Final Ruth Update

Ruth is home! She has been for 9 days. So I apologize for the late posting...

  

 

Last Sunday, the doctor informed us the plan for Ruth had not been what we were told, on Saturday. We'd been told she would move to the regular pediatric floor and be taken off the heart monitor and oxygen. She was taken off the heart monitor immediately, but they actually cut her oxygen to 1/4 a liter instead of the 1/2 she'd been on in the PIMC room. And the doctor planned to cut that to 1/8 on Sunday, then nothing on Monday and then go home (hopefully) Tuesday. But Ruth was doing so well, the doctor allowed us to try to cut of oxygen on Sunday. She did fantastic overnight - which was her true test! Her O2 dipped to 90 once, but it was usually 92-95! As long as it remained about 90, they were willing to discharge. So we finally went home Monday afternoon!

 

Discharging was a bit of an ordeal... There was still the question out there about whether she has asthma or not. The ER docs said no way. The team of pediatric docs had mixed feelings. But they all agreed no one was diagnosing her with asthma. But they still wanted to treat her as though she had it... so we had to do an asthma training and wait to get the nebulizer ordered. They wouldn't let us leave until they were certain the machine would be delivered to our home in time for her next treatment. So we waited, a lot. 2 hours after we'd expected to leave, we finally left. Yay!

 

 

This was the first time in 5 days that Ruth had been out of a bed. Not once did she ever try to get out of her hospital bed. There were many times she thought it was a trampoline... but she never tried to get out. Even the morning of her discharge, the nurse gave permission for her to get out - as long as I followed with the IV, and she stayed in the room (because rhinovirus is contagious). But Ruth had zero interest. She was perfectly content getting spoiled in her big bed, with Daddy's iPad all to herself ;)

 

We got home, and the first thing Ruth did was go to the play room and dress up. Her brother and sister were all too happy to help her, too. They were in heaven having their little sister home again!

 

 

Ruth continued breathing treatments at home for a week. Her pediatrician agreed that Ruth does NOT have asthma. He had us wean her off the medications over the week. He warned us that if she gets worse, or get sick in a month, then we'll restart the meds. But so far, she's great! And she loves the freedom of NOT having nebulizer treatments 2-6 times a day. And I love NOT having to give nebulizer treatments at 1am and 5am :D

 

I never updated about the med clinic doctor. He was kind enough to charge us $200+ for his lack of medical knowledge. And he was nice enough to call me on Friday, while Ruth was in the hospital, to follow up. I'll give him credit for taking time to do that - although I understand that is standard for the clinic. The doctor asked me how Ruth was done now that she's out of the hospital. I informed him that they ADMITTED her with double pneumonia, mycoplasma pneumonia, a double ear infection and rhinovirus after they examined her, did bloodwork, a nasal swab and an x-ray. I really wanted to stress that they actually LOOKED at her, unlike himself who diagnosed her as he walked into the exam room - before he'd ever even seen what she looked like. The doctor then went on for a few moments, telling me that she definitely has asthma and it must be aggravated by seasonal allergies. Excuse me doctor?!?! He was lucky that I was in no mood to argue with him. I just allowed him to refuse to admit he might actually be wrong even though we had medical evidence to prove this wasn't seasonal allergies.... Ok, off of that topic. He deserves no more of my time. Though the med clinic is getting a letter from me about the whole thing.

 

Anyways, Ruth did great at home. Until day 4. Then this happened:

 

 

It started on her inner arm Friday night. By Saturday morning,the rash had spread everywhere. And by Sunday, it had turned to big welps on her back. And it started to itch...

 

I called the hospital nurse Saturday morning. She assured me, without needing to see her (so nice!), that it was an allergic reaction to amoxicillin. Turns out, she was on a sulfa drug in the hospital, so she'd only been on amoxicillin for 3.5 days when the rash appeared. The nurse told me what to look for when deciding if I should bring her in. None of those symptoms appeared, so we waited till Monday to see our pediatrician. He agreed it is an allergic reaction to penicillin.

 

Today, Wednesday. Her back and belly are completely clear! Her arms, hands, palms, face and legs still have a few spots on them. But they no longer itch. Yay!

 

Needless to say, it's been an eventful few weeks in the life of our little Ruthie... She's taught us a lot, and been such an amazing trooper through it all!

 

Oh, and now since we've apparently met our deductible this year, everyone's getting their tonsils and appendix out next month. Just kidding. Sorta ;)