Sunday, August 3, 2008

Brooklyn's hospital stay


Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and prayers over the past few days. Brooklyn was discharged from the hospital Saturday afternoon. The pediatrician determined that she had a really bad stomach virus - not rotovirus, but similar to it. She is not completely over the virus, but is getting much better. I think she is happy to be back at home.

Since I have had absolutely no time to explain what was going on the past few days, here is what happened: Tuesday night, shortly after my post, Brooklyn had some serious diarrhea that literally covered her from her neck to her calf. I cleaned her up and didn't think too much of it because she was acting like she felt okay. In fact, she was even laughing at me while I cleaned the mess. I had no problems getting her to sleep that night and she seemed fine.

Wednesday morning, at about 10, Dave called me and wanted to know where the baby Tylenol was. I asked him why, and he said that Brooklyn felt hot, he took her temperature, and it was 102.3. I told him to call the doctor and call me back. Dr. A's office wanted to see Brooklyn at 3:00. Throughout the afternoon, Brooklyn's temperature hovered around 102, she continued to have diarrhea, and she vomited quite violently a couple of times. I left work early and met Dave and Brooklyn at the doctor's office at 3:00. My poor baby was just not herself. We waited in the hallway of Dr. A's office and she was like a limp dishrag, laying against my chest and whimpering. She was bright red and her little body felt like it was on fire.

They finally got us into a room. Brooklyn's temperature was 102.7. They took a stool sample and drew blood from her arm. Dr. A. said that he was pretty sure she had a nasty summer virus but wanted to make sure that nothing else was going on. Brooklyn took some Tylenol and by the time that we left Dr. A's, at 6:00 p.m., she seemed much better. We felt relieved and could tell that Dr. A was too.

Back at home, the baby Tylenol seemed to wear off quickly. Brooklyn's fever went back up to 101 and then 102. She nursed well but then projectile vomited. I had never seen that much come out of a baby. She was still having lots of diarrhea. We gave her a bath and put cool washcloths on her head to cool her down. She had another dose of Tylenol, but it wasn't getting rid of the fever. At 2:30 a.m., we called our pediatrician's 24-hour nurse line and asked what else we could do to help Brooklyn with the fever. She gave me some suggestions and said that if her fever reached 103, she needed to be taken to the emergency room. Since it was one of Dave's off days, he stayed up with Brooklyn and put cool washcloths on her until her fever finally dropped to 99 at 6:00 in the morning.

Thursday morning, I got up and got ready for work. I was ready to walk out the door and checked Brooklyn's temp on my way out. 103.8! I called the doctor's office immediately. They weren't in yet. It took me about 30 minutes to get a hold of somone up there. They told me that Dr. A would see Brooklyn at 9:15. I called in to work, and my mom came over to help me take Brooklyn to the doctor. Brooklyn was very lethargic, burning hot, and was crying this pitiful little pain cry. She wasnot interested in eating and was having lots of diarrhea. Dr. A's nurse catheterized her to get a urine sample. Then Dr. A came in and told us that Brooklyn was dehydrated. She continued to have diarrhea and screamed unconsolably for half an hour while Dr. A was in the room. He decided to have her admitted to the hospital to get IV fluids to rehydrate her and "let her gut rest." He said that because she has been having weight gain/feeding problems (she weighs 10 pounds and 12 ounces at 4 1/2 months), we cannot afford to let her get any sicker and lose weight.

We bypassed admissions and were sent directly to the pedicatric unit. They came and took Brooklyn and said that they were going to put an IV in her and that family was not allowed in the procedure room because it was "too traumatic." They were gone for 20 minutes. When the nurses returned to Brooklyn, they said that they had tried to put the IV in her hand and her foot but were unable to get a line going because her veins were so small and she was dehydrated. They said that they would have to get an OB nurse to put the IV in her head.

So...it's "too traumatic" to let me be with her when they put an IV in her hand or foot. But here come 3 nurses into Brooklyn's hospital room to put the IV in her head. They laid her on the bed and tied a tourniquet just above her eyes. One nurse pushed the sides of her face together and held her head down. Another one held on to her little body. They told me not to look as they began sticking her head. Brooklyn was screaming this horrible scream that I have never heard before and I hope to never have to hear again. This went on for about 5 minutes, until they got the IV in place. Oh my God. I cried so hard. I held my baby and soothed her to sleep.

Every time Brooklyn would fall asleep, they would come and do something else to her. Take more blood from her arm. Weigh her. X-rays (they screwed up and had to repeat them too). Vital signs. Temperature. Etc. She was already so sick and tired and could not rest. We could only give her Pedialyte until she had gone 6 hours without vomiting, so they brought me a breast pump. I didn't want to put her down to pump. All I wanted to do was hold my sweet girl and make her okay.

Her fever had gone down some but went back up to 102.7 that night. She had gone almost 5 hours without throwing up but threw up a lot when we were in radiology having her x-rays redone. More and more and more diarrhea. Dave went home to sleep and I stayed the night with Brooklyn. I would say that I slept at the hospital, but um, yeah, there was no sleeping going on.

Friday morning at about 4:30 a.m., I was finally able to nurse Brooklyn and she did very well. Her temp was back down in the 99's and remained below 100 all day. She was still having diarrhea but was no longer vomiting very much. Dr. A said that her labs were slowly coming back and all looked good, none of the really scary stuff that he wanted to rule out. He told us that it was most likely a bad stomach virus similar to rotovirus. He said that it would be premature to discharge her that day, so he would be back tomorrow and we would reevaluate then. She needed to get more IV fluids and start keeping her food inside her.

About 30 minutes after Dr. A left, Dave took Brooklyn and sat on the bed with her so that I could eat. I had taken just a few bites when he said, "Quick, Amanda, go get the nurse!" I looked at Brooklyn and she had pulled her IV mostly out of her head. Blood was running out all over her scalp. I ran to the nurses station and 2 nurses ran back to the room with me. Brooklyn was screaming and crying as blood dripped off the back and sides of her head and trickled down her forehead. It took what seemed like an eternity for them to get the IV all the way out of her. There was tons of tape in her hair and they had difficulty getting it off to get to the needle. I rubbed Brooklyn's arm and leg, leaned my head on her and cried with her. She screamed and screamed and I told her how sorry I was. When the nurses finally got the needle and all the tape off, they placed Brooklyn in my arms. Brooklyn and I sobbed together. I felt so horrible. My poor baby. How could I let her hurt like this? Dave and my mom put Brooklyn and I back on the hospital bed. I held her for the longest time and just cried. She went to sleep. I cried some more. I wished it could have been me that was hurting physically, not her. My heart hurt so bad. I still can't even think about it without crying.

Dr. A decided not to put Brooklyn's IV back in. He said that he was pissed that she had pulled it out, but didn't want to put her through all of that again since she was feeding better now and was not vomiting. When he came back to see her that evening, it was determined that she would stay one more night so that they could weigh her and see how she was doing on her fluid intake and output the next morning. I stayed the night with Brooklyn again (of course). She slept better than she had the night before....maybe because no needles were in her head?

Dr. A came back about noon on Saturday. He discharged Brooklyn and we are to call his cell if anything worsens over the weekend. I am to call him Monday morning and see if she needs to come in for an appointment then. She is still having diarrhea but not nearly as bad. Her fever is mostly gone and she has vomited once since we have been at home. She is still pretty irritable, but I would be too if I had gone through everything she has in the past few days. She has been much more like herself today though. At times she has been smiling and cooing, something we had not seen in a few days. What a relief. Right now she is sleeping in her Daddy's lap. I am so glad that we have her back at home. I am constantly amazed at how tough and brave our tiny girl is. Sigh.

12 comments:

Momma Mary said...

Poor thing! I'm behind on my reading, so I didn't even know to pray until now. I will keep you all in my prayers though...

I feel for you!!

Beth said...

I just found your blog a few days ago (I can't remember through what blog). Anyway, I am so sorry to hear what your precious little girl has been through. It sounds like she's on the mend, though. Hope the next few days are MUCH better for you and your sweet little girl. You'll be in my thoughts.

JW Moxie said...

How awful! I'm sorry that poor Brooklyn went through so much and that you did, too. It's a terrible thing to want to "fix it" and not be able to. My son had a bad case of rotavirus when he was 8 months old and we spent a few days in the hospital, too. I know how you feel.

My friend was in the middle of a move and just now got her internet access back. Hopefully she'll email you about the respiratory issues soon.

I hope that Brooklyn is back to 100% soon.

Sarah said...

So glad to hear little B is back home...how scary it must have been for you to see her go through all of that...I remember those days in the NICU when all they would do it poke her I just wanted to be the one to take the pain as well...you're a good mommy...keep us posted!

Carrie27 said...

Huge hugs for all of you!! We never want to see our babies so sick or in any pain whatsoever. I hope she is doing better today and that she is back to her happy little self for you guys.

Anth said...

Oh your poor little girl! How awful for her and for you!!! I'm so glad she's improving now. I'll pray for your family!

Cibele said...

OMG little baby... I am so sorry all you had t go through. I hope that you feel better soon okay?

HUGS for you my friend, I can't imagine how you felt.

♥.Trish.♥ Drumboys said...

Gosh poor little Brooklyn and her parents. My heart goes out to you,I have been thinking of you guys.

It was scary and traumatic seeing your baby going through pain and being so ill.

I hope she is on the mend.

I had to watch my son go through IV, lumbar puncture etc at 5 months and
I was a paed nurse before.

Sarah said...

How is she doing????

edie & ella said...

I've been meaning to comment...... when I read this I could not stop sobbing myself. I am so glad that is over for her (and you).... I can't even imagine how you felt. SAM

Cibele said...

It breaks my heart to read you post. I hope you get answers soon and that ababy B can feel better... I also want to say that YOU ARE A GREAT MOM!

Jennifer W said...

OMG! I finally came up for some air and have been catching up on your blog. Poor poor baby! I just want to scoop her up and cradle her forever. I think I will have to go in and kiss Avelyn right now - I am so blessed that she is healthy. I am taking OB & Pediactric care this fall... I will keep sweet Brooklyn in mind when I care for those little babies. Every patient is always someone else's baby. You are so strong Amanda! You are in my prayers.

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