Hospitalization narrowly avoided

Yesterday was a horrible day for me. All week I was nervous about Niklas's health and decided to take him to the Pediatrcian on Friday morning. When we walked in, and were waiting to check in he began his coughing and the doctor standing there said "I know HIS diagnosis!" Then we were asked to stay in the infection room rather than the regular waitingroom (at least it had nicer toys there).

Once the Chief doctor came in he was quite serious and said Niki has this. Great. Lets add that to the bronchitis and pnemonia, ear infections and tonsillitis. The poor kid, not only does he have a barking cough but big black circles under his eyes from not being able to sleep or breath too well. The doctor was truly worried and made up all the paperwork and sent us to the hospital in Kaiserslautern. He gave Niki a steriod suppository (Prednisone).

I didn't plan on it going that direction (We usually walk out of his office with antibiotics, and that is what I thought would happen again.) I had some errand to do--including meeting people on the military base that bought some stuff from my on-line yard sale. So we went to get things done first.

BTW, I don't think I will do the yard sale thing again unless it is a big item. People say they will buy things but don't show up(and I listed it as sold and lose other buyers), or show up 2 hours past the apointed time, or they don't have space in their car for the large items (go figure) or the right amount of money. Plus some people that came to my house walked around and would see the piano and say they wanted to buy it...Um, everything I own is NOT for sale... I think in the future I will stick to giving away stuff. Only one of the 4 people showed up for the meeting.

Afterwards I thought that I better go pick up Jenna since I doubted that we would be done at the hospital (which I thought they were just going to do another Xray and blood work) by the time her bus would take her home. So I picked her up and stopped at Burger King for lunch for the kids and we took it to eat at the hospital (I rightly assumed there would be a lot of waiting time).

The first real aggrivation was finding it. It is in an obscure place in the city center. Once I did locate it I had trouble finding parking. I tried to park along the street but you must buy a ticket at the little stands along the road and you must have correct change (and I only had a bill). So I finally decided to go to the parking garage. Then I got the kids out and discovered Jenna had made poop and had to change her diaper. Then Niki had to go potty and I worried we would make it in time so he wouldn't pee his pants. I pulled them along and tried to find the Kinder Klinik on the small campus as fast as I could! After averting the pee crisis, I took the paperwork to the front desk and they instructed me I must go register (insurance) at another building. I was surprised since I didn't expect this and they said that likely he will be on IV antibiotics over the weekend and have surgery early next week and have to stay another 7 days beyond that. I was sick with anxiety at that point. I went back out to the car and had trouble finding my parking ticket. You have to have that to place in a machine and pay for it before you drive out. I finally did find it.

I called Günter and he was in a meeting in Frankfurt and wouldn't pick up the phone. I tried 3 times then got very mad. I looked for phone numbers to call some friends locally, but had nothing in the car. I was very aggitated!

I drove out of the parking garage and went to park along the street only to find out that I needed not only 1 euro coins but also a 50 piece--the machine doesn't make change! I ran to a shop (left the kids in the car) to get change. When I was coming back I saw someone leave a space open right by the hospital so I turned the car around to park there. Once I arrived, it was taken. Since it was one-way streets I had to go around the area to get back to the street I originally went on and all the spots were taken by then. I had to park several blocks away at the bottom of the hill.

While we registered Jenna was eating her cheeseburger and Niki was playing with the glass doors to the room, and I was trying to understand the receptionist (who only spoke German) while watching the kids and giving information about Niki and the insurance. It was nerve wracking to me! Then I took the kids back to the Kinder Klinik and we were seen by doctor but Niki's cough was much better (I assume from the steroid).

I then had to take the kids to the ENT clinic and we waited over 1 hour (with no toys in the waiting room) to be seen. Did I say I was on my last nerve? When we were seen the doctor asked if I wanted him to have a tonsilotomy or tonsilectomy and if we wanted it there or with Dr. Baker (his normal ENT). I really didn't know. I mean no one was telling how bad it was and if it was emergent. I knew his airways were problematic, but that was all. Then they asked if I had given him ibruprophen. Yes, for his fever. Then she said they can't give surgery for 4 weeks since the last time it was taken. You have got to be kidding! I was upset. She went and got the chief doctor and he explained that there is a high risk of complications with bleeding and they won't do it. I lost it about then. I said, well if he dies because he can't breath, isn't that a greater risk! He checked his tonsils and said even though they are extremely enlarged, there is enough space for air to go through and he won't suffocate. How comforting. If he is so sick the Pediatrician sent us there, and they can't do anything to treat, why were we there? The kids kept touching the tools and going around the room and I had trouble concentrating, and weighing my options while the doctors talked. Several times they asked the kids to be quiet--yeah, right--like they listen to anyone.

That is the time I made up my mind we are not staying. I went back to the Child doctor and explained it all and said that I didn't think he needed to stay in the hospital if he could have the antibiotics orally at home. I talked him into it and he gave me a very high level to give as well as the steroid (Prednisone) and a special medicine for coughing.

As I was taking the two tired, one sick child to the car, all I could think of was Jenna's hospitalization and how stressful it was trying to keep her still in a bed (with an IV line in) when she is so active and there was nothing to do. I was so grateful we avoided this, for now. I felt liberated!

I still don't know what to do besides the medicines. I will call our regular ENT on Monday and tell him the situation. I wish I had someone to help me decide if we should have a partial or full tonsilectomy and tubes in his ears. What is the best? I don't want to continue having all these problems with his health and don't know if it will help or further hinder things.

After the kids went to bed I just wanted to vegetate, which I did by watching a movie. I hope I can get my equalibrium back. Niki will have to be home the next week while he is on the medications, so I won't have any freedom in the days to come. Being a mom is so much harder than I thought it would be.

Posted by Krista at August 30, 2008 11:52 AM