Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Third Time's a Charm AKA Our Easter Adventure

I know I've been quite blog-delinquent...no more excuses. Part busy - part laziness - part way too obsessed with looking up stuff about Octomom. So - no long explanations, I'll just launch into our latest adventure AKA The E.R.

The girls have been off and on sick for a while now. We all remember the 2.5 hours spent at the doctor's office in mid March to diagnosis Natalie's pneumonia and then the discovery of Abby's ear infection a few days later. So towards the end of the antibiotic, Abby started spiking a fever every other night but seemed fine during the day. I didn't think much of it since I figured they couldn't get too sick while ON an antibiotic and whatever she had was viral.

So, last Tuesday night, Abby seemed worse. She had a fever again and seemed to be throwing up more than usual. Wednesday morning, her fever was about 103 and she was lethargic and wanted to sleep all morning. So - off to the doctor. Another 2.5 hours later, it was determined what she had was viral. !!!

Thursday - We were going to leave for my mom's for Easter, but Natalie was starting to show some ickiness. She was now someone lethargic and seemed to be throwing up. No big. I figure she has what Abby had (who was now feeling much better).

Friday - Natalie seems better, so we are off to my mom's. We arrive around 5ish and all seems well. Somewhere between 8 and 9, I notice Natalie seems really hot. We check her temp. 104.2. Now, I don't panic easily. I don't even get very concerned until a fever reaches 103.5. 104 worries me a bit. My mom, who is a bit on the over-reacting side, was ready to rush her to the ER that minute. Instead, I called the nurse -line for advice and gave Natalie a cool bath and some Tylenol and Motrin. An hour later when the nurse returned my call, her fever was down and she seemed better.

Saturday - Natalie seemed much better. She was laughing and playing. They went down for a nap about 1ish. When I checked her about 4, she was burning up again. I checked her fever again. 104.8. Now, I'm concerned. After more meds, mom gives her another cool bath and I ready our things for the ER.

We spent about 3 hours at the Angel Hospital in Franklin. She had a RSV test, blood work and an X-ray. (Her fever was down to 102, btw) Everything looked good except the X-ray. Yep, you guessed it. Pneumonia. Again. Third time in three months.

So, we get a new antibiotic (at Ben's suggestion since the other failed to work twice). I take Natalie home while my mom goes to the pharmacy for me. Long story short...there's not a pharmacy in a 30 mile radius open at 7:30 on a Saturday night. So, she returns to the hospital to fill it there. They don't carry it in a liquid form. So, she called and tells me I have to bring Natalie back to the ER to get a shot. After waiting for mom to get home to watch Abby (my aunt who was watching her had already left), I headed back to the hospital. We finally returned home about 9:30.

Natalie seemed fine the next day and has been fine ever since. This time we are definitely getting a follow-up X-ray at the end of the antibiotic to make sure the pneumonia is gone. This once a month thing is getting ridiculous.

Abby is still better too, I think. She seems to have a little cold, but that seems pretty normal these days. Hopefully, after this round, everyone will get well and stay that way.


A little funny about Angel Hospital...a few years ago when my mema was in the hospital, I went to visit her. I asked for her room number, and the desk clerk looked on a sheet of notebook paper to find her name and room number! Maybe that helps explain the pharmacy situation as well:-)

1 comment:

Jenny Regan said...

Oh my. I am so sorry you had to go thru all that. I know in writing it just takes a few paragraphs, but in real life, Mommy life, it is so hard and completely draining. Yeesh. Hope everyone is settled down nicely now and on the way to a more peaceful time period! Maybe they were just getting it all out of the way at once!