A visit to the ER and a frantic call to 911

Two separate incidents in two days. And I'd like to forget them both.

So here's the story. Last Tuesday Nate and I headed to NJ for what was to be a 48 hour trip home to shop for bridesmaid dresses. Tuesday we had a lovely afternoon by the pool with the McInnes girls and Wednesday we went dress shopping and found a bridesmaid dress that I am excited to wear (cute, comfortable, and reasonably priced). Nate had been congested for a few days and had been coughing, but I thought maybe it was allergies. I had a difficult time getting him to bed Wednesday night (I think he was up until 9pm). At 12:30am Jessie came in my room to tell me Nate was crying. I must have been in a deep sleep because he was in the room next to me and I always hear him. I comforted him and he fell right back asleep. I kept my door open so I would hear him if he cried again. Three a.m. I heard him crying and I knew something wasn't right. As he was crying he was GASPING for breath. I ran to my parents room and they immediately knew it was croup (Sarah and I had both had this as little kids). We calmed him down with some Sesame Street but he was still really struggling to breathe, taking short, shallow breaths. My mom noticed he was breathing so hard that he had sternal retraction and we quickly decided we should head to the ER. Fortunately it was a very slow night in the ER and Nate was seen right away, given steroids and a blow-by breathing treatment, and eventually dozed off in my arms. The doctor kept him for a few a few hours for observation (monitoring his oxygen saturation level) and by 6:30am he had improved enough to go home. As we got home Jessie was getting ready for school, my dad had to get ready for work, and my mom, Nate, and I headed back to bed. We had planned on returning to New Haven Thursday morning but because Nate still wasn't doing very well I decided to stay another day (he did get another steroid treatment later in the day). Nate was coughing on Friday but his breathing seemed fine so we said goodbye to my parents and headed north. Edward came home from work around 6:30pm and we sat down for dinner around 7. Nate was eating some bits of apple when he started in on one of his coughing jags and inhaled a piece. He took a quick breath and the apple got even more lodged in his throat. I thought it was scary when he woke up with the croup, but let me tell you, that was nothing compared to this. I pulled him out of his chair and Edward grabbed him and threw him over his leg and started hitting his back. I told Edward to run to our next door neighbor who is a doctor and I called 911, frantic and hysterical. Edward FLEW down the stairs and out the door as I relayed the info to the 911 dispatcher. I ran downstairs to see Nate and Edward on our neighbor's porch (they weren't home) and at this point Nate was crying, so I knew he was okay, or at least able to breathe. Edward said Nate was unresponsive and not breathing until he got to the neighbors yard. Nate then threw up and out came the apple and lots of milk. Nate was crying and scared but BREATHING. Thank God. No more than 30 seconds later we heard sirens and a fire truck came racing to meet us. The firemen checked Nate's breathing and said he seemed fine. They talked with us a few minutes before leaving. We were shaken but so happy that our little boy was okay. I am so thankful that:
1. Edward was home when this happened
2. Edward reacted so heroically in such a scary situation
3. The apple popped out!
4. Help arrived in less than two minutes (I hope we never need them again, but good to know they can be here so fast)
5. Nate will have no memory of these two days (but I will!)

Nate has had no apples since this happened. Probably 95% of his caloric intake is from his milk at this point. He still has a dreadful cough and drippy nose, but we are starting to see improvement.

What a week!

Here are two pix of Nate on Thursday, recovering after his night/morning in the ER.