A little scare...

I had my first, and hopefully last, trip to the ER with one of my children this week.  I got home from work Tuesday morning around 2am.  I heard Sarah whimpering in her crib as soon as I got home and was ready to go check on her when she quieted.  Just before I was ready to go to bed she began to cry.  I went to get her and the first thing I noticed, but didn't really think much about, was that she didn't get up to reach for me to get her out of her crib.  I just assumed that it was because she was sleeping and just crying in her sleep.  I rubbed her back but couldn't console her.  When I got her out of her crib she was screaming.  I tried everything but just couldn't get her to settle down.  I decided to see if she would fall asleep in my bed next to me.  She finally calmed down but wouldn't go to sleep.  She would drift off but then wake up whimpering or crying.  After about 1 hour and a half I told Rob laid on the couch with her and they slept for a couple of hours.  That morning she was still acting like something hurt and she was grabbing the right side of her neck/head/ear every time we moved her.  I just thought she had an ear infection.   She was only content laying on the couch on her back.  After an hour or two it dawned on me that my most active child was not trying to get up, sit up or walk.  She just laid on the couch.  She moved her arms and legs but made no effort to change position.  I called her doctor who (I knew he would) recommended that we take her to the Emergency Department.  To make a long story short... eight needle pokes, 2 spinal taps, one CT scan later, every thing is NORMAL!  Praise GOD!  In the end it seems she had a really bad case of torticollis, which is an inflammation of the muscle that runs along the side of the neck.  During the day we noticed that she wouldn't turn her head to the right.  We spent about 5 hours in the ED and by the time we left she was acting a little more like herself.  She was sitting up and eating.  Now she is back to normal!

Before all the trauma!

Completely worn out after all the pokes!

All hooked up and waiting for her spinal tap.

Ready to go... but mom is not!

Feeling a little better and eating some graham crackers!

So, we're not really sure why she seem to have such a severe response to this torticollis but I am SO THANKFUL that that is all it was.  Honestly, it was hard to see my baby screaming and crying but I think I went into nurse mode.  I went to the ED knowing she was going to get a CT scan but never let my mind go to all the bad things this COULD have been.  But now that I know everything is ok I can't help but think "what if" it had been something else.  I just can't imagine what it would be like to be the mother of a chronically ill child.  To feel absolutely helpless and to see your child in so much pain.  I frequently thank God for the health of my children but I am REALLY thankful this week!

While it totally stunk having to be in the ED with Sarah, I am so grateful to be a nurse, to have such wonderful ED friends, and to have been in my own ED!