A Long Few Days

It’s been a long few days.  This was the third day Ali has been home sick.  She’s been struggling with a fever, headache, muscle pain in her neck, and she been feeling awful.

Sunday night about 8pm, we made the decision to take her to the emergency room.  She had gotten progressively worse throughout the day.  The nurse practitioner that we saw on Saturday suggested if she got worse, to take her to the ER.  I felt like we were following orders.  And actually, I was a little scared with how bad she was feeling.

Trying to put in an IV in Ali’s arm was close to a nightmare.  It didn’t work.  The nurse tried to put it in her hand.  That didn’t work either.  She was crying, fearful and in even more pain.  I was thankful when this nurse called for another to try…in the other arm.  Both of these nurses were kind and wonderful, don’t get me wrong.  Evidently she was so dehydrated that her veins weren’t healthy enough to have an IV go in them easily.

Ali didn’t like the IV, and I can’t blame her.  They began to give her fluids, a pain reliever and an anti-nausea medicine.  She perked up a little bit, but was so cold, even with four blankets on her.  Her emotions and mine, were all over the place.  Laughing one minute, tears the next.

All blood tests came back normal, but the doctor wanted to treat her for strep throat.  They gave her an antibiotic through her IV, and sent home a prescription with us.  The doctor said she shouldn’t go back to school until Thursday.  (I’m wondering if that will even happen.)  Four hours later, we arrived home at 1am.  Ali feeling even more wiped out…she went to bed with her clothes on.

It’s been about the same ever since.  She woke up this morning feeling worse, but once we got ibuprofen in her, she felt a little better. She’s had moments of feeling better, then she’s down for the count for awhile.  We’re forcing fluids, and making sure she gets her ibuprofen and tylenol regularly, and takes her prescription four times a day.  She’s sleeping a lot and eating a little.

It looks like it’ll be the same schedule tomorrow.  I’m wiped out…not sleeping well and feeling run down myself.  I’m praying no one else gets what she has.  Many of our friends and family are praying for Ali to get better quickly.  At times it’s been scary, seeing her so sick.  We continue to trust God.  And if she gets any worse, we’ll be making a trip back to the doctor.  (Praying that won’t happen either.)

During our trip to the ER, we were talking about taking her picture to remember that evening.  She encouraged me to do so.  I’m posting it here.  May we never take our health for granted ever again, and may God, the Great Physician, heal her quickly.