We had our first trip to the ER back in June. The day of Ciara's dance recital Ethan complained of a hurt neck, a headache, and had a fever. Ethan never complains that he is sick but nothing else seemed wrong with him. So I gave him some pain medication and thought we would get over it like he normally does.
Earlier in the week he had gotten hit in the head with a baseball and I laid in bed all night thinking that there was head trauma that might be going on. The next day was Father's Day and after making Seth breakfast I decided to take Ethan into the ER to get his head looked at. You know a child is sick when at 8 years old they WANT to go to the ER.
I took Ethan in and right away the doctor knew it was not his head but his neck so they took some blood and ordered him to have a CAT scan. At this point Ethan could barley move on his own, laying down and getting up was impossible without help, his face was so swollen, and you could barley understand him when he talked. So they made him switch beds and then have to lay with his taped head straight for the CAT scan. Since I am pregnant I couldn't even be in there with him. I know that he was a little scared but he laid there and did great.
This is at the ER in Castle Rock as we were waiting for the CAT scan results to come back.
You can see how swollen his right side was and he could not turn his head to the other side.
So they determined that Ethan had an infection in the soft tissue of his back neck between his spine and throat. Luckily, it hadn't abscessed and didn't need surgery to drain it but he did have to be admitted to the Children's Hospital to be put on iv antibiotic. It was a crazy morning!
Ethan and I had to be taken in an ambulance to Children's.
Once we got to Children's we waited in there ER forever waiting to be admitted. Poor kid! He was miserable, uncomfortable, and a little scared. He hurt so bad he didn't want to do anything, he didn't even want to watch a movie or anything!
Then after we were admitted he started doing a little better. They gave him fluids, antibiotics, and pain medication. And very slowly he began to feel better. Seth stayed the night with Ethan and I went home with the girls. The next day I took the girls to see Ethan.
Trying to eat but he could barley open his mouth to put food in and then chewing and swallowing was so hard for him.
Playing a little DS as he visited with the people who came and saw him.
Since he got his first IV is the ER they took it out and put in a more kid-friendly IV.
Doing better and ready to get out of the hospital. We were there for about three days and it was hard to be there and take care of the other kids. I am so thankful for healthy children!
Ethan was sent home on 10 days of oral antibiotics and it took him that long to begin to feel better. It was a slow process in getting the swelling down, his range of motion to return, and his ability to move on his own to return.
I was proud of how well Ethan did throughout his whole ordeal. This is a summer we will never forget!
