Madelynn's First Trip to the ER!

On Saturday Madelynn woke up very fussy. Flailing her arms and a little warm, I took her temp and it was 101.1, a little high to "just be teething". So, I gave her some Tylenol and she seemed much better.  She ate, drank her bottles, played, slept, but just didn't look right in her eyes. My wonderful MIL was down for the day, as each and every Saturday, GOD BLESS HER, and she agreed with me that Madelynn just wasn't looking right.

By the evening, her temp was 101.4, gave her more Tylenol and she went to bed.

When she woke up at 12:30am, she was BURNING UP! I mean, to be honest, I have never felt anyone, let alone an 8 month old, feel so incredibly hot! It scared the crap out of me and I screamed at Tim to wake up as I dialed the number to the on-call Pediatrician. While waiting on the phone, I took her temp with the temporal artery thermometer, and it said 107.7, the second time, 106.8, the third time 106.5...I thought for sure it couldn't be that high, and expected the doctor to say to call the ambulance. While waiting for our doctor to call, luckily our favorite doctor was on-call, she is absolutely wonderful and one of the sweetest, most knowledgeable people I know, I quickly got dressed, threw everything we needed in the diaper bag, grabbed some pedi-light, which I keep on-hand, called my mom (thank goodness she lives across the street), and we jumped in the car. She said to take Madelynn immediately to the hospital, which of course we knew and were ready.  I didn't even have time to take her temp rectally; I just gave her a does of Tylenol and off we went.  Luckily one of the closest ER's is only about 15-20 minutes away, and we flew there to find not one person in the waiting room, amen! During the ride there, Madelynn didn't fuss, in fact, she was babbling and talking the whole way while playing with her toys and her lovey. I was not as calm, I was so scared and so nervous, I though I would have a panic attack!

We only waited maybe 5 minutes before being brought back and Madelynn was still very rosy-cheeked and hot but smiling. The ER was like a ghost town for a Saturday night. The nurse took her temp, which was still at 103. She gave her some Motrin and asked if there were any symptoms, and I said no. Madelynn was fine expect for this super high fever and a little fussy. No runny rose, no vomiting, no coughing, no nothing. Since it was so quiet, so many other nurses came by to see her and say hello and Madelynn was as happy as ever to meet new faces and make some new friends...and of course when they found out she was a triplet, she was the star of ER! And then came the 100 questions and the "oh my gosh are you crazy for having another one!?"

I expected them to give her an IV and draw blood, but no, thank goodness. She drank the bottle of pedi-light that I had packed and then some of her formula, so I was happy she was feeling well enough to eat. She was crawling around and smiling on the bed and just wanting to play. They did say they would have to do a catheter, which broke my heart. It's so incredibly painful and I hated watching Natalee have one when she was rushed to the ER before her surgery. Madelynn did great though, she screamed of course, but it was only about a minute or maybe two. I was more upset than she was, I think. There is nothing more painful and heart-renching than watching your baby in pain, especially when they can't understand what's going on. It makes me sick to my stomach. I hate it, but I knew it was for her good, and thank goodness we did.

Within about 15 minutes the sweet ER doctor came back in and said she had a "rip-roaring bladder infection"...ah, I felt so bad but so glad we knew what was wrong with my poor little girl. And if there could be a good part to this infection, it was that it's not contagious! Amen! I was all ready to quarantine the house for the next few days and wash every toy and blanket in sight if she had something that she could give her sissy's or I.

The doctor explained to us that it could be just a one-time thing as it isn't that uncommon in baby girls and she could have just gotten some bacteria in "there" but it could also be reflux of the ureter. To read more about, click the link. I have done extensive research on it, but it only affects about 1% of children. So we were given the first dose of anti-biotic and given a prescription to fill the next day and we were out of there by around 3:00am. Not too bad!

On Sunday, she still had a fever and was very fussy. Almost to the point where I wanted to take her back to the ER. The doctor said that I probably wouldn't see any improvement in her until Monday, after 24 hours on the antibiotic. She was just so fussy and refused to eat anything expect sweet potatoes and applesauce, so I just kept giving that to her throughout the day. She would not drink any bottles and didn't have one for over 16 hours. No formula, no water and no pedi-light! I was worried but finally around 10:30pm Sunday night she drank a whole 8 ounces of formula and then early Monday morning around 4am, she drank another 8 ounces.

Monday I took her into the pediatrician, and I was explained the whole reflux of the ureter and given a referral for Children's Hospital to have Madelynn tested for it. In a nut shell, it's where the ureter enters the bladder higher up, rather than low, and so when the bladder is trying to empty itself, it can't and urine flows back into the ureter and could possibly go all the way to the kidneys. With the test, they basically they insert the catheter, and put some dye into the bladder and see if the dye goes into the ureter. There are different "stages" of issues, stage 1-5, with stage 5 making it all the way back to the kidneys. Surgery can fix the issue but most kids grow out of the condition. However, if Madelynn is positive, even at a stage 1, all her sisters will be tested too! Sad Momma! But I rather know so we know, but the likelihood of her having it is still rare.

I asked a million and one questions, like, wouldn't she had gotten an infection prior to being almost 9 months and the answer was no, some kids have it for years and no one picks up on it until one day the child is given a urine test and it comes back positive. If she does have it, she will go on a low-dose anti-biotic and will hopefully outgrow the issue.

So we will see. Her appointment is coming up, so hopefully we will find out right then and there and won't have to wait for test results.

I will be praying she doesn't have anything wrong with her. My poor little girl! I am not looking forward to the test and I know it will be traumatic day, but thank goodness she won't remember it!

As of now, she is feeling much better and is back to her normal, goofy, silly and very determined self! Thank goodness!