The past three days have been the most happening. Like I needed it on top of my birthday and parents visiting, a visit to the ER happened. Saturday I decided to spend my birthday doing what I liked, hiking, spend time with family, eat, visit Palo Alto Downtown and try this Cream place. BSK got lot of compliments and I am wondering if it was some kann that brought this on her. Although I dont believe in it.
So saturday night BSK complained at night about her forehead hurting. I didnt take it seriously. Sunday her forehead was slightly swollen. We went to a housewarming and then to pick up my parents at the SF airport. The swelling was getting worse. She has had these before. Insect bite, I thought, mostly from the hike in Coyote hills. I had two bites on my arm too, hurting much. By Sunday evening, the swelling moved to BSK's eyes. She woke up at night saying her eyes were hurting and I saw that the swelling was getting bad, closing her eyes. I knew a trip to the doctor was due Monday morning.
Sure enough, she could barely see through swollen eyes. Got an appointment with the available pediatrician at 8:45. Got little work done, emailed saying I will be at work in the afternoon. K doesnt have any vacation days so he went to work. Saw Dr Friday and after ruling out allergie, she dropped several bombs on us.
First she said swollen eye lids could mean kidney issue. Then she brought in another doctor for second opinion and then said since the swelling started in the forehead and is spreading down, and we mentioned she had a cold too, it could be sinusitis. We need to get it checked right away. Do a CT Scan. We need to go to the Emergency in Stanford Childrens Hospital. I got seriously scared. CT scan for a three year old? I asked her what next and she said something I didnt totally understand. Something about having to remove the puss from the forehead if it is indeed sinusitis. And that is surgery. And that her eyes are at risk and we want to make sure her eyes are not affected, could cause vision damage. She immediately called Standford hospitical notified we were coming and told me to be there in 45mins. Gosh! And BSK was normal, playing except for the swollen eyes and forehead.
I had taken parents also with me. I called K and he had just reached his office, asked him to come since for hell I couldnt deal with this alone. I drove to Palo Alto, a little bit of traffic. Wondering what could have set off sinusitis. I blamed myself for taking her numerous colds and runny nose lightly. Chided for giving her icecream when she had a cold. Lot of thinking back. Cancelled my meetings, emailed work.
It was 10:30ish when we reached the Hospital. I had to tell the Valet it was an emergency. And went in. Got the visitor badges for all of us. Got checked in. Got her triaged. Got checked into a child emergency room. Oh small cot, with alphabet sheets, tiny. The nurse put on the TV first. And I was like what! Little did I know I will be spending the whole day there. K came shortly and they send my parents back to the outer waiting room. Too crowded it seems.
The ER rooms of adults stayed in my eyes. Some young, some old. Ugh. Some serious, lots of tests, equipment, patches on them,
It is too sad to see kids in the ER. But I guess mainly kids go for falling down, fractures, swallowing stuff?, super sick, etc. Hmm.
BSK was hyper. Very good mood. Couldnt say she was sick. Everything happened slowly. Docs came in at an hours interval. First doctor came looked at her and said she suspects cellulitis. And it is a skin infection. And since it is on her forehead we have to make sure her eye muscles are not affected. This is a skin infection that affects deeper layers of the skin. They did some eye tests on her. By now we could barely see her eyes open. Although she seemed to be able to see. She could move her eyes, see, read, and was active with no temperature. A little hope. We had to wait for the CT scan machine to be available. Ok fine. We waited.
Then an hour later the doctor comes and says, she should not have eaten for 2hrs atleast to have the scan. What? She couldnt have told that before? BSK had just eaten some crackers and bread. Also there needs to be an IV done for injecting contrast.
In the mean time a Child Life Specialist came in, how I loved her. She was super nice with BSK, and prepared her to lie still for the scan. Gave her stickers. We practiced lying still for 40secs. She did well. If she couldnt be still she would have to be sedated and I didnt want that.
Radiologist came again to put a patch on her inside of elbows to numb the area. Put stickers on top so she wouldnt touch them.
Ok so the wait started. I put on Frozen, turned off the lights. K and BSK lay on the tiny bed and were watching, while I made frequent trips outside to let parents know what was happening. They hadnt had breakfast too since we thought we will back from the doc visit soon. Told them to eat something have some tea. Very familiar, they did the same thing for my delivery in a different hospital.
It was almost 2:30 when I went to get some lunch for parents. I also ate.
In the meantime, BSK's IV was done. Another doc had come and said we should try Benedryl too. I got confused, since the radiologist told us she should not eat or drink anything. Last thing I wanted was some botch due to different doctors thinking different things and botching it up. I told her to confirm with the radiologist. She said she is the supervising doctor. I dont care, all of you talk and make the right decision.
So she got Benedryl in the IV. Apparently asked for me. She had IV on her hand. She had rolling veins like me, so was poked on one hand and then tried again on the other. Ugh :--( They covered her IV hand with pink flowery cast like thing so she wont look at it or try to pull it out. She was drowsy and was almost asleep on K when I returned. I took turn to hold her while K had lunch. They came back to draw some blood to make sure her kidneys were okay before giving the contrast. Ugh. Poor thing.
BSK was being monitored for heart and pulse etc.
Soon time for the scan. They made me lie on the bed, with BSK on top and wheeled me off to the CT room. They did something different and I am super thankful for that. I knew BSK wouldnt lie alone still to do the CT. So I was made to lie on top of her with my face on her tummy. And keep talking to her. And hold her chin strong so she doesnt move. She got super upset when the pink cast thing was removed. She kept saying "I dont want that" I told them to hide her hand as they were doing the contrast thing on the IV. I sang to her. I didnt know when the actual CT was done. I was talking to her, I told her stories. I told her I will give her lot of stickers. She was ok. But I knew she was afraid. I think the IV must have left her feeling tingly or whatever.
We went back to the room. All done. Now to wait for results.
In the mean time, we were asked to move out of the room because another sick child needed the room, we went to the Waiting room inside. We were reading books, watching some songs. The doctor came and gave the good news. Only skin infection. No eye or bone or brain to be affected.
Watched another kid that fell of her bed while sleeping and had a minor fracture on her shoulder. Gosh!
BSK got antibiotics oral one. Her IV came off. And BSK got too scared to see the IV part of her hand. She had a small pink tape on it to be removed soon. BUt she did not let me remove it until today evening. Everytime she took her medicine she kept saying dont take this off. Somehow openning that hand meant IV prick for her? Poor little thing.
One side I feel all this pain for nothing. But I guess better to be cautious than regret later? I sorta knew it couldn't be anything harmful since she seemed active and fine. But still would never forgive myself if I was careless.
Her eyes are getting better with medication. Hopefully she will be fine soon. It was right timing for parents to come. I can go to work tomorrow. But too bad parents had to go through the very next day that they reached here. BSK is her usual chirpy self, no temperature. Naughty, bossy. TOo much attention. If not for the swollen eye you wouldnt know something was wrong with her.
Her ped and her attending ped from yesterday both called to check on her. So nice of them. I have a follow up appointment with her ped on thursday.
BSK has lot of skin issues, a dermatologist appoint is soon due.
She knows her eyes look different, kept saying her eyes were 'wrong' ' thappa irukku' and didn't fuss to have her medicine.
So we are thinking this thing was caused by an insect bite on the hike in Coyote hills. We have been on hikes to so many places. But fortunately or unfortunately this happened on a local hike, where we could take her to the doc immediately.
I asked the doc what we could do to prevent this and she said there is really no way. I am thinking bug repellent on hikes? and cleaning hands more often? To be frank I am not all that careful with her, I think let her get exposed to as much germs as possible to build immunity. But I dont want to go through this again. Will be careful with cleaning hands and bug repellent and sun screen too.
I think things are under control thank god. I wanted to capture it here as usual.
Have you been to an ER?
I have been to one in 2003. I have tried to erase it from my memory ever since, not too proud of it. I dont want to go there ever again. On second thoughts did go to the ER in Washington hospital when K was in the accident in 2012. Still don't want to go there again ever.
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OMG SK!! this is freaking crazy scary...
I am so glad little baby is ok and was mostly cheerful?
Big huge hugs to you and BSK..
and SO glad parents were around to help out..