Hard Days Night.....

It is now 8 PM on a day that started yesterday at 5 AM.  I figure I've catnapped a total of about 90 minutes.  But we've accomplished quite a bit.

We saw two different ER doctors twice each, one floor resident 4 times, two nephrologists twice, two infectious disease specialists, two anaesthesiologists, and two ophthalmologists.  Counting any visit from any one doctor as being complete if we don't see them again for another two hours, we've had eighteen different doctor visits today.  (You'll notice that neurology is missing from this list.  We didn't see them, but every one of the above folks put in a call to them for advice so they've earned their money today anyway.) The last time the nephrologist showed up she asked Babygirl, "What is bothering you?"  Without looking up from my book, I replied for her:  "Doctors."

Babygirl feels like crap.  She still has fevers that come and go, mostly low grade, chills, headache and photophobia.  Imagine having a crashing headache, having some lunatic put drops in your eyes and then make you stare at bright, bright lights - over and over again.  At one point the ophthalmologist could see she was suffering, stopped and said, "Let me give you a break."  She shut the lights off, waited for Babygirl to compose herself, and then finished.  I can't tell you how proud I am of how little time it took for her to say, "I'm ready."

Ophtho says her eyes are fine and not contributing to the problem in any way.  This crosses a couple of (admittedly unlikely) things off the list, and makes some of the other things less likely.  Anaesthesia is going to use propophil (not sure on spelling and to tired to care).  It's a white liquid sometimes referred to as "Milk of Amnesia" that knocks you but is quickly reversible.  Unless your doctor is a total quack and leaves you unsupervised at home with it, as with Michael Jackson, it's pretty safe.  Nephrology is worried about the effects of the antibiotics on her kidney, but are afraid to stop them because her blood pressure is low and her pulse high (both improving slowly), both signs of systemic infection.  Infectious disease wants a bajillion tests, both on blood and spinal fluid, many of which will take a long time to produce information, and all involving scary rare stuff.

We are moving forward.  Once again we might end up not knowing what caused this infection, whether or not it is connected to the headaches, and what to do about them.  But I was asked more intelligent, thoughtful questions today about Babygirl's history, our family life, pets and travel habits than I have EVER been asked.

And remember that social assessment form?  The one the nurses admit they never look at?  I mentioned our pet pygmy hippo on one of them.  I doubt anyone will notice.

I'm hoping we'll get some sleep.  Thank God I noticed that they'd called in the respiratory therapists.  I fired them immediately - we do NOT need someone waking Babygirl every 4 hours to check on the asthma that hasn't require treatment in two years.

DeeDee