PukeFest '05: Desperately Trying to Scalp Our Tickets

Let me tell ya people, this has been one long weekend! I cannot tell you just how grateful we were to have slipcovers on our sofas because, yeeeeeah, it got ugly there for a few days. Our washing machine had to put in some overtime this week. After being puked on point-blank in the face yesterday, I very quickly reached the saturation point of my motherly tolerance for body fluids. Soon thereafter began our Sunday ER adventure.

Ava was one of thousands of kids who had the exact same symptoms within the last few weeks, according to the triage nurse. However, they weren’t going to take any chances and quickly ordered up a blood test, x-rays, and an iv fluid transfusion. Which before I continue on with my story, let me just say that Ava is just fine and nothing drastic had to be done.

One large male nurse came in to take Ava’s blood, accompanied by another sizable male nurse, a sweet-faced female lab tech, and another female nurse who handed them the needed supplies. Together they were practiced in the art of holding down children while poking them with sharp needles because it is common knowledge that kids obtain super human strength when it comes to having to get a shot. All the while they were holding down the screeching banshee that used to be known as Ava, they were working to quickly to take the blood and get the iv in place. Rick and I stood watching for what seemed like hours as our little girl lay screaming with pain and confusion. Ava just wasn’t buying the words of comfort that the nurses were giving to her either. Then all of a sudden, out rips one of the largest farts that a tiny body could ever produce.

“Poopy?” asks Ava in her tiny voice.

The whole exam room broke out into laughter, and the nurses could barely contain their grins as they tried to finish their work. Ava, of course, had gone right back to her dying scream. A little later as Ava was getting her fluids, we could overhear the nurses retelling the story in the hallway. I’m guessing that this was the funny story of the shift.

Turns out, that Ava has what they call rotavirus. It’s a very nasty bug that affects the tummy and then declares warfare on the two main orifices causing great cramps and discomfort. Consequently, with all of the shall we say, “exploding” little kids have a hard time keeping hydrated, and being a little gassy is a not so fun side-effect. It’s quite contagious, and from what we’ve witnessed it presents one more solid (or not so solid if you know what I mean) reason why you should wash your hands!

Comments

daphne said…
It's vomit all over the blogosphere today! Yay!
Anonymous said…
*scrubbing hands*

Oh god-- I hope the worst is behind you . . . hang in there . . ~bluepoppy
Unknown said…
Sounds like quite a weekend! Hope your daughter is much better.

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