Sick Baby

This may be too much information, but I want to remember everything about my baby, so if you hate vomit, stop here, you were warned.  My poor Jude got so sick on Wednesday night with food poisoning, and this is the story.

It all started when I met up with Mimi to pick him up after work and we had an early dinner at Panera.  He didn't eat much, but he was his friendly self, saying hi to strangers, and roaming around the restaurant.  But when I got him home, he didn't want to eat anything and was clingy.  We then had to run to Home Depot, and usually when we're there he will run around and loves rolling around in the cart, but he just wanted to be held by Mommy or Daddy.

Poor little guy.  The minute we got home and I let him out of my arms, he vomited everywhere.  I felt so bad for him.  It was everywhere, and I DO NOT deal well with vomit.  Lonnie and I stripped him down, I snuggled with him, and we took a bath and cuddled before bed.  I knew he would probably get sick again, and I didn't want him to be alone in his crib when it happened, so he slept with me, and Lonnie slept on the couch.  Right before bed, he did it again, on me.  We cleaned up, laid out a bunch of towels in the bed, and went to sleep.  He did it again in the middle of sleeping, but went right back to sleep afterwards.  He tried to a few more times throughout the night, but nothing would come up.

When we woke up (I say woke up, but I never went to sleep for more than 10 minutes), he seemed better, ate some watermelon and drank water, and kept it all down.  By 9am, he still hadn't had a wet diaper (15 hours with no pee), so I called the pediatrician, and they said to take him to Kosair to get fluids since he was dehydrated.  Ugh, I did not want to take this little guy to an emergency room!

We got there and waited about 30 minutes before we got a room.  I could tell Jude was feeling better, but he could barely walk...he was stumbling everywhere because he was so weak.  That broke my heart.  Then, when we were in our room waiting, Jude had a major meltdown, like he's never had before.  I think he was just tired, weak, confused, and did not want to be in a hospital, and he screamed and cried for a long time while I held him.  He eventually tuckered out and took a power nap.  Right before he went to sleep though, he peed!  Yes!!!!  He peed through his clothes, and mine, but I didn't care, baby boy was peeing!  And then 20 minutes later he peed again.  I was so relieved and hoped the doctors wouldn't make him get fluids pumped through an IV.

We then saw some nurses and physicians, and they agreed that he was going to be okay and did not need fluids.  They said he would probably have diarrhea (which he did a few hours later), but to just keep him hydrated and make sure he continues to pee.

Here's a picture of my sweet boy waiting to see the doctor.  Not the best quality with my phone.  But, he looked so pathetic in his hospital gown clutching his Bunny.

We went home and took a marathon 4 hour nap.  He woke up feeling okay, and we went for a stroll in the park.  We cuddled the rest of the day, and he was cured by the next day - back to his old self.

Now that this is all said and done, and I've had a moment to reflect on this situation, I've realized a few things.  Even though the moment Jude was born I knew right away that I would do anything to protect him or make him feel comfortable, I didn't realize what that meant until my first (actual 2nd but the 1st one doesn't even compare) vomit experience and recovery.  It's amazing (sometimes crazy) to think about the things you just do as a parent because you love your little one so much.  I don't think I could EVER imagine being able to deal with vomit....ever.  Let alone, being on the receiving end of it.  But, when that moment comes, you just want to do anything you can to make them feel better, and if that means sleeping in a vomit covered bed with them just to let them know that you're there, that's what you do.

I also thought back to my childhood, and all the times I felt terrible or sick, and my Mom and Dad were there to clean the vomit, hug me, and make me feel better just by being there.  I remember my Mom and Dad holding my hair while I puked pizza in Gatlinburg.  I remember another time waking my Mom up to tell her I felt sick, and then proceeded to spew right next to her bed, and then she took care of me.  I remember my parents helping me when I was a teenager and had terrible stomach pains for months and months.  I remember my Mom flying to New York to be with me when I had my kidney stone.  I remember oodles of times when they were there when I felt terrible.  And I am so thankful for that they were there for me.  And, I am so thankful Lonnie and I can be that for Jude.

And then I think about how blessed I am to have a healthy boy.  I can't even let my mind think about what it would be like if Jude were really, really sick.  I need/should/must thank God everyday for this gift, and that he's healthy and beautiful.

I hope that kid knows how much he's loved.