Bella's Trip to the ER

AKA the time we went to Des Moines, Bella got sick and cried the entire time.

I did not bring my camera for this occasion. It was actually in my bag and I took it out as we were leaving because I knew Mike would be horrified if I took a picture.

Mike's mom, Bella and I went to Des Moines on Friday in an attempt to spend time with Bella's extended family (all but a few of Mike's cousins live in Des Moines) and see some college friends (SO sad to have missed that!) and give Mike some work time. Bella had a slight fever before we left, so I took her to her ped. Friday morning just to make sure. We got the go ahead: not an ear infection, or strep throat. Saturday night Bella was up all night crying and moaning in pain. She could barely even get the cry out. She also had a high fever. Sherry and I were up all night with her. And just to add to the drama, Sherry said that after 4 chidren, she had never seen anything like that. In the morning I called the nurse from our insurance who told me to head to an Urgent Care or an ER. In the end we decided a children's ER was the best choice. She threw up twice on our way into the ER, which of course was one of the symptoms the nurse had said to look for.

So after lots of tests and an IV because she was a little dehydrated, they concluded it was a viral infection. We couldn't believe all that was a viral infection, but of course we were thankful it wasn't anything worse!

Here are some cute things Bella said while being held down by three nurses and swaddled in a sheet while they took blood: She kept saying, "Mommy, Bye-bye. Car."
Then she was saying, "Night-night". I said, "Honey, you can go night-night here." So she said, "Bible night-night". Meaning she wanted the kind of night night where I read to her and she goes to bed in her own bed!

Bella is still not doing great. She is not sleeping or eating well. She has a really bad (non asthmatic) cough. And is gradually getting better at not crying all the time. :) Mike will take her to our ped. tomorrow while I am subbing.

I couldn't help but think while I was holding Bella while she was receiving the IV of how much time in the past 7 months I have spent taking Bella, who overall is a really healthy girl, to the doctor. I wondered how that mom with 17 kids manages. That would be a full time job just keeping up with 17 kid's medical needs! Needless to say, we are not on the road to having 17 kids, so I guess I will never find out.