Sunday, February 25, 2007

There's a first time for everything

Warning: this is a long, detailed post!

Well, let me preface this post with some history. I ran a low grade temp Sunday and Monday with cold symptoms.

Last night while I was feeding Avery her 7:30pm bottle I noticed she felt warm. Now I've checked her temp often b/c she's hot natured and always seems to feel warm, but this was a different warm to me. So, I checked her temp and it wa 99.7 (rectally of course). No big deal, the nurse in me knew that was not considered a "fever" yet so we just finished eating. Avery had had some extra goopy eyes, extra boogers (sorry!) and hadn't been napping well yesterday but other than that she seemed fine.

Checked her temp again around 8:15pm and it was up to 100.3-still not considered a fever. We decided to go ahead and call the doc to see what we should do if it kept rising. Trying to avoid a late night call. We hadn't heard anything so I rechecked her temp at 8:45pm and it was 100.6-we made a 2nd call. Checked her temp again at 9:10pm and it was up to 101.0. Finally the on call nurse called back and we were sent to the Pediatric ER. Apparently they have a rule that is a baby is less than 8 weeks old with a temp over 100.4 they have to go in.

We checked her temp right before we left and it was up to 101.2--We got to the ER and it, of course, was packed! Having worked in the adult ER for 3 years I was not the least bit surprised. I was OK with waiting but the peds waiting room was tiny and crowded with lots of coughing and sick kids...that bothered me a bit b/c Avery is so young. But, having connections helps and we didn't have to wait but 30 minutes or so. In triage her temp was up to 102.4---my poor baby!

Because her fever had occured so suddenly and risen so quickly they had to do a full sepsis work-up. This included and IV with blood drawn, in and out cath for a urine sample, chest x-ray, and a lumbar puncture (spinal tap). My mom had gone with us and she left the room for the IV and cath but Louis and I stayed. Avery cried of course but she recovered very quickly and looked like such a big girl with her hospital gown and IV in! I took her to radiology for her chest x-ray and she didn't cry at all. Then, they took her for the LP. They take her to a different room without the parents for this b/c it is such a horrible looking procedure!

We waited for the results and everything came back pointing to a virus. YAY! They sent us home with instructions to give Tylenol for her fever. We'll follow up at the pediatrician's office Monday. A lot of my former co-workers came by to visit and meet Avery while we were in the ER so that was fun.

Avery is doing better today. The highest her temp has been was 100.9 when she woke up this morning. Still not napping the greatest but that's ok. She's such a good baby! Well, just wanted to let everyone know the detailed story of her first sickness and ER visit. It could have been worse so we are thankful for being home and for it just being a virus. I'm fairly certain she caught whatever I had.....

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

OH dear! Sorry to read about your weekend. I know that was not fun, but it sounds like you took it in stride. My girls have had that fever thing going on this week, too. Take care and we hope to meet Avery soon! Love, Teri

jill said...

Andrea has had the fever since Monday and we went in for all the same tests today. This was her first fever at 11 months and it was scary for me! Her temp was 105.1... anyway, good to hear I am not the only mommy going through this with a poor little baby... I am so glad we didn't have to go to the ER! They told me it is probably a virus as well, but she still isn't over it, 3 days and counting...

Sabrina said...

I'm glad everything turned out ok!! I hate it when babies get sick :( It just seems like their poor little bodies can't handle it, but God always amazes me when He pulls them through! Seems like you've got a trooper in Avery :)