It's like having a puppy, only less fun

Wee Chou has come down with croup. To anyone out there who has never heard the barking cough that comes with the croup virus, it sounds like a dog barking, really. Wednesday night she went to sleep just fine without a fever, cough or even runny nose, but by 10:30 it sounded like she was snoring, then at 11:30 she woke up to nurse and it sounded like she couldn't breathe she was wheezing so badly. After half an hour sitting beside her crib listening, we picked her up and headed to emergency - thankfully, it's 6 minutes away. We got there and she was the happiest wheezing baby you've ever seen. She couldn't believe her luck to be awakened in the night to go visiting. Yeah, and we were worried? Sheesh.

Once we got to the hospital she did start coughing, and as soon as I heard the bark, I knew what it was and that, really, we could have stayed home and had a steam in the bathroom, but we were there so may as well just make sure. We were seen within 15 minutes (which both impressed me and freaked me out, you know, because it means it's serious), the doctor saw us within 10 minutes and we were released and back home in no time.

Yes, it's croup. It's a virus. There's not much to do, except keep her happy, well fed, well rested and take her outside in the cool air at least once a day, and at night, a good steam in the bathroom can help with the cough.

Thursday she was one sucky baby, but surprisingly well. She ran a very low fever and slept a lot and nursed even more, but last night wasn't nearly as bad as I thought. She slept fine and didn't have any barking fits. What a good puppy.

But the two stories I'm supposed to have written as of today? So not happening. And that's OK. My baby needs me.

It's now Friday morning and she's barking a little more, but making her way around the living room happy as a clam to be tearing up the morning paper. She'll be fine in no time.