Long story short, Ira was very fussy Friday night. During the night he cried a LOT, as if he was really in pain, and would not settle, and so we took his temperature. It was a bit elevated, and the Dr. on call at our family practice said to head to the ER. Gulp! So we did, and there Ira endured several blood draws, a spinal tap, and an IV insertion which took 8 tries (and 3 nurses). I suppose it had to be even harder on him than it was on his parents!
The spinal fluid seemed to indicate meningitis, so tests were started to see if it was bacterial or viral, and we were admitted! IV fluids and antibiotics and one anti-viral began dripping. We liked our Dr. (not anyone we knew, although we made several small-town connections), but he eventually recommended we transfer to South Bend Memorial Children's Hospital to be more closely monitored.
The ironic final twist is that after the transfer none of the further tests the Goshen Dr. had wanted us to have there were actually ordered, and the Dr. there in SB said he thought Ira's spinal fluid was normal, with white and red blood cells due to a poorly done spinal tap!!!! GRRRRRRRRRRRR! But that did mean that we were discharged earlier than we probably would have been in Goshen. I need to sit down and write out more details...there are lots more annoying details...let me know if you want a fuller scoop!
And here are some of the pictures we dared to take along the way. Does one really photo-journalize one's child's potentially life-threatening illness and hospitalization?
Ira's first room, with my bed and his crib (they warned us before it came in the room that it looked scary, had a weird tall cage-y look), and his worried brothers. Theo wanted to know if he was going to die, or to be all right.
On Sunday morning Adam told his SS class that his brother was sick and in the hospital, and they were putting water into his brain to make him better.
Sunday we did get some pleasant expressions bordering on the smiles that he is just beginning to delight us with in normal life.
On the way to SB Memorial, snug and comfy (but a bit worried?). He slept most of the way and was calm the rest. I rode in the front seat with the driver--no flashing lights, just regular driving. Mitch arrived soon after we did, and he stopped at home for a few things.
Had to take a shot of all the cool ambulance options for my boys!
Our room in SB. At first they said that only one person could stay, and that Ira would have to be in a crib. We talked them into a hospital bed, bassinet, and Mitch got to stay over, too (lucky him--what a terrible night, with the monitors beeping and the nursing turning all the lights on every 2 hours or so). Ira and I sure were grateful not to be there alone. Grandma Jan slept in the Goshen hospital with us the first night.
Another lovely feature of our room, which was technically a pediatric ICU room--a window between us and the next room, with curtains on THEIR side only. There was a little Hispanic girl and her family in there, and they never seemed very interested in spying on us.
Mitch got supper and lunch at the Ronald McDonald Room. In the hospital, but made to look "homey."
Final impressions.
SO GLAD TO BE HOME!!!
Sounds dreadful. Similar to Oliver's visit to ER in DC when he drank lamp oil. you would think children's hospitals would do better!! glad you are home and healthy.
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