Thrifty Momma

We spent the weekend at CHAD beginning on my 1 year old son's birthday. He spiked a fever of 106 after being ill with an ear infection for 2 weeks. It was the scariest thing I have ever been through with my children. We spent several hours at a closer hospital trying to break his fever, then were transferred to DHMC to the childrens hospital. It was extremely difficult, holding him while he was given IV's and putting him inside a plexiglass tube for xrays, and just trying to hope for the best while they kept telling me they didnt know what was wrong with him, what was causing the fever and trying to get it to go down and stay down. When we arrived at the childrens unit I lost it and started to cry. Jim had gone home to try to go to sleep as he was ill as well. I held my little guy trying to keep all of the wires untangled as he writhed from discomfort in my arms. They removed the crib from his room as he wouldnt let go of me. Together, exhausted we laid down in a bed they wheeled in for us. The nurse gave me a button and told me not to fall asleep. About every 15 minutes a nurse would come back in the room and check his respirations, take his temperature, blood pressure, sats, and his IV. They put some toradol in his IV to help him with his pain. He was suffering dehydration ( drinking has been a problem at daycare ) They taped a bag to his private parts so they wouldnt have to give him a catheter so they could test his urine. They took his blood, it came back that his CBC was high and his SED Rate was as well. This indicated his body was trying to fight an infection. They decided they needed to start antibiotics. He had been on amoxicillin for his ears for two weeks already. They still didnt know, they mentioned neuro virus, para something, and all of these scary bad viruses and illnesses that are going around in our area. After a few days they told me they believed he has a bacterial pneumonia, from all of the drainage from his ear infection and cold. I kept questioning in my mind if the air conditioners in my house had caused a problem because my husband had been complaining of being ill as well and he thought that was the cause of his sore throat and ear trouble, cough etc. I looked online when I got home and I found alot about air conditioners that arent cleaned or cleaned correctly can harbor the germs that cause bacterial pneumonia, so we are not using them. I have a very small bedroom and the two very hot days before the baby came down with a high fever he spent the night in our room only several feet away from the AC. I thought I was trying to keep him cool and safe. He had been sick and I didnt want him to be hot and uncomfortable. I am thankful that he is safe now, asleep on my bed. I feel sad for the families I met at the hospital that cant take their babies home. There were 3 other babies with pneumonia on the same floor as us, children with cancer and other horrible medical issues. It broke my heart.The nurses were especially wonderful with us and with the baby. I kept thinking about how you see the dynosaur that asks for money for CHAD and you give a little, and you think about the children. You throw some money in the bin, and you walk away, not thinking that your children might have to go there someday. I know I am tired, but I cant help but wonder if I hadnt been working, if I had just stayed home with the baby would he of gotten that sick? I am angry with myself for not being there for him when he couldnt tell me that he needed me to stay with him, to take care of him, to stop worrying about myself and my career and bills. I remember my daughter saying to me a week ago, that I had my priorities screwed up and trying to explain to her that I have to work to take care of the family. I thought he was feeling better. I thought it was alright. Daycare did not take care of him like they should of. I told them when I left him there that they needed to make sure he was drinking. He didnt. I feel like they should of called me to let me know he was having trouble or wouldnt take a bottle or a cup. I know blaming myself or daycare isnt going to help but I cant help it. I am upset, hes not going back there and my employer is going to have to understand that my child is sick and he has to come first this time.