So as you know we should be on holiday. Guess where we are though?? Yes that's right- the RVI in Newcastle.
We left home Monday morning. Thea was bouncing around after waking sooo early with excitement ( she also went to bed at tea time the previous day). We got to center parcs no problem. Parked up, went for lunch, had a wander, then arrived at our lovely lodge. We started to unpack and realised thea had a mini crossbow session so everyone left and I stayed to feed Nate.
He sounded snotty when I fed him and became very refluxy after the feed. He started to drop his sats so I called Michael back. Any time we need to turn up nates oxygen we need to get him checked out so we called security who rang the local hospital to inform them we were coming up. The hospital wanted to send an ambulance and we agreed. So we were blue lighted to the largest nearest hospital 30 mins away.
Initially the dr said nates chest was fine and that he had an ear infection. We explained his history and that he can become very unwell very quickly. We suggested he contact nates main dr to discuss the methods that Nate responds best too. At this point the dr became very stroppy and basically took a huff saying he didn't need anyones advice about how to treat Nate. Very suddenly nates temp shot up to 40 and he became distressed. I explained this had only happened once before and Nate had required iv fluids and antibiotics. We were told he didn't need them.
The dr told us to get him on his nippy ventilator and we were left alone to do it. His sats dropped to 79 and we put him back on his nasal canula. His sats started to rise but the dr rushed it and started to bag him, calling the crash team and anaesthetist from the adult icu. Nate ended up having loads of facial oxygen.
Bearing in mind he had just bagged my son this dr started waving nates notes at michael saying see he didn't need anyones help for Nate, and he didn't need to speak to our dr, it wouldnt have changed anything. At this point I completely lost the plot and started shouting at the dr about how rude he was being. I was shaking with anger and this is the closest I have ever ever come to hurting anyone but my god I was close.
The anaesthetist and assistant were fantastic and calmed me down just by talking plainly about what needed to be done to get Nate safely to Newcastle where they could care for him properly. They said it was likely he would need to the intubated and ventilated for the journey BUT they spoke to the picu in Newcastle for advice, who spoke to our dr. We had been told that if Nate ever needed intubation there was a chance with his poor tone that he might never come off ventilation. Hence our worry and concern. It was agreed he needed it so Nate was sedated, intubated, ventilated, had an arterial line, several canulas, ready for the rvi team to collect him.
We couldnt go with him in the ambulance and followed by car. Driving across the a69 in dense fog, desperately trying to stay awake.
Once at the picu he was stable and comfortable. He was extubated without problems and today has made it down to ward 2 - the one we are normally on. He is happy and lively. And we are so so So so relieved.
It has been an absolute nightmare. I may never leave the north east again.
Luckily the in laws were with us and so thea is still having a fantastic time away with them!!!
I have written this quite matter of fact but you can imagine how scarey everything was. How awful it was to see him intubated and sedated, and worry about his recovery, and extubation. We were unbelievably terrified. And horrified at the arrogance and pride of one dr.
I know now is not the time, but have you considered contacting PALS and complaining about that Doctor? It seems to me that his ego was dictating his treatment of your son, and could have potentially endangered him. We have dealt with similar situations, I call them "God complex" doctors, and I hate them. I honestly feel so much more reassured when a doctor asks me what is usually done if this happens, after all, they may be the medical doctor, but I am the expert as far as my daughter is concerned.
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