Gotta say I'm still reeling from this- a month ago our 4 year old daughter started getting sick- really sick- coughing, losing weight, weak, high, high, high fever. We spent 11 days being told "It's that virus that's been going around, just make sure she drinks fluids" at 3 different doctor's appointments. We spent 11 nights swabbing our little girl down with a wet washcloth, holding her as she coughed so hard she'd throw up. On the 11th day Lucas took her back to the doctor again, where they listened to her chest again- and said "Everything sounds good, just give it a few more days" to which he replied that he wasn't leaving without bloodwork and xrays.

I got the call soon after- we have to take her to the hospital- not even the one in town- we had to go to the pediatric hospital in San Antonio because of severe pneumonia. Her fever was 106 when we were admitted to the ICU that day. She had a chest tube inserted and they immediately drained 350ml of fluid off of her left lung (right was amazingly pneumonia free). Lily is a stringbean- she only weighed 33 pounds before this- that is a LOT of fluid for such a little person. The chest tube stayed in and continued to drain for the next 9 days.

Our car stayed in the same spot for the whole time- both of us stayed at the hospital, our yougest daughter stayed with Lucas's parents at our house.

So that's where we've been- 2 weeks in the hospital, in and out of ICU, over Christmas. The infection was so bad that her lung was leaking air and the discussion turned to surgery at one point. But she's a fighter, and once she started getting better she suprised the doctors with how quickly and fully she recovered. We were discharged before New Year's Eve, which was completely unexpected.

And I'm kicking myself- both of us spent the 11 days before Lily was admitted KNOWING more was wrong with our daughter but letting the doctors send us back home. Have we learned NOTHING from Lucas's clusters- that doctors don't always have the answers? To trust yourself when you know something is wrong no matter who tells you differently? That is some guilt I haven't been able to release yet- and I might not, all things considered. I learned a valuable lesson from it- perhaps it doesn't need to be let go completely.

This was hard guys, it was really really hard. But I'm thankful- we just had our followup yesterday- her lung sounds so good she didn't even need an xray. I have my little family back together in my little house, all healthy. I want for nothing.

OMG...what a terrible chain of events.

Thank God it all turned out well.....bless your hearts.

Lauren, I am SO sorry for all that you, Lucas and Lily (GREAT name btw, that is my oldest daughters name) have gone through over the holidays.  Very glad she is OK now!

Gut instinct, or intuition, is one of the greatest gifts God has given human beings.  I'm sure you'll follow it more closely now. ;)

Huge hugs!!
:)mel

Poor baby, so sick.        :(

Thankful for insistent parents.   

Yaay Lily girl!

Give her a kiss for me.



 

My heart aches for you, I don't know of a pain worse then watching your child suffer, (yes I'm including CH in that!) ;) 23 years ago we spent a week in the hospital with our then 15 month old daughter with pnemonia...it was awful.  :'( So relieved for you with the happy ending.

Joe

Modified cuz my spelling sux!!

Lauren,

I was going to send you a PM to see if everything was ok with you as you weren't on the board for quite some time (and missed!).  Had no idea.  Please don't beat yourself up over what is over and done with...20/20 hindsight, right?  I think we've all been brainwashed over the years to respect and trust our docs and it takes a few experiences like this to rattle the cage enough to question "authority".

Mel is so right about our instincts and gut feelings.  But then sometimes when things are as a bad as they were for you we start 2nd guessing them.  Wish I had listened to mine when I should have also.  But we learn from our experiences.

I am SO happy all worked out for your family.  Agreed, watching your child suffer is the worst experience a parent can endure.  From one parent & supporter to another... [smiley=hug.gif]

Lynae'

Guiseppi wrote on Jan 4^th, 2011 at 9:24am:

My hurt aches for you, I don't know of a pain worse then watching your child suffer, (yes I'm including CH in that!) ;)  :'( So relieved for you with the happy ending. Joe

Joesippi, you are sssssoooo right... 


Lauren, please stop beating up on your self. She is well and back home with you guys... So instead of feeling guilty, change that feeling to thankfulness..  [smiley=hug.gif] [smiley=hug.gif]

Peace & Blessings
LadyLuv

Oh Lauren, I'm so sorry that your precious girl and you and your husband had to go through that.   I am so glad for you that all is well now.

I had a similar experience when my baby was three.  Her kidneys were affected.   If I had listened to my mother's instinct she would be completely healthy today.   Never again will I doubt what my gut tells me.

Hugs to your little one and to you as well!

Jeannie

Thanks guys! I appreciate all the kind words.

I'm so glad to hear your little one is now on the mend but a swift boot in the ar$e to doctors who don't listen!!!!  What an ordeal for such a young one!!!

Sending her "Grandma" style hugs from Canada.

Carol

I am so glad that everything turned out okay and your little girl is better.  I know that *lost* feeling when it comes to your kids.

Carolyn

Wow......

What a story but you did great!

I understand your anxiety about how you were treated too. The older I get the less impressed I am with the medical profession.

Whew.

Charlie

Great to have you back, Lauren, and with Lily on the mend. Over the past 40 years (with 7 children and 13 grandchildren) we've seen our fair share of ER rooms and dr visits. It never gets easier. And thanks for sharing all of that with us. What a tribute to the breadth of caring this community offers for every aspect of our lives. I've seen it so often here, and while part of me refelcts it's just a posting board, another part of me feels very close to many here. God bless you, Lauren, and all ya'll! lance

Thanks for sharing that with us.  We went through a similar ordeal involving surgery with our youngest daughter 11 years ago, (before this place) and I can identify fully.  (We were able to take her home Dec 23, so we didn't have to spend Christmas there)  Drs are good to have, but we have to remember MD does not equate God.  You've learned a valuable lesson.  Don't beat yourself up or second guess yourself over it.  You did what you did with the knowledge you had.  You know better now, and so does everyone who has read this post.  You've done a good thing for the CH family.

Jerry

That had to be a heck of a scare, thank god it all turned out OK and everyone is home again.
:)