Blue Drama

What's up with the planets this week? Two bridges and a mine collapse, the world markets are aflutter, and we spent Wednesday in the ER. [cue the dramatic music!]

Wednesday morning around 9:30, I was in a great groove at work when the daycare center called, "Someone fed Z eggs for breakfast. He's vomited and his lips are turning blue." "I'll be right there." While I was on my way, they administered an epipen and called 911. I arrived before the firetruck and found the director holding Z in his diaper on the changing table - hunched over, spaced out, covered in red spots, and bluish-white. I picked him up and heard the sirens approaching, we walked outside.

The 5 (or so) firemen monitored his heart rate, airways, and skin color as they collected information from me and held oxygen to his nose to keep him awake. When the medics arrived they loaded us into the ambulance, strapped me onto the gurney holding Z and we were off to Children's Hospital ER - the director of the daycare center came with us. During the ride, his skin turned bright pink, his lower jaw chattered, and he was lethargic for most of the trip except for one brief instant where he sat up and talked. But, he quickly slumped back into my arms. At this point, my biggest concern was about oxygen to his brain and brain damage.

We arrived in the ER around 10 a.m. They wheeled the gurney into a room and transferred us to the bed. They put an oxygen monitor on his toe, listened to his heart and lungs, gave him a dose of Benadryl, and a dose of a steroid. His skin was still bright pink which made his lips look yellow and he remained lethargic until around noon. They said this lungs and heart sounded great and his oxygen levels looked good. He settled into a nap around noon but it quickly ended a few minutes later when the nurse took his blood pressure. Around 1:00, his color started to return to normal.

He was ready to go home around 1:30 - he kept climbing into his car seat that was sitting on the floor. He was bored with the video and ready to roll. We didn't get out of there until 2:45 or so.

Thanks to Z&X who visited us - with the intent of giving us a ride home but the doctors held us longer than they could wait. And many thanks to TS who picked us up.


With the number and severity of Z's allergies, I had been dreading this experience - knowing it was inevitable someday. But when? with whom? what would happen? In some ways, it's a relief that we've lived through it and know what to expect. I learned a lot. I was amazed at Z's resiliency and surprised myself with my calmness...although I fell apart at 4 a.m. the following morning - alone while J was in Dallas.

I've talked with several people (moms, doctors) about next steps. The consensus is that this daycare is the safest place for him to be: they handled the situation well and they certainly don't want to live through this again any time soon so they should be extra vigilant. Also, to switch now would mean educating a new staff about his allergies. But, I do have concerns and a long list of questions that I'll take to a meeting with the director on Tuesday. I kept Z out of daycare on Friday. I will likely leave him there on Tuesday if everything seems in order. Intellectually, it seems a good decision. Emotionally, I will recite the above reasoning like a mantra to calm myself. :)

As I joked with a friend, we can add several new "firsts" to Z's babybook: first epipen, first ambulance ride, first trip to the ER....

whew. I'm thankful that Z is strong and healthy; that the daycare center acted quickly and appropriately; that I was strong and calm for both of us; that we're surrounded by good friends; that we got the medical attention we needed.