Ellis suddenly got sick with her vomiting episode this past Monday. It required a hurried visit to the pediatrician’s office right before the office closed for the day, and that visit led to an ER visit at 7 p.m.
At the ER, Ellis was miserable with heavy breathing and constant vomiting. Medication and IV fluids seemed to help and we were discharged 12 hours later at 7:30 a.m. with a new prescription and instructions for home care.
We had a good four hours of rest at home, and I thought things were staring to improve. Then the whole thing flared up again and persisted all day. We ended up coming back to the ER that night at 12:30 a.m.
That 2nd ER visit led to a hospital admission. Thankfully, there was an available bed on the second night and we didn’t need to transfer to another hospital in an ambulance.
Ellis is still unwell. Her debilitating nausea, vomiting, chills, and severe discomfort come in waves and she is also complaining of back pains. It’s heartbreaking to see her moaning in pain; it’s got to be so exhausting and miserable for her little body. This is by far the worst cyclic vomiting episode she’s had.
It’s heartbreaking and painful to watch her in this much physical distress and not know how to help her with long-term relief. I can just support her emotionally, help her bedside, consult with doctors and nurses, be her advocate and caring mama. We are entering day 3 of being in the hospital.
I’m tired, but somehow by the grace of God, I’m surviving and still going with the flow and not flopping over in despair. Elliot and Chris have been visiting each evening, so that’s a real treat for us. Good to connect with the fam, even for a short few hours, although we won’t do anything special. Tonight, we all took a field trip to the gift shop located on the first floor with Ellis (all cozied up in her wheelchair since distraction quells her vomiting) to choose their special Christmas ornaments. Elliot picked a nutcracker and Ellis picked a light-up Christmas tree.
It’s been quite a week, a wild and tumultuous one!! Hoping tomorrow will be a better day of recovery and healing!
41 responses to “This is not our week. 2 ER visits in 2 days”
Thanks God Elliot is now better. Stop vomiting. Will be a better day of recovery and healing! I send love & hug for Elliot. God blessing 🙏!
Tack care! Nice pediatric emergency ward. I can see Elliot photo’s and then I realised & emotional 😭 & raining by eyes 👀.
Thank you, Raj, for your sweet message! I appreciate it. The week was so crazy for me that I didn’t get to come on wordpress till tonight.
I’m hoping tomorrow will be a better day! I’m tired and my adrenaline has kicked in. When it’s all over and we’re home, I’ll need major rest.
Thank you so much my dear friend Esther! I am so happy now. Yes, I know your days are so crazy & you lots of tired. Now you rest to WordPress. You can get major rest. Don’t mind. Elliot is very soon healing & under control. I pray to God for as soon as well. Tack care my friend!
Thank you, Raj! You are so thoughtful and kind in your comments. We are so full of stress and worry. Everyone in our family is suffering.
Thanks, I know you are very worried. But relax and pray to God. Trust in God. You always in worry & get tress then your health is not good. Please you tack care. I wish you good health & send hug 🤗.
Thank you, Raj!!
Oh, bless! What a miserable time for you all. I hope they have it under control now. Poor Ellis!
Not under control yet. Getting there by trying different things. It’s been a painful few days for our family. I will probably collapse from exhaustion when this thing is over!
Thanks, Jo, for your sweet comment!
Fingers crossed, Ellis will get over this bout soon 🤞 Hugz for you all 🤗
Thank you, Jez! Appreciate your thoughts. I hope so too.
Oh, no! I’m so sorry to hear Ellis is so sick. I hope she’s soon on the road to a full recovery.
Thank you, Liz! I hope so too. I’m just hoping for even a slight improvement at this point. Changing her medication tonight…she hasn’t been feeling any better. ugh!
You’re welcome, Esther.
🙏🩷🙏
Oh no, so sorry your daughter is going through a rough time. Hope she feels better real soon. <3
Thank you, Barbara! I hope so too.
Oh Esther, you are an extraordinary strong and smart person. I’m so sorry that Ellis is unwell and in the hospital.
Today I read a bit about the disease that Ellis was born with; Hypolastic Left Heart Syndrome. I understand that her heart cannot pump enough blood for the oxygen we all need. My heart has the same inability to pump enough blood as I learned I have congestive heart failure 8 months ago when I was hospitalized in ICU for 12 days with no people support other than doctors and nurses on staff and a veterinarian staff who took in Yorkie for a month while I was too sick to take care of her. Though your daughter’s disease and my own disease have some similarity, there’s so much that is different.
When I saw the photo of Ellis in her hospital bed my heart broke for her, for you and your family, Esther. You are a wonderful mother and are doing everything correct. All I can do is send my prayers and give you all encouragement to keep trying. I hope that there’s a bed and an arm chair for you in Ellis’s hospital room. Please remember taking care of yourself is not selfish, but a requirement so that you will stay well to take care of others. 💐☕️💕
Thank you, TD, for your kind kind words and encouragement! I’m trying to stay strong and cheerful for Ellis, but it’s not constant. Chris is here right now comforting her so that gives me a break to just “be.” There is a futon and a private bathroom and shower, so it’s not uncomfortable to stay here, except that home is really the best place to be.
TD, 12 days in the ICU is a long stay! I’m so sorry that you had to go through that. It’s a scary experience and to do that alone with only support from doctors and nurses. Do you live alone? Were you born with a heart condition?
Ellis was born with HLHS and I knew when I was 20 weeks pregnant that she had an undeveloped left side of the heart. She’s had 4 heart surgeries so far. It’s been a wild ride! We will keep you in our prayers and thank you for sharing your story with me. I hope only the best health for you and no more ICU visits. Do you have your own blog where you write about your experiences? Would love to be a part of it and support you!!
Oh Esther, I’m glad that your husband Chris was able to give you a much needed break to just “be”. That is Hugh! It is absolutely wonderful that there are comfortable accommodations for a family member to stay with a patient. (There was not where I was in ICU hospitalization.)
I’m open to answer all your questions about my congestive heart failure, but right now in this moment what is most important is Ellis and getting her home as quickly as possible. I’m thinking about you constantly throughout my day. I wish that I could relieve your pain as a witnessing mother and I wish I could completely take Ellis’s pain into my own body. I know the pain of enormous ridiculous amounts of iv’s. I’ve been there. It makes no sense!
I love you, Esther. And I send my love to your family. ❤️
PS I do not write a blog. I have not found any bloggers who write about congestion heart disease or Hypolastic Left Heart Syndrome.
Hi TD, I wish you did write a blog!! I’d follow and read your posts. But I’m happy that you read WP and am happy to have your friendship.
Bowen’s Heart is a blog. He’s pretty famous and have had a documentary made. His father used to be the lead singer of a Christian band called Sanctus Real. I wrote about watching his documentary and then having a panic attack the next day. lol. Too fresh and too soon for me. I wrote about it here. http://singlikewildflowers.com/2023/02/06/too-soon-hlhs-panic-stirs/
I will read it!! I have been diagnosed with severe depression and extreme anxiety into a disability so I take it seriously with experience and humor. I just asked our mutual friend blogger friend, Linda S. If she would be comfortable with sending you a link to a gospel that I absolutely love! But I’m a dinosaur and don’t know how to send it to you myself.
The lyrics: “Tender words
Gentle touch and a good cup of coffee
And someone who loves me
And wants me to stay
Hold them near while they’re here, oh
And don’t wait for tomorrow
To look back and wish for this day
We have this moment to hold in our hands
And to touch as it slips
Through our fingers like sand
Yesterday’s gone
And tomorrow may never come
But we have this moment today, we have this moment today
We all have this moment today”
I thought would touch you in this moment and I thought you would understand.
Will see if she will/ can send it to your post today about faith.
Thank you for the Bowan’s heart blog!
I’ve been thinking about you all day, Esther. My heart is with you, even though I don’t know you in person. ❤️
Oh Esther I just read your post dated blog post! Beautifully written!! Hopefully long forgotten by Ellis, yet not deniable. 💕
Thank you, TD! I used to write a lot about Ellis’ medical emergencies since many popped up often. But it’s been less frequent these days, thankfully!
TD, thank you for this lovely song! The lyrics are beautiful and it’s true that each day is moment to behold with gratitude and hope. I’ve been living this out this week. Each day has been so challenging that I can only think about what is going on now. The next day is looked on with hope and optimism that a breakthrough will come. Today was slightly better than yesterday but the improvements are very slow and slight.
I don’t take depression and anxiety lightly, TD. I’m on medication for depression still and suffer from PTSD from Ellis’ early hospital days. I was severely depressed and finally started to feel less despair March of this year. New psychiatrist and new medication. It’s hard with all the stigma, but it’s reality!
I feel your pain; even eating became a burden. I’m sorry that you have depression and anxiety. How did it start for you?
I appreciate your honesty, thoughtfulness, and kind words! Linda is wonderful, isn’t she?? My kids call her auntie Linda and talk about her like they’ve met her in person. They know you as “TD who calls Dart ‘Darling Dart.’”
You are correct Esther about the stigma. I typically don’t go public with all my 63 years of health. If you want to exchange emails, I would certainly share privately with you. Perhaps there’s some benefit for you. I don’t know.
I consider myself single, living with only my Yorkie for now. I often feel like a pharmaceutical lab rat. For me depression is like the tides, high tides and low tides with the calm in between depending on what I am going through in my life. And for me anxiety is like a tornado.
I hear you about not going public about your health! Depression and anxiety are overwhelming and debilitating at times.
Can you email me your email address at singlikewildflowers@gmail.com? I’ll send you my personal email address that I use for everything. Linda and I email that way.
Wow, I am so sorry to hear about Ellis. It’s heartbreaking what she’s going through. You really are having a tough time recently. Try to stay strong and I truly hope things look up soon.
Thank you, Pooja! Hoping too. We were thrilled to have had no ER visits this year and then this major thing happens. Ack! It’s tough being at the hospital, but it’s the best thing for us since she’s getting proper care.
Yeah, it makes sense to go to the hospital since they can care for her properly 24/7. It’s hard to do that at home.
It’s rough being in the hospital, but it’s a relief they have all the care and professional to help with Ellis’ needs. Trying to stay positive. Hope you are well and having a good weekend!
Thanks and yeah try to stay positive. Things will definitely get better.
Oh I’m so sorry for all of you. I hope Ellis gets better soon. Get some rest when you can. Sending love, hugs and energy along with prayers.
It’s been a rough few days for our family! Thank you for your well wishes and prayers. We’re hoping that things improve soon. It’s hard to see her suffering like this.
Esther – well this is so sudden and you all were full of happiness and hope that Ellis was stronger and able to go without the g-tube – now this. You’ve had a terrible past few weeks, but you don’t need me to tell you that … 2023 needs to end quickly. At least the Hawaii trip was a happy getaway from this thing called “life”. I hope Ellis rallies back and the two of you can return home and you get your needed sleep. Here is a card for Ellis a card to cheer her now … hope you can access it on her phone as you have THAT going on as well.
https://jlcards.com/ZQ4Iy4
Thank you, Linda, for the card! When Ellis is feeling better, I’ll show it to her.
You’re right that we were so full of life and happiness just a few weeks ago, and how the tides have changed!! Now I regret having Ellis getting the g-tube removed. Maybe it needed to stay a bit longer?! It’s no use regretting now, but I’m wondering if I was too rash in making the decision. Wow, what a year. Few months of coasting and then BAM!
I’m glad to give you a little joy Esther, a little respite for both of you from this situation. Ellis looks so tiny in the big hospital bed. You relented on getting the g-tube removed, but if I remember your post before the procedure, it was in part because Ellis wanted it removed, so you agreed to it. Perhaps it is not too late to reverse that procedure to have it in place a little longer, while you’re still in that hospital setting, if it makes you feel better and the doctors think it’s a good idea. Ellis will bounce back … she has many prayers and thoughts in her favor.
Love & Prayers for a speedy recovery.
Thank you, Cindy! Hope so too. Going on Day 5 at the hospital.
Oh you poor sweet people. Sending prayers for all the things. 💕
We were out of internet access all weekend. Sorry I’m just now seeing all this distress.
Thank you!! It was crazy how things went down so suddenly. I was in disbelief when we ended up in the ER 2 nights in a row and I only got a few hours of sleep. Ack! Coffee can only do so much. lol