Let's see having three boys has been a whirlwind of wildness. Right after Bennett got out of the nicu, Zach's school started, Grant crawled out of the crib and now sleeps in his toddler bed. Toddler bed means no nap, because there isn't a way to contain him! Grant also was considering potty training at that point, but I put a stop to that nonsense! Zach began wearing glasses to help his eye not go in. The van needed a major repair. We have each taken a turn getting sick. Zach and Grant have there standard Michigan runny nose all winter long. I ended up getting the flu, because I forgot to get the flu vaccination. (Note to self, very important to get the flu shot next year.) Timmy got pneumonia again, the last time he got it was right after Grant was born! Poor Timmy. I forget that having a baby is also hard on the husbands. Again a reminder, that the world does not revolve around me!
But Bennett was the one that upped us all, with his his high temperature of 105 degrees. This was a very scary time right before Christmas break, it happened over the weekend, and by 2 am I was beside myself and knew that I needed to take him to the ER. The nurse was surprised that his temperature was so high, because he was being so smiley and happy. They took several tests, put an IV in to keep him hydrated and gave him some more tylenol and a heavy dose of some amazing antibiotics. With all of this combined, they were able to bring his temperature down to 98 degrees. They sent me home and said to set up an appointment with the pediatrician. At 10:30 am Timmy took all of the boys to the Doctors office while I slept. When Timmy came home I asked where Bennett was, he replied that he was taken by ambulance to the hospital. We both started crying. I rushed to the hospital looking for my little angel, knowing that he hadn't eaten for five hours, and didn't take a bottle, plus he was with people that he didn't know. They took him up to the hospital and said that it could be a number of things, like meningitis, pneumonia, and some other diseases that I didn't know existed. At the time Bennett was 3 1/2 months and because of that they needed to keep him at the hospital.
It was like the NICU experience all over again, we were on the same floor and the NICU was just around the corner. Monday night his fever spiked again, so we needed to stay 24 hours to the time of the fever. We were able to leave the hospital on Wednesday. The doctor said that because the fever rose again after he was given the antibiotics, it was probably a virus. They didn't know what virus it was, and it didn't matter to know what kind of virus it was, because they couldn't do anything about it. Timmy being the scientist he is thought they should really try to know what kind of virus it was. I get so worried when Timmy is in the hospital with me, because he always wants to switch his major to medical, and I don't want to be in school for the rest of our married life. We will be happy if we get out of school by our tenth year anniversary!
The Pediatrician, checked him on Thursday and said that he was fine. And then Friday we packed up and left on our month long Christmas break on Saturday. Beginning in Missouri and ending in Utah where Timmy was able to go to China. The Christmas break was amazing, and Bennett was just fine. Right now he has a cough, and spitting up a lot. Before I wouldn't think twice about it, but now this child has shown me that he takes a sickness and runs with it! Let's just say that I am watching him like a hawk and not afraid to take him into the doctors office, ER or Urgent Care if need be!
These past five months I felt that I must have angered the heavens in some way because of our bad luck. But it isn't hard to find the blessings and the help that we have received along the way. Modern medicine, amazing! Great help from friends and neighbors. Mechanics, helpful. Mothers intuition is real. Amazing Timmy. Sweet boys. Wonderful family to visit and take care of us. And sweet Bennett. How I love that boy, his smiles mean so much more, I want to hold him a little longer and take in every moment with him. Bennett has taught me many things these past five months, that babies can get really sick, that we are being helped every step of the way by a loving Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and that no matter what happens we are a family forever!
Here are some pictures:
