Friday Night Emergency

It was a normal end of the week Friday night, excepting that James had been off school for the day due to a sore throat and runny nose. He had the same symptoms a couple of weeks ago, and as the days passed he developed asthma, and had a few days off school. It was managable, ventolin as needed and lots of rest. He has had many episodes of asthma before and knows the drill well. He always has an extremely runny nose for 24 hours and then the tight chest and cough begin, makig sleeping difficult. The solution is often to sleep upright in the lounge on one of the recliners and if sleep doesn't come easily, then he puts on a DVd to doze off to.
This was to be a different Friday night. james went to bed at about 9.30 and read for a while, we heard his coughing, but by the time we got to bed, about 11pm, he was fast asleep.
At 2am he ws at our bedroom door and in a barely audible gasp, said he couldn't breathe.
We directed him to administer his venolin, but after twelve puffs, he seemed only marginaly better and I didn't feel comfortable with leaving him on the recliner. He started to shake as a result of the ventolin and was asking for more. I decided to take him to hospital, a 15 minute drive [20km] from home. But as I got dressed, he became more distressed, as his throat was hurting and each breath was an effort. So I decided an ambulance was needed, I wasn't going to risk driving, while he wasn't comfortable.
I phoned triple zero, and although the response was quick and I guess efficient, I was left pondering at a couple of the comments. One being asked where my town was, in a way that sounded in disbelief that it existed, and the other being told that fourteen doses was alot of ventolin to give. [james has had asthma since small and his peadetrician said to give 12 puffs straight then if no improvement get him to hospital] In this case I had followed the state's school asthma plan which is 4x4, and the one that first aid teaches. Give four puffs, wait 4 mins, four more puffs etc. until 4x4 achieved, then if no result get help.
When the ambulance arrived, it was great to see that one of them was a driver that we knew.
James was taken to hospital after being given a nebuliser on the spot, and they kept him in until 7.30 this morning after observation and other medication. I went with him, [and once again was blessed to have a dear friend on night duty in the emergency dept.] neither of us have had much sleep since 2am this morning. The doctor who treated him has given him a new astham plan which puts him back oto the 12 puff plan, she has also given us a script for medication to keep on hand for next time he gets the runny nose and starts getting asthma symptoms.
In recent years James had been taking less of his preventer and his bouts of asthma weren't as frequent, but today's experience has brought it home that asthma is still very much a part of his life, and needs to be treated carefully.