Warning... This will be a bit of a rant. Consider yourself warned.
Eight p.m.
Caelan usually goes to bed around eight o'clock.
Wednesday night we were still in an emergency room at that time.
Caelan was depending on oxygen to keep his sats in the 90s and was getting ventolin treatments hourly.
He was exhausted not only because it was bed time but also from working so hard at breathing.
We were told he was being admitted around this time, yet it took until about 4am Thursday before he was in a bed on the floor. I think this is ridiculous.
I understand that going into the emergency room, this is a medical emergency situation and he'll need to be assessed and tests will need to be done. At this point though, we already have a diagnosis and treatment in place.
Yet the doctors from the floor he's being admitted to, need to do their own assessment of him. This involves them asking me all his medical history (as his mother I'm able to summarize the seventeen odd volumes they have on him) that I've already given the emergency department. GOOD NEWS ALERT! We've been out of here so long I don't remember all the dates anymore!! This makes me very happy!!
They come in as a team, one physically checking Caelan while the other starts the 'Spanish Inquisition'. Then the second resident will also physically assess him. In case you were unaware Caelan is not a big fan of being assessed. It involves them listening to his chest and back, tapping his tummy, looking for rashes, checking in ears, eyes, and mouth. Those last three, not happening because he's fighting them on it in true Caelan fashion. Especially after ten o'clock at night.
Anyway, part way through the floor's assessment they think it might be wise to have the ICU look at him. Hands off until that's done, oh but they want him to get an IV in the interim. (So not so hands off...)
Caelan finally falls asleep around eleven.
They come to put the IV in around eleven thirty. He's pretty tolerant of them looking for a good vein, but loses it once they get down to business. After two failed attempts they're gone.
Now it's after midnight and he's worked himself into a bit of a state with all the IV nonsense. I just get him back to sleep when the ICU team arrives for their assessment.
They actually say the right things. There's no indication that he needs to go to the ICU. He looks rather peaceful sleeping although it's still apparent that he's working hard. The icing, they agree that there's no need for an IV at this time. Have I mentioned that I LOVE THE ICU!!! The level of care and support there is above and beyond, and unfortunately it puts a huge shadow on the rest of the hospital.
They can only pass on their suggestions to the Emergency Department. While they are doing that another nurse comes in to attempt IV access. With my glacial Momma Bear stare I inform her that she can look for now. When she thinks that she's found something I let her know that I'm hoping the plan has changed and that there's no need for an IV at this time. He is tolerating feeds to remain hydrated and there's no sign of pneumonia requiring antibiotics, therefore no IV. I was ready for a fight and was happy when I didn't have to go into full force battle, they'd taken the ICU's advice and scrapped the IV.
Now the floor residents return to complete their assessment. Those fools thought they might be able to get a look in Caelan's ears while he was sleeping. It's 2 o'clock in the morning. He was so ticked that he was taking swipes at them in his sleep, and I let him. I was about to lose it. Then they tried between the two of them to hold him down and even asked the nurse for help restraining him when I had had enough. I asked if this really needed to be completed at 2 o'clock in the morning? I asked what difference a few hours would make if they could just wait until later in the day, a more reasonable time. "OH but Mom if he's brewing something that would be almost xx hours lost when we could have been fighting the infection..." I tried to get it through their heads that even if they'd tried twelve hours ago in the middle of the day when he was more "willing" it would have been next to impossible. How do they do it in clinic they ask... Well it often takes a team of us to hold him down and we risk him going blue on us while he breath holds and other times it just DOESN'T HAPPEN!!! But if it's so damn important to you, get the hell out of my way and get your hands off my sick exhausted child and make it quick! I got Caelan on my lap and am attempting to get him in a position where I can hold him still for their most necessary examination and they can't keep their hands off him. Oh Momma Bear is not pretty, take my word for it. HANDS OFF AND WAIT ONE MINUTE PLEASE!! NOW, when I say I'm ready you make it fast because you've only got seconds.
His ears and throat were both clear.
Now they want blood work. They can't take him to the floor without it.
I think they know they're pushing me over the edge.
We compromised on a cap gas... it's not a needle and drawing of blood but more of a prick and then they squeeze the blood out. Sorry if that's too much detail. I had more faith in that being a success with one jab than an actual attempt at taking blood.
It was. We even managed to keep Caelan mostly asleep on my lap while it was done shortly after 2:30 in the morning.
Around three o'clock we make the trip up to the floor. My sincerest apologies to the other children and their parents in our ward room who were disrupted by our arrival at such an awful time.
Bed is in sight, but not yet. Oh no, now you have to go through it all again!!
I was happy that they'd pulled some info from our last stay but given that it had been awhile they did have to confirm details. talk talk talk and all I want is sleep sleep sleep...
Caelan's nurse that night seemed to understand my frustration and her examination of Caelan was done as quickly, as carefully and as kindly as possible.
She won me over when she made my bed up for me as I was comforting Caelan to sleep and still answering questions.
Four a.m.
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