Rexy

Life around our house is always exciting. Our kids like to keep us on our toes. They like to make sure that we are always bringing our A-game. 

Rex Michael surprised us with a 104 fever the Saturday before my birthday and a horrible cough and if we've learned anything in the past with Rex getting sick, it's don't mess around just bring him in. So he and I and Jett sat in the ER on Saturday night (it was the only thing open) and walked out with some steroids, an antibiotic and were told he had the beginning stages of pneumonia. 

After 5 days of no fever but no improvement on the cough we brought him back in and ended up in the hospital for 6 days. Pneumonia had spread and his blood oxygen levels were too low. They started him on 1 L of oxygen, a few hours later moved it to 4 L of oxygen and the next day he was up to 8 L of oxygen. Like I said, he likes to keep us on our toes. 

There is nothing scarier than having a sick child and although it was not nearly as extreme as it was two years ago it still is scary, it still gets the tears flowing, your heart pumping and your mind racing. It makes you feel absolutely helpless as a parent looking at your baby, and not being able to do anything to help them. 

Even in the midst of some rough days, Rex was a champion. Every nurse and doctor that we had commented that he was, "THE BEST THREE YEAR OLD THEY HAD EVER HAD!" And many of them had worked there for 25-30 years. We were quite proud of our little superhero. I can honestly say that besides telling us a few times that his nose was sore from the tubes up it, he never once complained. He didn't complain about the people in hourly to mess with him, he didn't complain about the tubes and the needles, he didn't complain about being stuck in a bed most of the time. He was just a champion!

He did get some fun things to entertain him and cheer him up while he was there. Staying with our extreme love of the ninja turtles the kids and I picked him out a katana (you can see it laying next to him in bed). He always had it by his side, I'm telling you, he's a good fighter! He loved when we would blow bubbles and he could slice them with his katana. Several people that stopped by were aware of his Ninja love and brought stickers, coloring books, new ninja turtles, ninja bubbles. He was quite excited about each new thing.

One really sweet moment was when Rex was given a chance to pick a toy from the treasure chest. There were tons of toys to pick but he found a My Little Pony. He looked at Dan and I and said, "I'm going to pick this for Myla." What a precious little guy we have. 

Dan and I seem to work quite well together in stressful situations. I'm constantly amazed by the strength of the man that I married. He never once left the hospital. He ate, slept, showered (not nearly enough), and loved Rexy the entire time. Rex has always been Dan's #1 fan and this just confirmed that even more! I took care of everyone else and was blessed by so many friends and my sister Dana (who just so happened to be in Iowa for a day) to help watch a couple kids at a time so that I could go to the hospital with one or two kids. Once Rex seemed to not be getting worse he enjoyed having all his siblings up to visit him and play. Quinton and Myla even stayed the whole day with him on his last day there. 

For the first couple of days all Rex wanted to do was read books and then when he had a little energy, slice bubbles with his katana. 

A couple of times we ventured into the play room across the hallway. All the nurses fell in love with Myla and her curly hair. She just talked and talked with them. She's quite the charmer. And Titan just flirted with anyone that smiled at him. 

Quinton, Rex and Dan playing Toy Story Memory. Rex' katana is close by!

My three big kids enjoying a movie together in Rex' bed.

Rex and Dan came home yesterday. I remember the last time Rex was in the hospital they told us that kids can go from fine to horrible so quickly and horrible to fine just as fast. That was the case both time with Rex. Once his body started kicking the virus' butt he went from requiring 8 L of oxygen to 1 L in less than 24 hours. 

Dan and Rex after they got home. Already playing Ninja Turtles with the gang!

 

 My little gang back together again.

I'm so thankful for all the prayers that were said for Rex and our family. We were blessed by so many people in just a few days. I'm so glad that we are all back in the same house and it just makes me even more anxious for summer. Hot, sweaty, beautiful summer.