A Very Long Night

Yesterday evening, after tucking Maddie and Peyton into bed, I decided to order the movie, My Sister's Keeper. It's a movie based on a book, with the same title, written by Jodi Picoult. The novel is my favorite of hers and although I'd heard some mixed reviews, especially pertaining to the changed ending, I thought I'd give it a chance. Obviously I cried, I mean c'mon, it's a book about childhood cancer. Plus, having lost my uncle to cancer just last summer, followed by my grandpa to renal failure within a two week period, I'm still grieving. No, I didn't like to movie as much as I enjoyed reading the novel. Yet, I believe it was still worth watching. My husband watched with me, along with our two-year-old, who has been sick.

This was my primary mistake- watching a movie about a very ill child while my own child was sick. By the time we tucked her into our bed, between us because she was coughing and feverish, I was reluctant to even fall asleep for fear that Allison would worsen during the night. Unfortunately, that is what happened.
12:00 am...Allison's fever is at 101.5 and her cough started to sound like a bark.
12:30 am...First conversation with my husband over whether we should take her to the ER.
12:35 am...Second conversation about the ER.
12:40 am...Breathing sounding raspier, she continued to cough and was extremely restless.
12:45 am...Third conversation.
12:50 am...Did a barking seal enter my bedroom? Nope, that would be Allison.
1:00 am...Scenes from My Sister's Keeper entered my mind, making my imagination of what could be wrong with my baby go into overdrive.
1:10 am...We were officially on our way to the hospital. Chris stayed home with the other kids, who were obviously sleeping.
1:40 am...Arrived at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital.
1:45 am...Checked in and was put in a triage room.
2:00 am...Was moved to an exam room by a medical aid who said, "this girl definately has the croup.
2:15 am...Two nurses and myself had to physically restrain Ally so she could be given a dose of tylenol. Her temp was now 103.
2:30 am...Ally and I were left to wait for the doctor. I haven't been that physically tired since I was nursing a newborn.
3:00 am...After texting Chris again that the doctor still hadn't come in, the doctor walked in and confirmed that Ally has croup. He prescribed a steroid and told me to take her to her pediatrician later today.
3:15 am...Two nurses and I had to restrain Ally in order to give her a dose of an oral steroid.
3:30 am...One very tired toddler and an exhausted mom headed out of the emergency room and made the thirty minute drive home.
4:00 am...Chris greeted us at the door and we all collapsed into bed. Ally was breathing normally again and we all slept soundly for a few hours.

I am again reminded of how fortunate I am to have healthy children and thankful that Allison is feeling better. I am also glad we recently donate to St. Jude's Hospital, and hopeful that one day childhood cancer will be a distant memory.