Zoie's First ER Visit

Let me start by say... She is fine!

Don't want to worry anyone.

Yesterday morning I finished my  time on my elliptical and took Zoie and headed to my bedroom/bathroom to get ready for the day. I left her in my bedroom/sink area and went in the potty room for a moment.

After less than a minute I walked back into the sink area and saw that Zoie was putting a pill in her mouth. 

Ok... A little back story...

My step-daughter, Ryleigh, who is 13 suffers from a condition called Dermatomyositis. Dermatomyositis is a muscle disease that is most common in children ages 5-15. It typically shows itself at the age of 11 with severe rashes and muscle weakness. The disease is treated with anti-inflammatory medicines, steroids, and drugs that suppress the immune system.

Ryleigh has been receiving treatment for this since shortly after her 11th birthday. Since December of 2012,, her medications have been reduced and she is considered in remission! Hallelujah!!

She is however, still taking several medications from side effects of treatment medication such as, high blood pressure pills, ADHD medication, immune-suppressors, and several high dose vitamins. 

So yesterday morning... Zoie found them!

Ack!!! In less than I minute or two, she's SO quick. And how the heck she reached them, I still can't figure it out!

Needless to say... this Mama FREAKED THE FREAK OUT!

I quickly called Ryleigh's mom who gave me the names of all the pills from Ryleigh's pill box. (I didn't have a current list.) We found that there were 5 pills missing form the 8 originally in the case.
I then called poison control and explained the situation. The man on the phone was very calm and professional and in the nicest way he could, told me to get to the emergency room as fast as we could!

I have never driven so fast down city streets before. We live about 30-40 minutes from our local children's hospital where he told me I should go. So I was FLYING down the road. Driving as quickly and as safely as I could, I made it in record time and pulled in the ER where they immediately took us to the back. 

Thankfully Poison Control called ahead for us! So they knew we were coming!!

After talking with the nurses and quickly confirming the medications she could have possibly ingested, we made another call to Ryleigh's mom to verify a dosage amount. In our frantic need to read and write down names and dosages we got the dosage incorrect on the blood pressure medication. We had thought it read 25 mg and turns out it was only 2.5 mg. 

After learning our mistake, the nurses calmed a bit and the Dr. then took her time going over the entire scenario. That particular medication was the biggest worry of everyone involved. Had it actually been the dosage we originally gave (25 mg) it probably would have slowed her heart to a near stop. However, with the dosage she received with each pill, it was merely a double dose of what she would be prescribed at her age and weight. Not as life threatening as they had originally thought.

We then spent several hours at the hospital, trying to get Zoie to pee in a bag so we could test her urine to be sure of what we were dealing with. Have you ever tried to get a 16 month old to sit still so her pee goes in a tiny bag they have taped to her bottom??? Ya... it doesn't work. But short of going in and getting in an invasive way this was our option.

Needless to say, it didn't work. Especially since there were buttons to push and beeping screens to touch. After some time, since Zoie had not shown any signs of distress, they were okay with sending us home.

They gave me a list of symptoms to watch out for and told me what we could be dealing with, and we were off. Not quite as scary as it could have been.

Zoie fell fast asleep as soon as pulled out of the parking garage. 

It was a horribly stressful morning. My nerves were shot! After that I thought I deserved a Shamrock Shake from McDonald's! I didn't though... my willpower won out and I got myself an unsweetened Iced Tea on my way home.

I am so very thankful we had an amazing medical team working with us. I am thankful for poison control for their help. I am thankful that my husband was home and was able to come to the hospital with us. I am mostly thankful for my relationship with Ryleigh's mom, Julie. Five years ago, I don't know that I would have been able to call and ask such simple questions, let alone communicate what the issue was and work together for the sake of our children.

So thankful for a good outcome!
This morning Zoie is doing great! Her normal little spitfire self!

Happy Friday Peeps! Let's hope its uneventful.