We’ve spent half of this week in hospital due to Jessica having low oxygen sats and a chest infection. Her sats had been on the low side for the past couple of weeks which we’d put down to her having a cold and a bit of a cough. She seemed fine on Monday morning when she went off to preschool but halfway through the morning, I had a phone call. Jessica’s key worker was concerned that Jessica looked a bit bluer than normal and was quite subdued and wanted me to come in and check. When I arrived, I agreed that she was a bit blue, took her home and called the community nurse to let her know that I wanted to get Jessica checked out in view of the fact that her sats had been persistently on the low side.
It’s at times like this that open access to our local children’s ward is invaluable – within an hour of preschool phoning me, we were in the paediatric assessment unit, with Jessica on oxygen to help bring her sats back up again. She had a chest X-ray (which was clear) and with her temperature going up and down, the doctors decided to give her IV antibiotics in case she had a chest infection (and to prevent any infection getting to her heart and causing endocarditis). I was so proud of how brave Jessica was whilst having her bloods taken and her cannula put in (which thankfully went in on the first attempt – no mean feat with Jessica’s veins!) – she grumbled more about taking the clear plasters covering the magic cream off than actually having the needles put in!
Thankfully after a couple of days being on and off oxygen, and 24 hours of IV antibiotics, she was much better. Her sats are back up into the high 70s and we got discharged on Wednesday to go home with oral antibiotics. Since being home, she’s been fine and has been enjoying having godmummy Gillian come to stay for a few days.
Things I have loved this week:
- Having a little bit of time for myself when my sister took the girls to the park while she was staying with us.
- Making a spring garden in an egg box with Jessica.
- Jessica giving Sophie a big cuddle when it was time for Daddy and Sophie to go home the first night of Jessica’s hospital stay and trying to reassure her. “I’m sorry Sophie, I can’t go home. I have to stay here. I’m sorry. I love you.”
- A few moments of seeing Jessica’s sats up at 87 with a good trace – they soon came back down to more normal levels for her but that was certainly the highest we’ve seen them for some time!
- The amazing care we have had from the hospital staff – they’ve all been brilliant at making sure both Jessica and myself were ok. The NHS isn’t perfect, but it’s certainly something I’m very thankful for.
- Sitting and doing a jigsaw with Jessica once she was starting to feel better.
- Watching Sophie and Jessica sitting together on Jessica’s hospital bed and having a “tea party”. I particularly liked Sophie giving me a saucepan of “tea” and then handing me a saucer to go with it.
- Seeing how happy my girls were to be home together again.
- The card that Jessica’s preschool friends and teachers made for her.
- Sleeping in my own bed with my babies snuggled in next to me after two nights on a fold out bed in hospital. I slept reasonably well considering but it was so wonderful to be home again.
- Catching up with my friend Gillian.
Over the moon Jessica is feeling better and it was all sorted so swiftly for you all.
She is a little trooper.
You’ve been very busy, you must be utterly exhausted and you’ve still found time to write. You’re a supermum!!
X
Thank you Gemma – writing is always my way of processing things so I try to make the time if I can. It’s certainly been quite a week but so lovely to see Jessica back to her normal happy self again 🙂
What a week lovely! So glad she is home and well and that things went pretty well on the whole. Hope she continues to improve! Xx
Thank you Caroline – she’s much better and looking forward to being back at preschool tomorrow 🙂
What a week, but you take it all in your stride. You are a rock! I’m so glad to hear things improved and you have excellent support from the health care team. Big hugs to you all x
Thank you Claire – our health care team is superb – we are so lucky to have the support we have x
So glad to hear that Jessica is home and feeling better. I love that photo of the girls in the hospital so totally engrossed in their play. Just beautiful. Hope you’ve found some time to look after yourself too after such an emotional week x
Thank you Kyles – I had a day out with my friend on Friday which was a great way of recharging my batteries after the week. We’ve been taking it easy this weekend but it is lovely to see Jessica back to her normal happy self 🙂
Its good to know she is better now and the hospital where she stayed sounds amazing! #wotw
Thank you Merlinda – our local hospital was amazing, was so impressed by how good the care was 🙂
So glad Jessica has picked up so well and is home. Lovely seeing them both playing tea parties. Glad you managed to have a little bit of time to yourself too, it’s very important. x
Thanks Karen – it’s good to be back home again! 🙂
I’m so pleased to hear that Jessica’s doing well now and is home safe and sound. She sounds like such a brave girl, taking it all in her stride like that. Hope you’re OK and you all manage to have a more relaxed weekend x Thanks for sharing with #WotW
Thanks Jocelyn – it’s been a lovely weekend – looking forward to hopefully having a more normal week next week!
So pleased she is ok lovely. I was worried seeing the pics of her in hospital. Sounds like she was so brave and you all pulled together. I bet it was heaven having your girls back all snuggly with you. Glad you had a good second part of the week with some crafts and playing. xx #wotw
Thank you Sarah – so lovely to see Jessica back to her normal happy self again 🙂
Glad to hear the Jessica has recovered well, and so impressed that you were able to find so many positives in what could have been a testing week! The tea party looks like lots of fun 🙂
Thanks Robyn – the tea party was a lot of fun, it kept both the girls entertained for quite a while! 🙂
Well done Jessica! What a brave girl. I love your list – very inspiring.
So happy to hear that shes better, I cant begin to imagine how stressful it can be, She sound like a very brave girl. Its nice to see that you had a good week, I love the spring garden egg box it looks amazing #wotw
Thank you Shahnaz – it certainly wasn’t quite how I expected the week to be!
So sorry to hear she was in hospital. It must be such a worry every time something like that happens. It’s so good that the NHS fast-track her like that. You must have had tears in your eyes when she said those lovely words to Sophie!
Thanks Sarah – it was a worry but having open access makes such a difference. It was sweet to see her trying to reassure Sophie but so hard to have to say goodbye to Sophie and Daddy overnight.
So pleased Jessica is back home and feeling better. Both your girls are so lovely – I love the hospital tea party, so sweet! Hope you all have a lovely weekend.
Thank you Katy – we had a lovely weekend thank you, hope you did too 🙂
Aww! Poor Jessica….It sounds like she was very brave! I am so glad she is on the mend!
Sending big hugs to you too….What a worrying time for you x
Thank you Kim – it was worrying but such a relief to have the open-access and be seen so quickly x
It must have been such a tough week for you, I’m so glad Jessica is feeling brighter now. The NHS does have its down sides but I must admit they have always been the best in our hours of need. Wishing you a clam week this coming week x
Thank you Jane – we were definitely thankful for it this week! x
Aww poor thing sorry to hear she ended up in hospital. Your little girl is a fighter and sounds so grown up in the way she talks to her sister.
Thank you Helena – it was lovely to hear her trying to reassure Sophie.
Oh Louise, what a hard week you have had it must have been such a worry for you all and poor Jessica, she is such a brave little girl. I am so so glad she is on the mend. The NHS has been wonderful to my family and when they go to so much trouble to keep our children healthy and for that I will be eternally grateful. xx
Thank you Sarah – it was a very worrying time but so good to have that open access and be seen so quickly. Jessica is much better now, thankfully 🙂
Oh I’ve only just seen this Louise, what a worry for you.
I hope Jessica is feeling much better now.
Such a brave little girl x
Hi Louise, I am so glad that Jessica is well again, it must be a worry even when she is getting the treatment she needs. It must be a great relief knowing that Jessica’s preschool teachers can be trusted to look out for her too.
I love the picture of your girls playing tea parties on the bed with Dad sat in the background on his tablet.
xx
Thank you Debbie – having that open access makes such a difference and knowing that the preschool will contact me when they are concerned is very reassuring too.