The Call

You know, that call that comes in the middle of the night? Fortunately, ours was at 5:45 a.m. this morning. College Daughter calling from the emergency room. She was admitted due to dehydration and stomach cramping. Apparently, she'd been vomiting, etc. since midnight and her roommate got worried and decided to take her in once it got bloody. I'm very grateful right now that her roommate is a nursing student too and didn't wait any longer.

I managed to get my other two out the door at 6:30, googled the hospital and got there by 8 a.m. To wait. The doctor didn't seem too swift. I asked if it could be food poisoning and he said that she hadn't reported eating anything that "tasted funny." Huh? Ever hear of e-coli? They had drawn blood and taken stool samples and he still wasn't able to give me any other details. I don't understand that because Middle Child was hospitalized with the rotovirus back in 1999. And the hospital had no problems identifying it as the rotovirus. He labeled it as the stomach flu, gave us three prescriptions, and sent us on our merry way.

Anyway, we made a pit stop back at her dorm to get her computer and books and made the hour and a half trip home. Driving while listening to someone dry heaving for that long is not good on the nerves. She's sleeping in her room now and I'm worried about how to keep her isolated so that the other two don't get it.

Yesterday, I spent the morning at another hospital with Husband, who was going in for an endoscopy. The Demerol he was given made him a wack job afterwards. He has no memory of 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Creeped me out.

Can I just say that nursing or anything in the medical field was at the bottom of my list of possible majors back in college?

Comments

  1. RussNovember 3, 2009 at 1:59 PM

    nurses get all the fun jobs!

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  2. Desmond JonesNovember 3, 2009 at 2:17 PM

    Well, I've told my kids that, if they can handle all the science classes, anything health-related is probably a reasonably secure career field. People are always gonna get sick, you know?

    Which is what I thought when I switched my major from Math to Engineering, back in the day. Worked pretty well, until just recently. . .

    You remind me of the time when I was in college and came down with the Sinus Infection From Hell (or maybe the Black Lagoon). For two weeks, I balanced class attendance and eating with my medications, which knocked me right out. In retrospect, I'm a little amazed that I managed to get thru that term with pretty normal grades. . .

    But wow. . . two sickies at the same time? Above and beyond the call of duty, right there. . .

    ;)

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  3. BijouxNovember 3, 2009 at 2:24 PM

    Russ - I can't imagine the "fun" of being a nurse - but my daughter is quite excited by the prospect.

    Des - We are pushing our kids in the same direction; thankfully it's not me. And she's the only one 'sick.' Husband was just getting some testing done.

    And yes, she's already in a panic about the quiz missed today and two tomorrow....

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  4. Trooper ThornNovember 3, 2009 at 6:20 PM

    Poor girl. I bet keeping up with her studies is the last thing on her mind right now.

    And Desmond Jones; people are always going to need to get their hair cut too.

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  5. secret agent womanNovember 3, 2009 at 8:26 PM

    Hope they are both on the mend.

    Nursing is way at the bottom of my list, too. An important job, just not one I want to do.

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  6. for a different kind of girlNovember 3, 2009 at 8:53 PM

    I am not good with medical matters. Cripes, we don't even have a thermometer, so a couple weeks ago, when my youngest had a fever, I had to tell the nurse when I called the clinic that his cheek was "really super hot when I kiss him."

    Yeah. You're safe in my hands!

    I hope your daughter is feeling better, and gets some thorough rest. Nothing is scarier than those early morning phone calls.

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  7. LeslieNovember 3, 2009 at 8:56 PM

    Poor baby...give her some mommy lovin' and antibiotic hand gel!

    Hope you stay healthy. I used to believe babies morphed germs in their bodies and gave it to us worse than we had it. Hope this isn't true of colleget students too! If it is, I trust you will give me adequate warning. :)

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  8. Worried DadNovember 4, 2009 at 12:19 AM

    Sorry about all this. Sounds like she's finally in good hands now that she's home.

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  9. BijouxNovember 5, 2009 at 7:38 AM

    Thanks everyone. She's much better and I'm taking her back to school today. Hoping we don't see her again until Thanksgiving!

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  10. fit or fateNovember 7, 2009 at 9:52 PM

    Hi, I came across your blog, it really is trying when people, especially kids, are sick. Hope everyone is on the mend real soon.

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  11. limeNovember 9, 2009 at 2:47 PM

    yikes, sorry to be so late getting here and even sorrier for what i find. i hope by now everyone is feeling a whole lot better and you've had a chance to rest up.

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  12. Rhonda SloanNovember 11, 2009 at 4:49 PM

    Glad she's better. I guess this means they still need their mom, even when they head off to college.

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  13. BijouxNovember 12, 2009 at 7:58 AM

    She ended up not being better and it was a trying week for all involved. Thanks to all who stopped by with well wishes. At least no one else came down with it here.

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  14. Lil BitNovember 16, 2009 at 6:58 PM

    Hey, but nurses call the shots!
    LOL, I know, that was bad. ;)

    Hope the daughter is feeling much better now and hubby has his clarity back and YOU have your sanity back! lol ;)

    *hug*

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  15. BijouxNovember 19, 2009 at 8:48 AM

    LB - My sanity returned, but now that it's the holiday season, the sanity is flying out the window.

    ReplyDelete

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