It ALWAYS Happens

As Marine family, our life consists of Chris being on the go! Whether it is training, deployment, or teaching, life with the Marine Corps means Daddy is not home a good bit of the time. Don't get me wrong, this duty station has been fabulous! Chris has been home for 2 years as far as long term deployments go. The longest he has been gone over the past two years is for a 2 and half week trip to do some training with the Georgian Army (not the state, the country).

Well, this week he is out on a ship training a MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit). There is no contact with him while he is on ship. And really no way to get off the ship until they send a helicopter to get him or go to shore. Well, I have come to expect the unexpected while he is away. Whether it is a main drain backing up and flooding the whole basement, or two mice eating everything in our pantry, or a hurricane blowing through town and busting our fence, you get the point. The children ALWAYS get sick while he is gone too. This trip has been no different.

My sweet Hannah Beth seemed fussier than usual on Wednesday night/Thursday morning and woke up with severe congestion. AHHHH! I pulled out the humidifier, suctioned her nose 10 times a day, and plugged in the Gentle Vapors night light. She is such a trooper and still her happy self with an awful cough and runny nose.

Well, lets go to 2:30am Friday morning. I could hear on the monitor she was restless, so I went in to check on her. She was hot and her breathing was labored. I turned on the shower and tried sitting with her in the steam for about 5 to 10 minutes. Her breathing had not changed at all. So I made the decision to get Luke and Hayley up and go to the emergency room. We spent the next 3 hours at the ER while Hannah received a breathing treatment, chest xrays, and a diagnosis of double ear infection and bronchiolitis. They sent us home with a prescription for Albuterol to give her breathing treatments as needed and an antibiotic. We got home at 6:00am and I sent Hayley and Luke back to bed. Hannah was wheezing again so I gave her a breathing treatment. Still wheezing. I called the ER doctor and told her what was going on and she said to give another breathing treatment and if she doesn't improve then go the Children's Hospital in Norfolk. After one more breathing treatment, there was still no improvement.

I called my sweet neighbor and dear friend, Sue, and she graciously took Luke and Hayley in while I went to CHKD with Hannah. Note to self: when you have been up since 2am and had nothing to eat or drink, make SURE you take a snack and some water with you to the ER.

I checked Hannah in at the ER, and I started getting the most awful headache. Once they got us back to a room, my head was pounding. I finally broke down and asked the nurse for some water and crackers, but I was so far gone it didn't really help. Hannah was crying and I felt like I was going to pass out from the nausea! I began to pray that God would sustain me. God is SO good. He held me up to be able to care for Hannah. There is NO WAY I could have done it myself with the way I was feeling.

The doctors made sure that Hannah was getting enough oxygen while she was breathing, listened to her several times, and did a deep suction out of her nose. At 1:30pm, they sent us home with the same diagnosis and told me to keep giving her the meds and just to watch her closely.

We were all in the bed by 6:30 last night and I fell asleep at 7:45. I checked on Hannah several times in the night, and she was sleeping well. She woke up this morning fever free and looking much better. After breakfast and a breathing treatment, she coughed up a bunch of junk and seems to be on the mend! Praise the LORD!

I am so thankful for Sue, the ER doctors, and my sweet children who didn't complain one time when I had to pull them out of bed in the middle of the night. God was watching over me and taking care of me the whole time. Praise Him!!!!!

Now, what a "fun" story to tell Daddy when he gets home tonight!!!