Last year, Henry spent Halloween in the ER.
It's been a year and I've never blogged about it. But, when I don't blog about things, I feel like I'm not being honest with you, like I'm faking you out, you aren't getting the real me.
Last year, Henry couldn't walk, he couldn't stand. He cried trying to get his costume on, it wasn't until my husband said, "I'm taking him to the ER" that I started feeling like I was the wrong one, that he wasn't 'just fine'.
But we didn't get any answers. It wasn't his appendix, at least that would have been an answer.
He slept on the couch at Christmas, too tired at times to open his gifts.
He vomited for a week in January.
All of these were clues... that we didn't see. Hindsight, of course.
Then his urine turned rust colored, near red, dark like a cola. Henry, who is normally startled by anything out of the ordinary, wasn't. He laughed as he peed into the toilet. We laughed along with him, only hoping to get him to bed as soon as possible...
to see, to research, to put our minds at ease, and to fear for his life:
why does he have blood in his urine?
He went to the doctor in the morning; blood was drawn, tests were taken,
And answers were finally given.
Undiagnosed strep throat, so long undiagnosed that it started to affect his kidneys.
And this is why I haven't blogged about it. Would people come here and say, 'ha- how could you have not known. It's a mother's instinct, you should have looked more, asked more questions, pressed further for answers.'
'You are living by your blog's namesake'.
This Halloween, Henry was fine.
I know that it wasn't my fault. I know that I can blog about something like this and I'm going to have supporters.
And I might have some people who would blame me too, and this year, I'm OK with that.
13 comments:
(((hugs))) You didn't know. That's why strep can be so tricky. So glad things are better now. :)
Wow I had no clue strep throat could lead to that. Was he eating? It seems like if it was that bad he would complain about eating and not want to- so yea I think I would have missed it to.
There is no way you could possibly have known that, and sometimes kids just do not display recognizable symptoms. It wasn't your fault, and he's a-ok now! :)
Oh my...yeah...the guilt! I know you know, but it really could happen to anyone. It feels so awful to not "just know," but so much of the time, we just don't.
i am proud of you. i was then and still am now.
always.
henry is the luckiest. and so is w. and e.
xo
I cried when I read this. I'm so sorry that you (and Henry) had to go through that. When I was small, I had an ear infection for so long that my ear eventually started oozing green puss - my mother had no clue because there was no sign until that point. Sometimes you just don't know.
I am so, so happy everything is ok and this year was better. You are still my role model. =D
When my 2nd oldest son was 9 he got strep throat so bad. He had been complaining of throat pain for a few days and when I looked I didn't see any signs. Then while at church on Easter morning I looked again and saw major signs. I wound up taking him to the ER and he had the worse case of strep the doctor had ever seen. So I feel your pain Mama!
Beth--
No blaming, and finally mystery solved! My pediatrians are always describing their work as an "art"-- with kids under 10, that's what it tends to be. (Although every time we go in, it seems they do a strep test to be on the safe side, as strep has been stampeding through smallfry's preschool.)
My recent conversation: Smallfry: "I need to go to the doctor." Me: "Ok, why do you need to go to the doctor?" Smallfry: "Because I'm sick." Me: "Well, what are you going to tell the doctor? How are you sick." Smallfry: "Because I AM!"
And so on. Yes, he's got a cold, and if it drags on, we'll go in. But its really hard when you're being told "Its a virus." and they shrug their shoulders. Or, with the periorbital cellulitis, they can't tell you WHY it developed or how to *prevent* it. I think most of us have been to this place. Arrgh!
What a horrible thing to go through... you are such a good Mom!
Three years ago my son was vomiting, became dehydrated and ended up in the ER. Turns out he had strep. The only reason they thought to test him for it was because my daughter had a weird rash, which turned out to be scarlet fever. They figured they should test him, too. Strep is a stinker!
I'm glad this year was not like that for you!
It just seems to me that the medical professionals couldn't come up with an immediate answer, even with their tests and methods of diagnosis. You are a fantastic mother. Wonderful. Human, so, not perfect... which makes me like you even more. I hope you see how fortunate your kids are to have you. They are.
I'm glad you have an answer. It's a sucky answer, but better to have one you can work from. SO glad this Halloween was better.
I hate to be a follower, but I suppose this all puts me in the "supporter" camp, huh?
Sending you love.
PS I am trying not to read too much about the potential sneaky strep cases I see listed here in the comments... scary!
I'm sorry, momma. Contrary to what many people believe, we aren't super humans. We're simply human.
You did everything that you could. You took him to the doctor--even they didn't know.
I am so glad he's feeling better--and for the record? You? Are an AMAZING mom. xoxo
Wow, such weird and seemingly unrelated symptoms. Who would have know? Thanks for sharing this.
Ellie had strep in her EAR last year. It has puss oozing out and they tested it and that's what it turned out to be. Never knew that was possible till then.
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