Tuesday, January 3, 2006 8:52 PM CST

This is the first time in ages I've had a medical update for this page. A few days after Christmas our whole family came down with some sort of respiratory virus. We thought it was Influenza but apparently it wasn't (more on that later). Anyway, one of us after another succumbed to a moderately high temp, general lassitude and aching, and then on to sniffles and coughing.

Aidan seemed to have one of the milder doses in the family range but on New Years' Eve (of course) he started getting quieter and more withdrawn. I brought out his pulse oximeter for the first time in about 2 years, to measure his Oxygen Sats, and he was too low -- in the mid to upper-80's. That is enough to account for low energy and irritability, which is what he was displaying. He was also running a temperature for the first time during this virus.

We put him on the oxygen we had from his earlier illnesses. A liter kept him in the upper-90 range for the night, but in the morning he still seemed too quiet and was breathing with some effort. We ended up calling the doctor who advised us to take him into the emergency room for a chest X-ray.

To make a long story short, the X ray showed something in his left lung and so they decided to consider it a mild pneumonia and admit him to the hospital. They did a blood culture and started him on antibiotics.

The ER nurse and phlebotomist were able to get an IV started with one poke AND draw blood, which in Aidan's history is simply wonderful good fortune. He coped beautifully, requesting a sticker, and saying, "I am being brave!" which made the nurse almost cry. Actually, he cashed out in stickers, since the X ray technician gave him a few too.

He was discharged about noon today. The culture was negative so apparently his pneumonia is viral rather than bacterial, but they are keeping him on oral antibiotics for a few days just to make sure, I guess. I, Aidan's mom, stayed with him for the 48 hours while Kevin, his dad, took 3 year old Paddy home to the other sick kids. There was a significant ice storm and several power outages to make their life adventurous while we were gone. I'm not sure who had it worse, but it is good to be reunited with a clear sky over our heads again. That was a long 48 hours for everyone, especially since I was sick and considered in isolation too, so I couldn't get to the cafeteria. They brought me meals and some coffee, but not enough of the latter!

Last Monday Aidan's MIckey G Tube came out and we had to run to the GI clinic to get a new one on Tuesday. So this past week has been quite medically eventful all things considered. I hope that is our share of hospitalizations for 2006. Time will tell!