Saturday, February 8, 2014

Pediatrician Woes

Ayden Jane has had a cold for nearly 2 weeks.  It started just like any other cold with a day or so of fever, followed by a ridiculous amount of stuff coming out of her nose.  Now, I say fever is typical at this point because Ayden Jane seems to have a very typical immune response to viral infections with the exception that she doesn't really 'feel bad' at this point.

So I let it ride and do what I can to help her clear out the crud, hoping that we can keep it loose and keep infection from setting in.  In this case at day 10 of the cold she crashed.

It was Wednesday, which means physical therapy day.  If there is another person in the world who has a better feel for Ayden Jane than I do it's Jen (her PT).  Gary picked AJ up early from school as typical and she was whiny and a mess.  Jen started therapy and was concerned about how AJ felt - I mean how her tone felt.  Jen knew right away something was up.  Ayden Jane made it through PT, with low tone, poor balance and slower than normal processing.  She then fell asleep at 5pm and slept until about 8 when she woke up and took a shower.  Immediately following the shower she fell asleep for the night and did not wake until 6:30 the next morning.  Yep.  13 hours of sleep!

Just looking at Ayden Jane she had the puffy appearance, she had wet the bed, her tone was low, her body awareness and control had disappeared as evidenced by her running into everything and taking a couple of pretty big falls.  She was HUNGRY.  Off to the doctors office Gary took her. 

Our regular pediatrician was on hospital rounds so we had to see a different doctor.  This has happened a few times and the result is nearly always the same.  FRUSTRATION!!  The doctor checked her out and told Gary that because there was no fever or audible sounds of pneumonia she did not warrant antibiotics and to bring her back next week if she did not improve.

I just want to scream from a mountain top.  Her signs of infection are not typical because she is not typical!!  I am sorry if she does not fit the text book for reasons to prescribe antibiotic.

So, what is a mom to do?  Go over his head.  lol.  Luckily, we have a tremendous 'local' endocrinologist who I called.  We talked through the whole scenario and she said, "well, that's pretty much every one of Ayden Jane's signs of infection."  Yep.  With as fast as these things turn on her and her own inability to fight infection waiting until next week is a very bad idea.

We are 24 hours on Augmentin and she is pleasant and happy and feeling much better.  She is coughing up thick, plug-like, green goo and getting it all outta there.  Her eyes are shining and clear.  She is still a bit weak and mushy as evidenced by her wanting to do things like walk the dogs and getting about 3 min. in and being exhausted but, oh well.

Gary and I were talking about how fast this stuff turns on her and the systemic response.  Wait, that is too sciency.  I mean how it effects every part of her.  Why does being sick with infection make her lose tone?  Retain fluid?  Throw off her balance?  Make her hungry?  Make her emotional?  Absolutely exhaust her?  Cause her to wet the bed?  It seems to effect every system in her body.

Here's to a speedy recovery!

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