One of my favourite telephone service features is "Caller ID". I'll openly admit I screen whether I pick up or let a call go to voice mail based on what number I see on my caller ID - especially if I am busy or simply not in the mood to talk on the phone. One of the most beneficial aspects of the feature, perhaps, is knowing when I really do need to pick up and answer a call. Such an occasion happened for me in early October.
Whenever I see the name and number of one of the schools my children attend on the display area, as a mom, I admit my heart flutters and my mind races with wonder of why their school is calling me. Most times it is nothing significant; perhaps I forgot to sign a permission form or send a payment for a field trip. It may be a teacher wanting to discuss a project or test. It could be they need volunteers to bake cupcakes. There are so many possibilities for why the school could be calling but the first worry I almost always have is, "Is my child OK?"
I answered as I usually would and on the other end was a female voice explaining to me that my daughter was feeling unwell. She had been walking a considerable distance in hot weather and became faint and dizzy, reporting her heart was racing and her eyes and head were hurting. The staff member informed me she was breathing heavily, shaking and appeared to her to be in need of help. I instructed the staff member to have my daughter taken to the nearby children's hospital emergency department and I would arrive as soon as I could. My daughter's principal and a friend took her to the ER and stayed with her until my mother and I arrived about thirty minutes later.
As a mom to a chronically ill child with many special needs, I'm very familiar with our local children's hospital emergency department. The waiting area was very crowded; much more than I have usually seen during my many trips there with my kids throughout the years. It appeared to me that many children waiting to be seen had likely been injured. It was unusually warm for early October and I anticipated many kids throughout our region were enjoying playing outdoors as the sun provided perhaps a final taste of summer. There were also several young children obviously struggling with colds or such. A nurse was making rounds with a pen and paper among the line up of non-urgent patients waiting to be seen by triage to compile a list of who to call in order of arrival.
I spoke with my daughter's school principal briefly before he left with my daughter's friend. My daughter had already been seen assessed by a triage nurse prior to my arrival. Recognizing one another from previous encounters, the nurse she pulled me aside to discuss my daughter's history and condition. Over the years, most parents I've spoken with in the emergency department waiting room will usually begin to show signs of irritation and distress as minutes pass towards an hour or more to wait to be seen. Being very familiar with the triage assessment of patients being given a 1, 2, 3 or 4 level based on how urgent it is for them to be seen by a physician, my heart sank a bit looking at my daughter's assessment sheet and seeing her listed as as level 1 triage.
Not matter what the illness or injury, seeing one's child in pain and distress is upsetting. It was difficult to see my daughter looking unwell - her eyes with a glazed appearance, her skin pale and clammy and seeming overall very fatigued as she tried her best to control her breathing with the use of a simple but effective brown paper bag. Once registered, we waited barely a few moments before we were called to go to a cubicle inside the emergency department. I could sense the glare of disgruntled parents and overheard one woman exclaim, "But they just got here!" In my mind, I was wishing we weren't there at all, let alone there under potentially serious circumstances.
After a brief discussion with the third year resident, we were off to the Heart Center for an ECG (electrocardiogram) and as hours passed, several doctors examined my daughter and talked with talked with her about what had happened, how she was feeling, etc. A kind, gentle cardiology fellow arrived and soon after, her cardiologist came about 8 hours after she initially entered the ER. Hearing from a trusted doctor that I've known for a decade that she was alright was a huge relief. She was encouraged to continue with her daily activities as usual and
we had reviewed some management techniques she can use when she has episodes
of tachycardia and palpitations. However, there was no clear answer for why she experienced the symptoms she had in the late morning hours. Tests didn't show any change in her heart function from her previous ECG and while I was thankful that her current ECG was good, it was disconcerting to leave with a big "WHY?" still looming overhead.
We were fortunate that after eight hours, she was feeling better and enjoying more than her share of free popsicles with a good blood pressure, heart rate and pulse oxygen levels. Each time we are discharged from the ER, I remind myself of how blessed we are to have a world class facility so accessible and how reassuring it is that if or when another incident happens again, it is reasonable to expect my daughter will receive the best care possible by excellent physicians. While there may not be answers to the "why" questions, it's helpful to know that because the
IWK Health Centre has the resources to care for our region's sick and injured babies, kids and teens.
HKBK exists because we know youth in the Canadian Maritime provinces rely on the IWK Health Centre for so much. We're acutely aware of how important it is to ensure our local children's hospital remains as excellent as it is but also know that with more funding, the hospital can provide even more amazing care for sick and hurt children. Our story of that day could have been very different if it were not for the generosity and continued support of donors of the
IWK Health Centre Foundation and supports or the annual
IWK Telethon for Children and other events and campaigns held throughout the year. To check out some of the current scheduled events, take a look at the Foundation's Event Calendar by
clicking here and be sure to check back often to see if there are any HKBK events listed!
And if you would like to make a donation to the IWK Health Center Foundation through HKBK Helping Kids be Kids, please go to:
https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1113776&supId=413282164
All funds donated via the Internet will be directly received by the Foundation, never touching the hands of our group. The online donation site allows only credit card donations. If you are interested in making a financial contribution or becoming involved with our group, email us at iwkhkbk@gmail.com for more information.
