Hospitalization,an Answer and "B" for BRAVE { Part 1 }
Friday, March 23, 2012
I received a phone call from my oldest daughter Alana's Kindergarten teacher. Mrs Munos was concerned that Alana wasn't acting her bubbly self. I had noticed that she seemed to have been sleeping a lot and wrote it off to the time change and just getting back from spring break. But now I had a little flag from her teacher. I began to wonder if there was something wrong with her. My first thought was depression. So I sent her out on a Daddy Daughter date with my husband to see if it would boost her spirits. No such luck. I've never heard of a child being so glum at the Kemah Boardwalk. But in fact, she hardly cracked a smile.
Over the weekend Alana seemed to get worse. She slept for a good part of church on my lap and I really began to worry. Alana was eating like a teenage boy, drinking a ton of water and using the restroom several times an hour. My husband, Chris, even thought she might have mono. That night we decided we'd take her to the doctor the next morning.
Monday, March 26, 2012
I woke up early to a child who would not get out of bed. So I called Dr. Sims office a half an hour before their phone lines open knowing that I would be the first in the cue when they opened. I talked to the nurse and they got me into the first available appointment at 9:30am. That was the perfect amount of time for me to force her out of bed and wrangle her into clothes. It was a fight. When we arrived at Texas Gulf Coast Medical Group I had to carry my six year old and one year old with my four year old in tow.
The nurse pulled us back into the room where Alana was weighed. She had lost 5lbs! How is that possible? Dr. Sim came into the room and completed her exam. No fever. No pain. Nothing. She wasn't sick but there was something seriously wrong. We were sent to the lab for blood and urine work. Alana was NOT happy about this. Back to the room and waited for the results.
Waiting.
Dr. Sim came back to the room and explained that there were elevated Ketone levels in the urine (what the heck is that?) and Alana's blood sugar seemed to be high but didn't have a number. She decided to do a glucose test to be sure. The meter wouldn't read. It just kept saying "HI". Almost to say...
"Hellooooo.... This is serious!"
Her blood sugar levels were so high that it wouldn't read on the office meter. Dr. Sim turned to me and said. "just what I thought" She dropped it on me like a ton of bricks...
I looked at her like someone just spoke a foreign language, a deer in headlights. "wait... WHAT?"
"You need to go straight to the ER and tell them that your daughter is a new onset T1D in Keto. They'll pull you in right away. Don't walk. RUN."
My mind was spinning. I through my arms over Dr Sim's and broke down into tears in front of my three girls. This just couldn't be real.
We darted out of the office with cell phone in hand I called my husband Chris. Explained what was going on the best I could with out totally freaking out. His work was a block a way. So I had him meet me in the parking lot. He followed me the block and a half to Clear Lake Regional Hospital. Again. All three girls, Chris and myself ran to the ER. Alana laid in the chair as I explained the situation to the triage nurse. Just as Dr. Sim said. They pulled us in right away. Chris stayed in the waiting room with Ariana and Amelia.
Alana was weighed, measured, had her temperature taken, a million questions asked and all she wanted to do is pee. They pricked her finger again and again it was a fight. Reading again said "hi". The nurses, all three of them (since Alana was a high risk) talked us through what was happening. I over heard them talking about a smell. They couldn't stop talking about it.
"Do you smell the Acetone? Do you smell it?"
Did she stink? What the heck smells like acetone? They explained that when someones blood sugars are too high the sugar spills into the urine and creates the smell of rotting fruit. It's in her pores and it's a warning sign of Ketoacidoses. Good to know.
From there Alana was walked into the ER. A million questions were repeated with the ER staff. They send in a Dr. who evaluated Alana and determined that she needed to be put on IV for dehydration. Alana hates needles and she's already been pricked several times in the last hour. I just stroked her hair. It's always been one of her favorite things.
More blood work, another round of urine testing. Chris left with the two little girls and took them to Cindy and Ky White's house so he could return to help me out at the hospital. Alana and I watched TV for about an hour before we were told we were going to be admitted to the ICU. The whole time Alana could only say a few words...
"Mommy... I'm going to be -B- for Brave"
By this point I'm in a daze. Everything is hazy. Still thinking this couldn't be real. I sent a text to our babysitter Jen Watts, who herself is Type 1 Diabetic. I knew that she'd have the words I needed to hear. Just as hoped, Jen and her Mom (Wendy) walked me through what I should expect.
A long gurney ride from the ER to the sixth floor landed us in a hall way with double doors in the end. I never in a million years would think I'd be walking my child into this section of the hospital. The doors opened and the first thing I noticed were the ceiling tiles. They were painted with words of encouragement and animals.
(this is one of the many that stood out to us.. I know my grandparents would like this one.)
We were settled into our new home away from home in room 621 of the PICU.
Totally LOST.
Another IV was added to her right arm so they can run two IV drips at the same time. One would eventually have an insulin drip attached as well.
(No this isn't E.T. It's Alana hooked up to the oximeter.)
( so many cords )
We met with the Dr. and Nurse (Mrs Courtney) who would be in charge of helping me get my "Noni" back. Mrs. Courtney was very good about taking her time in explaining the situation. Why we were poking her so much. What she had going on in her little body. She gave me the best piece of advice at that time...
"Don't let her see you cry. She needs you to be strong for her."
How could I not cry? My emotions were out of whack. But for my little girl. I'd be strong. I needed to be
"-B- for Brave"
Alana adopted this as her theme. She repeated it over and over again. If they came in to take more blood she's say... " I'm going to be -B- for Brave" It helped her get through the pain. How could she be so strong when I'm melting down? Losing it.
Insulin drip was started and Chris came back to visit for a little bit before he ran back to work to close things down. Dr. talked to us about the seriousness of the situation. The fact never came to my mind that we were close to losing our oldest daughter. It still hasn't clicked.
We found out the reason the glucose meters didn't read was because Alana's blood sugar levels were at almost 700 much higher she could have ended up in a coma. The levels of ketones in her were not making the situation any better.
Later that night Alana received her first guest. Miss Jen and her Mom Wendy. They had already been such a big help and now they were here to support me and my princess.
Jen and Wendy brought items of comfort. A new stuffed Guinea pig Alana appropriately named "Pinkie" and a blanket that was given to Jen when she was in the hospital when she was little.
Wendy held me in her arms knowing exactly what I was going through. She had been through it with two of her girls. I could say anything and she'd have an answer. I didn't know much of anything dealing with this disease. The Watts family had experience. They knew a lot of the Dr.s, all the procedures ,and were able to steer me in the right direction when it came to making decisions.
More visitors.
(bad cell phone pics.. I know)
One of Alana's friends Rachel (who was born a week after her). Rachel made this beautiful beaded bracelet as well as a bag of things to keep busy for her buddy. She had said a sweet prayer for her when she found out what was going on. Rachel is such a sweet spirit.
The next set of visitors really touched my heart. Mr Can, Miss Emily, and Miss Rachel. Three of the high school students that taught Alana last year at Trooper school. What gets me is the amount of love that someone has in their hearts. These kids MOVE me. They have such compassion.
They snuggled and read a book to my little princess. I could see tears running down a few cheeks. This is a moment that I hope I never forget. The moment that I felt so an overwhelming feeling of love for these young people. They care for my daughter like they are family. And though this image was taken with my cell phone it is one of the most precious images I have taken as a photographer. (I'd add that they brought a big floppy stuffed dog that Alana named Sweet pea. She kept little toes warm.) It would be wrong for me to say that I didn't cry when Mr. Can hugged me tight. I broke completely down. I lost what little strength I had left. We sat there in this tight hug for several minutes. Both crying. He just reminded me that everything was going to be ok. And that he loved us like we were family.
Melting.
The last visitor of the night was from an old friend Nancy Culp who came bearing a "Mommy survival kit."
Just when I din't think I could cry anymore I open up this little piece of sanity.
I talked. She listened. What an amazing friend.
Daddy returned for a few minutes to bring a change of clothes and blankets for the two of us. I hugged my little girl one last time before tucking her in. She rolled over and said again... "Mommy... I'm going to be -B- for Brave" She was out for the night but had to have her blood sugar checked once an hour, it was more like cat napping. Every six hours they'd draw more blood so the could check if things were coming down.
Blood sugar continued to drop through the night.
I changed into my pajamas, pulled out the chair bed fluffed my pillow and turned down for the long night.
To be continued....
Comments