Reptile Boy

What's on Nathan's face you might ask. Yep, they're dried boogers.
I think I mentioned on a blog posted on Tuesday that Nathan wasn't feeling himself. It started on Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday he drooped around the house, suffered from up and down fevers as high as 102.7, and hasn't eaten as much as he usually does. His spirits are good now, but earlier in the week he just wanted to be held and cuddle and sleep.
I never ever take my kids to the doctor for a cold, but I became quite concerned when the cough came. Oh, I shouldn't keep everyone in suspense. He has a Respiratory Tract Infection. Okay, back to my story. The picture came from yesterday morning when he woke up after a rough night of waking up to cough. I found him ready to eat a banana and looked as though he had already smeared some all over his face. His pillow had crusties all over it. Once the cough started he would cough and cough and cough until he couldn't catch his breath. Then he'd panic and start crying. It was so sad. Last night, after much coughing, he vomited up about a half a cup or so of saliva and thick yellow snot chunks.
I finally called the doctor today, even though the fever was gone. He woke up in one of those coughs where he couldn't catch his breath. That was it for me. I called the doctor and made an appointment for 10:30am. I was thinking maybe worse cold I've ever seen, croup, bronchitis, all the usual suspects. Of course, once I called the doctor there were no more coughs. Isn't that the way it always works?
However I'm glad I went to see my doctor. Nathan has a RTI, as I said, and an ear infection with some puss in it. He was checked for his oxygen level, which was good, so it isn't pneumonia, but his breathing was bad enough to get a nebulizer sent to the house. I don't know where the infection stemmed from, but his body is reacting as it would if he had asthma. The nebulizer, with the medication, will help open up his airways. He's going to be on antibiotics, and maybe steroids if there is no improvement within 24 hours.
Isn't it terrible to see kids sick? I cry even when I have to treat a painful diaper rash!