The Ramthun Family: Hospital Stay After over 1.5 Years

Well, after over a year and a half Nolan ended up in the hospital on April 23rd with pneumonia. It was the scariest morning ever and something we never want to relive. The birthday celebration must have been too much for him because on Thursday morning he started having issues with his breathing. He needed oxygen all day on Thursday and then through the night as well. He was breathing so fast and needed 2 liters most of the night and day. Friday morning we took him to Dr. Wallace and he started him on an antibiotic after reviewing his x-ray for pneumonia. Friday he again needed oxygen all day and was breathing fast still. Friday night he was on 1 liter of oxygen and we all went to bed. Around 3:30 Saturday morning his monitors starting going off and we figured it was because his oxygen tank had run out. We found out that he was really struggling with his breathing and his o2 had dropped down to the 40s at one point. We turned his oxygen up to 4 liters but that only got him up to the 70s so we decided it was time to call 911 and the grandparents to come help with Landon and Mabel. By the time the ambulance crew arrived at our house his oxygen level had gone up to 90 but he was working very hard to breathe. We arrived in Fort Dodge around 4:45 and they did another x-ray to confirm that the pneumonia had gotten worse so they didn't want to keep him in Fort Dodge. They wanted to Life Flight him to Des Moines but it was too foggy so he had to go by ground. They wouldn't let him leave without an IV in place and Nolan was being very stubborn so they had to drill into a bone in his leg to get the IV started. Once they got the IV the Fort Dodge ambulance took off to go meet the Blank Children's Hospital half way. When we arrived in Des Moines they moved him to the PICU and started him on the ventilator. Once they got him on the ventilator he looked so much better. He was more relaxed and not breathing so fast. They kept him on the lowest vent setting until Monday and had him on strong antibiotics. Monday they took him off the vent and Tuesday he was able to go home. He got better so fast this time and we are so lucky!

Landon came down with Grandma Mary Jo, Grandpa Brad, and Mabel right away Saturday morning. Grandma Marjean and Grandpa Dale followed us down too!

Daddy and Landon checking out the view from Nolan's room!

Tried to get a picture of Mabel in front of the tulips like we have Landon when he was little and visited Nolan in the hospital! Mabel was a little too tired for a picture!