Update on Carley

Thank you all for your prayers and thoughtful comments! I can't express my gratitude enough :)

My blog about Carley was written on Monday night around 10 or 11 so here's everything that's happened since then.

While I was writing the blog Carley was laying on the couch very restless. I told Jeff that if she complains about her tummy one more time I would scoop her up and we'd be off to CHOC. Well of course she complained a few more times but I still held out for that hope that her fever would break and she'd get better. She started talking more and asking for some food so it was my hope that things were turning in the right direction. At this point Jeff and I agreed if she was not better by morning that I'd set off to the ER and he'd get Alissa off to school.

Monday night was another rough night. She was still waking often, talking in her sleep and demanding water along with complaints of her tummy hurting. I forgot to mention in my last post that she had showed us a specific area on her abdomen where her tummy was hurting (around her navel). It raised my suspicion for appendicitis because that's where they say the pain begins and then migrates to the right.

Carley and I slept on the couch so daddy could get his rest. Jeff and I haven't slept in the same bed since Friday night because I've been sleeping with Carley to monitor her and on Friday night she was in our bed with us.

Carley woke me up at 4:30 on Tuesday morning. She was asking for her water, complaining of pains and still had a fever. I got her what she wanted and waited for her to fall back to sleep and then I hopped in the shower right away. I got Alissa up around 6 and started getting her ready for school. By 6:45 Carley and I were in the car on the way to CHOC. It took a lot for me to get her in the car because she just wanted to lay down and sleep. She cried half way to the hospital.

We arrived at CHOC and checked in at 8:00. There was no one else in the waiting room so we were taken back right away. In the triage area they took her blood pressure, temperature, and oxygen levels. They attempted to take her blood pressure about 8 times before they actually got it. Carley whined and cried the whole time and would not stop asking for her daddy and just wanted to go home. Her temp was 101.4. The girl who helped us said the nurse would be with us shortly. On the pain management chart (0 being no pain, 10 being the worst pain ever), Carley measured 9!

The nurse came, read Carley's chart and immediately attempted to administer a dose of Motrin for her fever. She put the liquid medicine in Carley's mouth and she proceeded to spit it out all over herself and me! Then the screaming began and oh boy did she scream! The nurse sternly told Carley that if she didn't take the medicine that she would have to put it in her bottom. I begged the nurse for the suppositories knowing that Carley would not take anything orally. Shortly after that Carley was given two suppositories of Tylenol.

The nurse took us back and left us on a chair in the hallway until they found a bed for Carley. We waited for about 45 minutes until someone else was discharged. We were given a gown and asked for a urine sample. I obliged.

Within an hour of being in our room the doctor came in for a consultation, ordered blood, an IV and an ultrasound. A couple nurses came back to place the IV and Carley took it like a champ. The nurse said she can tell when children are really sick when they don't fight her for the IV. The 2nd nurse was packaging up Carley's blood work to take it to the lab and he placed everything in a red bag with 'STAT' written across it. They also gave Carley a dose of anti-nausea medication through her IV and morphine for pain. Yes, I said morphine! It was almost instantaneous that you could see she was looking better. It's amazing what some pain medication and IV fluids can do.

She still continued to cry for daddy and asked to go home giving me every excuse in the book - she wanted the cat, wanted to watch SpongeBob, wanted her pillow, etc.

After the IV we were taken back to the ultrasound room and I started to thank God for morphine. The ultrasound took about 30 minutes and they had to press really hard on her abdomen for the pictures. She laid there calmly the entire time just looking at the screen in awe. After the tech was done with the ultrasound she left the room and returned with another tech to take more pictures. The 2nd tech began her work and after looking at a few organs said "Where is her pain again?" She worked on Carley for a while and did a lot more measurements, mostly of her ovaries and appendix. My worry meter was on full blast!

I was texting my sister telling her how worried I was and she said, "Don't worry, we're praying for her and everything will be ok." I felt an instant sense of relief knowing that God was in charge.

We went back to our room and shortly after that Jeff showed up which made Carley very happy!

The doctor came in and told us the good news. He said her blood work came back normal and the ultrasound didn't show anything. He was still puzzled why Carley was so sick and even commented that she looked better since she received the IV and medication. He said he believes she has a nasty virus (not the stomach flu) and that she'll have to fight it off. He prescribed Tylenol, Motrin and an anti nausea medication and sent us on our way.

We left CHOC in much higher spirits. I hoped all along it wasn't something serious but I wanted reassurance. I just didn't feel comfortable with what our pediatrician said and I'm so glad we took her to the hospital.

God has definitely been watching over Carley and is definitely testing my patience. After the morphine wore off Carley became very whiny, but I don't blame her. She's been sick for way too long, I'd be cranky too!

Last night was better but she still woke up a few times groaning and asking for water. The fever did not stay gone either. I checked her temp this morning and my thermometer read 96 degrees - my suspicions on a faulty thermometer are true. I'll have to spend $60 and invest in a more accurate one soon.

She is laying on the floor, as I type, in the fetal position covering her eyes. She's still lethargic but is talking more and even smiled this morning. I will be heading out soon to buy Tylenol suppositories and to have her anti nausea prescription filled.

Another bit of good news is she started eating more last night. She had 3/4 of a dry waffle!

Still no bowel movement but the Dr. said that's normal since she hasn't been eating.

I don't know if I mentioned in my last post but she's lost 4 pounds (since I weighed her 2 days ago). She only weighs 27 pounds and is super skinny but she'll get better soon.

Now we just pray, wait and pray some more until she is 100%.

Thank you again for your prayers. I know this was a long post and I'm sorry but there's just soooo many details to cover.

I'll post updates when I have them!

Hugs!