A trip to the ER

Playing at Grandmama's.

Outlook, WA

It's been grandparent central around here and that has been fun.  Grandma & Papa came to visit from Denver and we had a grand time.  We tried not to over plan their visit so no big dinner parties were thrown.  Big is relative, in that our dinner with one couple, which would have been a meal for seven quickly turned into dinner for twelve.    These dinners are fun and with the extra hands isn't too much work, but as the person from the small family, I wish every now and then we could sit and visit with one couple at a time.

G&P were as ever in awe of how fast our little girl is growing and changing.  They noticed her bigger vocabulary and communication skills.  She certainly isn't one to let the things she "needs" go unnoticed.

Over dinner last night, Jason and I were discussing the fine line between letting go of what doesn't matter and standing our ground so she doesn't become a tyrant.  I'm sure in some circles we're totally violating the standard parenting rules about not giving in, but so far her attempts at manipulation are transparent and weak.

Although, she got to me last night with a hug and a perfectly timed "I you you Mommy!" (Translation: I love you Mommy.)   It was only after we got in our car to leave that I realized that by you-youing me, she was able to climb all over me while I ate - a big no no in our house.  Next time I'll be prepared with "I you you too, now sit down!"

It was Dad's 74th birthday Sunday, so a mere four days after the departure of the Denver Grandparents we packed the kid into the sexy swagger wagon and headed east.  Trips with the toddler take longer, especially when there are potty breaks involved.  However, she took a decent nap in both directions which is nice for us.  

Saturday, Lucy was periodically complaining about her tummy .  "Ouchie Mommy" is about at descriptive as she gets.  "Tummy Mommy" pinpoints the issue a bit more.  She seemed fine, but by Sunday she was back and forth between happy kid in the pool (see picture above) and having intestinal issues.  We left "early" Sunday night to head back to our hotel for a bath and to put our girl who didn't nap to bed.  After bath she was cuddly and clingy.  This is generally a sign that something is wrong.  We didn't have our temperature kit, nor our toddler drugs (tylenol/advil), but we could tell she had a low grade fever.  A quick trip to Target and Tylenol was dispatched.  However, at 9:00 she was crying and yelling "Ouchie Tummy Mommy".  

Maybe we over reacted, but a kid who is screaming (in a hotel room) and parents with no tools have few options.  We tried to calm her, but she was escalating with the yelling so off to the ER we went.  As we came in I was thankful it was Sunday rather than Friday or Saturday.  We only had to wait behind a kid (20-25) whose friend brought him in stating that he had been hit by a car and an older lady with heart pain.  Thankfully no bloody patients.    Lucy was crying on my shoulder and the triage nurse was semi-quick in acknowledging us to get us back into a room.

Regarding the check in procedure - if we have insurance why the heck did we need to tell the hospital where we worked and our job titles?  It seemed more like the collection of demographics than relevant to getting payment or health care for our person.  On one level I understand, but in the moment it irritated me to have to dig out an address for my employer when we're on Jason's insurance.  Parts of me are still 'in the moment."

Once in our ER room Lucy's temperature was taken in the worst of ways and it was high (noting that tylenol had been given over 90 minutes earlier) so they did some tests, poked her tummy, took a throat culture and sadly for everyone involved did a urine analysis.  The nice thing about being able to pee on command is not having to use a catheter to get the sample.  I've held Lucy for at 90% of the shots she's received and all of her pediatric exams but nothing could have prepared me to hold her arms while they took that sample.   Heartbreaking.

Her tests came back ok, and she finally calmed down and fell asleep.  They didn't seem to treat us like we over reacted, and gave us some information about how to check a temperature, give medicine and change her diaper.  I think they didn't have anything else to tell us and since they don't know us gave us the most basic of kid management information.  I took it well because I was waiting for them to get to something new, but they didn't.  We left the ER around eleven and thankfully Lucy went right back to sleep.  She woke around four crying "ouchie", but a quick rub of her back and some comforting words and all was quiet until about seven.

She was still experiencing tummy issues Monday, but her fever was gone and she was her normal busy self again.  I was a bit worried that they were going to send her home from daycare Tuesday, but she was fine.

Lucy hasn't complained about her tummy since Monday and even ate most of her dinner last night.  Happy and eating - that's a healthy kid.  Whew.

This weekend we will not be hosting visitors, nor will we be driving anywhere significant.  I'm sure Lucy will be bored and wonder why we never take her anywhere.  I for one and looking forward to some quiet.  Oh, except come Sunday we're off to our first "Toddler Birthday Party" for one of the kids at Day Care.  Now it starts... gifts for kids we don't really know.  Can you say "books"?