The day before Aniah's 2nd birthday, (Feb. 28th) she woke up with a runny nose and a mild cough. The day of her 2nd birthday (March 1st) her cough sounded worse and we became concerned....we are blessed to have friends that are Doctors and while celebrating her birthday my friend Jay said, "I think she has croup?" I've heard of croup but none of my other children have ever had it, so I had no idea what I was in store for. As the days went on Aniah sounded like a little dog breathing heavy and making a barking sound when she coughed. Alton and I took her to Urgent Care the day after her birthday because she woke up worse yet again. They prescribed her albuterol breathing treatments and steroids for 3 days. This was suppose to calm her breathing and bring down the swelling in her airway so she would begin to feel and breathe normally. Two days after urgent care Aniah was sounding worse and worse....she couldn't sleep and she was very uncomfortable. I assumed the medicine wasn't working because it was almost the 3rd day so we went to the "E-R." They told us to continue the breathing treatments and they gave her a stronger steroid that would last 3 days with one dose. When we left the hospital she sounded better and we thought she was on her way to recovering....48 hours later (March 5th) Aniah had a "croup attack" (extreme trouble breathing and gasping for breaths). I called 9-1-1 and she and I were rushed back to the "E-R." This was around 11pm so Big Alton had to stay behind and make childcare arrangements for our older 3. Words can't express how frightened I was for her....let me just tell you, she wasn't the only one with an oxygen mask on in the ambulance.LOL! When we arrived at the hospital I called my own mother but due to the time difference she was sound asleep...she called us first thing the next morning and sent tons of texts to our family and the church family. I was praying and praying but looking into my baby girls eyes all I could see was fear and I'm sure that's all she saw in mine. I can laugh about this now, just picture us in the back of an ambulance, in our pajamas, Aniah on my lap, both of us wearing oxygen masks and the expression on our faces obviously saying OMG! To kind of make a long story short...she had another "croup attack" in E-R and they decided she needed to be admitted. While being trasferred from E-R to her own private room on the pediatric floor, guess who appears?...Daddy! He missed out on all the "good stuff" go figure. LOL! Day after day they monitored Aniah and gave her breathing treatments....on the 3rd day in the hospital they sent in a specialist who ran a tube/scope down my baby's throat to view the inside. We asked how do children get croup because Aniah doesn't attend daycare, except for her Sunday school class....they told us, sometimes you can pick it up from other children, but it is a viral infection and sometimes when a child gets a cold their airway swells and it's already so small, therefore causing "croup." The length of time Aniah had croup was very rare and unusual and they thought maybe there could be a foreign body stuck in her throat. Well, this scope was as long as my arm and as skinny as a cord, so again I was frightened and so was she...we just cried and cried together but it's a blessing all he saw was swelling and redness, still just croup! BTW...Big Alton had just gone home to check in on our older 3 and he missed the "good stuff" again.
Alton and I felt that the albuterol was not helping her so the Doctor switched her to pulmicort and let me tell you, we could hear a difference immediately. They then decided to also give her an antibiotic (amoxicillin) which her Godmother, Shirley, said she needed from the beginning. Not all Doctors went to school and work in a hospital if you know what I mean, mommies. LOL! On March 10th Big Alton and I brought Aniah home and she has gotten better and better each day. She is now her normal little self but I can tell she misses all the individual attention she got while in the hospital. She is currently being weaned from the steroids, her last dose is Thursday (March 19th) and will continue her breathing treatments for another week. Although our Scottsdale hospital is very posh and plush, (I mean it has a spa, wow!) of course Big Alton and I are also happy to be back home. I missed my older 3 children very much and he was very tired from running back and forth. It was a team effort which is what family is all about and we're happy that God blessed Aniah to heal and for the condition not to become fatal. Thank you so much to all of our family and friends who prayed, called, emailed, sent e-cards, etc. We love ya!
Guess what?...That "magical man" that would appear after the "good stuff" surprised me one night at the hospital with champagne, sushi and strawberries. A few of my favorite things, he's so sweet! I'm so happy that he was here and I had his support (those of you married to pro-athletes know where I'm coming from and how rare it is that our hubbies get to actually put family first and just be there instead of at an away game) LOL! Big Alton and our older 3 children, especailly Alton JR. really held down the homefront, the house was clean when we got home and everything was in order (you know me, I was really concerned about that as well)....Daddy even did Ania's hair. Yikes! LOL! (see pic).
Guess what?...A few days after Aniah came home, I got an email that her cousin in Portland, Alijah just came down with croup also. How ironic right? Well, the Doctors said this is the season! Of course we have been praying for Alijah and I'm sure he will recover nicely and be happy and healthy again, just like Aniah!
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