By Thursday it was still just as bad and she was showing no signs of improvement so I took her to the family practice. They checked her out pretty well and decided it was just a cold so we headed home for rest, fluids and a humidifier. We left for our 24 hour anniversary date and Saturday when we got home she was still just as bad with a really high fever when we stopped the Motrin. This time we took her to her pediatrician, I figured she had an ear infection or something. The PA was extremely concerned since the high fever had lasted so long. They started testing her for all sorts of things and found that she had the flu and an ear infection. The PA wasn't convinced that that was all and insisted that we go to the hospital for chest X-rays and blood work. We felt like she was being over the top, but did what she asked. After a few more hours of testing we disovered that she had pneumonia pretty bad as well so they kept her overnight at the hospital.
This picture was before the nurse dug for 5 minutes to get the IV in, she finally admitted defeat and called in the guy that can get it first try, I wish they'd just call him first, especially for Eloise. She wouldn't go on the bed much after that unless she was asleep.
They finally let her go to bed around 9:30, she was physically and emotionally exhausted.
She showed slight improvements the next morning. Her white blood cell count went down from 26 to 21 (it's supposed to be less than 10) and the number that tells how inflamed she is was 34 (supposed to be less than 1). It wasn't enough improvement to go home though, we had to stay another night.
She ate a ton of graham crackers and apple juice.
Slept a little.
And spent many hours snuggling in this rocking chair, watching movies and sleeping.
She loved having daddy there too, he actually got her smiling and laughing as only he can do.
Her fever finally broke that afternoon.
She slept about 12 straight hours the second night and woke up hungry, she ate a ton and even smiled at a nurse. She usually just screams when they walk in and continues until they leave. She was obviously feeling much better.
After more blood work and a phlebotomist who was awful, we got great news. Her white blood cell count was normal, 10.5, and the inflammation one, CRP, was down to 17.9. Good enough that we get to go home!!!
She is still pretty sick, but well enough that we can take care of her at home now. Poor lady, she'll be so so happy to kiss those IV and pulse deal and blood draws and strangers goodbye! So will I! It breaks my heart to have to hold her down while they poke and prod at her, I'm so glad it's over!
I am so grateful for modern medicine, I can't help but wonder what might have happened without the medicines that helped to put her out of her awful sickness. I'm so glad we live now and not 100 or 200 years ago. Science is amazing. So grateful for the prayers that were sent her way!
