.25 cent Extra

Friday night after we got home form a later night than planned at the ball park, we ate some chili dogs and watched the 1st half on the news. Our local news comes on at 10PM. At about 10.15 Haleigh started to choke, my first thought was the hot dog because its round even though she was playing and no longer eating. I picked her up and she vomited, I was thinking, good its out. Then she continues to cough, choke and vomit. We got in the shower where she continued the same, so I decided it might not be the hot dog and decided to take her to the emergency room.

Where we live has 4 main ER's. One is a major university hospital and sees traumas and mainly adults and they have a big burn unit. Another is really close to my house and where Haleigh was born but their ER I don't like; unless you are passed out dying then that look at you like you should have waited until the Dr office opened! So that left me with the other 2: the Children's hospital that is part of the university, and the one next to it.

I decided on the one next to it, because the children's hospital is always so full and takes 3 hours. I pull up at the hospital and there are 4-6 ambulances cop cars and a bunch of people everywhere, I decided then that we would get seen faster at Children's so that is where we went. I don't have a problem with the children's hospital everyone was really nice and took good care of us, but they don't call your doctors they have their own in house doctors and they are a teaching hospital, so as of now a Sunday Haleigh's Dr does not know she was even in the hospital, and we had to use the in house ENT even though I have one we have used for a long time.

So at the hospital the ER is empty. We sign in get taken right back and Haleigh is still throwing up, nothing big enough to have made her choke. She is not swallowing at all and is getting sleepy. We do an X ray, nothing, do another one higher, and there it is! A quarter stuck! Too big to pass and too far down to throw up. They said they would have to call the ENT and go in with a scope and pull it out. I have been through this before my now 7 year old swallowed a penny that got stick when he was 13 months old.

So everyone was getting ready and we got Haleigh an IV answered a bunch of questions and at 1:27 am Saturday morning she was taken into surgery, they said it would be quick about 15 mins. I really wish they would not say times cause you know when it goes past that time something is wrong. The doctor come to the waiting room at 2:15am, and said they got the coin out and it slid right out with out problems, there was a little scratched throat but nothing was bleeding and she would just be horse for a few days.

However there was a problem before they started. I knew it was coming and I braced myself and prayed as I listened to what he said next. Haleigh has what I believe to be a seizure before any meds were given to put her to sleep, so its not related to anything we did, although it could have been stressed induced, her blood pressure is also high. He said he didn't know how she would do or how it would effect her, but that he was admitting her to the floor and a neurologist  would be up to see her in the morning. It would be up to them when she got to go home.

Then he walked is over to recovery where she was. She looked good had a little oxygen mask on to help her wake up. She was so asleep, they told me I could do whatever but that they wake up in a better mood if they are allowed to wake on their own so we decided to let her wake up on her own. So I stood by her and rubbed her head for about 10 mins.

Her Dr came in and said she needed to wake up so they decided to wake her up, it was rounding 3 in the morning and I think she was just so tired she would have kept sleeping. They first tried to just sit her up and call her name that didn't work at all, so they got a cold wet rag and wet her face that pissed her off and she woke up crying and swinging! She sat in my lap drank her juice and they took all her vital signs, her blood pressure was 139 over 82, high but lower than it had been in surgery.

We were then taken to our room. I was so happy to be there I put Haleigh in the crib and started making the sofa bed they had for parents. The floor nurse came up and kind of laughed, she said she needed to do another set of vitals and ask me some questions, she left and I got Haleigh to sleep about 4am. At 4:40 the on call resident comes in and does intake and listened to Haleigh and explained that the neurologist would be in about 8 and would decide what to do. I don't remember what all she asked but I know she left about 5 am.

Jason got there about 7 as did breakfast and Haleigh woke up. I was so glad to see her walking, talking and eating. She was only up for about 20mins and went back to sleep. The neurologist came in about 830 and said he was not sure what all happened but he was going to do an EEG to check her out and go from there, EEG was done about 11 and that is when she woke up again. They have to be very still and keep their heads still for it , we watched a man fishing on tv and she did really good through it all.

We then took a shower, to get all the goop out of her hair, we then laid in the baby bed together and watch cartoons. The Dr came back in and said the EEG was great and he would recommend that they let us go home. He again said he had no clue what really happened, but she looks good and we just have to watch her. We left the hospital at 1:45PM. I was glad to go but wished Haleigh's primary doctor would have need the one over her care. I am taking her to see him in the morning, to go over everything with him.

During all this we missed ball games of Madalyn, Collin, and Aden. They had a fun day with their NaNa, Pappy, and Aunt Heather!

Today is Sunday and Haleigh is very tired still, she slept 16 hours last night and has not eaten much, she is drinking a lot though. She is now napping some more.

We still don't know exactly what happened in that OR, I plan on getting the medical records, so I can take them to Atlanta for her next surgery. I plan on making sure on her blood pressure at the Dr tomorrow, it was 99 over 60 when we left yesterday. The last Dr we saw said what she thought happened was the stress from swallowing the coin caused the high blood pressure, the high blood pressure caused that seizure, and that is causing her to sleep so much.

I think its weird no one wanted a follow up. Not the ENT or the neurologist. So I have to look to my doctor for answers and guidance. I am glad we have a good one!

Thank you for praying for Haleigh through the weekend we know they helped her do so well, God was watching my baby, and helping us cope I felt him there with me, giving me comfort.