Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Croup!

We just got back from the pediatrician from our 845p(!) appointment. Daycare thought that her breathing was a little ragged. They were right, she sounded a little like Darth Vader. So we got the next opening we could and found ourselves up waaaay past bedtime in the fine city of Edina, where our pediatricians work.
She was wonderful and patient the whole time. She told the doctor that she felt 'pretty good' even though her breathing didn't agree. The doc listened for about ten seconds and said, "She sounds croupy". Some quick work with that lighted stethoscopey thing confirmed the diagnosis. Yep, she has the croup.
'Croup' doesn't even sound like a real thing to me. Too much like a Dickens plot point. It's like 'diphtheria' and 'whooping crane' or one of those other 19th century diseases that we no longer worry about. Wikipedia confirms that it exists but they also think King Friday is part of the Lancastrian line so who knows if it's true.
So, here are the bullet points:
  • It shouldn't be dangerous, so don't worry. We've got the medicine and the will to use it. The doc warned us that she probably wouldn't like it but she slurped down a full dose without complaint.
  • Of course, she was more than half asleep at the time and may have just been placating us. Tomorrow's dose will be the test. Ugh.
  • Croup (if that is your real name) is contagious but she might be past that point already. Sorry, other daycare kids! Friday is the big test and we'll have to play it by ear.
  • Part of the treatment is having her breathe cold air and steamy air and back and forth. Yep, she's sick and I'll be taking her out in December weather. On purpose. This better be a real thing.
  • It looks like I'm finally past the stomach bug I've been battling. Which isn't really croup related but this seemed like a good place to mention this. Think of this as an omnibus health post.
And done with the bullet points. Don't worry too much, she seems in good spirits. Just tired and labored breathing. By the weekend, this should all be done.

7 comments:

MamaD4 said...

It's like consumption or the vapors...

Hope she feels better soon!

Test said...

Big hugs to you all.

Kate said...

The cold air really does work. It was suggested to me when I was sick with the MOnkey Plague all last winter, which is really just an adult version of croup and is a medically recognized diagnosis in my doctor's office now. Ha! I tried to get him to put it in my chart notes, but no dice. At least he calls it the Monkey Plauge for me. But seriously. It does help. Alot.

DD4 said...

Peder, just a note of clarification: it's whooping cough, not whooping crane. Your slip-up made me chuckle.

Seriously, I'm sorry for Aurelia and you - and Sarah. You've really been hit from all sides. Hopefully, this will be all.

Sarita said...

Donna, I checked when I read this last night, and he meant to put Whooping crane.

It really would be pretty bad if we were plagued with whooping cranes at our house too.

I Love Barbershop said...

Peder, I loved your take on all of this.
Hope you are all better and ready to face the holidays soon.
Wish you could come down and have Relia visit the santa at our mall.
He is the best. Makes a believer out of all of us.

Anonymous said...

Wayne had the croup when he was 3 yrs old& had measles also. We were in Austin visiting the Kiewatts when both my kids got the measles.Wayne got the croup also & we had to give him oxygen for 2 days. We gave it at home because the hospital did not hav any space in the isolation unit.He had a croupy cough for several years after that but finally outgrew it.Iam glad you caught Relias because as far as I am concerned croup is nothing to fool around with.I can still remember how labored Wayns breathing was.