something happens to turn everything on its head again!
Last Sunday, after a couple of days of an on and off fever and intermittent lethargy, I decided to take a quick trip with Herbie to the out of hours Dr. What did I expect? To be told he was coming down with chicken pox? (Rufus had just had it so quite likely). To be told he had a chest infection? A virus? To be given antibiotics or told to just keep him dosed with calpol & nurofen? Any of those would have been expected outcomes BUT the Dr said 'I need to ring the Paediatric team at the JR about this, it sounds like 'at least' a chest infection' My heart sank, my stomach leapt into my mouth and I knew a trip to A & E was on the cards...again.
We arrived at A & E around 8.15pm, a chest x-ray and a cannula later and we were quaranteened in a room(due to exposure to chicken pox) whilst Herbs started intravenous antibiotics and we waited for a room on a ward.
At midnight we were given a room on Robin's ward , it was actually a sleep study room, they were short of space. The doctors kept commenting on his O2 saturation, apparently it was pretty damn good for a 2 yr old with only 1 working lung! The Dr who came in to explain that he had pneumonia took one look at us and said 'I remember Herb...he had meningitis last year didn't he'?' (she had looked after him then...this wasn't the last time he was recognised!).
Over night Herbie stayed comfortable and had to be given some oxygen at times but he didn't complain...he's such a star!
The next day they moved us to a normal ward claiming that he was no longer likely to get chicken pox & they needed the room. I tried to explain that he could still get it but was not listened to. The response was 'I know it's nice having your own room but we have someone who really needs it'...mmm...she would regret that later!
The following day we walked to ultrasound and Herbie was made to lay on me whilst he had a scan of his chest. I saw the pictures on the screen...hardly any lung visible and loads of fluid. It was official, he had empyema and would need a chest drain put in later that day!
poor little chap...he's just 2 for goodness sake and he has had so much crap already!
The chest drain was in few hours later after we were moved to Drayson ward, where he stayed after PHDU during his meningitis. We were given a roo again and told he was NOT to come out due to chicken pox possibility! The infection control person arrived and was not happy that we had been put in a 3 bed bay on the other ward...
So we endured Monday to Saturday at 2.30pm in one room. The TV goes off at 9.30pm, no hot drinks on the ward...didn't see Rufus for almost a week and only saw Lily & Kitty once.
The staff as ever were fantastic...they make life comfortable, they smile and laugh with you even though you know they are really busy & under pressure. Even with the chicken pox blip I wouldn't complain about the JR ever...I just always feel lucky to have them on my doorstep.
Oh and the chicken pox? Yes, they arrived to complicate things on Thursday night! Why people are so eager for their kids to get chicken pox is beyond me...it can be horrific (as the consultant explained). Luckily they gave Herbie something to calm it so he still only has a few spots.
One of the infectious diseases Drs also visited us again, he'd been involved in the meningitis episode, he wants to investigate Herbies immune system. He said it may just be bad luck that he got 2 invasive & serious bacterial infections but it may not...
We came home today with a bag full of drugs to keep him going. I missed my girls & Rufus so much. It's great to be home...but whether I will sleep without knowing that his sats, temp and heart rate are being monitored every hour is beyond me!
