Sick

This is not the kind of thing I like to post about, but this is our family journal of sorts, so I record the bad along with the good. We have had quite the week. Poor Sawyer caught some nasty super bug and has been sick since Tuesday evening of last week. It all started out with a high fever that we couldn't get under 102 or 103, even with Tylenol every four hours and Motrin every six. He was one hot little firecracker! I sat in the rocking chair with him for days while he fussed and cried. By Wednesday, he had severe (I'm talking 14+ diapers a day!) diarrhea and was refusing to eat or drink anything. The pediatrician (Dr. Lee) saw him on Thursday morning, and thought he might have rotovirus, which he had been vaccinated for, but up to 30% of vaccinated children still catch. We were sent home and told to make sure he didn't get dehydrated. He wasn't any better by Friday, although we were managing to get Pedialyte down him. Friday night, he developed a nasty rash, starting on the top of his head. 1st thing Saturday morning, the rash had spread to his trunk, and we took him in to see a pediatrician again.


This seriously does not do this rash justice. I had to use my camera phone, and it just washed all the pictures out.

She was baffled by his symptoms. He was nearly inconsolable at this point, was still running a fever, and his diapers were not slowing down. Dr. Kristin thought he might have measles, although she had never actually seen a case before. She consulted with a pediatric hospitalist (Dr. Kerr) in Flagstaff who thought it might be Kawasaki Syndrome, and ordered him straight to his facility. This earned us an express pass on the ambulance to Flagstaff Medical Center, where he stayed until Sunday morning.


On our way to FMC. Sawyer slept, and Mom got carsick. :(

We spent our time there consoling one frustrated, sick baby, and trying to get him to leave his IV site alone. The nurses had to resort to some pretty creative measures to keep it covered. We weren't able to have any visitors because they weren't sure what was wrong with him. The nurses and doctors gowned up and wore masks whenever they came in Sawyer's room. We felt like he had the plague.






(Finally!) Sleeping with Daddy in the hospital

We have him home now, and he seems to be doing better. He still has nasty diapers, so he and I are quarantined to the bedroom, and away from everyone else until he is symptom free for 24 hours. His rash is nearly gone, and he is no longer running a fever. There is still not a clear diagnosis. The doctor in Flagstaff detected a slight heart murmur and his labs indicated a slightly elevated LFT (liver function test). Dr. Kerr said that either of these results could be benign, or they could be from his illness. He will have to have further tests to make sure the murmur is okay, and the LFTs return to normal.
It has been a long week, but we had lots of people praying for us, and my brothers and sisters pitched in to stay with and help with the other three kids. We are blessed that Sawyer is on the mend, and that we have such amazing family and friends pulling for us. We will keep our readers updated on his progress.