Em has the flu AND Pneumonia!! **Update page 4**

[delswife]

Many of you guys know our little Em(6) from my reports.

She's a little monorail lover, loves to beat up my son(19) and knows "Chuck & Dave."

She has achy muscles, a sore throat, can’t hold anything down and has been running a fever of 102 - 104.1/2. They did chest x-rays and also found pneumonia.

We are picking her up from her mom's on Saturday. I am going to be a basket case until then.

Her mom is young and inexperienced. I don't think she understands how serious this is. She wont let us pick her up until Saturday because she doesn't want Em to miss any school.

I'm calling her again first thing tommorrow. A kid that sick ISNT going to school.

I have to keep running into the bathroom to cry because I don't want to upset the rest of the house.

Del is a MESS, he is so scared. Beatlebum and Nikki are ready to ride up to Em's house NOW and pick her up.

I don't understand why she isn't admitted to the hospital if she is that sick. We will be taking her to our Doctor Saturday.
I'm really scared!
I feel so helpless.

 

[DocRafiki]

That sounds serious. I thought you were going to say she's in the hospital. Did your doctor say what would make him/her admit Em? Not miss any school? Sounds like you need to give her mom a reality check. I hope she makes it through ok.

 

[IloveDMB]

Oh no! I hope she's okay. I'm sending prayers your family's and Em's way and a dose of reality her mother's way. There's no reason for her to be in school and I can't believe the doctor doesn't want to monitor her more closely.

 

[delswife]

See, I am so upset I left something out.

Em's mom got this diagnosis from two trips to the ER. Her mom doesnt have a doctor where she lives.

Can you believe that?

Thats why when we pick her up saturday we are taking her to our doctor.

It scares me too that she is running such a high fever an sitting in an ER for hours on Sunday and again today.

Del & I are working on getting her mom to agree to let us have her NOW.

 

[IloveDMB]

Would her mom be upset if you asked if you could take Em for a second opinion with your family doctor?

Maybe that would be a good way of getting Em home with you.

 

[delswife]

Originally posted by IloveDMB
Oh no! I hope she's okay. I'm sending prayers your family's and Em's way and a dose of reality her mother's way.

See! I can't think!

Thank you for the prayers, I ment to ask everyone for that.

It is so much harder when you love a kid as much as one of your own, but you can't control the situation.

 

[delswife]

Originally posted by IloveDMB
Would her mom be upset if you asked if you could take Em for a second opinion with your family doctor?

Maybe that would be a good way of getting Em home with you.

I tried that. She seems to believe that if a Doctor works in the ER he is already the best.

He has to be good to work in the ER.

I am still working that angle though. I am also working on the problem that Ems mom is mad because she is missing work. (She's a waitress)

I can take days off when ever I want to. I can stay right here and take care of her.

 

[IloveDMB]

Unfortunately, bad doctors can be anywhere, even in the ER!

I can only think that the doctor was frazzled because it is flu season but that is no excuse!

Hopefully the job angle will work, and you can get Em to your doctor.

BTW, how far are you from Em?

 

[delswife]

Up until a few months ago we only lived 2 miles away from her.

Her mom moved 2 HOURS away now.

 

[IloveDMB]

Oh no! That's not too far, but her mom won't even let you take her for the day? And did the doctor say to come back at all?

 

[luvindisneyworld]

Prayers coming your way for Little Em

 

[MScott1851]

That sounds HORRIBLE... Bless Em's little heart. I can't believe that they would send her to school while she's throwing up! Her mom sounds like a real winner There are so many things to consider...is she letting her get dehydrated? How is her oxygen saturation? is she keeping tylenol and advil in her to keep the fever down?

Go get that baby and keep her home with you!


BUT.. I have to say this...

I don't understand why people hack on doctors that work in an ER. I trust the docs I work with a LOT more than I even trust my own private MD. These guys have to make judgements without the benefit of a long standing history with the patient, but they are based on the clinical picture of the patient at the moment... Not to mention that they've 'been there, seen that' You guys are VERY lucky that he didn't write her off as just having the flu or a virus like everyone else and send her home.

If he diagnosed Em with pneumonia, then he probably didn't just take a glance at her and pull that out of his rear...You can't definitively diagnose pneumonia without bloodwork and a chest xray...And most pediatricians aren't equipped to do that in an office setting. Her mom was right to take her to the ER this time. And most ER docs, especially those who work in ER's that see both adults and children, will err on the side of caution and admit children if they even have an inkling that they need it...SO hopefully her mom is being an idiot and making things sound much worse than they really are...

Good luck and keep us all posted.. I will send prayers her way.. I hate to see sick babies.. that is why I do what I do for a living!

 

[delswife]

Originally posted by MScott1851
And most pediatricians aren't equipped to do that in an office setting. Her mom was right to take her to the ER this time.

I guess I am uncomfortable with her being so sick and waiting in a waiting room for hours on two differant occations. I think if she went to a pediatrician he could order x-rays without making her wait like that.

But then again, she didn't know how sick Em is. Still doesn't I'm afraid.

I didn't mean to sound like I thought ER Drs. werent some of the best, I agree they are. They way I meant it was they never require a second opinion.

I'm pretty upset and am not thinking very clearly.

I don't really know what the doctor said, her mom was pretty vauge on that. She kind of has this "I'm her mother, I'll deal with it" attiude. This is so hard on Del.

Emotions are running high right now.

I'm calling her tommorrow and talking to her again when everyone has had some rest and clams down.

 

[MScott1851]

No problem.. I can imagine how distraught you are because Em is sick and you can't get to her...

Thank god she has you and your husband to watch after her..

Here's to her recovery!

P.S. I am at work right now... and we're FULL of kids with the flu, RSV, pneumonia...I am giving Rocephin shots left and right...
We're calling it "Vitamin R"

PPS. Tell Em to just puke on her if she tries to make her go to school.

 

[Loubon]

Robin,

Em is in all our hearts as are you (what else are 55,000 friends for?)

Maybe you should try contacting the school (or maybe it would need to be Del who does that). The school might be able to insist that she shouldn't be there.

Hang in there....

 

[Dan Murphy]

Hoping Em gets the care and treatment she needs. She sure does not belong in scholl. If I was that sick, they would need to call an ambulance for me. My prayers are with her, delswife, and you too.

Dan

 

[Big V]

My prayers are with Em. I hope she feels better soon.

 

[dizneenut]

Prayers on the way. I hope Em feels better soon.

 

[lacool]

I feel for you. I hate it when my little ones are so sick. I just wish I had a solution for you. Em doesn't need to be in school this week, and I am sure the school would appreciate her not being there until she is fully recovered. I'll keep her in my prayers, both that she starts feeling better soon, and that her mother will let you take her to your doc. Seeing another doctor may not help, but it sure can't hurt. Good luck, Robin.

 

[mom2of2]

So sorry to hear that Em is sick. Pneumonia is no laughing matter.
MScott..no disrespect meant but last year my 4 yr old was sick and I called my Dr. to alert her that we were beginning nebulizer treatments (he's asthmatic) he then began to spike a temp and I called her again. She advised tylenol and a call back if the temp went higher..this was at 10 pm. At 2 am he went even higher and began to complain of stomach pains as well. I called her again, this time her advising a trip to the ER, she would call ahead and order an x-ray and an ultrasound. I drove the 45 min there and when we saw the ER Dr. I asked if my Dr had called, she had, and the ER Dr told me that he didn't think my child was sick enough to warrant testing that he simply had a virus. My DS was laying on the bed, weezing so loudly you could hear the gurggling and he was crying that his stomach hurt. I got a little mad, I admit it since I felt that we were being dismissed and I was being treated like I had no say in anything. We were sent home after a few hours with the diagnosis of "viral". A few hours later I called my Dr who ordered an ultrasound and chest x-rays to be done. Diagnosis....double pneumonia.
ER Dr's are for emergencies but truly nothing beats your own Dr when you are sick. They know you and your kids.