beattyfamily
DIS Cast Member
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2000
I usually don't post much in the Community board but thought this would be the right place.
We're a family of 4 with 2 DD's 6 and 2 1/2. We've gone to WDW 3 times now and this October will be our 4th. I believe now, after the past 2 weeks, it will be our most memorable ever, and a blessing too!
Our DD 2 1/2 somehow contracted the E. Coli virus and was VERY ill. I took her in to her PCP 4 days into the runs and vomiting. They thought it was just a stomach virus. Then I started to get concerned a couple days later when her eyes got puffy and she stopped peeing and when she did it was very dark. I did a quick search on the Internet and came up with KIDNEY FAILURE!! My DD only has one kidney so that really scared me!!
My PCP told me to take her to the ER for fear she was dehydrated. This was last Thursday at 3:00 p.m. that we arrived at the ER. It took them to about 8:30 p.m. to tell me it wasn't dehydration or just a stomach virus. She had E. Coli and it's now caused her to develop HUS (hemolytic uremic syndrome). Only 5% of children who get E. Coli develop HUS. The toxins from the E. Coli get in the blood stream and attack your blood and it also attacks your kidneys so this was terrible terrible news.
They arranged an ambulance to take us to Boston's Children's Hospital right away. We were there by 9:30 and stayed in the ER till 1:00 p.m. the next day when they finally had a room for her. She was going down hill, loosing red blood cells and platelites. They also said there definitely was damage to her kidney. By now she's got 2 IV's and a cathider to see how much urine she is producing. There is no treatment for this but to wait and watch and hope for the best. All the hospital did was restrict her drinking and put her on a low sodium diet as she was retaining water because her kidney wasn't working right. She could only drink however much she peed so she was begging for a drink Thursday night and Friday. It was torture for us to watch her go through this.
She had black and blues from bursting blood vessels. She was so tired. They were giving her high blood pressure medicine as needed and she needed it for the first 2 days. Then they also gave her Folic Acid and calcium for her blood. They took blood from her every 2 hours at first then every 6 hours then down to once a day by Sunday, and on Sunday they took the catheder out. She could actually put pajamas on (Ariel, of course) and she was so happy not to have the "straw" for pee! Starting this past Monday her blood tests started to show that her kidney was getting better and so was her blood. The worst was over. No need for a transfusion or dialysis! If her blood went up again Tuesday (yesterday) she could come home and recouperate at home in her own bed with her own toys. Well, thanks to MANY prayers, she came home last night!!!
Throught this whole ordeal, she was such a good patient. She would thank the nurses and doctors when they were done with what they were doing even if it hurt her. I was so proud of her!
She will still be pale and weak for about a month, is still on the calcium and folic acid and will need follow up visits/blood work but she's on the road to recovery. No one knows the statistics of recurring problems in the future of HUS survivors but her doctors seem to think she'll be fine.
We're not sure how she got this but we visited a petting zoo six days before she started being sick and we also had hamburg helper 2 days before (I'm sure I cooked it fully but it could be cross contamination). I believe it's one of those 2. I will certainly not be visiting a petting zoo or be having hamburg any time soon!!!!
My sister took my 6 year old DD this week for us and she's coming home Saturday. I can't wait to have my family all together again! What a blessing, indeed.
I just wanted to share my happy ending with fellow Disney lovers and let you know how greatful I really am for our next WDW vacation with our 2 DD's who have been great troopers throughout this ordeal!
My little angel sure could use some pixie dust and prayers for a full recovery!
Thanks!
We're a family of 4 with 2 DD's 6 and 2 1/2. We've gone to WDW 3 times now and this October will be our 4th. I believe now, after the past 2 weeks, it will be our most memorable ever, and a blessing too!
Our DD 2 1/2 somehow contracted the E. Coli virus and was VERY ill. I took her in to her PCP 4 days into the runs and vomiting. They thought it was just a stomach virus. Then I started to get concerned a couple days later when her eyes got puffy and she stopped peeing and when she did it was very dark. I did a quick search on the Internet and came up with KIDNEY FAILURE!! My DD only has one kidney so that really scared me!!
My PCP told me to take her to the ER for fear she was dehydrated. This was last Thursday at 3:00 p.m. that we arrived at the ER. It took them to about 8:30 p.m. to tell me it wasn't dehydration or just a stomach virus. She had E. Coli and it's now caused her to develop HUS (hemolytic uremic syndrome). Only 5% of children who get E. Coli develop HUS. The toxins from the E. Coli get in the blood stream and attack your blood and it also attacks your kidneys so this was terrible terrible news.
They arranged an ambulance to take us to Boston's Children's Hospital right away. We were there by 9:30 and stayed in the ER till 1:00 p.m. the next day when they finally had a room for her. She was going down hill, loosing red blood cells and platelites. They also said there definitely was damage to her kidney. By now she's got 2 IV's and a cathider to see how much urine she is producing. There is no treatment for this but to wait and watch and hope for the best. All the hospital did was restrict her drinking and put her on a low sodium diet as she was retaining water because her kidney wasn't working right. She could only drink however much she peed so she was begging for a drink Thursday night and Friday. It was torture for us to watch her go through this.
She had black and blues from bursting blood vessels. She was so tired. They were giving her high blood pressure medicine as needed and she needed it for the first 2 days. Then they also gave her Folic Acid and calcium for her blood. They took blood from her every 2 hours at first then every 6 hours then down to once a day by Sunday, and on Sunday they took the catheder out. She could actually put pajamas on (Ariel, of course) and she was so happy not to have the "straw" for pee! Starting this past Monday her blood tests started to show that her kidney was getting better and so was her blood. The worst was over. No need for a transfusion or dialysis! If her blood went up again Tuesday (yesterday) she could come home and recouperate at home in her own bed with her own toys. Well, thanks to MANY prayers, she came home last night!!!
Throught this whole ordeal, she was such a good patient. She would thank the nurses and doctors when they were done with what they were doing even if it hurt her. I was so proud of her!
She will still be pale and weak for about a month, is still on the calcium and folic acid and will need follow up visits/blood work but she's on the road to recovery. No one knows the statistics of recurring problems in the future of HUS survivors but her doctors seem to think she'll be fine.
We're not sure how she got this but we visited a petting zoo six days before she started being sick and we also had hamburg helper 2 days before (I'm sure I cooked it fully but it could be cross contamination). I believe it's one of those 2. I will certainly not be visiting a petting zoo or be having hamburg any time soon!!!!
My sister took my 6 year old DD this week for us and she's coming home Saturday. I can't wait to have my family all together again! What a blessing, indeed.
I just wanted to share my happy ending with fellow Disney lovers and let you know how greatful I really am for our next WDW vacation with our 2 DD's who have been great troopers throughout this ordeal!
My little angel sure could use some pixie dust and prayers for a full recovery!
Thanks!
