Just when we thought we had seen the last of the Children's Hospital for a while, Cameron had other plans.
Cameron has had a cough for a couple of weeks, I look him to see our pediatrician and she prescribed an antibiotic for a sinus infection that was causing a post-nasal drip and making him cough. At that point, his lungs sounded clear. Last week, after Cameron came home from preschool, I noticed that his ear was draining. This is his forth ear infection in a couple of months, so off we went, back to the pediatrician. As soon as we got into the doctor's office, Cameron started to run a low grade fever of 99.5 Fahrenheit (37.5 Celsius). If Cameron's has a fever of 100.5 Fahrenheit (38 Celsius), we have to head straight to the emergency room, so I prepared myself to brave the rush hour traffic and make our way to the hospital. A few minutes later, the nurse retook his temperature and it had shot up to 101.9 (38.8). The doctor listened to his chest and heard an obvious crackling sound in his lungs, just to be safe, she put him on a monitor to check his oxygen saturation - it was 86%! Cameron was given oxygen and the pediatrician called 911 - there was no way I could get Cameron to the hospital fast enough and he needed to be kept on oxygen until we got there.
Of course, I had James with me at the pediatrician, and I was told that he wouldn't be allowed to ride in the ambulance with Cameron and I. Once again, I had to call on the help of my dear friend Leigh - I honestly don't know what we would have done without this woman over the last year and a half. She has cared for James so many times while Cameron has been in hospital, she is an absolute godsend! Leigh came to the rescue and picked James up from the pediatrician's office and Cameron and I hopped into the Ambulance. About 2 minutes into our trip, the EMT informed me that he couldn't get the oxygen monitor to work - Cameron was getting oxygen, but there was no way to tell if he was getting enough and what his oxygen saturation was. FANTASTIC! I suggested that this might be a good time to put the sirens on and get us to CHOA (Children's Hospital of Atlanta) as quickly as possible! Because we couldn't monitor Cameron's vitals, we tried to keep him awake and made him talk to us. The EMT asked him several times if he was OK, to which he replied every time with "Yes, I OK"!
Once we got to the hospital, he was given a breathing treatment and he stabilized quickly. Antibiotics were started and x-rays were taken. It was confirmed that he had pneumonia and he was admitted to the Aflac Cancer Unit.
After a good night's rest, Cameron was up and his usual cheerful self. He was able to keep his oxygen saturation above 96% without help and even showed some interest in eating and drinking. His labs showed that he had bacterial pneumonia, which is not contagious. He bounced back remarkably quickly and only had to stay in hospital for 3 days. Cameron's overall immune system was tested, while he was there. It didn't come as a huge surprise that his immune system is on the low side, so he will be given a treatment called IVIG therapy once a month from now on and he will be retested in 6 months to see if it has been effective.
Before we were discharged from the hospital, Cameron got an opportunity to have a video chat with Santa. It was absolutely adorable. Santa was told Cameron's name and age in advance, so when Cameron heard Santa say his name - he was amazed. Santa Claus then said to Cameron, "Now, Cameron, I believe you are three years old". To which Cameron replied, in a mildly irritated voice, "No, James is three - I am TEN!!" Poor Santa, Cameron is difficult to argue with!
Cameron is still on antibiotics, but he is well and truly on the mend! Let's hope we don't have anymore excitement until AFTER Christmas!
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