From clinic to inpatient

We loaded Terran in the car Monday morning to head for his scheduled clinic visit. He seemed a little extra tired, but he had just been napping so that wasn’t anything alarming. By the time we were in the clinic room, we knew something was up. We asked the nurse to recheck his temperature a few times and no doubt – it was climbing. 99. 100. 101. We headed straight to the emergency room.

We knew the drill this time. Once we got admitted to an ED room, I drove home to gather out things for the week. Back in a couple hours, we had just gotten an inpatient room and moved upstairs. In the gambit of tests the ED runs to rule out central line infections, Terran had tested positive for a cold virus. Walker later confirmed his friend’s kids also came down with the same so we knew he got it from the small birthday party we took him to over the weekend. Terran can’t live in a bubble, and he loves seeing other kids, so colds are just going to happen. We were bummed it came with a fever since that’s an automatic 3-day hospital stay, but we were hopeful that was it and we’d get to go home Weds afternoon. Well… it’s Weds night and we’re still here.

Another test came back positive – his central line blood cultures. Last time, he grew one bacteria. This time he’s upped the ante and has grown two difference strands of bacteria. Not good. The docs switched him from the broad spectrum antibiotic to the focused hard hitter, along with Tylenol, and he has started to show some progress. His fevers went from constant to intermittent to nonexistent over the course of 2 days. We were looking up! Until the blood culture lab prophesized the 2nd bacterial strain was a big daddy… It’s considered a “sticky” bacteria which means it can adhere itself to the central line, immoveable by antibiotics. If it doesn’t clear by meds, we would need to surgically remove the line, wait a couple days to clear the blood of infection, then place a new line, likely in a different place. There are only so many insertion sites, so using another one is no small fee.

Scared all day, mentally preparing for surgery, we finally get some GOOD NEWS. The big daddy bacteria only grew in 1 of 4 of the blood cultures taken so far! Initially, blood samples are taken from two locations: central line and peripheral (like a regular hand/arm IV). This tells the medical team how far the infection has spread. If it’s in the central line, but not the perf, it’s likely “new” and hasn’t spread throughout the entire body. We’ve sampled 4 places so far: Mon CL, Mon perf, Tue CL, Wed CL. The only place the big daddy bacteria was identified (thus far — big disclaimer) was Mon CL. This is totally unexpected and the doc who shared the news was baffled herself but we’ll take it!! Terran has battled the remaining bacteria before and overcame it. His cold is an added headwind this time, but I know he can do it.

We make these experiences worth something by learning from them. The first infection we learned so much, including the details of the level of antibiotic he needed to clear the infection. There’s a short window of opportunity to get to “therapeutic level” and we almost didn’t make it last time. We remembered that and mentioned it to the team this time so they could consider it in their dosing (“maybe Terran needs to start higher than the standard dose…”). They listened and upped his dose the same day. This time we’re learning as well, most recently what we all need to stay mentally healthy during these long hospital stays. Terran needs to learn about his surroundings – he’s more interested in the thermometer cord than the rattle. He needs physical time – standing at his Zany Zoo or walking around his crib. Mama needs to buck up and pay for Starbucks downstairs – it’s a small energizing treat before entertaining Terran all day in the four walls of a hospital room. She needs to ask the nurse for a daily 30 min break so she can get some fresh air. Dad needs to see his boy – photos and Facetime during the day and holding him at night. He needs to go in late when he sleeps at the hospital and get off early to see T before bedtime.

Hope, pray, wish, meditate… do all the things for Terran to get better before surgery becomes the necessity. We have ~2 days.

Not everything is doom and gloom… Terran is so snuggly, it melts my heart. He’s so tired all the time but also wants to play. He’ll play hard for a short while then climb into my arms and collapse. I’m not complaining! I get to play then snuggle and get some work done. He’s also still hungry, nursing well and still wanting to eat solids. Today he tried bacon for the first time at literally wouldn’t let it go. Usually, he mouths the food for a while and maybe bites off a few pieces but this time he held on tight – trying to get as much as he could! Eating is what is going to heal his gut so it was a hilarious and beautiful moment (and that’s coming from a vegan!).