The best-laid plans

I'm a bit late getting to post my blog today, but it's been that type of weekend. Memorial Day weekend for us usually includes what it does for many families -- get-togethers, cookouts, good times. Well, we did see family this weekend, and we did cook out, but we also spent time in the pediatric ward of the hospital. That wasn't part of the plans, but when we arrived at our destination we learned that our five-month-old nephew had been admitted to the hospital with bad bronchitis. Oh no, I thought, he's following in his big brother's footsteps. Big brother was hospitalized when he was one year old with pneumonia, though you'd never know it now. He has so much energy I feel like asking him if I can borrow some of it. :)

When we arrived at the hospital, my heart ached for the baby. He had the IV in the top of his head, but strangely that wasn't what bothered him. He hated the oxygen tube in his little nose and tried so hard to rip it out even though they had it taped to his face. And if you really wanted to see him upset, wait until they gave him one of the breathing treatments. He would scream and his little face would get so red.

But then there were other times when he seemed perfectly content to lay back and play with his newest toy, one of those things they place astride the baby so he can swat at all the fun stuff hanging down. His mom said that if he had to be in the hospital for more than three days, he at least deserved a new toy. I agree. And big brother was good at making little brother laugh and smile, which was good to see.

Before we hit the road this morning, we heard that the baby was going home today. He's still sick and still has to do those hated breathing treatments, but at least he can be home and so can his parents. And big brother can go home from grandpa's house. Relieved he didn't have pneumonia and that the whole family was going to be resting at home tonight, hubby and I headed back to our own home. I was driving down the road, halfway back, when I thought of this blog.

Hubby and I were talking over the weekend about how fortunate we all are now to have the medical resources to deal with things like bad bronchitis. A century ago, babies had a much more precarious grip on life. Things we knock out with a quick trip to the doctor now sometimes wiped out not only one child but entire families. I remember walking through older cemeteries and seeing the evidence of the flu pandemic of 1918. We often don't think twice about it these days, but I'm so thankful for childhood vaccines, antibiotics, medical research and the medical pioneers who made this all possible, who made it much more likely for children to live to adulthood.

I hope you and yours are safe and healthy as this American holiday weekend comes to a close.