Hospitals

Sophia was quite ill last week.  Started coughing Friday afternoon.  We took her to the ER Saturday night when it seemed to be getting more "junky" sounding.  They sent us home with a "just a cold" diagnosis.  She had no other symptoms, just they wet cough.  Sunday, same thing and a fever so we went back up.  Same thing.  Monday she vomited before bed.  Tuesday she had an appointment with my GP anyway for her 2 year check up.  Thank goodness because she was lethargic.  And lethargy in children doesn't mean reduced play or less active destruction of your home.  I always heard, "you'll know it when you see it" and I saw it.  We could barely keep her awake.  My gp called the local yokels at the hospital and told them we were coming up and she wanted a chest xray.  As soon as the ER doctor saw the xray he called our pediatrician in Vancouver who told him to send us to the hospital she is connected to and she would meet us there. She was admitted and immediately put on an IV to rehydrate her. The xray told them they were dealing with pneumonia.

They did a blood culture, took a few vials for other tests and did another test called a nasal pharyngeal flush.  They basically water-boarded my sweet daughter. That sample was sent to BC Children's to test it for RSV. That came back clear.  The blood culture came back clear.  The other blood tests showed on the one hand, no elevation in white blood cells, so that made her pediatrician think no on bacterial but her c-reactive proteins were elevated which is a good indication that yes, we are dealing with bacterial pneumonia.  So she started her on antibiotics in her IV as well.

Wednesday afternoon she started perking up after gave her a bolus which is just a large quantity of fluid.  Perked up enough to want to eat and drink on her own which was promising.  But later Wednesday night she was trying to rip out her IV.  She screamed herself to sleep because she was frustrated by the tubing that kept her from rolling onto her tummy to sleep.  Oh and the IV was on left hand so it was all taped up and that's the thumb she sucks.

Thursday we were discharged with antibiotics, and 2 puffers. She is still coughing junk up but the doctor said that will clear up in the next 2 weeks.

I aged about 4 years last week.  I cannot tell you how terrifying it is to see your child lethargic.  I was also upset because we have tried so hard to keep her well.  One of the problems many preemies suffer from is a form of chronic lung disease called bronco-pulmonary dysplasia.  The ventilators that keep them alive in the NICU damage the lungs as well and leads to BPD sometimes.  She will eventually outgrow it as her lung tissue slowly regenerates over time but until then, a simple cold can be devastating.   Her pediatrician making it to 2 years with no major illnesses is an indicator of a job done well so far.  I saw her illness and hospitalization as a failure.

So now I am back to full quarantine.  We aren't taking her out and about to the grocery store, mall, anywhere until spring arrives.  I cannot handle the thought of her getting sick like this again.