A Mean Ole' Nasty Stomach Bug!!!

Well, it's been yucky start to March but I'm determined it will turn around. Saige has been sick since Sunday. She started vomiting late in the evening and continued throughout Monday evening. Just as that slowed down, it started coming out the other end like water!! She had no appetite and was refusing bottles. She wouldn't drink Pedialyte either so we were giving her water with a medicine dropper...a trick I've learned along the way to prevent dehydration. She was doing okay with at least 30ml per hour and come Tuesday evening she actually ate some oatmeal with applesauce. I thought the "Bug" was on it's way out. She had started a small cough at this time and that was the path of the bug that I knew was going around. It was midnight when I woke up to her throwing up & pooping all at the same time, poor thing was so scared. I knew at this point there would be no way I could keep up with hydrating her if she was going to be losing it from all angles. I got a bag packed, Scott loaded us into the car & off the Emergency Room we went. He had to stay behind to get Kaylee off to school but we were in constant contact through our cell phones. Lucky for us, the waiting room was empty and we were seen right away!! She was negative for the Rota virus, which was my first concern. They tested for the Flu & RSV, which were both negative as well. They drew blood and her WBC count was normal, no infection...her labs were surprisingly within normal range...she wasn't severely dehydrated. They started an IV to give her some fluids and get her feeling better. WHOA, was that a painful experience for her and heartbreaking for me!! She is such a chubby girl that it makes it near impossible to locate a good vein. After 4 pokes and no success we took a much needed break. I cuddled her and she wanted so badly to fall asleep but wouldn't let herself. They tried 2 more times for the IV and thankfully had success with a small needle in the outer portion of her left foot. We wrapped it like crazy to protect it b/c I was not about to let her pull it out!! They ordered a chest X-ray to rule out pneumonia, thinking maybe she had aspirated a small amount while throwing up, that was clear though...showed some congestion but no fluid. Phew...so far we had ruled out everything!! Her right ear did seem slightly red to them but it was hard to tell because she had been crying so hard for a really long time. Around 6:30am I attempted a 4 ounce bottle because I knew she needed to sleep, she had finally drifted off when up came 1/2 of the formula. At that point the ER doctor called our pediatrician and they concluded that we should stay and keep her on the IV fluids. Scott got Kaylee off to school and met us in the ER around 8:45am. It was 9:30am before we got up to our room and 11:00am by the time they had done their assessment and admission stuff. I was exhausted. After only 2 hours of sleep then spending 9 hrs in the ER and watching my innocent baby go through all of that, I was ready to crumble. I laid down while Scott rocked Saige to sleep, we took a much needed 2 hr nap. Scott had made arrangements for Kaylee to go to Gramma Diane's after school ( THANK YOU AGAIN! ) so we were both able to stay with Saige. Saige's doctor came to see us that evening and discontinued the IV fluids, hoping to increase her want to drink, he recommended we stay the night and see how she does. Scott was bummed, he really wanted to stay the night but we didn't want to leave Kaylee either, so when he left at 7:30pm, we turned out the lights and tried to get some sleep. Sleep isn't something that comes easy in a hospital...there were a few other Babies on each side of us that did nothing but scream & cry, the poor things were obviously in far worse shape than Saige. Between the nurses coming in to check on us and me getting up to change her diaper every hour, I think I might have accumulated 2 more hours of sleep!! LoL (: Luckily morning came quickly and Dr. Humphrey came in very early. He said he thought I could handle riding out the remainder of the bug at home and discharged us. Scott got Kaylee off to school and came to get us. She still has the diarrhea and has thrown up twice but it at least drinking 2 ounces bottles. Her cough is upper airway related and aggravates her gag reflex, which is why I think she threw up the last 2 times. We're now home and she is getting some sleep, so hopefully she will start to feel better by the weekend. I on the other hand have became an emotional wreck upon getting home. LoL. Sitting here looking at her sleep, she's so beautiful. It breaks my heart that she had to go through all that, as a parent I felt so helpless. As a nurse I deal with so much everyday, but man o' man is it different when it's "your baby". During all the tests and procedures I was the strong Mommy she needed me to be but once we got home, I couldn't help but break down and sob like a baby. It's never easy to see your children hurt or sick and I think our family has had enough for quite awhile!! (: