The Long Story

OK. Last Thursday, I was happily working with Sarah trying to get my new toy put together. I just got a new vacuum cleaner. I was in the midst of figuring out what was best for Emily's allergies. Man, that's a whole 'nother story. That's a near future post. Anyway, Sarah and I were in awe at my new vacuum and how well it worked, when Savannah started vomiting. Thankfully, not on my carpet. And thankfully while my good friend Sarah was here to help clean everything up. THANK YOU SARAAAHHH :) She threw up so much, and continued to do so for the next 12 hours.....all night....every hour...sometimes twice an hour. Anyway, I called the nurse's advice line, and they said that she could probably wait until morning to take her to the Dr. Brian came home from work around 5 am and I got to sleep for about an hour. I called on base, and got her an appt. with her pediatrician. I take her in, and he says she probably has Rotavirus (she was exposed to it from Ian....poor babies), but that she looked hydrated. Ok, mind you, she hasn't had a wet diaper in 14 hours, and when she SCREAMS because he seems to need to see her throat through her EAR (I'm not bitter) there are no tears. However, he says, and I quote, "See how when you pull out her pacifier, that it's slobbery?? She's hydrated. As long as her tongue is wet, she's ok." OK, so I take her home, and give her 1 Tablespoon of Gatorade every 15 minutes like he tells me to. She cries for more, but the "DOCTOR" says no.

OK, so all night Friday night and Saturday, she becomes an expert at sticking out her tongue at my request and sure enough, it's always wet. She starts running a fever, and my mommy instincts tell me something isn't right. Still no wet diapers, still no tears. VERY listless. So, I call the nurse's line, again. They say she needs to go to the Emergency room. I needed no further instruction. I told Brian we were going. Emily was on her way out the door to a birthday party,(THANKS FLOR!!), so Brian was able to go with me....grumbling because he thought she was fine. We go to the ER, where she perks up, of course. Why do kids DO that??? I kept telling her "Lay your head down...look sick!!" ha ha She thought it was funny. So, after about 3 hours, SEVERAL attempts at getting blood and starting an IV (which they couldn't do because she was so dehydrated), they decide to admit her. So, in the ambulance, over to the pediatric ward we go.

We were sent to Room 607 which is only funny because it's the same room that Ian was in just 4 days earlier! Yay for purple walls.

She was sent to the procedure room to get the IV started by pediatric nurses and they had a hard time, but got it in her hand on the first stick. As they were searching for a good vein, they commented on how dehydrated she was. As they said that, I took out her pacifier, and she was pretty drooly. I said, "They why is her tongue wet?" They said that that was just from her pacifier and the tongue wasn't a good judge on it. You had to look at the back of her throat and keep an eye on the wet diapers and tears. HEELLLLOOOO!!!!! I wanted to call her pediatrician and give him a piece of my mind, but whatever, she was there, and she was getting help.

So, we were admitted Saturday night, and for the first 12 hours, she just laid listlessly, drifting in and out of sleep. When she wasn't sleeping, she just laid quietly, blinking her eyes. The second day, she was bouncing around like a pogo stick. That's the day I got all the pictures from. She wanted to eat, but was on a clear liquid diet. Monday morning, they came in and said she could go home when she could eat normal food. Then, 2 hours later, they changed and said that she could just go home. The nurse thought that was crazy. Anyway....many hours later, and so much information that only about 6 people in this world would understand (you know who you are, Sarah, Shannon, Tracy, Mom, Dad and Brian) we stayed until she had eaten a piece of toast and a small container of yogurt. I wasn't completely comfortable with where she was at when they sent us home, but they were, so I left. No one had to tell me twice that I was going to get to sleep in my own bed tonight.

So, we're home, she is doing better. She is very happy to be home. She is still sick, but hydrated, and I hope I can keep her that way. Brian was amazing through it all. He didn't have to work, and the house was even clean when I got home. My "girls" came to see me in the hospital...bringing me coffee, snacks, books, and even switching Bible's for me b/c Brian hadn't brought "MY" Bible. :) I love you guys. My parents sent beautiful flowers and nice bear for their sweetie pie. I was able to convince mom that she didn't need to fly out immediately. They put up with many "Hang on...I'm getting another call" 's, thanks...I love you both and appreciate the many hours of prayer I'm sure you sent up for us.

Mostly, I praise the Lord that we had an incredible team of nurses who cared so much. Who needs a Dr that speaks English (where ARE all the American Dr's, anyway?) when you have great nurses? I thank HIM that they were able to get the IV in her hand on the first try. I thank HIM for my friends and family that saw us through this. I thank HIM for my perfect baby girl that I love so much.

I TOLD you it was long. Here are some pics from her stay.....This was from the perky day. I didn't really want to remember the really sick Savannah. I'll write a picture description here so you know what they are without the spacing getting messed up.

#1. Savannah sitting in her bed. It's mainly to show the IV setup. It was on a padded little board and wrapped a LOT. She never really messed with it, thankfully. It only annoyed her when she would go to rub her eyes in her sleep and bonk herself in the eye.

#2. This is one of our many walks down the halls with our IV pole. OH!! The red medal hanging around her neck is from the Children's Miracle Network. They came to my room and asked if I would mind being interviewed for the CMN telethon that was going on locally. I reluctantly said sure and only 15 seconds beforehand, found out it was going to be LIVE!!! Brian and Emily got to watch from the lobby. When asked if I looked like a dork, he said, "You looked tired." Huh! Wonder why!?!?

#3. This is Emily and Savannah playing "Throw the paci down and watch Sissy pick it up."

#4. Savannah chilling in the chair watching TV

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