Saturday, August 02, 2008

So this is what happened...

Last Saturday, KayTar had an episode. On Tuesday, KayTar had a mini-episode. Tuesday, she also started vomiting in the night, she continued to vomit all day Wednesday. She was running fever, lethargic, the whole deal. She didn't keep anything down until about 3, and even then it was only a couple of ounces, 2 ounces to be exact. She had her last wet diaper at noon. She slept from 3-7pm and when she woke up, she was in an episode, and still very sick. The episode ended about 8:30, around the same time her fever broke. I talked to our pediatrician and she said if she didn't have a wet diaper by midnight, we would need to go in. Between 8:30 and midnight, we got KayTar to drink 4 ounces of Pediasure and eat 1 jar of green beans. Still no urine, but we thought it would be a matter of time. The pediatrician let us stay home for the night, since she had taken in fluid. She threw up in the night again, everything she'd had from the looks of it. Still no wet diapers. I made arrangements for BubTar to be taken care of, got ready, and headed to the hospital at about 10:30am.

I was just SURE she would wet a diaper on the way, because isn't that how it works? You get all panicky and react and then BAM, they prove you wrong, usually in public. But no. She's didn't. We were triaged and sent back very quickly. At that point we were at 23-24 hours without a wet diaper. She looked good, though, playful and happy. That KayTar, she looks like she's doing fine even when she's not. It makes exams kind of worthless in situations like this. They hooked her up to the IV, explained it to her (a straw for her hand to drink, because it is SO thirsty!), and it went easily. She didn't cry at all, she just said, "EEEEK!" when they poked her. It was such a different experience being there with her now that she is verbal. It made it easier on all of us. The worst of it was the throat exam and strep screen (which was negative). We were in the ER until about 4pm and then we moved to the observation unit. She finally peed a little after 6pm. 30 hours. And 4-5 of those hours she was actively receiving fluids. There was just no way we could have made up that sort of deficit at home.

She seemed to be doing okay in the obs unit and we even started her refeeding diet. The Pediasure they had at the hospital was entereal, you know, the less yummy kind meant to go right into the tummy, skipping the mouth altogether? She did NOT go for that and promptly decided Pediasure in the hospital was UNSAFE. And even when they brought her something else to try, she wasn't going for it. Josh brought her Pediasure from the house, let her read the label to be sure it was the Good Stuff, and she took about 4 ounces. She also ate a few bites of a jar of chicken and chicken gravy baby food. Man, that stuff stinks. BLECH. I had only eaten 1 pack of those powdered sugar donuts that I bought off the coffee cart and lots and lots of coffee, so when the boys got to the room, BubTar and I went to get some McDonald's from downstairs. Healthy? No. But it was open and it was more filling than those tiny donuts. It was DELICIOUS if you're wondering. Then the boys left and KayTar and I borrowed some videos from the library (Blue's Clues and Bob the Builder) and watched TV until she was sleepy enough for me to attempt getting her to sleep. It took a little while, a few rounds of "I want to go home. I want my BubTar. I want to sleep in my OWN BED." before she settled in, but she did. Then at midnight, she threw up. MAN! DID SHE EVER! It was curdled Pediasure and that disgusting meat jar food. It just kept coming out of her, covering her, the bed, the floor, even my socks and pants. The nurses decided just to bring in a whole new bed because it was so yucky. Poor girlie was so exhausted, she fell asleep while vomiting. I was holding her up and her head was lolling around pitifully. We got her cleaned up and the rest of the night went pretty uneventfully once they started the Zofran drip.

Friday went well. We started her on Sprite, which she drank a couple ounces of and kept down, and then we attempted a few ounces of Pediasure and she seemed to do okay. I was still endlessly nervous about bringing her home, as she seemed okay the previous day too and her intake wasn't up to snuff, even for her...but the pediatrician and the floor doctor were encouraging and I really wanted a shower and clothes that didn't have vomit on them, so we decided to give it a shot at home. Her fluid tank was full and so we had some time to get her intake up to snuff.

She took in about 13 ounces on Friday and didn't vomit in the night. Yesterday, she took in 27 ounces, plus two jars of baby food. She hasn't had anything yet today, and she hasn't had a wet diaper since 11 last night, but I think she'll have something in a bit and that will work itself out. It is times like these that make her oral aversions and feeding problems a real struggle. On a good day, a healthy day, sometimes she won't take what she really needs...so when she is sick, it is really amplified. The doctor in the ER couldn't get her to say "Ahhh!" without it making her gag. Yesterday, BubTar touched KayTar's cheek and it induced gagging. Her senses are on high alert and we have to tread gently, silently willing her to drink, drink, drink. I think she's over the hump, I really do, but the diaper that has been dry for 10.5 hours makes me worry, just a bit. So as I continue to watch her closely, jotting down every diaper, every sip, every bite, I silently hope that not only am I documenting the past, but somehow, in doing so I'm also urging the future into existence, a future of full tummies and lots and lots of wet diapers.

23 comments:

Aliki2006 said...

Oh, I'll be thinking of you and wishing days of full tummies and wet diapers, too.

I am glad you're all home. What an ordeal.

Christine said...

Oh my goodness. What an ordeal is right.

Here's hoping for nice clean fresh clothes and full bellies and hydrated bodies.

Bon said...

Kyla, this has to be so exhausting and frightening. it is not my usual kind of benediction, necessarily, but i hope for full tummies and lots of pee for you, too. :)

Anonymous said...

I know how this feels. I remember Katie vomiting, unable to keep anything down, quickly dehydrating.

I'm so thankful for IV's. I hope she'll be okay now, able to drink and pee. It's an awful worry and when you're in the middle of it, it seems to have no end.

Take care and I hope things are better now.

crazymumma said...

That eternal wait for a wet diaper. I remember this once or twice in my life. I remember playing 'tea party with my girls when they were sick. Tea party to the point that I was on the toilet all the time, but somehow their fevered bodies would just hold it all in until you just wanted to sit on them and get them to squish it all out.

But how does she do it? She seems to have this superpower to retain liquid even when she is not throwing it up.

It has been a long time since an episode hasn't it?

get better Kaytar.

Becca said...

Oh poor family! It is like you guys never get a true break. I am so sorry. I'll be thinking happy wet-diaper thoughts for you guys today!

(I wanted to comment on your last post but for some reason Internet Explorer crashed every time I opened any blogger page, but know I was thinking about you!)

Kristin said...

Hey...whatever happened with your video crew? Like, what did you decide in advance, if anything?

Poor KayTar...I hate that she's teetering on the edge like this right now.

Anonymous said...

Has she been tested for a metabolic disease? Nystagmus? Mitochondrial disease? Is her bloodwork normal when she's having an episode? I hope she's feeling better very soon! I hope you both get some much needed rest! Many prayers and feel better vibes.

S said...

Oh, Kyla.

I don't know what to say.

Sending love.

flutter said...

she is killing me. Poor little thing...and Kyla seriously how you and Josh handle all of this is totally remarkable.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Flutter, you and Josh are remarkable. You just do what you gotta do and hold your heads high.

I'm glad that McD's hit the spot :-)

Chrissy said...

What an awful thing to go through. I hope she's on the upswing soon and ravenously thirsty.

Amy Urquhart said...

You guys are such a family of troopers...KayTar is really lucky to have you for her mom.

(And I just have to ask...there is actually a McDonald's in the hospital?)

Angela Stockbridge said...

What did the doctors have to say about all of this? Are her kidneys functioning normally, at least according to tests?

I'm so sorry, and hope she feels better soon...

Kyla said...

It isn't a kidney problem. She just vomits and doesn't replenish her stores and ends up dehydrated quickly. And her glucose levels are always tanked when we get to the ER for this sort of thing.

Woman in a Window said...

Oh, me and all my dumb comments. I forget she is so difficult to convince. I hope she's coming out of this really soon, as in yesterday! Really, can't sell her on Freezies or popsicles? See? There I go again. Just wish this were easier. Best,
erin

~aj~ said...

Since I'm reading this 12 hours after your wrote it, I really, really hope that KayTar has had several wet diapers by now. I'm anxious to hear more about how she's doing.

I hate that she has been so sick. Hate it. Just breaks my heart.

Praying she's over the hump!

sheree said...

so glad you guys are home and KayTay is doing better. C'mon wet diaper!!! :)

carrie said...

Sorry I missed your birthday, but it sounds as if you did to.

So, here's to celebrating properly when this passes (and it will) and when the time is right.

(((you and Kaytar, heck the whole clan)))

Amy Y said...

Keeping fingers crossed for full tummies and wet diapers!
And hoping this week goes much, much better for you guys!

Beck said...

Poor sweetie.
I'm keeping you guys in my prayers.

moplans said...

enteral pediasure?!? BLEECH

what an ordeal Kyla. you are a better woman than I, I take the older kid and leave the banker at the hospital because I.just.cannot.handle.it.
Especially the part where someone has had two sips of sprite and gets sent home.

Magpie said...

"urging the future into existence" = beautiful turn of phrase.

glad you're home.