It's Been a Long Few Days!

On Saturday Kahlei had a bit of a runny nose. By Sunday morning she had a horrid cough, swollen eyes and was unbalanced - she couldn't sit up without falling over. I spent the day nursing her and trying to keep her fluids up.

Monday morning came around and she was breathing very fast, with the occassional struggle to get a breath in. We took her to the Dr who rang the Emergency Department so that we could get straight in. Once there she was put on a bed and just laid there, out of it while things went on around her. She was put on oxygen and when that didn't slow her breathing they decided to send her to Canberra Hospital (2 and a half hours away). They put a canula in her arm, with me holding her body, James holding her head and Kahlei screaming. He tried one arm, but no one was holding her hand so she was able to get it out, so we had to switch sides. I was literally sobbing by the end of it.

We spent 7.5 hrs there before James and Kahlei were flown to Canberra and I drove up with Ellie. By the time she and I got there James and Kahlei had been settled in Canberra Hospital's ED, but hadn't been there too long. She looked shocking.  And was just so flat.

Nurses came and went, checked her temperature and re-asked all the questions I had answered at home. We stayed in the ED until 2am before they moved us upto the ward. James practically hadn't eaten anything since breakfast and after being offered food and never getting it, he finally got some little sandwiches. We got settled and waited another hour before James's room at Ronald McDonald House was ready for him.

Finally, I was able to climb into the single  fold out bed next to Kahlei's cot. I thought I would sleep, but Kahlei had a tough night, often trying to roll over and sleep on her belly only to find she had tubes everywhere.

Tuesday morning came all too soon. James came around but couldn't stay long, as he had a Drs appointment he couldn't skip and had to return home. Kahlei was miserable. She wanted cuddles but not for long before she wanted to go back to bed. Everytime she went back to sleep I tried to have a nap, too.

Mum, Caleb and Ellie came to see us  - did I mention Mum had left work and driven to Canberra when I called her about it? No? And that Ellie was staying with them at a friends house?

Anyway, they came and Ellie was completely freaked by the tubes hanging off Kahlei and her red, swollen, flat look. She didn't want to go near her, but at the same time she wanted to make sure she was okay.

Doctors, students and nurses came and went throughout the day. Asking the same questions over and over. Mum took Caleb and Ellie shopping at rest time as Ellie had stayed long enough and needed a break. I tried to get some rest but kept getting interrupted by more doctors and students.

By the afternoon Kahlei was feeling a tad better and had excess energy and decided to explore her cot, which was good for awhile until she just wanted to go and go and go for hours! The problem was that James and I had to keep unwrapping her and stop her tangling herself up in all her cords. She went until 9.30pm, by which time she, James and I were utterly exhausted.

Another nearly sleepless night followed. Thankfully, though, Kahlei's oxygen was turned off at 10pm and her saturation was good all night.  Wednesday morning Mum, Caleb and Ellie came back in to say goodbye as they were going home. As we didn't know how long Kahlei would stay in the hospital and with Ellie being so freaked we decided she would go with Nanna for a few extra days (she was going there Sunday).

After they were gone Kahlei had her nose prongs taken out and her foot monitor, so I sent Ellie a photo to show her she was going to be okay. Kahlei and I had a nap while we waited for Grandma to visit.

She got lost and eventually James went out to meet her and wouldn't you know it - doctor we'd seen most often and one of his students returned and said she could go home. He listened to her chest, said she was clear as and that she had recovered much faster than he had anticipated. I was a little nervous, as everyone I had seen before that had said that they would monitor her for 24 hours after having the oxygen turned off.

A nurse came in and took off all her bandages and removed the canular and by the time Grandma came up she was looking nothing like she had!

It took a little while to get organised and out of there but before I knew it we were on our way home.

I can't believe the last few days. Seriously. James and I are exhausted. Kahlei is happy to be home and able to play. She's still not 100% and I am glad to have a few days to concentrate on her recovery while knowing Ellie is safe and happy.

James and I would like to thank the Staff at our local ED, the NSW Ambulance Service (Justin + Mark), the NSW Air Ambulance, the ACT Ambulance Service (Gav + Taz) and the staff of Canberra Hospital for their help and support throughout this ordeal.

We would also like to thank Ronald Mcdonald House, without which the last few days would have been harder to get through.

Here are a few photos from our time - I didn't take any from when she was really ill, I was too worried, but now I kinda wish I had... Just to have a record of it.