It’s there when you need it

When I was little I had a rare (then it was extremely rare) disease. Luckily, although it took doctors a while to figure out what it was I do not have any lasting side effects. I did have to be monitored for a while and my immune system was non-existent as well so I was susceptible and got lots of other infections. Today I have a clean bill of health.  I was at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto for just under three weeks when I was six just shy of my seventh birthday. I have very vivid memories about being there; the pain of the I.V. in my hands, not being able to use the toilet across the hall (although I could see it from my bed) and forced to use a bedpan, choosing out my meals in advance by checking the boxes on a sheet of paper I was given with the menu, some of my nurses, the constant needles, puking a lot, the tests, more tests and the gifts I got. I had gone to back to Sick Kids for a while to be monitored but as a child I never really stopped to think about how lucky I was to have access to such an amazing hospital being able to make me better, not until we had to use it for Princess Peach.

At the beginning of March this year we got possession of our new house. We were thrilled, excited, overwhelmed all the fun stuff that comes with home ownership but stressed because moving is hard but add a baby and it becomes VERY hard. Two days after moving in The Hubster didn’t feel well after work and he had a fever. I was so worried that I would get sick and so obviously I did. It’s horrible to be sick while workers are in your house and you can’t really oversee or make decisions because you feel like crap. So Princess Peach hung out with my mom for the day because I was petrified of her getting sick (can you tell she hadn’t really had anything worse than a cold?) While she was with my mom for the day she didn’t eat much which is NOT like her so that night I was a little worried. She cried in the bath (which again is NOT like her) and then woke up at 9 pm screaming, bright red cheeks and a high fever.

After a long night, a trip to our sick call on the Saturday morning the doctor put us at ease telling us it was just a virus and make sure she was drinking fluids. Right, well that plan works if your child will drink. By 2 pm that day she shut her mouth, would not drink a drop of anything and stopped peeing. Initially I wasn’t worried. We took a nice long nap together thinking that a long nap is a good thing but she woke up with a fever of 103.8. So we waited it out and after no pee and no liquids off to Sick Kids we went. F.R.E.A.K.I.N.G out at this point.

In the middle of the night Sick Kids Emerg was filled with babies all around Princess Peach’s age with what seemed to have the same thing. HORRIBLE. We had the night from hell in Emerg. An upside was getting our own private room with your own tv. Night from hell because Princess Peach was translucent, lethargic and vomiting everywhere. Oh, and vomit with BLOOD!!  Horrible. There were tons of horrible tests. The nurses were wonderful. The first doctor I was less impressed with but his shift was almost done. Then they had to admit her. So SAD. The care that we got from the doctors and nurses were amazing. They were kind, loving, gentle, and spent the time to explain and give us our options. Finally after 2 nights, they told us we could leave. Princess Peach was finally eating and drinking and peeing again. What a relief.

Finally sleeping in the hospital with the I.V.

Sick Baby=Sad Mommy

Finally feeling (a bit) better! Lets go home!

The whole ordeal was so scary but my husband and I were so thankful that we have an amazing place like Sick Kids in our community that is accessible to us. Before we left we made a donation to the Sick Kids Foundation because we didn’t want to take the situation for granted. We were lucky that we got to go home with an amazing baby who bounced back to the picture of perfect health after a week.

Sick Kids is one of those places that you never want to go to but if you do you know that you will be receiving top-notch care by talented professionals.

Have you had any scary hospitalizations with your kiddies?

xoxo

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my All Things Girly Giveaway here

Comments

  1. Lindy says:

    My son, Little Man, was admitted to Sick Kids when he was first born. He was diagnosed with PACs, luckily like you Renee he was given a clean bill of health. The time in the hospital with my son, who was so small and vulnerable, was the scariest moment of my life!
    I’m so happy that both you and Princess Peach are healthy.
    I agree with you wholeheartedly: “Sick Kids is one of those places that you never want to go to but if you do you know that you will be receiving top-notch care by talented professionals”. Very well put 🙂
    Thanks for another great blog.

  2. click says:

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