Hospitalized

Our little Chicklet6 has been having some trouble with her leg. Last week she had a swollen lymph gland in the groin area, and even though she had just been on antibiotics for the bladder infection, she was put on a different kind because of the painful lymph node.

After 4 days on the antibiotic, however, her pain had worsened and was traveling down her leg. Last night, she could no longer straighten her knee joint, and there was a red streak down the inner thigh. She had no fever or swelling, though; she was perky and seemed remarkably well otherwise.

We called the doctor, who, in the absence of fever or lethargy, told us to wait till morning and bring her in. When we got there, she called in another doctor to look at the leg, and the two doctors conferred and decided to admit her to the hospital for testing and IV antibiotics.

So here we are! We had an MRI this afternoon, which was an hour of me standing outside the machine, reaching in to hold her hand, and shouting encouraging things. We're both wearing ear plugs, so conversation was out of the question. I had no idea that MRI's were so noisy! She told me later that she was afraid it would blow up.

But the results were good--basically normal except for an inflamed vein. Still don't know what is causing it, but the MRI ruled out some kind of deep tissue infection or abscess or tumor. She's on the IV antibiotics and also on round-the-clock ibuprofen, which should help reduce the inflammation.

We're waiting on the results of two more blood tests, to rule out a couple of long-shot possibilities like lupus or juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Those will take till morning, and then she should be able to go home, no matter what. Other than limping, she's still feeling fine and enjoying all the attention.

She keeps asking me when they are going to take the IV out. She's been stuck five times now, if you count the one IV stick she had in the ER nearly two weeks ago--and she is definitely counting! She is excited about "having a sleepover" with Mom here in the hospital. (There is even a regular bed for Mom in her room.) She has her own little bathroom, and we can see Lake Michigan from her room. We read books, we watched a movie, and she colored many pictures. Papa Rooster was here to visit his little girl (and bring me my laptop). We had other visitors, friends from church whose grandmother was admitted today too, also for testing--which makes two members of our little congregation in the same hospital!

Right now, Chicklet is talking to her little girlfriend on the phone, telling her all about her day.

It's been quite the adventure!

Hopefully, just that...and nothing more.