Friday, January 02, 2009

Back from the ER and beyond



Wow. We are finally back home. After Keegan spiked a 102 degree temp the first night we had him home, we spent hours in the ER with no prognosis. Nurses told us it could be a UTI, Meningitis, and to plan to head to UC Davis for their pediatric special care unit. It was so awful. They tried a spinal tap but couldn't get in there. Tried for IVs, again, unsuccessful. Poor little guy was such a fighter and Brian held him the whole time while I pretty much just held out in the corner with the Klennex box.

After 7 hours and no verdict, they finally decided to admit us back into the nursery upstairs which is pretty non-standard. I think it's because while I was staying up there I gave the nurses lots of cookies. We got up there and the charge nurse filled us in on how jaundice affects a baby, and the fact that Keegan was so bruised he probably was jaundiced, which decreases appetite, which causes dehydration, which can then lead to a fever. They got him under the lights, got an IV in his arm successfully, and from that point on his temp went down and his appetite went up.

So, 60 some odd hours later we are finally back home. He is chillin' in his swing. He's been eating every 3 hours or so and gained another 5 oz while we were re-hospitalized. Brian and Maggie stayed at the house and caught up on sleep while I was admitted as a 'boarding mom' or an extension of Keegan in that I was his life-line of milk!

Maggie, of course was confused to have this new brother come home, and then leave again. Here she is at the hospital finally able to hold him again!



Next up: morale raising post since Uncle Mike and Jen just rolled into town and we can all be lazy and watch the Cotton bowl!

3 comments:

Firehouse mama said...

How SCARY, and heart breaking, and then very exciting and happy ending! I can only imagine the fear you had as his mother, but how wonderful that they readmitted you two and got him feeling much better!

Tricia said...

That is so scary Julie! I never thought about the fact that the bruising would make it harder to tell if he's jaundice! Thank God you finally got an nurse that knew what was going on! Poor kiddo. No way to start the year and his life off. And POOR MOMMY! I'm SO HAPPY that it was a happy ending. You & Brian should be so dang proud of yourselves. What an awesome baby and a real trooper and you guys got through such dramatic and scary moments in the last week! Good work Mulloys! Lots of love - tk

Anonymous said...

Jules, this is just heartbreaking, I can't imagine what you felt in the hospital!

Keegan is obviously a little fighter- true Mulloy/Thode!

And the most recent picture of him and Maggie is just precious...Mags just looks so excited to be holding him again.

Can't wait to meet him and see all of you in THREE WEEKS!