The beginning of the Reds season was postponed this year (at least for us), and not because of snow, work or outrageous ticket prices. But a shift in priorities. Our favorite event of the year – with all its anticipation, planning and eBay bidding – seemed irrelevant after one ambulance ride, five hours at Children’s Hospital, three breathing treatments and two x-rays too many.Alex had a quick and severe onset of strained breathing on Sunday that caused a bit of alarm for several medical professionals and a lot more worry for two parents visiting the emergency room for the first time. Luckily it was just the croup – which sounds odd to use the wordy lucky, but the other possibilities could have been much worse.
The whole ordeal tested our soon to be four year olds resolve, and the way he handled it – all the tests, monitors, x-rays, EMTs, nurses, steroids, Disney videos, teddy bears, doctors, band aids, forms, tags, insurance cards, stethoscopes and oxygen masks – made him look 24 years old. Give Alex props, as he left the hospital that night in better shape than any of us, and we didn’t even think twice about waiting one more week to put on the Reds' gear.
