That's what mommies are for

Last night, Peanut woke up after sleeping for about an hour coughing, gagging and sounded like he was gasping for air. This went on for what seemed like an hour (I'm sure it was only a few minutes or less). We thought if we could just get him to calm down he would be able to catch his breath. This did not happen so I told my trophy husband that we needed to go to the ER and thankfully he did not argue. We called our neighbors (the very best neighbors in the world) and they came over to stay with Bubba while we headed in to Mercy Hospital.

After we got checked in, we were seen almost immediately. He was more calm, but still had a horrendous cough and his breathing was very labored. His heart rate was also very high. They led us back to a room and as soon as he saw it he said in the saddest voice I've ever heard "What's going to happen?" and then he started to cry. Then I started to cry, but of course tried to hide it and let him know that everything was going to be ok. A new nurse came in and introduced herself, but didn't even get all the way into the room when she heard him and said she was going to get the doctor. The doctor was fabulous and checked him out completely. The diagnosis is croup and strep throat. They started him on an oxygen treatment that came through a tube that he just had to hold in front of his face. Then a respiratory therapist came in and gave him another one that was medicated and done through a mask. If you know Peanut, you can about guess how that went over. Once that was complete they went back to the regular tube treatment. He also had to drink some type of steriod. They turned us loose around midnight.

I have to admit that I'm still a little jarred about this today. It was so scary to watch him while he appeared to be gasping for air. Although I know now that he was getting air it doesn't change the fear that I felt in those moments. I felt so helpless.

Tonight when I was tucking him in I told him that I was so glad that he was feeling better. He said "You always make me feel better, Mommy". Melt. That's what mommies are for.