What a week it's been at our house!
Last Saturday Killian began running a fever and it eventually progressed to 106*F. We spent much of last Saturday and Sunday --and Monday, too, actually-- snuggling. Snuggling on the couch, in the bathtub as I tried to cool him down, in the pediatric emergency room as I consented to x-rays, blood work, and a cath to obtain a urinalysis.
That last one tore me up inside. The doctor assured me he wouldn't be retracted, and when I said 'ok, because I don't want to chance creating any adhesions" , she replied that "it" was "adheared"... I think we were talking in circles a bit, but the point was understood.
When the nurse came in, she asked that I understood what was going to be done, and I said I did-- however, I wanted to make sure that he wouldn't be retracted. She said that he would, and asked "You retract it when you change him and clean it... right?"-- Uhm-- NO. I told her that I didn't-- that I "clean it like a finger" and that his foreskin wouldn't be retractable for quite sometime. I let her know that I had come this far in keeping his genital integrity and that I wasn't going to consent to a procedure that could compromise that.
She left the room and I argued with myself inside and questioned my husband. Did he consent to this? His reply was that if it has to be done to find out what's wrong with Killian, then we needed to allow it. I finally asked him to go get the doctor and when she came in the room I simply let her know that I thought there may have been a misunderstanding between the nurse & myself. I explained what the nurse had told me, at which point the doctor assured me that there would only be slight 'traction on the skin to line up the hole'. Ok, that I understood. She spoke with the nurse and we allowed the procedure. Killian has had no ill effects from it (no redness, trouble urinating, etc).
They ended up also putting in an IV to draw blood and administer antibiotics. Funny how knowing he would be getting bloodwork was no stress compared to thinking someone may handle his foreskin incorrectly was enough to make me walk out of that ER.
I was proud of myself for speaking up-- I'm about as 'non-confrontational' as they come, so this was a huge step for me.
Two doses of anitbiotics and 3 days later, Killian was finally starting to get well. All of his lab work came back clear (well, except for his high white blood cell count and a protein triggered by inflammation/infection).
I was so thankful through out his illness to be an attached momma.
As we coslept, I actually felt his temperature sky rocket the 3 times it hit 106. I woke and immediately took him upstairs to the bath. I didn't wake to a crying baby over a monitor in another room-- upset not only because he felt ill, but also because he woke up that way alone.
As he vomited, I was able to keep him hydrated by nursing him, knowing that what he was vomiting would have been much more had it been formula spoiling on his stomach rather than the quickly digested breast milk. I was able to comfort and calm him by nursing at home and in the ER.
As we were met with an poorly informed nurse, I was able to stand up for myself and Killian because of research I'd done and things I've read that taught me proper intact care and how to respond to physicians or other medical professionals who aren't familiar with proper care.
Today, we're loaded up in Ben's truck 5 deep packed in with toys, snacks, dvd player, laptop, an Ipod, a double stroller + single stroller + a sling, and a picnic lunch (complete with cupcakes!) headed to the Virginia Safari Park. It's an attraction about 3 hours away that allows you do do a drive thru safari where the animals will come right up to your car so you can feed them! It's also a petting zoo and they have a few exhibits. I'm also hoping we can go to the Natural Bridge nearby, which is not only beautiful, but there's a wax & toy museum as well as a nightly light show projected right onto the rock!
We've been planning the trip for a month and this is the last weekend of the season that we'll have Chloe so hopefully everyone has a blast!
0 comments:
Post a Comment