The last few weeks have been rough for Kaylie. 2 Fridays ago, she randomly started throwing up until she emptied her tummy, then it passed and was back to normal. On Monday, she started coming down with a cold. On Tuesday, she had her 6 month well baby check up, and got the appropriate round of immunizations, including a flu shot. On Wednesday she started vomiting again around 4:30 in the afternoon, and by 5, she was ashen and listless. She was like a little rag doll, except when throwing up. But even that, she did weakly. It was scary. Rebekah came over to stay with Elora, and then Brandon and I took Kaylie to the ER.
Over the course of the next 5 hours, they gave her a Tylenol suppository to bring down her 103° fever, they did a chest x-ray that required us to put her in a clear cylinder that pinned her in place and held her arms up out of the way, they took a urine sample using a catheter, and they put in an IV port to draw blood and get her rehydrated. It took them 3 tries to get the IV in successfully, during which time we had to hold her down while she screamed. It was awful. I kept my face right next to hers, talking and singing the whole time. I definitely cried. She had the most pained, bewildered look on her face. I had to keep reminding myself that it was ultimately going to help her. They finally got it in to her hand, and had to strap her arm to a board to keep her from moving it.
That was the turning point in the evening though. After that I was able to feed her, she was able to keep it down, and between that, the Tylenol and the fluids from the IV, she started to perk up. She even started trying to play with the IV tube. They sent us home around 11 with Tylenol, Motrin, and something for nausea, just in case.
We spent Thursday recovering. (Her voice was hoarse from screaming.) On Friday, I got a call at 5 in the morning from the hospital, saying that her blood culture came back positive for a bacterial infection, and would we please bring her back in for re-evaluation. She still had the cold symptoms, but the fever was gone and there'd been no recurrence of vomiting, so they gave her an antibiotic shot and a round of antibiotics to do at home, and sent us on our way with instructions to follow up with the pediatrician on Monday.
We are still not really sure what caused what. We're fairly sure that she had a cold, caused by a virus. This weakened her immune system, and allowed the bacterial infection to happen. But who knows where the vomiting came from. Personally, I suspect that it had nothing to do with either infection, but that her system rejected the oatmeal cereal I'd given her prior to both vomiting episodes. The pediatrician said that it's possible, and so it's a good idea to stay away from the oatmeal for a while. All I really care about is that she seems to be doing ok now. She still has a nagging cough, and she's still a bit fussier than usual, but no more high fevers and no more scary vomiting.
Thank God.
Over the course of the next 5 hours, they gave her a Tylenol suppository to bring down her 103° fever, they did a chest x-ray that required us to put her in a clear cylinder that pinned her in place and held her arms up out of the way, they took a urine sample using a catheter, and they put in an IV port to draw blood and get her rehydrated. It took them 3 tries to get the IV in successfully, during which time we had to hold her down while she screamed. It was awful. I kept my face right next to hers, talking and singing the whole time. I definitely cried. She had the most pained, bewildered look on her face. I had to keep reminding myself that it was ultimately going to help her. They finally got it in to her hand, and had to strap her arm to a board to keep her from moving it.
That was the turning point in the evening though. After that I was able to feed her, she was able to keep it down, and between that, the Tylenol and the fluids from the IV, she started to perk up. She even started trying to play with the IV tube. They sent us home around 11 with Tylenol, Motrin, and something for nausea, just in case.
We spent Thursday recovering. (Her voice was hoarse from screaming.) On Friday, I got a call at 5 in the morning from the hospital, saying that her blood culture came back positive for a bacterial infection, and would we please bring her back in for re-evaluation. She still had the cold symptoms, but the fever was gone and there'd been no recurrence of vomiting, so they gave her an antibiotic shot and a round of antibiotics to do at home, and sent us on our way with instructions to follow up with the pediatrician on Monday.
We are still not really sure what caused what. We're fairly sure that she had a cold, caused by a virus. This weakened her immune system, and allowed the bacterial infection to happen. But who knows where the vomiting came from. Personally, I suspect that it had nothing to do with either infection, but that her system rejected the oatmeal cereal I'd given her prior to both vomiting episodes. The pediatrician said that it's possible, and so it's a good idea to stay away from the oatmeal for a while. All I really care about is that she seems to be doing ok now. She still has a nagging cough, and she's still a bit fussier than usual, but no more high fevers and no more scary vomiting.
Thank God.
I'm so sorry you've had to go through this! I can relate somewhat when silas was in the nicu even though I'm sure this was worse :-( I'm glad to hear you've made it through the worst of it.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry she's had such a hard time. Glad she's feeling better!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds miserable. I am glad she is doing better.
ReplyDelete