Monday, August 25, 2008

Things really haven't improved much.

Just when you think things can't get much worse - they do. Liam got sick. Really, really sick. Kathryn didn't get any better and my stress levels just kept climbing.
Came to a head last Wednesday when Kathryn went into ketasadosis. I had already spent two days crying on the phone to the hospital that she wasn't getting any better while they tried to reassure me all it took was time. Liam lay on the floor out of it with a temperature of 40.9 and having autism he doesn't do medicine at all. I gave in and rang my doctor - they didn't have any appointments so I took the kids to the walk in clinic. They were too full and turned us away, even though I explained the situation and had Liam unconscious in my arms (he is really really heavy). Then as I was standing there crying in frustration they had a cancellation - but for one only - which one was sicker. In the end I chose Kathryn because medically she was more in danger. Two minutes later I had my referral to the hospital, but still no help for Liam.
So off to the hospital we went. Kathryn's referral got her seen quite quickly, four hour wait to see Liam they said. No beds in wards, no beds in emergency, not even any beds left in corridors, so we got an ambulance stretcher in the ambulance bay (and we were not alone).
I put Liam in the bed as my arms were killing me. He is such a dead weight and hadn't woken yet. The nurses kept trying to give him attention over Kathryn because at least she was up and walking (and very, very sick). Finally Craig got off work and came to get Liam, who was now awake and topping and tailing with Kathryn in the very narrow bed.
Craig took Liam off to a walk in clinic in Tauranga - just in time to have in start power vomitting all over him. There is some justice after all. Ten minutes wait at the new walk in clinic and they were being told it is just a virus go home and take painkillers (ha ha).
Kathryn was finally admitted back to hospital, finally got a bed in one of the adult wards (they had two to a bed space in the children's ward). They sent her home the next evening saying she was better.
It is now a week later and she is still sick. I almost took her back to be admitted yesterday but managed to get our specialists cell phone number and have taken to calling him at all hours for help instead.
Liam has continued to get better and I'll send him to school today because I need a break. I continue to cry at the drop of a hat but am getting through it all.
P.S. We have had a couple of non medical disasters too. It never rains, it pours - all the time, heavily and that is part of the problem. Weather!!!!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Oh honey, that sounds so incredibly AWFUL! You let me know if I can do ANYTHING, I will drop everything okay. Hugs to Kat, we will go pick out a nice pressie for her this week, she must be miserable.