Sick Baby 101

I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing, but I didn't realize my baby was sick. I took her into the Dr yesterday becuase she had a small infalmation on one eye. It was swollen and  resembled a pimple, but with the weekend looming, I didn't want to take any chances. It turned out to be just that and today you can barely tell there was anything wrong with it. While at the doctor, I asked about the  classic "booger sucker bulb," as I don't feel my efforts with it yield the best results. The doctor asked if she has a lot of boogers. I informed her that I didn't really think so, but that I could hear that she was congested. From there she suggested we swab for RSV.....and it came back posative.

What? How? Oh no! I have had friends and family whose children caught RSV so I had  some knowledge of it, but mostly knew it has the potential to get serious. According to WebMD, RSV is: a common childhood illness that causes some of the same symptoms as cold and flu, such as fever, runny nose, and cough. For children less than 1 year old, RSV is the most common cause of pneumonia and bronchiolitis, an inflammation of the small air passages in the lungs. 
 From what I have read, almost all kids get it at some point by the time they are two. I have no idea where Shelby contracted it; it could have been from anywhere, but regardless, the point is moot.  Most kids have it for 8 - 15 days. I am uncertain when she came down with it, but I am thinking on Monday  being that's when I noted the change in her energy levels.

In addition to panic, I felt bad that I had no clue she was not sick. I had noticed that she was extra sleepy all week and had taken note of a few coughs here and there that seemed unusual, but other than that  - business as usual. She makes a variety of funny grunting/growning/snorting noises, but she has done that since birth. She has actually been more pleasant this week than ever before and continued to eat as usual.  I was also a tad overwhelmed when the Dr sent me packing with a nebulizer and three prescriptions. I personally don't love to take prescription drugs, so three scripts for a 8 week baby was a tad scary.

This picture illistrates what's taking place in Shelby's room at the moment:

Now that  things have sunk in, I've educated myself and she appears to be doing ok, I am far less panicked. I am still keeping a really watchful eye on her, keeping her at the house and will not bring her near other kids to insure they don't get sick, but today - she was all smiles (and kicks and wheezes).

I guess it's a posative thing that I didn't really know she was sick. I talked to the Dr today and she told me that "I would know if it got really bad - she would look and sound sick."  From here,  I have to get her breathing treatments a couple times a day and do all that I can to help her airways clear: keep her upright, keep a humidifier plugged in, nurse her in the steamy bathroom (thanks Allison!). I am optimistic she'll be ok, but the diagnosis was a little shocking and it definitely made me second guess my instincts.  I am very grateful though that I am still home and can go through this with her, rather than having to worry about her while she's at Day Care.