A "good enough" mom muses about alpha moms, adoption, computers, the State Of The World, Internet quirkiness, and the Kosmik All
Calling in the pros

When the fever is running high, but the hands and feet are icy cold, you know what the doc is going to say.  And, sure enough, he cocked an eyebrow at me and said, "You know what we're going to do, right?"

Unfortunately, it wasn't as easy as all that.  While the idea was to toss the dotter into the hospital right then and there, there was no room at the inn.  This is THE season.  The "sick waiting room" at the doc's office was filled with listless children coughing their heads off, and so, too, was the pediatric ward; the doc tried wangling, he offered to release one or two of his kids who were doing better (but there was this horde of pediatricians waiting to swoop down on any empty beds), he tried negotiating with the Emergency Department to have her stashed in their "observation room" while we waited for an open bed, but...Alas, the ER has A Procedure.  The Procedure requires that you check in, go through the normal ER routine, and wait there for a bed.

We got into the ER at 11 in the morning.  At 8:15 p.m., we were moved into a room in the pediatric unit.  In the meantime, the dotter was hooked up to everything in sight, given antibiotics via IV, fluids via IV, oxygen via the tubes, and by the time we were moved into the bed, she was doing pretty good.  She will probably be sprung this evening.

Calling in the pros makes a weary mom feel oh-so-much better.  Fifty kazillion nurses and respiratory techs asking the dotter to lean forward so they could listen to her lungs and take her temp and feed her (yet more) antibiotics, while mom and dad just slumped in the chairs and let them Do Their Thing.  It's very reassuring to have professionals. 

Let me sing the praises of the modern health care industry:  they know their stuff.  They've got it down to a routine (and have been practicing that routine like crazy lately--like I said, the whole ped ward is filled with kids in similar circumstances).

More praises:  I heart ibuprofen.  I think acetominophin is okay, but I heart ibuprofen with a passion.  While all this was going on, I kept thinking of what this whole scene would be like a hundred years ago, without the fever meds, and didn't like that thought.  Imagine having to constantly bathe the child in tepid water, and cope with cool washcloths on the skin of a child who shrieks (shreiks?) at your touch!

The whole high-fever-plus-icy-hands-and-feet gave me the willies, and having the dotter with glazed eyes and languid, limp body was heartbreaking.  Normally, she's so vivid and vivacious that having her so listless and miserable was a startling contrast.

But, she's on the mend, very much so.  Yay!  OmegaDad is at the hospital with her, and I'm getting a break.  Time to go check my blogroll and the news and weather--see what's going on in the Wide World.  Thanks again for all the pats on the head, reassurances, and good thoughts!

posted by Kate @ 2/10/2007 01:07:00 PM  
9 Comments:
  • At 2/10/2007 04:55:00 PM, Blogger atomic mama said…

    Oh, no!!! I clicked on over here hoping things would be improving... Sounds like they are now, but only after a turn for the worse, eh? I hope OD is released soon. So sorry for you guys. Take care.

     
  • At 2/10/2007 07:42:00 PM, Blogger Johnny said…

    best wishes for a good recover for the Dotter.

     
  • At 2/10/2007 10:32:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Awww! I hope she's back to herself real soon. You guys could use some "normal" and "boring" back in your vocabulary!

     
  • At 2/10/2007 11:15:00 PM, Blogger Lizard said…

    OY, I missed all the drama, apparently not checking in here for a couple fo days (I could swear I had!)! Pneumonia is indeed scary, but it sounds like OD is doing well... and good for you for getting treatment.

    A lot of kids do the cold hands and feet thing, especially with very high fevers. That doesn't scare me, but I do not like a 106 degree temp. Nosiree, I do not.

    I hope you are all sleeping better and coughing none very very soon. And at home. Together.

    This has really been a bad season. I've sent more people home with anitbiotics in the last 3 weeks than in the whole usual winter, it feels like. Come on spring!

     
  • At 2/11/2007 01:57:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    What a weekend you guys have had. Glad the dotter is improving. Can't imagine going through the whole ER thing but as you wrote at least she got professional help immediately.

    I heart ibuprofen too.

     
  • At 2/11/2007 03:32:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Yikes- sorry to hear that she got worse, but sure glad she is on the mend now. Get well wishes coming your way!

     
  • At 2/11/2007 08:00:00 PM, Blogger Space Mom said…

    Yikes! I am finally feeling well enough to check and the Dotter is hospitalized? I hope she feels better soon and that you are all well....

     
  • At 2/11/2007 08:00:00 PM, Blogger PinkDevora said…

    So sorry to hear about the Dotter in the hospital, and being so ill. Hope she recovers soon.

     
  • At 2/12/2007 08:40:00 PM, Blogger Kate said…

    Hey, all--Thanks so much for the good vibes. So many good wishes must have influenced the etheric undercurrents (izzat woo-woo enough for everyone?!)!

    Lizard--The doc who threw OD into the hospital sent another kiddo just half an hour later; I'm pretty sure we were kicked out as quickly as we were because there were sicker kids needing a bed. But all is well--no more fever, no more dull/listless eyes, feistiness reappearing, and a good-to-go from the doc this a.m.

     
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About Me
Name: OmegaMom
Home: Southwest
About Me: Middle-aged mom of a 4-year-old adopted from China. Love science, debate, good SF and fantasy, hiking, music of almost every style. Lousy housekeeper. "Good enough" mom.
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