There is nothing more gut-wrenching than watching your small child lay in a hospital bed and being helpless to do anything for them.

Just brought my three-year-old home from a two day stay in the hospital. He had been running a fever for eight days. It never got over 102.8. Pediatrician had us waiting it out and then on day five started the toddler version of the Z pack antibiotics.Suddenly on day 8 his fever is 104.3 and he is totally listless. At first they said there was a chance it could be Kawasaki disease, which I had never heard of but apparently affects the coronary arteries. Thank God within 12 hours we knew it was not that after an echo cardio gram was done.It was a serious adenovirus. They kept him in until they were able to get the fever down and ran IV antibiotics.Watching his little body laying there while they were drawing blood or strapping him in for a CAT scan, and starting the IV while he cried out in pain broke my freaking heart. As did him crying out for me to make it better when the high fever was affecting him.I seriously do not know how parents of children with serious chronic medical conditions do it. To have to go through this on a regular basis would be so difficult. Trying to keep a positive and brave face on for him was such a challenge. Hats off to all parents of children with serious medical conditions.TLDR: my two-day hospital stay for my toddler was gut-wrenching and gave me a new found appreciation for parents of children with serious medical conditions. via /r/Parenting http://bit.ly/2Kxiis5