It has been super windy here in Havasu for the last month and it has been causing havoc with Ella and my allergies. Both of have been stuffy and had headaches. Ella on the other hand has been having a harder time getting over it because she is a kid and doesn't blow her nose, cough anything up, or wash her hands (I know ICK). By the 9th she was complaining of a headache, so we gave her some Tylenol and sent her to bed (yep, nominate us for parents of the year). The next morning she was complaining that not only her head hurt but her side hurt too. In fact, she actually crawled onto the couch and fell back asleep after breakfast. This is really unusual because Ella loves school and hates to miss it. So off to Oma's she went for the day to "relax" (watch TV is what she calls it). She did have a slight fever, but it went away after some medicine. She complained the whole ride home of her head and side, so off for a nap she went went we got home. 3 hours later, she woke up with a fever and more head and side complaints. More medicine and tried to get her to eat something...that didn't happen. Back to bed she went at 7:30. Friday, she says she wants to go to Oma's and watch TV...no fever, but head and side ache...remember PARENTS OF THE YEAR here! Tylenol for the headache and off to school we go. By 9:30 her teacher has sent me a message that she is asleep on her desk and she thinks she has a fever. Oh yes, fever and the head and side are killing her. I call Kevin after I lay her down in the back of my classroom. She is asleep in 5 minutes...my students were perfect angels and loved having 1/2 the lights out and classical music. Kevin came and got her about 11:30 and took her home. She slept the rest of the day and ran a fever from 101 to 103...YEP, we are GREAT parents! Saturday same thing...I couldn't even get her to get dressed. She slept the whole day. Sunday...shower and fresh air (fever was only 102...I know, I know!) By Sunday night it was bad, the fever, the headache, and side ache was too much and she was CRANKY! Kevin has off Monday, so he was going to take her to her pediatrician (they won't even see kids till they have had a fever for 3 days). Pediatrician is full because it is flu season, so off to Troyer Urgent Care. NOT REALLY HAPPY with them...they swab her nose and say..."No, she doesn't have the flu. If she continues to complain take her to the ER." By 3:00 she had a 104.3 fever and Kevin was putting her in a bath (this whole time we are giving her fever medicine and it is not keeping her fever down). I call my dad...who talks to a paramedic...so off to the ER we go. AWESOME experience with everyone in the ER. They were really great with Ella. Anyway...They take a chest X-ray and it shows she has pneumonia. They start and IV and take blood. Find out her white cell count is high....so, now they want to ship her to Las Vegas (we don't have a pediatric unit in Havasu). PANIC...Kevin and I talk, then I call my Dad. Ok, we are going...ambulance ride to Las Vegas is set up and her bed is confirmed at Sunrise Children's Hospital. Kevin packs us some stuff for the trip. We don't know how long we are going to be there. I think he did a pretty good job of packing quickly and with his mind on other things. He remembered my motion sickness medicine...I am riding in the ambulance. I have only left Ella's side to call my dad, Amy (the gal I teach with) and my principal. Oma and Papa come to the hospital and we have talked with Amy and Nate. A friend who works for the ambulance is going to be taking Ella and I, which relieves some of my stress. We make it to Las Vegas by 2 am, and are in the room and all checked in my 2:30. Ella was pretty funny when they were trying to take all her vitals. She was so tired she could barely sit up and do what they asked. Her little eyes kept rolling back. By 3, I have emailed everyone who I needed to email....I had no plans ready for my sub because I was not planning on being in Las Vegas. Now it is time to sleep. I try to sleep on the bed they have for the parents, but I can't. So I crawl into the hospital bed with Ella. Nurse Beth was not even surprised to see me cuddling my baby when she came in throughout the night to take her vitals. At 6, I crawled back to the couch/bed with Kevin. 7 am and it was time for another chest X-ray and the day to start. The first resident says we will be staying overnight...we don't have enough clothes, oh well. Because Ella was diagnosed with pneumonia we are isolated, and everyone who comes in contact with her is suppose to wear a mask and gown....we are "dirty" and it is a children's hospital and the don't want to spread her "germies". By 1, they say we can release her. She needs to take her antibiotic for 9 days and then do a follow up here in Havasu. If any of the symptom return then we should bring her back. By 3:30 we are on the rode back home. Tuesday night was a little rough. She starts throwing up because the medicine is loosening everything up. So when she coughs it comes up. So I slept with her in her bed. (In 36 hours, I have slept in 2 different hospital beds, a gurney in the back on an ambulance, a couch/bed at the hospital, a car, and a twin bed...but only totalling about 7 hours total). Wednesday and Thursday Ella and I take it easy and nap and cuddle. By Thursday afternoon there are glimmers of the normal Ella. Friday she goes to Oma's and mommy goes to work...she was not happy. She wanted me to stay home or she should go to school too. Now it is Saturday, and I am feeling less stress and can see that my baby is getting better!
