Mom-dar OR Why My Sister Is Smarter Than A Neurosurgeon

Kim is now home and SO much better.  For the first time since coming out of surgery she isn't nauseous.  Praise God!



Mother's Day 2012 



Last night was one of those scary, slow-motion, downward-spiral-real-life memories. 

Honestly, Kim was starting to go downhill Wednesday. She began vomiting again before they released her from the hospital, but it was subtle and I knew the second day after surgery is usually the worst!  We hoped that once we got home she would go into full recovery mode.  But my Mom-dar antennae went up. 

Instead, she slowly but surely got worse.  More nausea.  More vomiting.  Less interaction.  I called the doctor's office Thursday morning and was told all this was common.  All the usually advice on how to handle vomiting.  No worries.

But my Mom-dar was really going off.  Something did worry me.  And as I type this I am reminded that calls to the nurse don't often bring me needed results.  I think my laid-back nature works against me and by the time I call with a concern, I really should be making an appointment. 

The younger kids had an evening school event they were excited to attend.  I have been trying to keep their lives as normal as possible through all the recent stress, so I took them while Hubby stayed home with Kim. 

When I returned I could tell Kim wasn't doing well.  She was vomiting up everything, even small amounts of water.  She couldn't keep her medications down.  She was becoming more despondent, not even texting!  I knew then things were not good.  But she really didn't want to go to the hospital.  Nurses always have a really hard time finding a vein for her IV, so it just adds to her anxiety.  In my heart I knew she needed to go. 

I called the after-hours neurosurgeon.  She was hesitant to tell us to go to the ER.  She tried to reassure me that vomiting is common after neurosurgery.  And honestly, while Kim had some signs of dehydration, she didn't have many.  I questioned my Mom-dar. 

What popped into my mind was the good dehydration advice my sister Amber once gave me.

If a child can't get up and walk across the room you've got a problem. 

Houston.  We had a problem.  Kim was woozy, weak, and vomiting ever more frequently.  By that point, even Kim was ready to go to the hospital.  We gathered up our still unpacked hospital bags and helped her out to the car.

Stay-tuned for Part 2: Making Deals With God