Our Trip to ER

Kaitlyn has not been feeling well, basically since 2 weeks ago when she had her immunizations. The following day, she puked twice and I was concerned since she had just had her shots. I phoned the Nurse Helpline and the nurse was friendly and helpful and suggested it had nothing to do with her shots, but she probably caught the flu bug - just try to keep her hydrated.

She was fine until the following Monday while at Krista's (our sitter) she got sick again. She was fine again until Wednesday, threw up again. Thursday I brought her in to see Dr. Clarke and that's when we found out about the ear infection and that would explain the dizziness and nausiness. Since being on the amoxicillin, she has thrown up off and on, but never more than once a day and usually not 2 days in a row. Other than that, no fever and acting normally, keeping food down between vomitting spells. Then on Saturday she grew worse. She now had diarrhea, was refusing bottles and juice and threw up in the evening. Sunday morning, she was sick again and I had had enough. I went to emergency and was told there was a 4 hour wait and to head across the street to the walk in clinic which had no wait. The doctor didn't seem concerned about the 2 pound drop in weight but seemed to focus in on her runny nose, and diagnosed her as gagging on mucus from a cold. I told him she had not had a wet diaper yet today and I was concerned. He dismissed my concerns.

I brought her back home and tried to treat her normally as the doctor suggested but with frequent, smaller feeds and drinks. She threw up again and that was it. We went to emergency and waited the now 2 hour wait and saw the doctor. She was diagnosed as dehydrated with probably a stomach flu that she wasn't able to shake because of her dehydration. The doctor left it up to me on whether she should be admitted overnight since her blood tests showed definite dehydration, but suggested we take her home and treat her the same way they would overnight. They weren't too keen on starting an IV until they saw how she tolerated some fluids. She did great! After giving her a prescription anti-nausea medication, we cup fed her 1 oz of apple juice at a time, 10 minutes apart for the next hour and she kept it all down. They then released us with instructions to continue which we have been doing. She slept great last night and for her nap, for the first time in a week or so and seems to be on the mend (hopefully!).

I keep saying, I cannot wait until summer. Hopefully warmer weather will bring better health along with it! I am sick of sickness.