ER visit

Grace has been sick since Tuesday, and I will spare you the nasty details. But it’s not been fun. Yesterday she was not getting better, and I was having a very hard time getting liquids down her (not to mention actual food). Praise the Lord, her blood sugars have been normal the whole time she’s been sick. But she’s had large ketones (not a good thing), and the way to flush those out is with hydration. That wasn’t happening.

So, anyway, after numerous phone calls with her endocrinologist and pediatrician, we decided to take her in to see the doctor. Our pediatrician’s office gave us two choices when we saw them: get Grace to drink a substantial amount of fluid, or go to the ER to have a bag of fluid given intravenously. I wasn’t convinced we could get her to drink that much, so we opted for the ER.

We must’ve gotten to the ER around 7pm, and Luke took the little ones to get some dinner while Grace and I checked in.

Why does everything have to take forever at the ER? Honestly, the move from triage to an actual room didn’t take too long. But it was everything else that was unreasonably long. We expected to be there an hour, or two at the most. But with all the dilly dallying that the doctor did, and all the tests he wanted to run, and how stinking concerned he was about her diabetes…We didn’t get home until 2:45am!

Did I mention that we had ALL THREE kids with us?

And did I mention that Grace’s endocrinologist was NOT worried about her diabetes (or her ketones in particular, which the ER doc was obsessed with)? And Grace’s pediatrician was also the one who just asked us to get a BAG OF FLUID?

Why in the world did it take 7 hours for a bag of fluid?!?!

We could tell a marked difference after the fluid went through her. It obviously helped quite a bit.

But the ER doctor didn’t want to let it go. In fact, he wanted us to stay overnight. But we insisted on coming home. We were too exhausted to be mad last night, but I am still a little irritated when I think about it. (Can you tell?)

I do appreciate a cautious doctor. However, when the patient’s regular doctors know all the facts and aren’t that concerned, then – to borrow a phrase from the 90s – take a chill pill!

Okay, I’m done ranting now.

Grace woke up this morning with normal blood sugars, and she ate breakfast (which has thus far stayed down). Her ketones are lessening. She seems much better right now. Please pray that she doesn’t get worse, but continues to improve until she’s completely healthy.

And if you could add in a little prayer that the rest of us don’t get the nasty sickness, that would be great, too!

Here’s to a happy, healthy weekend!