Jackson is doing much better. He is still congested and coughs but is now eating and playing like normal. Stephanie and I are still uneasy at night when it’s time for bed. Jackson coughs more and has a hard time spitting it out or swallowing the mucus. (I know that’s gross) However, I do believe we have made the turn to recovery.
On another note, our neurologist has increased is medication. We are in the process of switching from depakote to keppra. Stephanie and I feel that the levels of these 2 meds were too low and that’s why he had a seizure on Saturday. Hopefully we will get those levels balanced and not have as many seizures. That’s the whole point of switching medication. Please pray with us in this direction.
Thanks so much for the prayers and taking this journey with us. I will keep you posted if things get worse!
We are glad to be home with Jackson, but I must admit last night I was questioning whether we made the right decision to come home or not. Jackson is really congested. He now has mucus in his nose that has to be suctioned several times throughout the day. He has been so couped up for the last couple of days that he runs around the house like a wild man even though you can tell he doesn’t feel good. I couldn’t imagine trying to contain or entertain him like this in the Hospital.
We had a scare last night when he got a little choked up from the mucus right before we were going to bed. He tried to cough it out but couldn’t. I think he swallowed most of it, you could tell he was scared by the look on his face. The good news is after that, the night went pretty good. In fact, Jackson is still sleeping now, praise Jesus.
We will keep you posted on how he is doing. I am hoping today is a turning point like Tuesday was. Thanks again for all the prayers and support you have shown us and Jackson!
We are home!!!! But . . . Not out of the dark. Jackson has RSV and is really congested. The doctors told us we could stay another night, and they would watch him and suction his nose, or we could suction his nose at home on our own. Since he didn’t need O2 or an IV anymore and because he was taking fluids, we were free to make the decision. So here we are, at home doing the thing he hates, sucking the snot out of his nose. Please continue to pray for a speedy recovery!!!
Stephanie and I are excited to sleep in our own bed tonight but I’m sure we will be sleeping with one eye open to make sure Jackson is okay!
Jackson had a better day yesterday and a good night last night. They have taken him off of his O2 and IV and he hasn’t had a fever since late yesterday morning either! So the countdown is on for our release. He is drinking well but not eating solids to well, so I don’t know if that will keep us here or not. So we are praying that he eats so we can go home!!!!
Stephanie and I have conquered the pull out chair we are shutting our eyes on. It’s not really sleep since we wake up with Jackson and nurses several times a night.
I know the writer of this song faked his illness, but this song ministers to my heart every time I hear it. It really has become an anthem that I sing, to myself, every time Jackson gets sick. The words are so powerful and expresses so much of the things we feel and pray for Jackson. But it reminds us of where our hope and healing lies!!!
We made it through the night after a scary beginning. Jackson fever spiked to 103 at about 8:30 and took awhile to come down. Early this morning the nurse put him on an IV drip because he didn’t eat or drink much yesterday or last night. The good news (drum role please) is his fever has finally dropped!!! Our goal today is for him to take in fluids on his own so he doesn’t need the IV, and to get off of the Oxygen by maintaining a good level!
Right now he is sleeping. Seems to be sleeping ok but everything is still hooked up to him. We will have to wait and see how he responds without those things. We are still waiting on the swab test they took yesterday to see if he picked up a virus.
Stephanie and I are very tired! Personally, I feel like I have been hit by a bus, a big bus at that. We are trying to get sleep when Jackson sleeps at night. Last night I think everyone got about 5-6 hours since Jackson slept for that long without waking up. Lucky for us Stephanie’s mom came to town and is watching Josiah.
Thanks for all the prayers and please continue to pray for us!
Well today didn’t go like we expected. Jackson has kept his O2 on most of the day. When they take it off his level drops so they have to put it back on. They tested today to see if he picked up a virus other than the croup he has. At this point it seems like the original reason why we were here has become secondary to the condition he is in now. He has slept all day and has to be held by Stephanie or myself. If not he cries. The Nurse sucked his nose and throat to remove some of the mucus. It made him very upset and seemed to have a little affect.
So, we go into the night with a lot of questions and not a lot of answers. They did a swab test today and we will get those results in the morning. They have pretty much put him in a quarantine set up, doctors, nurses and visitors have to wear mask. Kinda reminds me of ET but not that extreme.
The doctor just came in and asked if he Jackson was RSV positive. So they said they will continue the O2 and and suction all night. Sounds like tonight isn’t going to be fun!!!
His fever just went up to 103. For Jackson that is beyond the danger zone for seizures. It’s starting to come down now we have to keep it down so we don’t have to worry about seizures on top of the other stuff! Please pray everyone gets some much needed sleep!!!!
Update, Jackson is in a regular room now, things looked like they were getting better last night, until about 11:00pm when he started having some difficulty breathing and they put him back on O2. We were hoping to go home today but have been told we can’t leave until Jackson is eating on his own (which he is not doing), off of O2, and has been monitored in both a day and night setting.
Today, he acts like he is sick. He wants to be held all the time, which is not like Jackson, and his eyes are red and puffy. His stomach seems to be bloated, it’s really stiff, from what we think to be air. But we are not doctors just parents. They are getting ready to suction his nose right now. The nurse agrees that Jackson looks worse today than yesterday. So I don’t exactly know what that means yet. I guess we will see how the day goes . . . kinda scary to be honest!
We continue to pray for God’s healing, strength, perseverance for ourselves, and wisdom for the doctors! We are so thankful for friends and family!
As many of you know at the conclusion of the Grace Fusion Bowl during the Chili Challenge, Jackson had a seizure while at church. His seizure only lasted a bout 5 minutes but his eyes didn’t look normal. We took him to to the ER at Children’s Medical Center Plano. While there, Jackson had another seizure. This happened while they were poking him trying to get blood. They poked several times, very frustrating when they turn your child into a pin cushion. After about 2-3 hour in the ER with several nurses attending him they transported us to the ICU at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas. I guess seizure + croup = ICU
We have made it through the night, Jackson is still fighting a fever, up and down, up and down. His room is a refrigerator. The attendant says that Jackson will be moved to his own room this afternoon. We will be here at least another 24 to make sure he transitions to oral meds ok.
Both Stephanie and I are tiered from the fun football tournament yesterday. We have one champion in the family. Stephs team took first place in the girls division. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the luxury of sleeping in our own bed, Stephanie, got the luxury of sleeping on the fold out chair in his room and I got the not so awesome recliner in the waiting room.
Thanks for all the prayers and texts. It really speaks to our heart and is so encouraging to read the words and see the support. Things like this make you feel isolated and lonely, something the enemy takes pleasure in. However, seeing these just reminds us of Gods love and Faithfulness to us.
I will update my twitter (check the side bar for updates, or follow me as a friend) and facebook more often than this blog so check there so you can know how to pray as things arise!
Today as I was getting Joe ready for school (he was complaining about going, he’s only 4, we have a long way to go at this rate) he asked if I could give him a piggyback ride up to his room to get some clothes. I was going to say no but instead, I asked him why? He answered without hesitation and said, “Because you are my Father!”
The moment he said that my heart was filled with joy and instantly my mind changed from saying, “no” to saying, “get on and lets go!”
At first I thought it was no big deal. But as I drove to the church today, I couldn’t stop thinking about how big that statement was and how it relates to my relationship with God.
Josiah had no reservation about asking me for what he wanted. In his world I am his dad and why wouldn’t I give him a piggyback ride? It’s kinda a no brain-er. But then when I heard him acknowledge me as his father it made my heart swell with joy and I wanted to give him what he was asking for!
So here’s the lesson. I have a Heavenly Father that wants to bless me more than I could ever try to bless my son, all I need to do is ask.
Dan Gould 