We popped our ER cherry: Poor K

Sassy Sager got me up around 4AM today to go outside to do her business. As I was coming back into the house, I heard K start to cry and it didn't sound like her usual half asleep cry that she has sometimes. I went into her room, and could hear that she seemed to have trouble catching/getting her breath. I sat her up in the rocking chair against me, and as she cried, she obviously was laboring for breath. I woke up CJ and we quickly dressed and packed up to head to the Emergency Room.

When we arrived, we were ushered in to a room with the triage nurse. She had us lift K's shirt as she monitored her oxygen levels with a thumb monitor. Her oxygen intake was 97%. She then pointed out that a spot below K's ribcage was going in and out very quickly in her attempts to breathe. She said these were called retractions. It was scary, but apparently K was able to get oxygen. The nurse also had to take our girl's temp rectally, which always bothers me than it does K, and she had a slight fever.

We were then shown to a room in the main ER, and a young *handsome, sorry CJ*, Doctor came in to check out K, and had a nebulizer started on her. Keifer didn't like this, and fought like a dickens, as me and CJ held her arms, legs, and head down. Afterwards, it seemed a bit easier for her to breathe.

Then, we had to wait. Wait until we were able to get chest Xrays, which K did beautifully in her posing with CJ helping. The chest Xrays appeared to be OK. The doctor concluded that it was something to do with "maybe" the allergies in the air (it's been awful right now in MN), and maybe just some fluids going into her lungs. Either way, he gave us prescriptions for an antibiotic, a steroid (Prednisone), and we got to take a brand new Nebulizer machine home.

Overall, we spent 2 hours in the ER, but things moved along smoothly, and K did a wonderful job, considering she was tired and sick. Thank goodness CJ just got his beloved new Iphone last weekend, and he had JUST uploaded a classic Sesame Street DVD onto it. K and I spent some time reclining on the bed in our room, watching Big Bird and Snuffy teach us about letters.

This afternoon, we nebbed her again, and she did beautifully: it's amazing what Elmo singing and dancing can do in a time of need for parents!