My little boy is sick! I feel so helpless!

Yesterday, Elliott woke up sounding a little congested.  He has allergies, so I wasn't overly concerned at that point.  However last night when he went to bed he started coughing uncontrollably, he cried when he coughed, and his breathing became very heavy and raspy.

I called my sister-in-law and she came out to the house.  She said it sounded like croup.  We then called her sister, a nurse, who said it definitely sounded like croup.  I'm very unfamiliar with all these childhood illnesses, since Elliott's my first.  She said she didn't suggest taking him to the ER or urgent care unless he was struggling to breathe or got a fever.  We followed her suggestion of putting him in a steamy bathroom.  I didn't see any improvement, but he was still active and playful, so I decided to wait until this morning.

Later, when I thought he was asleep, I went to check on him, and he was sitting in the floor, in the dark, playing with his Mr. Potato Head!  :)

He had a hard time falling asleep, it was after midnight when he fell asleep!  He woke up all night coughing and miserable and I couldn't do anything for him.  I felt so helpless!

I called as soon as the peditrician's office opened and scheduled him a doctor's appt. this morning for 9:30 and I called my husband at work to let him know.  He called me back and said he changed it to the afternoon!  This actually irritated me!  I wanted to get him in early and have him checked out, then have him home before lunch and nap time.  Now I have to listen helplessly to his raspy breathing and barking cough because my husband wants to meet me?  I don't mind him being there, but I'm ALWAYS the one that takes Elliott to the doctor, so I don't know why he felt today should be different!  I already had the day off today, and he will have to use his personal time.  Plus, we'll be at the doctor forever, since we didn't get in early, and we won't be home until after lunch and nap time.  So I will have a sick, hungry, and cranky toddler.  Thanks daddy!

What can I do to comfort Elliott until his appointment?  I read that croup is viral...is there anything they can do for treatment?  Like I said, I don't know much about this, I'm knew to this sickness thing, and I need suggestions!