The house is quiet. Randy is asleep. Harrison is asleep. Lily's asleep. Both dogs are asleep. The house hasn't been so calm the past few days....
Two weeks ago Lily was sick with a higher fever (102) that only went down with tylenol/ibuprofen but crept back up as the meds wore off. At her dr. visit they said it was a virus and may last 5-7 days. It did, the full 7 days. The same day the fever broke she started complaining of ear pain. The dr. couldn't quite tell if the ear drum ruptured but it was definitely bulging with white secretions inside. Antibiotics it was.
Harrison was a bit fussy the day before we checked Lily's ears. He's had a few ear infections over the past year and really, his first symptom is being crabby. But let me remind you he's 2. For good measure the Dr. checked his ears too and sure enough, ear infection. Treated with antibiotics.
A few days later Randy started feeling lousy and was diagnosed with strep throat. Another dose of antibiotics; however, this wasn't the end. His symptoms continued and he began to have bad neck pain as well. The Dr. was worried about meningitis so the they sent us to the ER. Randy underwent a lumbar puncture that, thankfully, ruled out meningitis. His antibiotics were switched and he was given a dose of steroids that helped the size of his tonsils (imagine nickel size with green and white goo). But that's not where the story ends...the following day he felt MUCH better. He showered even. But then started to feel really bad. The strep symptoms were gone but in place was a pounding headache once he sat up. This is called a lumbar puncture headache. No fun. No fun at all. During our 2nd trip to the ER he was given IV caffeine but unfortunately, this didn't help the headache go away. So...the 3rd trip to the ER, this morning, resulted in a blood patch (they take his own blood and inject the site that was previously poked during the lumbar puncture, hoping his blood will clot the site oozing cerebral spinal fluid). It worked! It worked! His headache was gone and we're now at home. Where it's quiet. And calm. And I'm thankful.
4 comments:
Oh man. I'm going to stop complaining right now. We've had a few sicknesses go round our family, but not a sick husband on top of the kids, and what a crazy run of it! I'm so glad Randy's better. I hope he stays that way (along with the rest of you)!
Hey, I got a spinal headache from a puncture during my epidural during delivery of Ryan. I can relate, except that I was already in the hospital & had the blood patch within an hour or so of the symptoms and I was warned in advance that i would probably get the headache. One nurse described it as "you want to cut off your own head". Poor Randy. If it makes him feel better, you can tell him that he got to enjoy a tiny bit of the pleaures of childbirth.
Isn't the blood patch amazing? As a nurse, you must admire something that is so complete and quick of a fix with such simple technology. The headache basically disappears immediately!
I hope you all keep feeling better!
Wow. The whole blood patch thing sounds kind of bizarre. But I agree with Carolyn that if it works that quickly and that well, that's some pretty sweet "medicine", and with just your own blood to thank for it. Very cool stuff.
What's up, I wish for to subscribe for this web site to obtain most recent updates, therefore where can i do it please assist.
Feel free to visit my blog post ... visit the next website page
Post a Comment