Tigger has been unwell for a little while now, his immune system is so low that he is picking up bug after bug. It all started at the beginning of February with an ear infection, shortly followed by chicken pox (thanks Roo!) with the added complication of a throat infection. Just when we thought he was over it all he came down with a cough and eventually after various visits he was given antibiotics.
Over last weekend the antibiotics started working and by Monday he started to be cheerful once again, however by Monday night it was a different story. His cough appeared to worsen once again and he was very unsettled. His antibiotics were due to finish on Wednesday so I had already booked a review appointment at my GP practice to double it was all cleared up. Tuesday was much the same with him eating very little and now wanting his milk. What little he had ate came back up after a horrible coughing fit.
We had to visit the paediatric surgeon on Tuesday evening for something different and the consultant was concerned about how unwell he looked and inquired as to whether he had seen anyone. I explained that he was on antibiotics and was due to visit the GP in the morning. He states ‘make sure he does’, this had me a little worried.
After a terrible night our appointment time soon came round and the GP said that he needed antibiotics for a further five days and wanted to review him again before the weekend. Later that day after only eating a yoghurt since the day before he was sick once more. I contacted the GP practice to see if he could be seen again today. Thankfully the duty doctor was able to see us within the hour. Temperature raised, chest crackling, throat looking bad… ‘Can you take him up to the children’s ward?‘ she asked. I’m sat there thinking ‘I really hope they do something for him this time’.
Upon arriving on the children’s ward I explained that in the last week we had…
Wednesday – seen our GP who suspects a chest infection, visited children’s ward for them to do nothing but diarolyte
Thursday – seen a different GP being told it was just a viral thing and it would pass in a few days
Friday – temperature of 39 and seen in A&E, given antibiotics
Tuesday – Paediatric consultant being concerned about Tigger
Wednesday – seeing one GP first thing and given more antibiotics, seeing a second GP and referred to children’s ward
The nurse then tried her best to fob me off explain that these things often start as viral infection but can lead to bacterial. I politely insisted that something needed to be done as my son was not well at all.
After taking his observations and realising that his temperature was now 39.8, Tigger was even medication to try to get his temperature down. The paediatrian then came and examined Tigger, he explained that her wanted to complete several tests but it was very likely that we would be staying in. Although I really did not want to be kept in over night I knew that it was the best thing for Tigger. A chest x-ray, bloods and cannula were arranged and completed. The doctor showed me his xray, which confirmed that he had a chest infection, upper respiratory tract infection. The doctor said that his tonsils were also infected along with conjunctivitis and dehydration. Initially he wanted me to push fluids orally but after the nurse explained how difficult it was to get medication into him, he decided it would be better to have an IV drip put up.
The first night was not pleasant, I spent the entire night sitting in a chair with Tigger cuddled into my chest. Whilst I watched crap delightful night time TV. At 3am I had to ask one of the nurses to hold him as I hadn’t been to the toilet since lunchtime and there was no way I could hold it any longer (sorry #tmi). Of course Tigger screamed but if you have got to go, you have got to go!
After a night of fluids and oral antibiotics I thought that the drip would come down and hopefully we would be off home. This was soon squashed during doctors round, they wanted to push the whole bag of fluid and start IV antibiotics too. So we would need to stay another night… great! I had hoped that once Mr Boo had arrived after the school run I could pop home, freshen up and have forty winks. This sadly was not the case, Tigger was having none of it. He kicked and screamed as soon as I let him go, oh well, who needs sleep?
During the day after a couple rounds of IV antibiotics he perked up and even managed to sit in the cot watching his favourite Baby Jake. That night he managed two hours sleep in his cot before getting into bed with me. I didn’t mind as at least I was in a bed and not a really uncomfortable chair!
Despite having his IV antibiotics given during the wee small hours he never woke, he must have needed the sleep (so did I). When he woke at 7am he was much improved and when Mr Boo first thing with Roo (Mother’s Day assembly so we needed to swap childcare duties) he didn’t cry as I left.
Once back on the ward the doctors were happy with his progress and said we could go home with oral antibiotics, repeat chest x-ray in three weeks and to see our GP next week.
He has improved over the weekend and has started to eat once again. He looks like he has lost so much weight I’m hoping he will soon regain anything he has lost.
I wonder what next week will bring…
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