Please Pray for my little baby UPDATE

[marine_wife0520]

Monday evening he seemed perfectly fine. He was alert and looking around, not fussy and eating perfectly normal.That night my husband told me to go to bed he'd take care of that night so I could get a full night's sleep. Well when I got up my husband said Moses had slept great. He only woke up to eat and then fall back asleep, so we thought maybe we got lucky with a baby that likes the nights!

But, all day Tuesday he slept and slept. He never really woke up and was alert, not even once. By the afternoon whenever I picked him he acted like it hurt him. He had the saddest little cry and the way he curled his back made it really odd. But, he had no fever so I thought maybe I was just being an overly anxious mother.

Then we realized he was eating every 4 hours from a bottle and barely eating an ounce, and he we had to practically force feed him, playing with the bottle and prying his little mouth open to get him to suck on it. Forget the booby, he was not interested at all in putting in that work, but Monday he was doing great with latching on and eating. This was evening by the time we noticed these weird symptoms. But, he still had no fever so I figured I'd call the Dr. in the morning.

Then around 1 am I picked him to feed him and I told my husband something wasn't right. I just had a feeling something was off. But, he still had no fever and I figured they'd think I was crazy if I went to the ER with my 1 week old and said I just had a feeling something was wrong. Besides, when he had that bottle he downed the whole 2 oz in about 5 minutes, so I thought he was feeling a little better since he ate a pretty good meal. 

But, at 4 I went to feed him another bottle and when I picked him he was burning up! I took his temp and the second I put it in he shot up to 97.9 without hitting any lower numbers first, and it kept climbing to 100.8. So we packed up our stuff and went to the ER.

They had to withdraw blood, do a catheter and a lumbar puncture. He was admitted into the hospital and we had to wait and wait and wait and wait FOREVER for anything to come back! Finally 15 hours later at 7 PM last night the Dr. came in and said it looked like viral meningitis, which is where the membranes that cover the brain, base of the brain, and spinal cord are inflamed. It's a virus and he should recover just fine, he's just really uncomfortable, we still have to wait for the cultures to come back which won't be until Friday or Saturday before they are 100% sure.  But, it explains why it hurt him and he cried the really sad cry whenever I picked him up. They're pumping him full of anti-biotics as a precautionary, right now his little body can't handle much more than what he's already trying to fight off.

He's eating a lot better all day yesterday, and last night around 2 he was awake and just looking around like he had been doing since he was born. He's been a little more alert since then and whenever I feed him he looks up at me again and he's reacting to me talking to him again.  :)  He still has a fever but he gets Tylenol every 4 hours and he's not fussing nearly as bad when I pick him up or move him.

I have no idea why, how, or what could have caused this infection in him. We have been shut- ins since he was born. The Dr. had seen it before, it's not rare but certainly not common. The youngest she dealt with was a 1 month old, but even though my baby is a little younger they're immune systems are about the same, she said after 8 weeks old babies have better immune systems and they don't take as aggressive of an approach after they've hit that age.

He won't suffer from any brain damage from this, and like I said the Dr. expects him to make a full recovery. He'll be in the hospital until at least Saturday, and he can go home after he's been fever free for 24 hours and she said sometimes in younger babies the fever can last 1 - 2 weeks.

It sucks because my husband and I are both exhausted, we have a daughter at home who needs to be take care of and I'm still recovering from a c-section. It's been a hard couple of days and I don't forsee it getting any easier until he can come home again.

Please pray for my baby and our family.

UPDATE!

So his fever went down yesterday and it's stayed down unassisted by tylenol. All of his cultures came back good, meaning there is not a trace of bacteria in his urine, blood, saliva, or spinal fluid. The Dr is definitely calling it Viral Meningitis.

He's still pretty sleepy, even for a newborn. But, he's completely awake when he eats and looks around with his big eyes! I can tell he's still a little sore and stiff from the virus, but the Dr. said that will probably last a couple more days until the virus is completely over with. He's eating really well and has even gained 5 ounces from Wednesday morning to this morning, making him officially over his birth weight!

I really missed my daughter the last couple of days, I've been preoccupied and stressed out with her baby brother. But, tonight dh is staying with him at the hospital and my daughter and I are watching movies and eating popcorn. Moses will be coming home tomorrow and has 2 follow up appointments this week.

Thank you everyone for your prayers! God is good and my little man is getting better!

[Mom2BruHea]

Dec. 10, 2009 at 10:13 AM Aww Hon, I will keep your baby and your family in my prayers. God Bless You!

[octavia137r]

Dec. 10, 2009 at 10:14 AM

Praying for your little baby

[Betsy858]

Dec. 10, 2009 at 10:14 AM

Ohboy I bet your tired. But I am glad you followed your gut instinks and that the docs and nurses are doing great with your baby. I am so glad their are no lasting effects. Like the doc says they do not have a great immune system. Wonder if he was born with it and got worse. Maybe that would explain how he got it. Bul lol I am just making a guess.

[JoyeAustin]

Dec. 10, 2009 at 10:18 AM

Love to you and your family.

[CoachyMom]

Dec. 10, 2009 at 10:18 AM

I am praying that you and your little one make a speedy recovery.  I am thinking of you!  God bless!

[dreamer435]

Dec. 10, 2009 at 11:31 AM

ohh im so sorry your are having to go through this. hugs mama be strong and your little one will return home to you in no time you are in my thoughts. please take care and update with progress on little moses. i hope he recovers quickly

[Gabrielle219]

Dec. 10, 2009 at 1:41 PM

I will be praying for you and your families strength! We have a total of six kids. My oldest is 18 my youngest is two. I know how it feels to have a very young baby in the hospital. My son in "99" was admitted to the hospital for a virus in his blood. God took him through that! I did not know what was going to happen. I kept my faith in God and believed HE was going to bring our son through, and HE did. Our son is ten today. So keep the faith and know ALL IS WELL! We are praying for your recovery too!!!!!! Take care

[jazi1105]

Dec. 10, 2009 at 4:27 PM

I'm so sorry that you and your family are going through this. I am praying for the best and I hope he recovers quickly and can come home!! You're a great mother...especially to have that sense that something is wrong and act on it. Best wishes!! : )

[ColtsFan1912]

Dec. 10, 2009 at 5:43 PM

prayers being said!

[tony1638]

Dec. 10, 2009 at 5:45 PM

My prayers are on the way.