Well Harper had her first ambulance ride today. As you might have already read from my previous post, yesterday Harper was diagnosed with a double ear infection and mild pneumonia. We were sent home with breathing treatments every four hours and antibiotics. With today being Friday my husband, Dustin, said this morning why don’t you run Harper by the doctor’s office for a quick check of her lungs before the weekend hits and make sure we don’t need to be doing anything else to help her. Since our doctor is right down the street, and a long time family physician, I was able to run her in for a quick listen of the lungs. We expected them to say she’s not any better and give us additional medications or tasks to perform over the weekend.
Instead they wanted to check her oxygen level and heart rate and decided to give her a double dose breathing treatment with possible hospital admission. Still I am sitting there with Harper thinking okay we will go to Plano Presbyterian down the street for the weekend, no big deal. I can still see Lily and Dustin and I can easily switch out time because it’s only 5 minutes away.
However, When the doctor returned she changed the albuterol to oxygen and says Plano Presby is not an option because they do not have a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). I’m sorry excuse me, PICU!?!? The Doctor says I realize she appears to be a bit sick but her stats indicate she is at risk for respiratory failure and needs a hospital with a PICU in case of possible intubation. We will have the ambulance pick you up from here. Um, come again?!?! Ambulance, PICU, Respiratory Failure?!?! We just came in for a check up! Lily is at dance class with her Grandma, my car is in your parking lot and I have nothing with me but we’ll do what we need to for Harper except go to Children’s Hospital of Dallas.
We were transported by ambulance to Medical City Dallas and are in PICU until at least Monday. She has 48 hours for her labored breathing to decrease or she will be intubated. She is on IV fluids and a nasal tube for medications. She does look much better than she did when we brought her in this afternoon but she still has lots of healing to do before we can bring her home.
Surprisingly I am at peace with this situation at the moment because right now it is another OPPORTUNITY which FAITH provided through a CHOICE we made to follow a path presented to us! An opportunity for Harper to get the break she so desperately needed. She can let medicine and machines help her body work and refuel properly in order to regain control over the seizures that keep setting her further and further back.