Damien's First Trip to the ER

Well, Damien succumbed to his first bout of illness shortly after Christmas. His symptoms started with a few coughing spells where he had trouble breathing and increased irritability. This of course sent Mommy into a first rate panic who demanded that we seek medical attention for Damien right away due to his age (2 1/2 months). Damien's French grandmother Colette didn't delay and found a drop in doctor that was still open (it was about 10pm). We rushed over there, and after examining Damien the doctor thought the coughing was due to his reflux and didn't find any signs of respiratory illness. We went back to Grandma's house feeling quite relieved and a little shaken (at least Momma was).

Once we got there, however, we were able to reach Damien's pediatrician's office back home. That doctor listened to his cough via skype and because of the whooping cough epidemic in California (that has killed a number of little babies) and the incubation period being right on from when we left California (on a plane full of coughing people) he wanted us to take Damien to the ER right away to get looked at and tested for whooping cough. CAN YOU SAY PANIC! Man, Momma was a hysterical mess. Thankfully Papa and Grandma Colette were calm and held it together. So, off to the Women and Children's Hospital in Lyon we went at about midnight. After a brief wait in a special under 3 months waiting room (to keep these small things away from older sick children) we saw another doctor who did a work up on Damien. He also didn't think that Damien had any signs of respiratory illness and didn't think that he had whooping cough either. He wasn't sure what exactly was wrong (at this point Damien didn't have any signs of congestion, just the mostly dry cough), but said he was going to be just fine. Momma was highly skeptical and a nervous wreck. He agreed to test for whooping cough and other potential infections. So, after the test, we were sent home and told the test results would be ready in about 2-3 days.

We got home from the ER at about 5am. Everyone crashed out, except for Momma, who just couldn't sleep and just wanted to hold little Damien. Later that day Damien started getting congested so we treated that with saline solution and steam, lots of rest and cuddling. Those two days were the LONGEST two days in Mommy's life - who stayed up every night because she couldn't sleep unless someone else was holding/watching Damien and because every little cough sent a little panic button off (since Mommy already tends to dwell on worst case scenarios). Thankfully, on the morning of the 3rd day the hospital called to say that all tests were negative - so, in the end, just a cold! Phew! That night, after having champagne with dinner to celebrate the good news, Momma and Papa went out for their first date night to check out a lighted wind turbine art exhibit by the river and to grab some drinks on a cool river boat barge bar.

Little D was quite the ham with the doctors and didn't seem to mind the examinations or understand what all the fuss was about. Mommy, on the other hand, was a hot mess.

Checking in to the Hospital in the middle of the night. We forgot our passports, whoops, but luckilly Mommy had her driver's license and a copy of Damien's birth certificate.

It's OK Mommy, I just have a cold, I will be OK.