4-year-old with RSV has been hospitalized at Rocky Mountain for 19 days
Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children in Denver says they are seeing three to four times as many RSV patients this year compared to years past.
One of those patients is a Longmont 4-year-old, who has been hospitalized with RSV for 19 days.
"You think your baby may not make it so it's hard," said Jameson Maples, her father. His daughter, Meadow Maples, started showing symptoms in October.
"Coughing, high fever, labored breathing, and we took her into the emergency room where they diagnosed her with RSV, and they sent us home that day," Jameson Maples said.
But two days later, when Meadow got sicker, they returned.
The Maples had to sleep on the floor of Broomfield Children's Hospital because the ER was so overrun with RSV patients.
"Whenever we went out to our car to get stuff it was like a warzone just packed with crying coughing babies, it was heartbreaking," said Terri Maples, Meadow's mother.
Soon, Meadow was transferred to Rocky Mountain Hospital's Pediatric ICU.
"All the emotions," Terri Maples said, "exhausting, traumatic, especially in the intensive care unit we weren't like sleeping or eating and just constantly worried."
For eight days, Meadow was on a life support ventilator, her parents said it was touch and go.
"To see such a playful, active, girl intubated like that, and not able to move or wake up was extremely hard," Jameson Maples said.
But finally, Meadow turned a corner. Coming off the ventilator, but still using a feeding tube.
"She's doing well with her physical therapy, she's eating and drinking again," Terri Maples said.
"Starting to walk, starting to play," Jameson Maples added.
Now, the playful 4-year-old is starting to act like herself again.
"She's doing so good, and she's a survivor," Terri Maples said.
The Maples hope to bring Meadow home on Wednesday, but they're warning other parents to know the signs of RSV.
"If you see labored breathing, extensive coughing, if there's a high fever, really don't take any chance get them in right away," Jameson Maples said.
The Maples family says they are extremely thankful for the care Meadow has received, but these healthcare workers are stretched thin. They describe the RSV situation in Colorado children's hospitals as an emergency.
