ANXIOUS WEEK

Jonathan threw up blood on last Tuesday (17th August).

It all started after we got home from his dental appointment.  The heavy traffic on Tuesday (17 August) afternoon after the appointment at 4pm didn't help.  Jonathan have been having issues regarding long journeys lately.  Although he didn't show any signs while we took the longer route back home.  But by afternoon, the symptoms started showing.

I should have given him some medication before we left home that afternoon.  but I thought that since he has been well, there was no need.  Wrong!


First slowly then in full force.  By evening, I saw traces of dark red puke.  I thought it was the medication that I gave him earlier.  Towards 10pm, puke became darker and the vomiting wouldn't stop.  Even when I fed him 10ml water, everything came out.  I got worried.  Called my GP that was supposed to close at 11pm but nobody answered the phone.  Got Harith to run to the clinic but the doors were locked even though there were patients inside.

I debated and decided "never mind".  He should stop vomiting around 12midnight - 1am like he usually does.
It didn't stop and when he threw up another time, the towel had quite a big patch of dark red patch.


We were at KK at 2am.  Oxygen level 98% even though he looked pale.  ME took his blood for test that came back ok.  He didn't order any scan or xray (and I didn't even remember to request), asked questions if Jonathan fell or anyone sick at home, all negative.  Then said Jonathan will have to stay the night for observation.  That was it.

Jonathan threw up another time before we got admitted and moved to the ward.  But he stopped retching after that and only once at 5am on Wednesday morning.

Sleep was on and off for him.  The parents of the child in the next bed who was admitted at 5am was talking at the top of their voices!  I forced myself awake because Jonathan was on a normal bed and like the last time he was admitted, I was afraid he would push himself off the bed.

Harith wanted to stay and help me watch Jonathan while we take turns to rest.  But forgetful me didn't bring along his feeding tube.  So he went home at 4.30am and return at 7am with all his feed.

No fluid was given to Jonathan during the night.  Only the next morning at around 10am after the senior doctor came to ask questions.  All these while, I was told that there's no need for anti-vomit medication.  By then, Jonathan had totally stopped retching.

Doctor said that there was a possibility that while he was retching hard, a membrane or lining around the throat area or feeding tract may have ruptured causing the bleeding.  There was no traces of blood in his saliva when he drooled.

No extra tests done.  They administered a medication to reduce the acid in the stomach through the IV.

Towards the afternoon, I felt that Jonathan was much better and asked if we could be discharged.  Another doctor's round was at 3pm.  I requested for discharge.  They wanted him to stay another night for observation when we start feeding.  But I wasn't ready to give Jonathan any milk yet.  I didn't want to upset his stomach.


Doctor in attendance told me she would consult the senior doctor.  We waited for another 2 hours.  It was almost 5pm when she came back with a form and said that if I still wish to be discharged, it will be AT OWN RISK (AOR).  I had to sign the form to release them from any responsibility should anything happened when we got home.

I signed it.  What the heck!

The journey back home was one of the worst I had ever taken.  The traffic was extremely heavy everywhere!  I have now developed a phobia of travelling long distances with Jonathan.  I kept watching him, kept praying.  Thankfully, he was ok.  But he hadn't eaten (except for the IV water drip) for 2 days so I had to rush home to make the porridge water.

On Wednesday night, 3 of us were so tired that we slept at 11.30pm.  But I was emotionally disturbed.  I kept thinking about the AOR form that I signed.  Did I make the right decision?  Was I wrong to bring Jonathan home?  What happened if something serious occurred?  I cried buckets while everyone was sleeping that night.  But to see him at home resting and getting better each day, I was beginning to feel that I made the right decisions.

I felt that the experience at KK in Ward 31 wasn't as good as I had on previous occasions.  The nurses were attentive and nice.  But unfortunately, I could not feel that with the doctors.  I guess there were too many patients. Although as a mother, I should have asked more questions, but sometimes I'm just so darn stressed out to even think and I was hoping they could give me more suggestions as to what could be done to prevent these episodes when I told them that this was not the first time Jonathan vomited while travelling long distances. The only thing they told me was to start small feeds first and gradually increase.  This I already know.  I also noticed that if I talked to much, the kind of look they gave me seemed to say "ok enough."
Finally when I signed the discharged form, she left and went on her duty.  They had washed their hands.

No wonder some of my friends left KK to go to NUH.

ok.

He's lost weight but at least now he's better.

Till today, both of us are still lethargic.  I hate hospital stays.  If not for him retching blood, I would have stayed home and brought him to the GP the next day.  I still have to figure out what's causing him to be like this.  He's not decided not to go out long distance.

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On the dental note:  Further to his teething issue (HERE) that got me worried, turned out there was nothing to worry about.  He's got teeth growing out of the gum above the normal teeth but doctor Toh said it was ok.  Counted his teeth successfully as he was quite relaxed this time around.

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On Monday (30th Aug) I'll be meeting his teacher, Principal and the social worker regarding Jonathan's school issues.  Hope we can work something out.