When Life Gets in the Way....

I was doing so well with my running schedule.  I was working out almost every day.  I was losing weight.  I felt great.  Then....life happened.

Friday night our son (16 months old) was very fussy and acting like he was in pain.  He started to fall asleep and then woke up crying.  My husband was trying to comfort him and he started to puke, and puke, and puke some more.  GREAT! We cleaned him up and got him some new PJs.  Eventually he went to bed.  In the middle of night he wanted a bottle.  That came out too.  

Saturday my husband had to work in the morning.  I cleaned up puke from our son most of the day. 

The poor kid was just miserable.  His fever was around 102.  That afternoon I decided to take him to urgent care.  He was unsteady on his feet and really just seemed to be dizzy with a headache.  He has had ear infections before, so I wondered if maybe he had an inner ear infection that was making him dizzy.  Sure enough, they diagnosed him with inner ear infections and sent us on our way with antibiotics.  Happy that he wasn’t sick with the flu, I filled the scripts and got him settled in for the night.  

Sunday he seemed to feel better and we thought the antibiotics were working.  Knowing that he just had ear infections, friends came over with their 4 kids.  About 10 minutes before our friends arrived, middle little announced that her stomach hurt.  5 minutes later, she was puking.  GREAT!  Now she has the flu??  We quarantined her in our bedroom and let the others play.  She was pretty miserable and was ok sitting out of the fun. 

Sunday night included puking from our son and middle little.  Lots of clothes and bed sheets were washed and we debated who would stay home from work the next day.  I pulled the short straw and called in on Monday. 

Thinking that our son was getting better on Sunday was short lived.  Middle little was feeling better and only needed some sleep.  From 8am-1:30pm she snoozed on the couch.  However, our son couldn’t even maintain eye contact.  When I held him he slumped over and seemed to have no muscle tone.  I called our doctor worried about dehydration. 

As I was awaiting a return call, the school called and big little was puking too.  She needed to be picked up! GREAT!  The doctor then called back and had a 3:30PM appointment.  I loaded the two at home in the car and headed out to get big little from school.

We took little man to see the doctor who also thought that he may be dehydrated because he wasn't able to sit up, stand, or make much eye contact.  

We were admitted to our little county hospital and within a few hours of blood work being done, the doctor was in explaining that we would be transferred to the large city hospital because little man’s Red blood cell count and iron were dangerously low.  That night we were taken to the big hospital and more tests were done. 

He was NOT happy about his IV.  I think this is the saddest face I have ever seen....

Tuesday his RBC and iron dipped even lower (likely from the rehydration efforts) and a blood transfusion was started.  

Within an hour he was doing much better and seemed to be responding as a normal toddler. 

 More tests were run the next morning and as of right now, it looks like he is severely anemic.  He was diagnosed with Iron Deficiency Anemia that we should be able to control with iron supplement and diet changes as he grows.  A hematologist at TCH is reviewing his case and we have to submit follow up blood work to be sure that there is no underlying cause for the low counts and quick loss of the RBC.  We should know more within the next few months through those tests and watching to see if his body continues to either lose the RBCs or gain through the supplement and diet.

Soooo.... long story short, I haven't been running in 4 days and I honestly am so tired right now, I don't think I could even get my running clothes.  I guess what I did learn is that I am a mommy first and a runner second.  I love my babies and I can't imagine life without them.  I'd do anything to keep them healthy.  There is always tomorrow and even with my next 1/2 in less than 2 weeks, I am sure I can make up for my 4 days off without much extra work.  It's all worth it if I know my baby is ok!