Sick Babies

 


Sunday afternoon Rett started not feeding well and trying to sleep through feeding times (which is not like him).  He then vomited at 1:30am on Monday. Later in the morning, Jayelle, while laying on my bed, sat up and then vomited.  Throughout the morning Everett continued to vomit and started to run a temperature.  In the meantime, Jayelle ran around the house singing and dancing.   I phoned the health visitor (which is much like a pediatric nurse) who told me to bring him into the open clinic to see a general practitioner (GP) in the morning.  After a visit to the GP the verdict was Everett most likely had a virus, but to keep an eye on it and if I was concerned still to call the GP again.  Later that evening things continued to get worse.  Everett's vomit was bright yellow, so we called the GP and he said that if we were not 100% satisfied with how Everett was feeling to take him into Sick Kids Hospital.  We waited it out for another hour or so then we decided to take him in.  Our wonderful minister was kind enough to take me and Everett to the hospital while Dave was going to stay with Jayelle as she slept.  I went to check on Jayelle just before getting into the car, and I noticed Jayelle had thrown up in her bed and was sleeping through it.  So off we went to Sick Kids without a sick toddler and Daddy.  We were admitted into the initial accident and emergency level of the hospital immediately and they began looking over Everett.  His temperature had gone down, but his body was still very warm while his hands and feet were ice cold.  And he continued to vomit.  A pediatric doctor looked him over, he was pale and dry and a bit jaundice.  She decided to have his blood run for tests as well as put an IV into him. . so the searched for a vein. His veins were very tiny so they decided to try his foot.  They found one that might work in his little foot, and told me I could leave the room because it was going to hurt him.  I decided to stay and hold his hand and talk to him while he when through the pain.  I choked down tears as he struggled to cry. . .he really had no energy to cry so his cry sounded even more sad to me.  The poking didn't work the needle had apparently went right through his vein so they got the blood work but no IV.  The next stage was to wait for a medical doctor from upstairs to come and see my little boy.  When she came down she immediately told me that I would not be going home that night and did another very good check on Everett.  She decided she wanted to put a feeding tube down Everett's nose to his tummy to see if his color would change.  She too thought Everett was still running a temp, so she had another temperature run on him, but explained to me if he still had a test they would need to do a lumbar poke on him to test for meningitis.  At this point I was extremely worried and starting to get pain in my stomach thinking of my son, and then thinking oh my Jayelle is at home and is sick too.  The nurse came in and put the tube down Everett's nose.  She then had me try to breast feed Everett to see if he would keep from throwing up again.  He threw up again.  His temperature had not risen so there was no need for a lumbar poke.  The medical doctor then called " the boss" as she said, and they decided to admit us to the ward and in a private room where Everett would not be able to leave until released because they still were unsure what he had.  We went to the ward where they had a bed for me and a crib for Everett with a bathroom and window. I had to as they say here "express" milk (or pump if you are from the States) from a 1970's electric pump and that milk plus formula would be put through Everett's feeding tube every 2 hours.  At this point Dave has informed me that Jaye has refused to drink water but has not thrown up anymore.  So I expressed, Everett slept, Jaye slept, and Dave stayed awake too nervous to sleep.  Through the night Everett managed to keep down his feedings and his color began to look normal.  By the morning he was doing great and had enough energy to pull out his feeding tube on his own, so I  breast fed him and he kept that down the milk.  Jayelle awoke with huge hives on her face and arm, which indicated to the doctors at the hospital that this in fact was a virus because Everett had a mild rash on his body (a rash we were not quite sure if it was from his terrible baby acne).  So Everett was released at about half 9 (or if you are from the States 9:30am). The rest of the week has been up and down. . .each of us have been ill, but we know it is only a virus and so we continue to isolate ourselves until we are all 100%.  Jaye is back to her happy toddler self, and Dave and I battle out weak-tired bodies.  This is not a way to spend your last few weeks in Scotland I tell ya.  I have decided this was my first parenting crisis on my own.  I much prefer being able to handle things with David.  Man I love my husband! Man to man defense is yuck!