After spending the last 72 hours in the hospital, Tessa was released today at noon. She is so happy to be home. When her siblings got off the bus from school today Tessa ran up to them and said, "I just love my brothers and sisters!"
She had a strep infection in her hand. It isn't completely better, but the redness is gone so they sent her home with a ten day antibiotic. We are not sure how she got it. The doctor suspects a bug bite. Being in the hospital reminds me how grateful I am for good health and kind friends. The Johnsons and Newmans helped watch the other kids and the Schroeders, Halls and Cardons brought in meals.
For the last three days I have been reporting to nurses as they come in and out of Tessa's room..."I gave her Motrin at 10:30." "She had two wet diapers before noon." "She ate 1/2 a plate of macaroni and cheese at 5:30"...since my brain is still working in that mode right now, I will write about the first two days this way.
Friday
12:10 pm It was the kid's last day of spring break. The weather was beautiful. A few friends of ours met at the park to celebrate Jennifer Salmon's b-day. We ate pizza and cupcakes and the kids played. Tessa was so happy and free as she ran around, climbed ladders and went down big slides that she couldn't do by herself last fall. I had to pry her fingers off the park equipment when it was time to go. The only comfort she had was that we would go to a different park that evening for a ward BBQ.
3:27 pm Tessa woke up from her nap with a high fever and threw up.
5:00 pm John came home early, blamed it on the good weather. He held Tessa and commented that her right hand looked swollen, like she had been bitten by a bug.
5:30 pm I went to the grocery store to get hamburgers and hotdogs for the BBQ and told John I would stay home with Tessa.
6:15 pm Tessa still wanted to go to the park. We debated, not wanting to get anyone else sick if she was contagious. We decided to just keep her in her stroller, where she sat lifeless but happy to get the fresh air.
9:00 pm Tessa seemed better. She slept all through the night (with the help of Motrin).
Saturday
8:00 am Tessa woke up with a fever. She was weak and only ate a few bites of a bagel.
10:10 am We all worked outside cleaning the garage and cars. Tessa sat in the wagon just watching.
11:36 am Tessa came up to me and showed me her finger. It had some yellow puss coming out and she said teary-eyed, "Mom, take this off. I don't like this." This was enough to persuade us to finally call a doctor. She told us to take her to the ER.
12:28 pm The doctor ordered x-rays and for the nurse to start an IV. Orthopedics also came to take a look.
12:34 pm A Dora DVD is played in the room. A social worker goes to the gift shop and buys Tessa a purple sucker. Tessa is happier.
2:10 pm The IV is in. Puss from her finger is drained and sent to a lab. The paper work to admit Tessa over night is started.
4:15 pm We are transferred to the room Tessa will spend the next three days and nights in.
6:00 pm John and the kids arrive with suckers and get well soon cards. Neil Lewis, our home teacher, comes to help John give Tessa a blessing.
6:45 pm John and the kids say goodbye. Tessa throws up. I call John back. The kids go down the hall to a play room, while John, a nurse and I give Tessa a bath and clean up the bed.
9:00 pm Tessa is finally sleeping. I turn off Dora. I try to get comfortable on the pull out chair bed.
12:30am A nurse comes in and says that Tessa has pulled out her IV. The nurse takes us down the hall to triage to start a new one. I feel dizzy. I stand by Tessa while two nurses hold her down. The nurse tries two times to start the IV but Tessa keeps jerking her arm. I sit down on the floor.
12:46 am I wake up on the floor to hear one nurse calling "Code Green. Mom fainted."
12:52 am Tessa's IV is started. Three nurses take me to the ER (Hospital protocol since I hit my head on the cabinet when I fainted.)
1:00 am I sit in the ER waiting room in a wheelchair, in my PJs--wondering if I'll get in trouble if I dart to the nearest exit.
1:39 am A nurse pushes me into an examining room.
1:40 am "I'm OK. Just let me go back upstairs."
1:56 am The doctor comes in. "No, please, I don't want a cat scan."
1:59 am "Yes, I am sure I am not pregnant." "No, my vision is not blurred."
3:15 am Eighty questions and $50 later I am back in Tessa's room.
Sunday
7:00 am John promises me that if Tessa needs to stay another night in the hospital he will sleep there and I can sleep at home.
On Sunday afternoon Tessa's fever broke and she seemed to be on the mend. She had more energy and we found things to keep her happy and entertained. I can't count how many times Tessa watched the DVD "Dora the Explorer, Mambo Dance Party."
