Curve Ball

I should expect it, I guess, but a curve balls always catch me off guard.  

Last week was Golden Week.    The kids & Jerry had school/classes on Monday & Friday, but ECS was closed all week.  We didn't have any big plans, a little hiking, some time at the park, some quiet.

 

This week, one class started up again, university classes are in full swing.  The first Friday night game night was happening.  The Sunday School kids had rice planting scheduled,... typical full week with a few extras thrown in for good measure.

Perfect week for...

Joshy to have a fever... YES, he actually had what a normal person would call a low grade fever rather than a temperature that wouldn't register.

Add high heart rate & low oxygen rate plus vomiting a little bit of blood...

Wednesday found us at the hospital.  Blood work & an X-ray later we found ourselves in a room on the 5th floor.  Eight pokes after that an IV was finally in place.  

Wednesday is my busiest day, but it is Jerry's free day, so daddy got to handle the blunt of it.  I was there for the initial consult, then walked them down to X-ray before hurrying off to the dentist to have my temporary filling, that was falling out, replaced.  I made it back in time for the 2nd consult and to take part in the debate - do we admit or fight it at home.  I stayed with Joshy while Jerry went home to pick up supplies: meds, diapers, etc.  Then daddy got to be the mean one who helped the nurses attempt to get an IV going while I headed off to work.

Joshy's labs truly scared me this go around.  His white blood count was HIGH.  He has not had an "H" after his WBC's in nearly 5 years.  Even when extremely ill his numbers have barely gotten up to the mid normal range.  Having WBC's almost double normal was terrifying.  With Aplastic Anemia there is a 35-40% chance of going into leukemia.  On Thursday, I talked with his regular doctor who was not overly concerned.  Yes his WBC's were high, but...ummm... normal people do that.  In fact, the doctor thinks it might be an indication that his WBC's have finally recovered.  (I am still a little anxious to talk to the hematologist at the cancer center about all of this.)

The IV that was so hard to place was also short lived.  Thursday evening the site failed.  Joshy was showing improvement so they didn't attempt to replace the line that night, but rather waited until the doctor checked him on Friday morning.  Friday, the doctor ordered labs.  The short lived IV had gotten enough of the heavy duty meds where they needed to be to help Joshy turn the corner.  Counts were looking much better, so a switch was made to oral antibiotics.  In fact, he could have probably come home, but he will stay put until Sunday evening.  See the plan had been for Joshy to be in short stay Friday-Sunday.  Being ill / having an IV cancels short stay.  It is complicated, but he is sort of in short stay... we can't leave him there the whole weekend, but we don't have to be at his side all day either.... confused yet?

Semi-short stay, meant I could come home for supper Friday night.  It meant that I was home got the first Friday Night Game Night.

 

It also means that I can sit and blog this morning instead of rushing to the hospital in time for morning meds.  It means I can go to the grocery store, too.  I will be at the hospital before lunch.  I'll feed him lunch & hang out a little, then I can come home in time to fix dinner.

I am thankful the curve ball wasn't any worse.  I am thankful that God had it all in hand.