What a Week...

...and it's not over yet. Wow. It's amazing the strength God gives you during the times you'd think you'd just fall apart. But I think that strength is starting to run out. For those that I haven't talked to directly, here is the short version of a long story.

Nathan started getting sick with a cough and cold Sunday and it progressed into a fever on Monday. Ironically enough, Monday was his last day at daycare and they had to call me an hour before I usually get there to come pick him up. I took him to the doctor Tuesday morning and they did a chest xray, etc. but sent us home saying "he should come out of it soon. Come back Friday for a follow up." Well, he didn't get better. He kept getting worse. After a couple calls to the doctor and them saying I couldn't bring him in sooner as I was requesting, we ended up in the ER on Wednesday night. From there, he was admitted to the PICU (Pediatric ICU) at Akron Children's Hospital. Overnight Wednesday night, he experienced respiratory failure. THANK GOD that we followed our instinct and had him there where the doctors could use all the necessary equipment to keep the little guy's breathing going. He was diagnosed with RSV, a respiratory infection, and because he took it so hard, they're wondering if he has an underlying problem of asthma.

After that, Nathan spent the next three days in PICU, slowly being weened off the oxygen machines. Saturday afternoon, they took him completely off the oxygen. He then got moved off the PICU floor and onto a regular floor. They were hoping he'd come home today, assuming he could stay completely off the oxygen. Unfortunately, during the night Saturday night he needed a little more help, so they put him back on it. Looks like it's going to be at least one more night at the hospital. This truly brings more meaning to the saying "One day at a time." There's really no telling when this nightmare will truly be over.

People keep commenting about how calm and cool and collected I've been through all of this. And it's true. I've really held it together. The tears I've shed have been far and few between. Like I said at the beginning, it's amazing the strength that God can give you. I wouldn't be handling this so well if it weren't for Him. I've been trying to focus on the silver lining. I've been trying to take note of all the ways God held Nathan through this past week and made everything work out so perfectly amidst a horrible scenario. But honestly... I'm feeling my strength fading. Everyday, it gets harder not to just break down. I have a feeling when this is all said and done... when we get home and can have Nathan sitting on the living room floor helping us finally decorate our naked Christmas Tree... that's when I'll break down. Until then, send up prayers that God would give Andrew and I the perseverance to be strong for our precious baby boy.