I Hate Viruses

Can I just tell you how much I hate viruses?


This strain of virus we had in our home was particularly ugly.

It hit Christian.

It hit Morgan.

It hit Olivia.

And then, not wanting anyone to feel left out, it decided to hit my baby.

Unfortunately, when a fever hits a baby Delaney's age, it's really not a good thing.

So Monday evening, after doing my best to keep the sick girls quarantined in their room and away from the baby, Delaney came down with a fever. It was too high for their (medical professionals) liking, so off to the ER we went. I was a nervous wreck at this point. I still hadn't caught up on my sleep from Morgan's ER visit... and here we go again??

I told my dear husband he had no choice but to come with me - there was no way I could handle this on my own. I knew in my gut what was going to happen - I'd been warned twice by two different doctors - babies that age with fevers receive Lumbar Punctures. And my oh my was I freaking out about it.

So yes. We get to the ER. And I start second guessing my thermometer. What if it read wrong? What if I read it wrong? What if she doesn't have a fever? What if this is all for naught and I look like a total and complete fool??

But sure enough. After taking her temp rectally, it was indeed high. So then began the almost "2 hour-let's try and find a vein in this baby so we can hook up an IV" procedure that failed. After too many pokes and tourniquets, they decided to put an IV in Delaney's scalp. (I'd seen this before 11 years ago when Olivia, as a newborn in the NICU, had a scalp IV. Not what a mom wants to see...)

The IV for Delaney was necessary for several reasons - to administer fluids and to administer antibiotics the next several days. We were already told we'd be spending the night with the possibility of longer.

We were educated in those first few hours. Did you know that a fever in a baby 60 days of age or younger results in a lumbar puncture???? Did you know that?? We didn't. When the ER doctor sat down and explained this and that about it and her condition, Martin questioned why people would even take their babies out of the house the first 2 months - why new parents would let anyone hold their baby in the first 2 months? The ER doctor agreed.

It was crazy. I had just watched as the doctor inserted a needle into my Morgan's back 48 hours previous to this. How on earth could it be possible we were back in the hospital doing the exact same thing with our infant?? This just didn't make sense.

But here we were. They transferred Delaney to Pediatrics where the pediatrician on call performed the dreaded procedure. I couldn't do it this time - be in the same room. I just couldn't. So Martin and I waited down the hall for the longest 20 minutes I've ever felt... well, at least in the last 48 hours.

All went well. ALL WENT WELL! The doctor came down the hall with several vials in his hand and proceeded to tell us how well it went and that the spinal fluid was clear. He even showed us the fluid. Apparently he had been VERY worried about Delaney. He didn't let on, thank goodness, beforehand. But he did let us know after the fact that he'd been worried.

The next two days Delaney and I hung out in Pediatrics - she still receiving antibiotics just in case it was a bacterial infection we were dealing with - while we waited for the blood cultures and whatever else they were running on her bloodwork and spinal fluid.

We came home Wednesday afternoon so happy to leave that hospital and get back to our own beds.

We have so much to be thankful for. I have four beautiful, healthy babies in my arms. I have absolutely nothing to complain about.

Our favorite nurse, Phyllis