instincts!!

We called mainly because we'd never dealt with a fever for Finn and also to find out if there is anything to watch for. Since it was Sunday we got the "dokter van wacht" the doctor on call but he was nice, funny and very reassuring. It's just something to get through.

Monday Finn was increasingly clingy and needed to be with Axel or I constantly. He was eating fine, but mostly sleeping ... in our arms.

But then this happened. The kid was covered. His fever was also persisting so we called our family doctor who suggested we come in that evening. By the time we went, Finn looked like this. The poor poor kid. As our family doctor called his children's doctor (who answered the phone while on vacation) said .. the poor kid was "bomb full."

The two doctors spoke at length and agreed on an action plan. First a few prescriptions and we were to take Finn to see one of the team of children's doctors at the hospital on Monday.

Day 5 

That night we got set up for me to sleep in the rocking chair with him if needed. In our bedroom with the air conditioning running because as luck would have it we were about to head into a heat wave.

At 1am I woke Axel because Finn's temp had pushed even higher and I felt we should head to the ER for advise. Thank goodness, as it had gone up even more in the half hour we were underway and I had noticed some swelling in his upper arm as we drove along. In the ER we noticed it was also in his face and funnily even his ears were chubby looking.

The ER doctor on call said we hadn't come to soon, and thankfully not too late. But waiting until morning would have been pushing it. Finn had an infection under his skin that would need to be treated by intravenous antibiotics. And so we were admitted. Momma and Finn into a mother and child room ...

The next few days were a bit of a blur as I stayed close by his bed, feeding him and snuggling whenever I could. Thankfully he only lost his appetite for about 3 feedings when the fever was at it's highest. And yes, it got worse and climbed to a frightful 39,8 before breaking. This stupid heat wave didn't help (I say "this" because it continues and we are well into week 2 already). Snuggling with momma only made things worse but eventually I found out that by putting him on his tummy to sleep in the crib meant I could lay an ice pack on his back and he would sleep for longer lengths. A few sessions of this and the fever broke but then fluctuated up and down for another day before subsiding.

Stay calm was our motto but I have to admit, this was scarier than anything we had been through in the NICU. Thankfully he was again looked after by the fantastic team of children's doctors at Maria Middelares. And most of the nurses were good except for one frightful one that had the night shift the entire time we were there.

We were oh so glad to be released after 3 nights, on Friday, and Axel picked us up after work.

This is our little trooper after our first sleep at home ... snuggling with momma Saturday morning.

Fever free, just looking frightfully spotty.

Chicken Pox, Day 10

21 weeks and counting

Thursday, 16 February started off like any other day in the hospital ... ugh ... I really do hate it, but I promise that I am being good. I am and wil be on strict bed rest for at least 3 weeks from the day of my admission (Sunday, 12 February) so I guess it's best to just grin and bare it.

The absolutely worst issue is the headaches caused by the medication that should prevent pre-term contractions. They brought me to tears this morning.  It gets so painful that I can't touch my own forehead. But I was blessed with the best nurse so far who has been very proactive. After talking to my doctor she faxed in a request to have a neurologist come talk to me to rule out anything that they might be overlooking.

Then later she came in with my own doctor who said that my blood results are showing that I am anemic so he has ordered a transfusion for this afternoon. Now ... if only they can find a nurse who can place the drip with the first try. I look like a very bruised human pin cushion.

But the blood results also showed that the level of infection dropped today - even more than the doctor had hoped so that's great news.

He also did an examination - the first since I was admitted because they didn't want to stimulate anything.  My cervix is completely closed, firm and there's no pressure on it - this, for me, is the best news because it means these babies aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

20 week crisis

Things were zipping along like nobody's business.

On Wednesday, February 8 we reached that magical half way point.

On Saturday morning, a friend came over to take pictures of us unfortunately there still on my other computer. Then we went our friend's Eva to meet up with her and Patricia to discuss our plans for growing and trading vegetables. We're pretty excited about Sweet Harvest and you can read more about it here. After that we went to our friends in Schellebelle for dinner - it's always wonderful to see Marc, Linda and Sylvia - there were the first friends we made in Belgium and will always, always hold special places in our hearts.

Sunday morning started out uneventful. I slept in while my best honey made tea and sorted out our pets. Then he came and sat on the edge of the bed while we talked about godparents for our two little ones. We finally decided on the last one and were feeling great about our decisions. I was pretty excited to start writing letters to them to officially ask if they would take on the responsibility but we were off to start a leisurely morning.

First brunch, then hmmm, Axel was feeling pretty wiped - no wonder he had just worked two weeks straight and I had kept him busy all day on Saturday. So we put on a movie and settled in. My back started killing me. No explanation. I haven't had back pain like that in ages and it was mostly centered behind my right hip.

Not long after my water broke. Well, to be honest I didn't know that's what it was ... it just felt like a very strange explosion. I couldn't explain it or where it had come from. After an hour or two we decided it was best to head to the hospital and not wait to call the doctor on Monday.

Good decision!

I was admitted immediately and moved to the maternity ward. With an infusion for medication to stop any contractions that might come and an antibiotic to be safe. The admitting nurse said I should be prepared to stay in the hospital for the remainder of the pregnancy.

It was a very scary night, pressure would increase and fall as they upped medications, added another and then finally switched me to the one that worked . I finally fell asleep as the morning dawned. Monday was a little better but we still didn't have a lot of answers. But I was tired and scared worried and Axel was doing his best to bring me things I'd need from home. Even the doctor had few answers. We were mostly in a wait and see loop. An infection was present in my blood but that could be anywhere in my body and keeping me stable and contraction-free was the most important.

Tuesday's news was "neutral" the infection had dropped a little, lab results from the swab on Sunday night revealed a staph infection and the antibiotics I was already receiving were the right ones to combat it.

So we just have to wait and see ...