Another first: Trip to the ER

I am now more calm about our experiences on Sunday because it could have been worse. However, I am still generally frightened and worried about dear Seren.

Seren has been sick, off and on, since Jan 19th. She had a cold, then a cough which they diagnosed as broncholitis and double ear infections. We dutifully gave her the nebulizer treatments and amoxicillin which she said were her "treats". Good. The cough got better. She got better. Ten days later, last Wednesday,we finished up the anti-biotics and had lowered the breathing treatment to twice a day. By Friday night, she was up with a fever. She just wasn't herself. We were staying at my Uncle and Aunt's house and I felt horrible about the crying toddler in the room below thier bedroom. So after a fitful night where Seren nor I got any sleep, at 5:30 am, we drove around their neighborhood hoping to lull her to sleep. More fever for most of Saturday.

Sunday came with more of the same. We were giving her tylenol every four hours. Around 1:15pm, after skipping her meal, Seren was asleep on my chest with a fever and the chills. I was resting with her and trying to take her temperature. I wasn't a fan of the fact she was shaking. But then, all of a sudden, her eyes rolled back in her head, she lost consciousness, and started to shake out of control. Sam was downstairs getting her some tylenol when all of this happened. I screamed, picked up Seren in both arms, slipped on my shoes and yelled to Sam that we were going to the ER. I literally ran, at full speed to the car. Sam drove. Quickly.

With no purse, phones, insurance cards, etc we arrived with a super hot child at our local hospital. I didn't even place her in her carseat for the drive because I worried she would seizure again. We were seen quickly.

Her fever? 104.8.

Hot.

I haven't been that scared in a long, long time. It just shakes you to the bone. We spent the next three hours in the ER. They gave her motrin and the fever went down quickly. She started to feel better and start requesting food after about an hour. When I asked her, "You feel better sweety?" She responded saying, "Better."

The diagnosis was "double ear infections" and "a touch of pnenomia."

A "touch"? What? Are we cooking here or what? Does she have it or not?

My poor kiddo had a chest x-ray and hung in there like a trooper.

Sam took Seren to the pediatrian yesterday and our doctors said that nearly every kid seen at this specific ER comes back with the same anti-biotic and the same diagnosis. She doesn't think Seren has pnenomia and doesn't have two ear infections, just one. We are on another anti-biotic right now- one that is more kid-friendly.

Not that THAT has made a difference; Seren has been refusing all medicine. So we literally SIT on her, make a cheek pocket and hold her nose to make her swallow.* Sound harsh? You bet. Better than frequent hospital visits to the ER? Absolutely. But it does break my heart.

I hated seeing her that sick. And we aren't out of the woods yet. Last night, around 2 am, she spiked her fever again. It was around 103-104. We stripped all of her clothes off, gave her motrin and placed ice cold wash clothes on her. Her fever came down.

Febrile seizures are genetic and very common until age 3. Since she has had one, she is prone to others. Sam and his mom both had these as children. They are harmless and a simple reaction to an infection. They can last for a few minutes but Seren's only lasted for about 15-20 seconds. I can't imagine a longer one as her short seizure is still being played and replayed in my mind.

We are all exhausted. We know once we kick this infection, she'll be fine but we are all on edge from a long week, a long weekend and some long nights. We pray that she'll be on the mend today after a full 24 hours of the new anti-biotic.

As I have said before, parenthood is not for the meek and mild.

* Edited to note that we are using a methodology for administering medicine recommended by Dr. Sears. The kid is face up, laying on her back. The parents' legs are pinning the child's arms down and the child's head is in between parents' knees. I am editing this so that people don't think we are crazy and actually are just sitting on our child. No calls to CPS needed! :)