Tuesday, March 16, 2010

What I Learned for $150

Last night when I was going to bed, I took Ella's temp to make sure it wasn't high again. I was in shock when the thermometer read 96.4. So I took it again and it came back 96.1. I then freaked out because it had been 104.5 only 8 hours earlier and that seemed extremely low. My first thought was that her body had quit trying to fight the infection. I felt her body, which was under a thick blanket and pj's, to feel very cold skin. I was wearing a tank top and was warm. So I called our doctor's office and was switched over to an on-call nurse.

She told me I needed to check her temp anally to make sure it was accurate. So I woke my mom up and we took her temp to find it was 96.7. The nurse told us we needed to head to the Levine Children's hospital immediately. So, without question, we did. We got to the hospital at 1 a.m. and the nurse hadn't called the hospital to let them know we were coming. So we had to go to the child ER on the other side of the hospital. I looked at the receptionist like he was crazy (I was on my crutches) and he brought me a wheel chair. I put Ella on my lap and we waited for my mom to park.

She came to get us and pushed us up to the main entrance. I have to say it was pretty funny that my mom was pushing us in a wheel chair to the ER at 1 in the morning- all in our pj's! It was one of those moments I will never forget. So we finally arrive and a lady blows bubbles as she's leading us to the room. Ella then comes to life and is excited about the bubbles. Then the lady asks what is her favorite movie and Ella tells her Aurora. So she leaves to go find the movie. Then a nurse comes in and takes her stats and makes it fun somehow. So this trip to the hospital was turning into playtime for Ella. Then the doctor comes in...

He tells me that the on-call nurse was wrong. A 96-104 temp for some people is normal. It's a temp under 95 or a temp over 105 that you need to worry about. Especially if the child is non-responsive. Then we talked about her having HIB. He then told me it's not HIB but the cousin of HIB. Haemophilus has 6 different types and she didn't have the could be fatal B. This would have been great info that Ella's doctor or nurse could have told us! The doctor also said that when a child has a fever it's healthy to let me fight it off. If the child is comfortable and playing, even with a fever of 103 or 104, it's ok not to give them anything. I had just gotten yelled at by my doctor for not giving her Tylenol when she had a 102 fever. What I was being told last night was how I felt from the beginning. So Ella checked out normal and we got home around 4:30 a.m. All of this for an over priced visit!! Here is a pic of Ella yesterday afternoon and then at the hospital:Her fever has been between 99-100 today and she's back to her normal crazy self. So, I'm hoping the worst is over! Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers!

4 comments:

  1. Sounds like a fun evening you guys had! Glad that Ella is doing well! Thanks for the info! Sorry you had to pay so much for it though.
    ~Miller

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  2. What a night....I always say "no matter how painful the situation, it was worth it as long as you learned something".
    Glad Ella's ok.
    Hugs to you both!
    ♥toni

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  3. Poor E! Kiss from Aunt Synfia!!!!

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  4. my son had abdominal surgery a couple weeks ago. 2 days later he was in horrible pain, like could not take it rolled up on the floor moaning pain. Call his surgeon and are told to rush him into the children's hospital nearly 2 hours away. So it just happens to be 3 a.m. and I have to find someone to come stay with 3 sleeping children. Rush off with the child in pain and the baby. We are trying to figure out how to get into the ER at the hospital and my son throws up all over. He then says "oh I feel a lot better now". By the time we get into the ER he is feeling much better! We felt kind of stupid but they checked him all over and decided it was a reaction to the anesthesia he had. But your story sort of reminded me of this. This hospital is not on own insurance but we wanted to go there because we were told to and also because if there was something wrong related to the surgery he just had this was the best place to be with the best drs. But its all out of pocket for us now.

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