A Trip to the ER

Haley has been weezy off and on all throughout our Christmas break. We went to Dr. Wood in Baton Rouge, and he diagnosed Haley with broncheolitis (I think that is how it is spelled) and said to treat it much like we would treat a cold. He did a breathing treatment with Haley, but nothing changed when he did that (probably because Haley was flailing everywhere and none of the medicine actually got into her system). By the time we got home to Costa Rica, Haley seemed to be all the way better.

Thursday she woke up coughing a lot. Later I noticed she was pulling at her ear. My first thought was that she might have an ear infection, but she didn't act like she felt bad except for the coughing. Today, when she woke up she clearly felt worse. The coughing had almost subsided when it was time to leave for school. Against my better judgement, I sent her to school. After school she couldn't sleep for her nap because she was coughing so much. She was rubbing at her throat and ear and had trouble breathing. Also she had a low grade fever.

After dinner, we called Dr. Longworth. He is a Dr. that works a couple days a week at our school seeing students and their families; however, he also works at a local hospital which we are all reccomended to go to if the need arises. He said I should just take Haley to the pediatrician on call at the ER. I told Matt what he said and after a moment of hesitation, he agreed. Within 10 minutes of arriving at the hospital we were visiting with the pediatrician. She said Haley's broncheolitis had come back and from what she said, it was a little worse than before. She sent for some breathing treatments for Haley. We were in a room with very comfortable chairs and a flat screen TV to watch whatever we wanted. Haley received several breathing treatments before we saw the Dr. again.

In addition to the broncheolitis, Haley has a throat infection and an ear infection. Needless to say she was feeling pretty rotten. Before we left the hospital, Haley had to get a steroid shot in her leg. We left the hospital with three different medicines (one of which I had to mix my self). Each medicine has to be taken at different times through out the day and for a different number of days. We were worried about taking Haley to the ER, but for the breathing treatments, medicines, and Dr. visit, we paid under $300.

Thanks be to God for looking out for little Haley. He is healing her sick little body. Please pray that she is healed quickly so that we can get back to chasing her and keeping her out of the things she's not supposed to be into.