It is 1am on Tuesday morning.  We have been in the hospital with Addison since Sunday at 2:30pm. I will apologize in advance if this posting has gramatical errors or missing words….

Sunday afternoon Addison stopped breathing.  Addison had been away playing during our usual tummy time.  Like usual he need one of his many diaper changes.  My husband went to change his diaper and Addison started having thick creaming stuff start coming out his nose (it kind of looked like mashed potatoes or some sort of cream sauce).  Addison then turned extremely red in the face, his eyes started bulging.  My husband quickly called for me.  As soon as I got into our bedroom Addison was now foaming at the mouth and shaking and convulsing.  We immediately called 911.  I started doing my best to remember our CPR class that we took during my pregnancy and began the hymlic maneuver.  Addison was still getting no oxygen and started turning purple.  We immediately got Addison on the floor and stripped all of his clothes and diaper off.  I looked in his airway and couldn’t see any obstruction.  Thank goodness EMS arrived so quickly and we immediately got Addison in the ambulance.  My husband stayed behind to make sure the animals were inside and to close up the house. They began suctioning his mouth and alternating with oxygen.  My little boy, at this point, looked very gray….

I am so upset and balling my eyes out as I am typing this…whew breathe Kelly….

I felt as if I was watching the life slip away from my baby boy.  I felt so helpless and that nothing I or the EMS was doing was helping Addison. It seemed like forever until we got the the hospital.   We live about a 1/4 of a mile for a hospital, but EMS chose another one further away since they were better at treating babies and children.  As we got to the hospital it seemed as if Addison coloring was starting to improve and he was getting more oxygen.

Addison was taken immediately to Pediatric Emergency room.  I felt so overwhelmed.  There was a doctor and nurses working on my Addison, asking me so many questions, asking me to fill out forms…this whole period here is a complete blur.  I think I was partially in shock at this point.  I remember feeling as if I was going to puke my guts out. 

My husband finally arrived at the hospital.  They put and IV catheter in his arm and started to take blood samples.  Then the put a catheter in penis to get a urine sample.  Next, Addison was off to chest x-ray.  The doctor informed us that based off his what happened they feared it could be meningitis or a seizure.  When babies as as young as 2 months old they request doing a spinal tap and immediately start them on antibiotics to treat meningitis.  This will give Addison the best prognosis if he does have it.  I had to leave the room for the spinal tap, and daddy stayed with Addison.  My little boy was such a trooper.  He was smile and calm immediately after they finished.   The doctors told us that they used to wait to give antibiotics once they got the results back from the spinal tap (which take about 72 hours).  Unfortunately at that point it was too late and most babies have died or were left with serious brain damage.

Addison was now moved up to the acute Pediatric care part of the hospital.  The nurses then started Addison on an IV of antibiotics to treat meningitis.  He is giving this medicine every 6 hours until we get the final test results back.  If he doesn’t have meningitis then they stop the antibiotics immediately and apparently no harm done.  Now, we have reached Sunday evening.  I feel completely drained, but I know I won’t be able to sleep.   Even though Addison is hooked up to numerous monitors that alarm if anything goes wrong, I can not sleep.  I stood over Addison all night long and just watched his chest rise and fall.  I prayed and prayed and prayed throughout the night.  Finally morning came and I was reaching my breaking point.  My husband took over watching Addison and I fell asleep for about an hour and a half.  Addison slept his usual 7-8 hours and began with his regular feeding when he woke. 

Monday morning began with an influx of doctors and specialists.  Each one informing us on the testing they would be doing to Addison for the next few days.  My husband left the hospital to go home and tend to our animals and take care of things as the house.  While he was gone a neurologist came to the room and let me know that they were going to hook electrodes to Addison head and monitor his brain waves and video him for the next 24 hours.  This was to check for any signs of seizure or seizure like activity.  My poor boy was so upset screaming and crying while they put these all over his head.  Literally his entire head is now covered in electrodes.  He has so many wires and cords coming from him at this point.  There are wires on his head, wires on his belly, wires on his legs.  Each time I go to hold him and move him it is like one big booby trap. 

Now, just as Addison is back to being calm and relaxed another specialist comes in to do an ultrasound of his chest.  This is to check his heart and make sure it is normal size and everything is working properly.  Once again, Addison is screaming and crying.  My heart just breaks each time he cries and I begin to cry.  I amazed I have any tears left.

As soon as this is finished then the Pediatric doctor comes in with a group of students.  Oh, poor Addison he just can’t get a break.  I finally had to ask let him get a nap in.  I could tell that he was at his breaking point of pure and utter exhaustion: physically, mentally and emotionally.  The Pediatric doctor agreed to come back in a hour to check on him and allow him to rest.

So far every doctor and specialist has given us great feedback on Addison.  We still have no idea what caused him to stop breathing.  We have to continue to allow many more tests and wait for results. 

I will say that Addison has such a great spirit and is a total flirt at 10 weeks old.  He has managed to keep a smile on his face throughout much of this experience.  He loves flashes his smiles and giving sweet giggles to Mommy, Daddy and the lady nurses.

So for now I continue to run off of only a few hours sleep while I stay awake and watch Addison breathe. Please pray for Addison and keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

(ACE is 10 weeks old)