Another Trip to the ER

I can't think of anything worse than when your child is sick and you have that gut feeling, that so-called mother's instinct, that something is not right. What started out as a little tummy ache quickly turned to a headache and feeling dizzy. Then came the throw-up. Lots of it! Very pale, disoriented, lethargic. Yes, it's time to go to the emergency room.
So what do I do? Call for reinforcement ... 1-800-GRANDMA



Once at the hospital, Dylan is put into a wheelchair because he is so weak. And quite frankly, too heavy for me to carry. After explaining all of his symptoms to the doctor, he rules out the flu, meningitis, and any problems with Dylan's appendix. Now it's time to draw blood and see what we are missing. Oh no, the thought of this procedure makes my heart break. Dylan has no idea what is coming. At first we were told to keep him awake, but nothing happens quickly in the ER and he fell asleep. After all, it was now 10 pm. The nurse wants to wake him and I advise her not to. Better to just get it over with. Oh my ... the screams ... "help me, help me" ... I couldn't take it anymore and had to leave the room. Thank goodness for Grandma's!

After waiting almost 2 hours for the results from the blood test, all that was determined was that Dylan was dehydrated, white blood count was high, and no bacterial infection was detected. It's viral and must run its course. Dylan was given medication to stop the vomiting and Tylenol for the pain.

Around 1am Dylan wakes up and starts talking. Asking if we can go home. Suddenly he seems normal. Telling jokes, acting silly and asking animal trivia questions. He even let me take a video of him.



Although he seemed better, we were not out of the woods yet. He pretty much sat on the couch the whole next day and didn't eat or drink anything until late afternoon. As hard as I tried, he wouldn't even drink water. Then he crashed out at 6 pm ... not to wake until 12:30 am. Since I wasn't going to sleep much anyway, I moved him into my bed for the night. He looks at me and says, "I'm better" and gives me a hug. Thanking me for taking care of him. My Dylan was back and I couldn't be happier.

Another Learning Experience

So after Friday's Fill-In-The-Blank, I was craving sauteed shrimp and pasta. Since shrimp is one of Dylan's favorite foods I thought I would surprise him. The perfect ending to a perfect day. Within 15 minutes we went from freshly bought shrimp to a delightful dinner.

     

About and hour after dinner I notice Dylan's cheeks are bright red. Hmmm, now what did he eat. It couldn't possibly be the shrimp, because he has been eating shrimp since he was 3 years old and loves it. I have flashbacks to when he was a toddler and this would happen when he ate eggs. Quick, find the Benadryl and everything will be fine. No Benadryl to be found. Not a big deal, it will go away like it always does. 

Wrong! About 30 minutes later he is itching his legs and arms. When a lift his sweatpants I find hives and his ankles are swelling. The rash is moving up his arms and his hands are swelling now too. Not good. OK, it's about 10:30 pm now and I need to figure out where the closest 24 hour CVS is. Oh, and did I mention it's pouring down rain? After calling for reinforcement, aka my Mom, I am reminded how fast allergic reactions can spread. So we decide to head over to Hoag Hospital. Thinking I'm making a big deal out of nothing, but better to be safe than sorry.

It's now 1:00 am and we are waiting for the doctor in the Emergency Room. Oh, how I wish I could have crashed out like Dylan. The doctor confirms this is anaphylaxis, in English, an allergic reaction. After a shot of epinephrine, a dose of Prelone, and a dose of Benadryl we are told to wait 20 minutes while they monitor Dylan's heart rate. Talk about a mother's state of fear when you watch your child's heart rate go from 84 to 145. Apparently, this is what the epinephrine does. All is now well and we were sent home at 2:30 am with a prescription for Prelone. Dylan barely remembers a thing because he slept through the entire ordeal.

Just another day in my Life with Dylan.