Welp, it happened folks. After 3 plus years with a relatively healthy kiddo, we had our first run to the ER this week. Actually, we had two. Let me catch you up…
Early Thursday morning, around 12:30am, I woke up to my monitor going off. Rosemary was crying. Normally, she puts herself right back to sleep. After five minutes though, I knew I needed to check on her. When I walked in, it hit me: the smell… the smell of barf. I had managed to get three years, three months, and 13 days without any vomit other than the occasional spit up when Rosemary was a baby. As they say, my time had come. What followed was a harrowing 5 hours of flying chunks, sips of water that wouldn’t stay down, and a creeping fear that something was wrong. At 5:15 my husband and I knew that we needed to call the pediatrician’s office. Even though it was early, we are lucky enough to have an answering team on standby. By 5:30ish we were instructed to get Rosemary to the emergency room. Since she wasn’t even able to keep a sip of water down, the primary worry was dehydration. We pulled it together and got ready to go. I had enough sense to pack a bag of extra clothes for Rosemary, grab the iPad, and a few books. And off we went to the University of Vermont’s Emergency Department (Main Campus).
Here is where I will gush to you all: UVM is amazing. They had a super efficient check-in process that was made even easier by the fact that we were the only ones there (because, you know it was early AF). Once checked in, the staff was so incredibly gentle and patient with a scared and sick toddler. They even gave her a little kitty stuffed animal that is now lovingly called Kitty Teddy. This small act put her at ease (well as much as you can ask a toddler to be put at ease in a situation like this). Calls for an abdominal ultrasound to rule out any kind of obstruction (specifically, they were looking for Intussusception) were called for. Confirming this wasn’t COVID was paramount so a lovely swab test was also ordered. Rosemary was given some Zofran to help with nausea and to keep her food/water down. The ultrasound took a little bit longer than we thought but it was EXTREMELY thorough. While we waited for those results, Nurse Maggie was tasked with the unfortunate duty of getting the COVID swab from Rosemary. She was so patient and kind and with our help of keeping Rosemary’s hands away from her face, it was done in no time (FYI: it was negative!). While we waited for the ultrasound results, we turned “Vivo” on on my cell phone and let Rosemary relax. Once we were given the all clear that she was ok and probably just fighting a GI infection, we were sent home with a prescription for Zofran and instructions to come back if things didn’t get better.
That’s how we ended up in the ER again on Friday morning at pretty much the same time as the day before. My poor little girl still couldn’t keep anything down- not even a sip of water. She was lethargic but managed to find her toddler strength to resist the ER staff from examining her. This crew of health care professionals were used to kids and could not have been better for our situation. It was decided that in order to fight whatever viral crud she had, she needed to have strength. To have strength she needed fluids to keep her hydrated. Watching Rosemary get a hydration IV was… well… heartbreaking. Not only was she scared of vomiting and already a little traumatized, now they were inserting a needle in her arm. But ever the little warrior (which she totally gets from Issy), she soldiered through. Watching “Vivo” on my iPad definitely helped. The wonderful ladies who were treating her were so gosh darn gentle and understanding of what it is like to help a small and feisty child. They were like shining goddesses of patience. Anyways, after some time, she was able to keep down a popsicle and we were given the all clear to head home, maintain the Zofran regime, and watch for further signs of dehydration. We were given great tips on what to do if she got sick again (please note every kid and case is different so please refer to a medical professional for discharge advice) and when to go back. Luckily, she is on the mend and has been doing so much better. Sometimes, kiddos just get sick and need a little help to get them back on the right track!
After two consecutive trips to the ER, here are my tips and tricks for your (and your kids) survival:
- Bring distractions like books, a charged iPad with a show or movie downloaded, and something familiar like a stuffed animal and/or blanket. These things help to distract them and make them feel a little less stressed out.
- Snacks and water are a must to throw into your bag- after all who knows how long you will be there.
- Pack a change of clothes/diapers just in case you need them. If you are going to the ER chances are that there is some kind of bodily fluid involved- so think ahead!
- Have your information ready to go. Don’t be so frazzled that you can’t answer the health care team’s questions. For the sake of your kiddo, have your ducks in a row so that they can get right into treating your loved one. This is a strength of mine; I may feel frazzled but I rarely ever show that in a stressful situation… think cool like a cucumber.
- ASK questions as they come up. This may be a bit annoying but will help you understand the road your medical team is taking you down. They can then make sure you really understand and are comfortable with their treatment plan.
- Don’t be an a%%. Yup, don’t be an a%%. If you are stressed out and a jerk, you really aren’t helping anyone. Did you know in all of our rooms that we had to visit there were signs on the wall about how you can’t assault a healthcare professional? Look, if you have to be told that, then you need to seek some help. You are not only hindering the care of whoever it is you are there for, but your temper just makes you look unreasonable- not the person helping you. If you are annoyed, take a deep breath and revert back to my tip up above: ASK questions.
- Bring chargers for your devices. Like I said above, you never know how long you will be there.
Just remember, keep calm. Your kiddo needs you to be strong and sure for them. You got this!
The Salty Exchange 