Day 20-23...I Think!

I know, I've been missing in action...with good reason!

On Wednesday, Gracie very suddenly became ill. She complained of her tummy hurting and she turned white as a ghost. In a matter of minutes, she was vomiting, covered in goosebumps and heating up in temperature. I thought she had a case of the dreaded stomach flu, so I mentally began preparing myself for it to spread like wildfire through the house. Gracie continued to get sick,increasingly pale and lethargic, so I put in a call to the doctor, but ended up taking her into urgent care because I was so worried about her. Turns out she had a urinary tract infection. She was given injections of antibiotics in the urgent care office, and we were sent on our way with being told that if she got worse, to take her to the ER.

Fast forward about 6 hours. 105* temperature and a very hard to awaken little girl, and we were off to the ER in a hurry. She was given 2 bags of IV fluids and tylenol and motrin both to reduce her temp. A second urinalysis confirmed a uti, and we were sent on our way with instructions to call the doctor the next day.

Fast forward again...I took her into the doctor the next day because she was still very pale, complaining of stomach and back pain, high temperature and still not drinking or eating. The doctor was in the room less than a minute when she said "This child needs to be admitted to the hospital NOW". Turns out her uti had gone to her kidney and she now had pyelonephritis. ( a severe infection of her kidney) The doctor left the room to call the hospital and I heard her telling the person on the other end of the line that Gracie was 'toxic'. My heart leaped into my throat and I pulled my daughter close...

Anyway, cultures confirmed that her infection was caused by E-coli and she was treated with 48 hours of IV antibiotics. She's now home on even more antibiotics and will have to be seen once a month to check her urine for infection and see a Nephrologist for possible kidney damage. I'll just say her doctor was a little more than ticked off that she was not immediately admitted through the ER the day before to be treated for what he says was 'very obvious' pyelonephritis.

My poor girl.


Gracie shortly after beginning treatment


In the thick of it...


Starting to feel better--hanging with her tall, skinny friend "Charlie"

My poor little princess had to endure too much poking and prodding...in all, she had 5 IV's started, and that meant 5 painful pokes. She's such a trooper :)

Signing off...after spending 4 days running on worry and no sleep, I'm tired.

Later.