Hospitalised for Acute Bronchiolitis

Last Sunday morning, Jordan started developing flu and cough most probably passed on from Josiah who had it for a while. After asking a few people, they discouraged from visiting a doctor since Jordan is only 1.5 months old and there aren’t any meds for a sick infant. So we waited out until Day 3, but his cough only got worse, and it was getting abnormal where he would cough uncontrollably continuously and his breathing was really short. On Tues afternoon, Jessy made a visit and told me she could hear him wheezing. She was pretty concerned and that caused me to be extra concerned about it, and John also kept saying we should visit Dr Wong to check it out. So that evening, we brought him to Dr Wong, and thankfully I also had the sense to took a video of him coughing, as he wasn’t coughing all the time especially during the check up. So I showed Dr Wong the vid and she immediately said this is not normal. She ordered the nebuliser for him on the spot and also wrote a letter for us to send him for an X-Ray of his lungs. So she asked us, KPJ or Hospital Kajang, not surprisingly we chose Hospital Kajang again. Trust me, our choice would have been different had we been loaded or don’t stay just behind Hospital Kajang. It was already late at that time, so we rushed straight to Emergency Ward without going home to pack my bag or anything. I was trying to be positive that we don’t have to be warded.

Once there, Jordan was checked by a Dr Rajeev who was very nice and professional. He told me not to be anxious, however, it is most certain that Jordan needed hospitalisation as he would need to use oxygen and nebuliser. So we got Jordan his X-ray for the first time, the poor boy was shivering from the coldness of the metal. Then I was given a bed at the emergency ward to wait for the results. It did take quite a long time, more than an hour. Later, they put the IV drips on him and gave him the oxygen and another round of nebuliser.

My Bro-in-law then came in around to help us fasten the process, he works there. So finally it was confirmed that it was viral infection and that he had acute bronchiolitis. So I was once again pushed on a wheelchair this time to the pediatrics ward. First time in there, I was a bit shocked. I was expecting a proper ward and bed for baby and me, but only baby gets a bed. It was a small baby cot.

Thankfully, later I realised there are chair beds available that I can use as my bed. Phew. Many mothers however just sat on the plastic chair and put their heads on the bed, coz there is nobody to tell you you can use the beds. I just use it since it’s there just next to Jordan’s cot. It was not at every bed. I was also really thankful Jordan’s bed was next to the window and not in between two beds, not only was it more airy, the space was wider and I had curtains that could totally cover up the area for privacy. Yes, there are some beds that had no curtains and are very tight in space.

Jordan had all these tubes around him that it was hard to nurse him, I was so afraid of hurting his little hand with the iv needle sticking out of it. Finally, by the 2nd day, they removed the IV drips after realising that Jordan was nursing like normal. Well, they proved it by taking a weight record of his dirty diapers. Then the oxygen was removed by the 3rd day when his breathing seemed to be like normal again, and normal means 30 counts per minute. Before that he was breathing about 60 counts per minute.

His nebuliser use was slowly down from 2 hours to 3 hours and finally to 4 hourly by Saturday. The specialist made rounds every morning and evenings, and promised he could be sent home by the time it is 6 hourly. She also prescribed Singulair, an asthma drug for his relief from breathing problems.

Overall, the hospital stay was not as bad for me. I actually managed some rest at nights and was able to fully concentrate on Jordan, as compared to at home when I have to take care of Josiah as well. The doctors and nurses were all helpful and nice. Except one, trainee nurses from a particular college. During the week, there will be 2 batch of trainee nurses coming in to work with their supervisors. In the morning there will be one batch, and after 3pm there will be another. The nurses are put in charge to give his nebuliser medicines on time and also to measure his blood pressure, temperature and oxygen levels. This had to be done so often, it is quite a hassle. Especially when they do it and wake him up after I just spent hours trying to put him to sleep. Anyways, I had no probs with the morning nurses as they were pretty well trained and professional, they always manage to take his readings quickly and without fuss, most times never waking him up at all. However, a bunch of the nurses from the afternoon batch NEVER managed to take his reading correctly, from Day 1. By the last day, I could tell even they were afraid to do that job already. Each time they tried to take the reading, it will be multiple attempts, and when Jordan started crying, it will be impossible to take any reading at all. I also noticed that the person doing it didn’t really know how to handle a small baby well, being pretty rough and all. Oh well, at the end of it I knew they were just learning, but one of them even openly told that nursing was not his passion at all, that he was forced into it by his mum. That really shocked me, as how can a nurse be a good nurse if there is no passion in their job? Hhm.

Even Jordan was super happy when finally we were allowed to go home. Jordan actually learned to smile and laugh on cue while in the ward. I had a good time talking and playing with him each day. If I was the government I would give this hospital a facelift. Even the nurses told me Kajang Hospital is the worst cowboy hospital ever. The beds and furniture were like 20 years old. There are no hot water in the shower, no nursing rooms, no pumping rooms, not enough curtains, no aircond etc. The IV drips machine I used was faulty and kept beeping off by itself, the nurse had to come and switch it back on like every few seconds. Thankfully I knew what to expect as it was my 3rd time being at the hospital, I certainly saw many a shocked faces who came in for the first time. Many people told me they would rather have gone to Serdang Hospital or Putrajaya if they knew better. Oh well, I would have too if I didn’t just live behind the hospital, it was just out of convenience for John to visit and bring me stuffs daily.

At the end of the day it only cost RM31! We didn’t even have to pay for the Singulair which would have cost RM70 per box outside.