for the love of air

We've had some nasty and crazy bugs going around our house. Ella was down for two days with a fever, body aches and sore throat. Sandi has been under the weather all week with some fever and extensive body aches (at one point she said, "My joints hurt, my muscles hurt and my skin feels sunburned.") and stayed home sick a day from work. I've been fighting off all of the same all week and am supposed to run a half marathon in less than 24 hours.

Then there is Maya who does everything in a big way.

She started with a cold. A cough, some snot, some general fussiness, and some fever. Then last night she coughed all night. All. Night. Long. Right beside me. I spent the night volleying between our bed with Maya and squeezed alongside Ella in her twin bed. Did I mention I am supposed to run 13 miles tomorrow?

This morning, Maya developed a wheeze with her cough and I pulled out the in-case-of-emergency Albuterol nebulizer. She was initially better and then much worse so that she was wheezing constantly and seemed to be struggling. Ella said, "I think she's having trouble breathing."

Fast forward to yet another visit with Maya to walk-in care, add in some steroids, both inhaled and in liquid form, a diagnosis of asthma bronchitis (she's never been diagnosed with asthma but has a respiratory vulnerability for sure) and possibly pneumonia (I declined the chest x-ray since the treatment was the same) and a round of antibiotics.

Here we are a few hours later, Maya has finally crashed from all the crazy of the Albuterol and I lay next to her riddled with anxiety about how she is still breathing. She is working so hard. The doctor told me what to look for and said, "If she is in distress, don't wait. Call the ambulance. You don't have much time." Just what every mom wants to hear.

It is one of the most difficult things I've done to watch my child struggle for air.

Half marathon? I think this Momma needs a nap instead.