A Croupy New Year

On our way home from the last Christmas get together, Carter wasn't acting like himself.  He had a painful whine and cry to his voice instead of a hungry cry.  I was worried, but I decided to steam up the bathroom when we went home to help him with his congestion. 

I woke up that night, December 30th, around 11:30pm to Carter wheezing when he was breathing, stridor.  He has been congested for about a week and I think because of all the traveling we did for the holiday parties it wore him down.  He started to bark when he coughed, so I called the pediatrican's extension number.  Nolan had Croup when he was about 6 months old and he had the same symptoms.  The nurse on call told me to take Carter to the E.R. because he is so young. The nurse said Croup isn't usually dangerous for older babies, but when younger babies have Croup their airway is so small to begin with it can become dangerous.  I made a mad dash to the E.R., while Bill stayed at home with sleeping Nolan.

Once at the E.R. and an eternity of waiting, the doctor diagnosed him with Croup and prescribed a breathing treatment and an oral dose of steroids to help with the inflamed airway.  Carter did not like the breathing treatment or the medicine at all!! Poor baby screamed his head off.  After the breathing treatment was finished and the medicine administered Carter ate and went right to sleep.  The nurse recommended a cool mist humidifier, we have a warm mist, to help with Croup.  I made a pit stop at Walgreens, thank goodness for 24 hour stores, to purchase a humidifier and headed home.  Carter slept great the whole night.  I went home with a much happier baby at 3:00 in the morning!

Since Croup is contagious and the steriods Carter is taking can decrease his immune system, we decided to stay at home by ourselves and bring in the New Year.  We ate a delicious meal of Express Meal by 54th Street and went to bed at 9:30pm.  Bill was the only one who stayed up to watch the ball drop at midnight!!

2012 was a great year with the birth of our baby boy, Carter, and our other baby boy, Nolan, turning 2!!  I know 2013 is going to have a lot in store for us and it will be an even better year!  Happy New Year everyone!!