Week Thirty-five - What Happens If She's Sick When........

Babygirl awoke this morning with a sore throat, fever and bellyache.  Fever and bellyache scare me. After all, what if it's peritonitis?  But the dialysate is clear, and her tummy is soft.  So I decided that she should stay home from school, and call the family doc and the dialysis nurse for further advice.  Babygirl lays down on the couch and falls back asleep, and I carry on getting ready for work, Hubby all unaware of this little drama.

Then Hubby comes downstairs holding our cell phones, in the middle of a call on his, which he thrusts into my hand saying, "It's the hospital."  The OTHER hospital.

Of course it is.  And like last time, the first thing they say is, "We're calling to see how Babygirl is today."  Well, this time at least I immediately understand the purpose of the call.  Tears burn behind my eyes and I tell them, "She's sick."  I fill them in on the details and watch Hubby's face go from hopeful to bewildered to crushed.  "Well, she was just backup" the transplant nurse tells me.  But I don't need to be told that the reason they HAVE backup is because there have been times in the past when the first and second choices have fallen through.  And last time she was only two spots away from the top slot.

And I have less than twenty minutes to let this all go, get ready for work, and take care of people who come to me to fix THEIR problems.  And that's tough to do because my phone keeps ringing - the family doc ("We can fit her in at eleven"), the dialysis center ("Don't worry about peritonitis if the fluid was clear."), Hubby ("Med list?"), the family doc again ("What shots did they give her at dialysis?"), and some random call I later figure out was a reminder for me to take my mom to the heart doctor later this week.

Turns out its "just a virus." "Can't you just call them and tell them to wait?"  I am amazed at how many times today I've heard this.  No, it can't wait, it musn't wait, someone needs that kidney as soon as possible. And I know that if they suppress her immune system while she's fighting a virus it could kill her AND the new kidney. And it isn't worth the risk either way. So somebody elses' child is getting a kidney today, and Merry Christmas to them.

And many, many many many prayers for the family who, six days before Christmas, have had to decide whether or not to donate their child's organs.  And bless them many times over for choosing to do so.

And we get to celebrate Christmas at home.  We almost missed Halloween last time.  Well, if God doesn't want us to miss a holiday at home, there's lots of non-holiday time between New Year's and Easter.  We'd be happy to go anytime......

DeeDee