[JessFinds] Barking like a seal

I imagine it strikes all families, but I feel like life has me by a leash and is running ahead of me at warp speed. I have no time for anything! My home looked beautiful(ish) for Thanksgiving. It looks like a tornado whipped through it right now. Four days later. How does that happen?

I am very busy - lots of great tutu orders, a site project and general holiday chaos are keeping my hands and brain active. Unfortunately, that is coupled with a little girl (Miss Crab) who can not seem to get a break from winter sickness. The caretaker role ultimately falls on me, which I gladly accept but would appreciate a glass of wine and a hot bath once in a while. In the last six weeks, Crab has weathered H1N1, Croup and what now sounds like Pneumonia. Fun.

1:00 AM on Thanksgiving morning we were in the ER with Miss Crab. She woke up in a panic, not able to breathe! That was one of the most horrific things Preacher and I have ever experienced. Her airways were completely closed off, only a slight high-pitched squeak made it out. I was finger on the button to call an ambulence when Preacher ran outside with her to put her in the car and the night air helped soothe her throat. She started to cry/talk and we decided to drive. Her temp was over 103 when we got to the hospital - they gave her steroids a nebulizer session and took chest xrays. We made it home by 4:00 AM.  And then cooked Thanksgiving dinner. Diagnosis: Croup. Which was strange as she did not have the tell-tale seal barking cough of croup. She was just not breathing at all.

No coughing on T-day. No coughing on Friday. Saturday ... suddenly ... coughing. And not barking croupy coughs. Big wet nasty coughs. The kind that require another chest xray. She was unintentionally exposed to pneumonia on Thanksgiving by another little girl, so we will be back at the Docs office in the morning to get her checked out.

And I am going to get certified in pediatric cpr. I don't ever want to feel helpless like that again.