MATTHEW NEEDS SOME PRAYERS....

HELLO EVERYONE,

we hope that everyone is doing well....well, matthew was put in PICU yesterday for some major RESPIRATORY DISTRESS....he has been sick since feb 11th with his usual junk....on feb 21st, he suddenly developed a fever of 104.5 and was in major pain and just feeling AWEFUL....i took him to see his dr and he was diagnosed with STREP THROAT!! sooo, we now knew what we were dealing with...so that weekend was AWEFUL with tons of pain, fever, refluxing, coughing, desating and the list goes ON! we just tried to keep him comfy (motrin & tylenol) and started antibiotics for the strep....well on monday, he got worst repiratory wise and he started diareah....took him to his pulmonologist who sent him for lab work and xrays....she tarted him on steroids and just watch him....well tuesday was a better day...and i talked to the drs office to let them know that he had turned around and them WHAM!! wed afternoon, he took a turn for the WORST and ended up desating again (in the low 80's) and grunting, moaning and just laying there LISTLESS AGAIN!! so the next day, thursday, i called the drs office again and the sent us over to the hospital to get some blood work, urin and other test done and then BACK over to the drs office...well, i had no nurse that day so i was by myself with my 3 kiddos!!! yep, all by myself! so when we get there, they were all SHOCKED at how BAD he looked!! he was really listless, crying and moaning and on oxygen....they immediatly started to work on him (the respiratory tech) to see if she could get him clear, she couldn't....she asked me if i wanted him admitted and i said, "no, if i can keep him home, i would rather do that" she said she understood....well, alex had to go potty and when i got back in the room, the dr, the NP and the resp. tech where all around matthew and they just looked at me when i walked in and i KNEW!! the dr said, "we need to admit him. i think this is going to get WORST before it gets better and i would rather him be at the hospital when it happens." of course i said, "whatever he needs!!" he was wheezing, crackling and just plain JUNKY....so off we went BACK across to the hospital to have him admitted into PICU......that night was horrible....they worked on him ALL NIGHT trying to get his oxygen sats over 90 (and this from a child that usually sats 100 on room air!!) they were even talking BIPAP MACHINE on him!! he is currently on 6 liters of oxygen and 45% blended!!!!! he is currently using IPV machine for his treatments every 4 hours with albuterol puffs in between the IPV treatments....he is also on oral steroids, they changed his antibiotic.....i don't know WHAT happened but this little guy needs some serious prayers and good thoughts PLEASE!! it has been SOOOO LONG since he was admitted into the hospital for anything but a seizure!!! he has been sick since JUNE 12TH with some cold, junky lungs, coughing ets....he goes about a MONTH sick and then MAYBE a week of clear lungs and WHAM once again, he starts up!!! i am really worried about him!!!

but i do have to say that i AM SO PROUD OF ALEX!! i told him that i REALLY needed his help because i wa bymyself and that he needed to help me and he DID!! he did everything i asked him to do, he stayed quiet and sat in the chair as they took blood out of matthew and ran whatever test they had to do at the hospital and then when we had to WALK all the way down the long tunnel to get across to the drs office, then stay quietly and played while they worked on matthew at the drs office for almost 2 hour then BACK across the tunnel to admit matthew and then sit quietly and watch tv as i admitted matthew......he was MY HERO!!! i am so proud of him!!! only after almost the SEVENTH HOUR did he start to say that he was ready to go HOME!!! my big boy!!!

sooo, i am here with matthew and joshua is also with me....my WONDERFUL MIL is staying at the house with ALEX and we are just dealing...james has called numerous times really worried about matthew...he is sad he can't be here to help us....and then when all that was going on on wed, i had a DENTAL EMERGENCY going on and had a root canal done..when we were at the drs office we were at the right place and at the right time for matthew....if i had NOT gone with my instict and called again to the drs, it would have been a NIGHTMARE OF A NIGHT and we probably would have ENDED up at methodist hospital but in a much different way!!! no doubt about it! even the dr said!! she said that she was VERY HAPPY that we went to the to see her....he was REALLY BAD...as bad as i have seen him respiratory wise in a LONG TIME......he is still bad...he is working really hard and it is a STRUGGLE to keep his oxygen sat UP!!! he is miserable and just feeling so bad!! the dr said that we would DEFINETLY be here till MONDAY and longer if he does not let up!!!

well, thanks again, for any thoughts and prayers for this little boy!! we really appreciate it!! as you know, i believe in the power of prayer and i know HE will hear our thoughts and prayers for matthew!! thanks so much!!!

take care and GOD BLESS....

james, maria, alex, matthew and joshua