4 dolphins...

Well, this weekend isn't going as I had planned!! Thursday afternoon, after the big kids came back from VBS, Trent took us out to Englewood Metropark for a hike. We saw lots of bugs and wildflowers and even a couple of Blue Angel jets practicing! It was a really nice family day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That evening, as I was getting Cailynn ready for bed, she felt hot to me so I took her temp. It was 101.4 I gave her some Tylenol and in an hour, her temp had dropped, so we went to bed. She stayed ok through the night, but started getting hot again in the morning, so when we got up at 8am, I took her temp again and it was 100.5 Thankful it was Friday and not Saturday, I called and left a message for our pediatrician. They called back in a few hours and told us that, because of her age (6 weeks) and her kidney/ urinary tract issues, we needed to take her to Dayton Children's hospital ER.

Obviously this is not what we wanted to hear, and we had mixed feelings about it. We didn't want to get there, wait 6 hours to see a doctor, be give a Rx and sent home $100 poorer, but we didn't want to take any chances with her health either. Honestly, I thought she'd get a urine test and depending on the results, we'd leave with new medicine or be told she just has a virus. We were not aware how serious it is for a baby this young (under 8 weeks) to have an infection. Apparently, since her immune system is still so underdeveloped, it is very easy for an infection to get septic quickly, go to her brain and cause brain injury/ death!

We got to ER at 11:30 and were seen almost immediatly be the ER doc. Thats when we got our first shocker of the day! The doctor ordered blood tests, a urine test, and spinal tap! I think we all cried throughout the whole ordeal. First they tried to get the urine, but as they were inserting the catheter, she peed, so they had to try again later. Then they brought out the needled for the blood draw and IV block. They tied off all both arms and legs looking for a good vein (any vein, by the sound of it!) before trying one of her arms. It didn't work, so they called another nurse in to try. It seemed to take forever, but she got the IV block in. I think we had 10-15 minutes to regroup before the phelobotomist came back to draw blood. It took 2 sticks to get the amount he needed because the first one clotted. Pretty quickly after that the doctor came back to get the spinal fluid. We were not allowed to hold/ touch her during the procedure. That, and hearing her cries of pain, was emotional torture!

Once they got everything they needed from her, it just became a waiting game. The tests were to take about a half hour, we were told. So we waited. Cailynn finally had a chance to nurse and sleep, held tightly by Mommy. We recieved the test results when expected, but not what we expected.

Blood and spinal fluid came back good. Urine didn't look so good, indicated a urinary tract infection. Despite the amoxicillian she has been on since birth, an infection got through. We then got our second shocker. She was going to be admitted to the hospital and we have to stay 2-3 days. They put her on some different antibiotic and we couldn't leave until the blood, spinal fluid, and urine cultures came back, 48 hours. So we just waited to be admitted. And waited, and waited. Finally Trent went to get some lunch at 3pm. And at 5pm someone from admission came and took us to our room. There is a painting of 4 dolphins in our room, hence the title of this blog (since "A Day in the ER" sounds boring!)

The rest of the evening was spent recouperating from the day. Cailynn slept and nursed a lot. Mom and Dad rested and prayed, contacted family and friends, and even had a few visitors.

Baby and Mom slept well through the night. Dad slept at home. The rest of the kids slept at Nana's house.