Poor Silas has croup. I have had a wheezing baby before, but croup is new for us. Croup is scary! After a seemingly healthy, happy day, Silas woke in the middle of the night last night barking and sounding like he was struggling to breathe. Jonny and I were like nervous first parents, “What do we do? What do we do?” I wanted to call my dad (he’s a doctor) so he could hear Silas breathe over the phone but I hated to wake him up. I remembered a scene from Terms of Endearment, and had Jonny turn on a hot shower to steam up the bathroom and then he sat in there with Silas until the hot water ran out. I nursed Silas after that and then put him back in his bed at the foot of ours (he starts the night there, and ends up in our bed soon after every night.) His breathing was so loud and so pained, but then when the noise finally stopped we were afraid that he wasn’t breathing at all so Jonny went to check him again (and again.) We stayed nervous all night. Today I took him for a rare visit to the doctor’s office. Silas was his usual smiling happy self. I was assured that this should pass in a few days, that he would probably have more episodes, but that we should just take him out into the cool night air to stop them. I gave him some homeopathics too and he’s asleep now. Poor, sweet, fat baby.
My friend Summer called today and mentioned that my Yarn Along posts never hold proof that I finish any of my knitting projects. It’s sort of this endless casting on party. I do finish things. See?
I finished my cowl watching Downton Abbey just as I said I would. This yellow is so pretty, but the way it reflects light makes it very hard to photograph. I am hard to photograph as well. Jonny has to take a kajillion photos of me to get just a handful that I deem acceptable. Photogenic, I am not. (edited to add: You guys are all so sweet-I promise I wasn’t trying to fish for compliments, nor “hating” on my looks. I just find that it is hard to get a picture that really looks like the real me and that was the point I was making. I may start having Jonny model my knits. He would have been smokin’ in this purple shawl! thanks for all the kind words!)
I finished this shawl too. It’s not for me though.
It sure is pretty.
That’s my kitty Winifred up on top of the arbor.
Knit notes:
Cowl: my Ravelry notes here, yarn is from Sweet Basil, the free pattern is here.
Shawl: my Ravelry notes here, yarn is Springtree Road Coquina dk, the free pattern is here (it’s really a kerchief pattern.)
Megan says
Hi Ginny,
Poor Silas, I hope he feels better soon. I was in the hospital for croup when I was little, and it can be scary.
The pictures of you are lovely. I recognize both girls in you:) And the handknits look cheery and comfortable, as usual.
Best to you all!
Jeannine says
ooops, silly me just slowed down and read your post instead of my usual so busy I have to speed read everything and I see you already know to take him outside:)
Jeannine says
Hi Ginny, I can give advice on croup for a couple reasons, ha I have four kids, all have asthma and they have all had croup. Second, I have worked in healthcare for 20 years, but that being said, no big deal. Experience is the thing. The hot steamy shower is “ok”, but cool wet air is so much better. Many parents who rush their babies to the ER in the middle of the night realize the child is somewhat better when they get there, because the cool wet night air, is very good for croup. Lastly, if it doesn’t clear up, a child could need oral steroids to decrease the inflammation. I hope poor baby Silas doesn’t have it again. jeannine P.S. I’m dying for that purple yarn!!
sarah says
i’ve only had one experience with croup with a toddler who as a baby had rsv. (he was born late and almost 10 lbs by the way.) it was scary. it required a trip to the pediatrician who gave him a steroid treatment of some sort. worked swell on the croup, but within a day he had strep. i still think it was related but i have absolutely no idea how. 🙁 wish i had known of some homeopathic things for croup then.
Rachel Wolf says
Hi Ginny, If anyone else gets croupy some of the remedies in my whooping cough post might help (http://lusaorganics.typepad.com/clean/2011/10/natural-holistic-whooping-cough-treatments.html). We know our way around some lung business over here. Big hugs, Rachel xo
CrunchyCatholicMomma says
Oh Ginny, I got through 7 babies without ever even knowing what croup was and then one night, in the very middle of the night, my baby woke up barking just like a seal. I was totally freaking out. I called my friend who is a homeopath and she told me to take her outside in the cool air. What??? Are you nuts, my baby is coughing up a lung and you want me to take her out in the night air? Cuban mothers have a belief that night air can instantly kill anyone lol. I did what she said, then I pulled out my home made mentholatum rub and put that on the bottom of her feet and slipped on socks. Out came the humidifier and we rigged a tent to keep the moist air in. She woke up the next day dripping wet but no more cough. The other thing has really helped my kids with anything respiratory is “ALJ” from Natures Sunshine. It smells and tastes like grass but somehow works.
I don’t like the way cameras catch me either… I never think that is what I really look like. Hope your precious little one is on the mend.
Melissa L says
Ah, was thinking Larkspur looks like you in the third to last photo (the head-on shot with you hinting at a grin).
Sorry you’re dealing with croup; I can personally attest to how completely terrifying it is. Hope wee Silas (and you and Jonny) recovers quickly.
Colorado Rocky Mountain “Hi”,
Melissa
Alexandra says
Dear Ginny,
Just like you we also woke up one night with our son barking like a seal and I remembered that scene from Terms of Endearment!! It is an awful sound. Our son had it quite a lot until he was about 8 years old. It is more difficult when they’re toddlers. When our children were really small, I used to have a steamer in their room when they were having croup, so that the air they breathed would be moist enough. When our son was about three years old we used to make sure he sat upright in bed with lots of cushions, open the window so that the cool and moist air during the night could enter the room, because that often seems to do the trick and lets the swelling go down. We got that advice from a GP when we went there at 02.00 am because it was so bad! To calm him, I used to let him listen to cd’s with children’s stories, which also worked very well!
Our daughters only had it once or twice and I always applied the same method so none of them ever needed any medication, apart from some antroposofic medicines I always use when they’re suffering from colds. It is not nice though and it really wears them down as well as it is tiring for the parents.
I wish you good luck and hope Silas feels much better soon. He is a gorgious baby! I really love to read your blog! Regards from Alexandra (The Netherlands)
Maribeth says
Croup is SO scary! I rushed Ella to the hospital once because she was doing the stridor cough thing. Scared the poo out of me.
Amy @ A Faithful Journey says
Croup is no fun! Hoping he feels better soon!
Love both the cowl and the shawl! The colors for both are stunning!
Have a lovely weekend!
Maria says
I don’t understand why you don’t think you photograph well. You photograph differently (hmmm, I guess in both senses of the word). Tell Johnny to take some pictures of you when you’re not looking and then POST them so we (you!) can see you for real. That set of pictures of you knitting holding Silas was beautiful.
And the picture of you second from the bottom is (a) incredible (dare I say conventionally beautiful?) and (b) I think I figured out who Beatrix looks like 😉
Ginny says
well, I must say the hair flying was a good catch on Jonny’s part photographically speaking (is that a real phrase?)
I am seeing a bit of myself in Beatrix these days. I cut my hair a lot at her age too….so my hairstyle at her age was quite similar at the very least.