February 1st - The first ER trip

I noticed Layla’s thigh looked swollen so I called the doctor’s office.  Her doctor told me that if her thigh and leg were swollen tomorrow to take her to Cedars because they have a pediatriac orthopediac doctor there.  Layla had a restless night.  I put ice on her swollen thighs.  When I woke up, I saw that the ice hadn’t helped.  It was time for Layla’s first trip to the ER.  And I knew that was a right decision when she said, “Mommy, I can’t walk.”

I got Rowan and Jory up early.  Dressed the baby it something easy to slip on and off and prayed that Cedars’ ER was nothing like Children’s Hospital had been.  I was hoping to get there as early as possible and hoping the early business hour would work in our favorite.  I pulled into the parking lot around 8AM, after calling the office to say I’d be in later.  My purse was filled with stuff for me to write, papers to read, and a blanket for Layla and a toy or two for her to play with in case she got her energy back.

I signed in at the front desk.  Less than ten minutes later, they called our name.  The male nurse asked me why I brought Layla in.  I explained about her swollen thighs and took off our trusty snowsuit so he could see her thighs.  He looked at them curiously.  He made me think I was seeing things.

“Her thighs are swollen aren’t they?” I asked.

“Yes, they are,” he confirmed.

He took her temperature and she had a fever.

As he was taking info, I heard another family come in a woman and her mother with her week old son.  Yikes, to be in the ER with a baby so young.  I was grateful our first year to the ER wasn’t until Layla was four.  He took us back to a room.

A female nurse came in and saw Layla’s size.  She said she would go over to the peds area to see if she could find a gown to fit Layla.  I tried to read, but Layla wasn’t having much of that.  I tried to walk her around, but she didn’t want that either.  When she’s sick, she’s almost as difficult as her brother.  I have to say Layla is my best sick kid.  The baby just wanted me to sit in the chair and hold her and do nothing else.

We waited and waited.  A male nurse came in to check on her and to draw blood.  I held Layla down for that one.  She wasn’t liking it.  Because of her fever he gave me some shots of Tylenol for her fever, but gave them to me to give to her since the little one wasn’t feeling him either.

Layla didn’t want to take anything.  I explained to her she had to take it because did she know how much Mommy had to pay for that medicine.  She spilled some of the first round, but she got the second round.  Then I tried to take pictures and she wasn’t having it.  Why couldn’t she be a good sport like her brother when he had his first ER trip?

Why can't she smile for me?  Or at least not cry.

Drawing blood from my poor baby.

The female nurse came back finally with a gigantic gown and a warm blanket.  The warm blanket was nice.  Can I have a blanket warmer at our house?   

The nurse couldn’t find any small gowns, but she did offer Layla a doctor bear, a female doctor bear since her scrubs were pink.  Really?!  Really?!  She had to wear pink scrubs because she’s a chick?  Bygones. 

Layla didn’t want that bear at all.  She pushed it away.  She didn’t want to see it or have it touch her.  So I put the bear in my already overstuffed purse and held my baby. 

I heard the police talk to a teen who said he was on his way to school when he was jumped by someone.  It sounded like the nurse and the cop thought something was suspicious with the boy’s story.  But he was carted off to another department while they waited for his mother to come.

The doctor came in, asked me some questions, checked out Layla’s thighs, and read me the test results.  He asked for Layla’s doctor’s name and went to call.  He came back a few minutes later and said that they believed her fever and swollen thighs were a reaction to the shots she had for her four year check up, a few days ago.  Are you serious?  Some of the kids had had fevers after their shots, but never swollen thighs, so swollen it hurt for them to walk.  Are you kidding me?!  Nope, he wasn’t kidding.  I told him, I had never seen this reaction to me.  He said shots can give different reactions, but she should be okay and if things get worse to take her into her ped’s office.  And with that he was done.  He asked if I had any questions and he walked out of our room.

I changed Layla back into her clothes and snowsuit and waited for the nurse to bring our discharge papers.  She brought them and I loaded a heavy Layla in one arm, the purse overflowing with other stuff and headed out the door.  The discharge employee saw my hands where full and the whiny baby in my arms and kindly said, “We’ll bill you.”  Thank you God for her kindness.

I told Layla if she stopped whining I would take her to my job.  It tapered down.  My arms were full and heavy, we finally made it to the car and dumped everything inside.  I noticed our nurse bear was missing, but the idea of carrying deadweight Layla and my purse to go search the halls for it was unthinkable.  Yes, I was paying $100 for this visit and the bear was my gift, my “free” gift for that, but I think my bigger gift was having my arms free so I let it be.

We drove to my job and said a sad hi to my co-workers, then I took Layla to Aunt Linda’s, where she got to watch the Disney channel while laying on Aunt Linda’s bed.  I kissed her good bye and headed out the door.

I was impressed with Cedars we were there for only three hours.  They know how to move.  I was back at work by noon, bringing to an end Layla’s first trip to the ER.  I pray Rowan never has to go.