I thought it adventurous enough that I had to get 4 kids into the doctor on Monday.... One needed paperwork filled out for wrestling, and 3 were still fighting upper respiratory stuff from viruses started during Christmas vacation.
Before office hours, though, Princess Eager, one of those I'd planned to take in, woke up with chills and severe back pain when coughing. She described it as cramping, and I couldn't tell if she had sore muscles and cramping from all the coughing, or if she was brewing something else. Her temperature while at home was about 98.
By the time we all got into the office, her temp was 102.7. While our trusted pediatrician checked her over, she began to feel faint and her hands were turning blue. He suspected pneumonia --but I could tell he was rattled by her condition. Her color was awful, even though her oxygen saturation readings were good. Her temperature had also gone up to 103.6 in the time we were there.
After antibiotics injections, and a good dose of ibuprofen, off we went to Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in the ambulance the pediatrician had arranged. Meanwhile, I called Hubby as his last class finished... He rushed home to pick up Princess Sassy and Prince CuddleBunny... drove to the clinic ... the Princess took the kids home... and Hubby took my car to meet us in Tacoma.
Xrays did confirm pneumonia on her left side, and after the tests and a bag of IV fluids, she still suffered extreme pain and a heart rate that stayed at 140 for hours, so we were 'invited' to spend the night. With further IV meds and fluid, and excellent and kind care by all we encountered, she is feeling much better and we got to come home Tuesday afternoon.
Sleep is not something that comes easily at the hospital for a patient or her mom, so we are tired. You can tell I am, because the only photo I have of this adventure is this one of the usually, 'never-buy' results of my evening's shopping trip. I knew we were out of bread, and I hadn't the energy to remedy that yet. Princess Eager had ordered macaroni and cheese for her hospital dinner, and since she didn't stay late enough to get it, I thought she deserved her favorite kind. (Hopefully, someday she'll appreciate 'real' macaroni and cheese more than this boxed variety!)
