3am trip to the hospital

Emily woke up Friday with a sore throat that didn't go away all day. Knowing that her ANC was 510 on Wednesday I was pretty sure we'd end up in the hospital with symptoms like that. Sure enough this morning at 3am she was burning up with a fever of 103.1. VERY high fever. We rushed her to the E.R. at Stanford so they could take blood and urine cultures, and to check to see where her ANC level was. Emily threw up in the car ride up to the hospital. I stayed home with Haley and Tracy and Emily went to the hospital.

They got seen right away. Her heart rate was also really high, at 150. They took her blood, and started an IV. They were able to access her vein on the first attempt which was nice. After they took her blood they were able to give her some tylenol. We aren't allowed to give her tylenol at home because it could mask a fever, but since they had taken her temp and blood, they were able to give her some.

The good news is she turned out to not be neutropenic, her ANC had shot back up to 1500, so she will be coming home this morning and can fight whatever she has here at home. They are keeping her a little longer to bolus some IV fluids into her to try to slow her heart rate a bit. The bolus was optional but Tracy and I both thought it was a good idea. If she has to go through the ordeal of getting an IV start, why not use it, and get the benefits of quick hydration.

To me it seems like every time we celebrate how great Emily is doing, we get reminded that she's not better yet, and we have a ways to go before a simple fever that most kids get isn't a big deal, for the next year at least they will be big deals. I am so pleased she wasn't admitted this time.