Spoiler: It’s a bone infection that you could find in 100% of Isabel Kleinmahons in August 2018. 

The week started out with Isabel getting a fever on Tuesday.  The fever broke on Wednesday night only to return on Thursday morning.  It repeated this disappearing/reappearing act on Friday afternoon.  To be cautious, we went to see the pediatrician on Friday afternoon and determined she was battling a virus and would get through it.  We should call “if anything changed over the weekend”

Well… It did.  It changed a lot. 

On Saturday morning Isabel, Jake, and I got our weekend donuts driving to the airport to say goodbye to daddy.  He had a board review course in California so it was a Dad-Daughter weekend with a bonus visit from Gramma & Padre who were going to toddler-sit the following week. 

Then I noticed it…Isabel wasn’t using her right arm.  She was just holding it tight across her chest.  When she was crawling she would use the other three limbs and then just tip over instead of putting weight on it.  I texted and called Jake (who was about to board a 2.5 hour flight), I texted our pediatrician, then I begin to quietly panic.  Opinions varied widely – Jake thought she could have septic elbow and might lose her arm.  The Pediatrician thought she had nursemaid’s elbow and would be in and out of the ER in a few hours.  I thought I was a terrible parent and let my little girl get hurt somehow. 

Wise advice from Jake was only partially followed by Tom.  He said to pack things as if we were going to be spending the night and I sort of complied (I blame foggy panic brain).  I brought pants and a shirt but forgot underwear and socks.  I brought a toothbrush and toothpaste but forgot deodorant.    I brought Isabel some clothes, but didn’t check the size (she’s not 18 months anymore). 

Upon checking in, Isabel is charming the nurses with her smile and her vocabulary.  She’s mostly happy until the ER doctor tries to “set” her nursemaid’s elbow…4 times.  Spoiler: it wasn’t nursemaid’s elbow and instead they were just twisting and yanking her arm.  We then went for X-rays to check for a fracture, which (surprise) involves more twisting and positioning of her arm.  After that, we went for an ultrasound.  And again…more twisting and pushing on her arm.   At this point Isabel was not a happy camper and had lots of tears mixed in with lots of ‘no thank yous’ to the nurses, techs, and doctors.  It was truly heart-wrenching to listen to.  In between tests, she’d regain composure and want to walk around the ER and explore.  Both the ultrasound and the X-ray were negative so instead of a quick solution, we got to stay the night in the hospital. 

Mind you, we are calling Jake at every instance to make sure I’m not missing anything or letting them beat up on Isabel more than they have to.   He is calling and texting every doctor he knows to make sure we are getting the best care possible and debating flying home to help, which I specifically said not to do since he needs to pass his boards.

Isabel wouldn't eat much so I found some good sweettreats...because i love her.  Unfortunately, she couldn't quite eat them with her one bum wing and her other good wing held straight out by the IV. 

More tests & more opinions follow the next day.  Finally, we start IV antibiotics to treat for likely bone infection or Osteomyelitis (which an MRI would soon prove the correct diagnosis).  This diagnosis means that we are committed to the hospital for a least a few more days. 

Lucky for us, Gramma and Padre show up with supplies – underwear, socks, deodorant, new shirts, pants for Isabel, and snacks that she might actually eat (the hospital food has room for improvement).   They also show up and provide much needed adult conversation for yours truly…one can only take so much toddler conversation without a break. 

Also lucky for us, on Monday the kids play area opened up and Isabel found a toy shopping cart that she loved.  We took it all over the hospital.  It was very nice to see people’s faces light up as she passed by with her shopping cart, her hospital gown draped over only one shoulder, her arm wrapped in green tape, and her smile from ear to ear.  I’m sure they also enjoyed watching her boss us around – “no, this way”.    

After 5 nights in the hospital, we were finally released on Wednesday afternoon and I’ve never been happier to sleep in my own bed!!

Notable occurrences:

Isabel learned her colors – she knows red, blue, yellow, and orange.  She sometimes struggles with green, pink, and white.    

Isabel was adorable with the vital signs people.  She would say ‘this one’ referring to which leg she wanted her blood pressure taken on.  She would hold out a finger for the pulseOx machine to turn red. And she would lift her arm for a temperature. 

Isabel was very sad when they had to flush her IV line. She’d cry and say ‘no thank you’ ‘no water’ or ‘no cold’  (Because it would feel cold on her arm/foot when they flush it).

She is getting really good at stalling for bed, especially when someone else is sleeping in her room. 

Gramma and Padre seemed impressed by her vocabulary and her smile but were happier to experience those outside the hospital walls.