ER Visit!

Waiting outside the ER.

One of my big worries was if Avery was to get a high enough fever we would have to take her to the ER. We have been lucky compared to a lot of other kids that have made frequent trips to the ER with fevers, but I just dreaded & hoped that this day would never come. My bigger worry was once I had the baby being torn if Avery were to get a high fever and need to go to the ER and be admitted and a newborn that needs their mother too. I never want to have to feel torn between kids that need me, although realistically I knew when the baby came it was going to get even harder making our frequent trips to Salt Lake. On Sunday at 3:00 a.m. Avery started with an ear ache. She said it was hurting so bad. At 6:45 a.m. I called the on-call pediatrician who said she would meet us at 8:30 a.m. at her office to see her. I stayed home with the other two kids while Johnny ran her down. We got a prescription for ear drops & an antibiotic for an ear infection. She feel asleep for a few hours, but her fever was running 99 to 100 degrees. (The magic number is 100.4 and they want us to wait a half hour then check it again, if still high then we are suppose to take her to the ER) When she woke up around 12:00 she still cried how bad it hurt and had thrown up after we gave her medicine. Probably because she wouldn't eat or drink. My Dad & brother Shane came and gave her a priesthood blessing that she could endure the pain and this trial would pass shortly. She feel asleep. Her fever was still border line to take her to the ER. Johnny & I ran down to Cedar for the baby who needed another prick of the heel to see what his jaundice count was. When we got back around 4:00 her fever was still high ranging from 100.4 and reaching 101.6 depending on the thermometer. I started making phone calls. I talked to the on-call pediatrician again, I needed to call to check on Carson counts too, (they went up higher to 14) I asked her if there was a way to not go to the ER, but if the infusion clinic or home health could access her port to draw blood and do the CBC. This would be easier on her and less dramatic. She made calls to the infusion clinic & I made calls to home health. We ended up taking her to the ER where we got registered, then gratefully someone from the infusion clinic was willing to come in and access her to draw blood. They also have on hand the antibiotic that she needs when she gets a fever. They easily accessed her port and gave her an antibiotic called Rocephin to help her body fight off the infection, this takes 30 minutes to drip in her port. We waited for her blood counts to come back. If her ANC was under 500 then we would have to be admitted to the hospital. Avery didn't feel good and just wanted to go home. So did we. Surprisingly her ANC came back at 5100, which is the highest it's ever been and her WBC was 6.2 the highest it's ever been. This means her body is doing exactly what it's suppose to do and her bone marrow is making new white blood cells to fight off the infection. Good news we didn't have to stay. She hardly ate or drink all day and still didn't feel good, but we hoped with the antibiotic they gave her she would do a lot better. The next day she felt so much better. We are so grateful to the on-call Dr. who was so willing to help us. Three trips to Cedar in one day that may be a record, but we are so glad she's doing better and mom didn't have to worry about not being with her if we had to stay at the hospital.

At the infusion clinic drawing her blood.

She's so thrilled to be here.

The 30 minute drip of Rocephin.

Carson made his first visit to the infusion clinic & sleep the whole time.

Today was my first time NOT going to Salt Lake with Avery. Johnny took her at 7:30 this morning. I was grateful that Avery wasn't sad that I wasn't going and a little relieved to be having a week off without the long drive. She know I needed to stay home this time with the baby. I surprised myself and after they left, it broke my heart that I couldn't be there for her, but I know she's in good hands. So glad that Johnny is able to take her and Avery has all the confidence in the world for her dad. Thinking of them and hoping again her little body can endure all the chemo they put into her! You are so brave Avery!