Kayla's First Trip to the Hospital

Kayla turned 4 on January 16th. She was healthy and happy at her birthday party but a week later she was sick as a dog and on her way to the ER at Children's Hospital of Oakland. While we thought she had the flu (fever, cough, couldn't hold food down, lethargy), it turns out she had pneumonia. Once her flu test came back negative, I knew we had to go to the hospital. She was way too sick for me to spend another nervous and stressed out night hoping her health would improve. They actually tested for Kawasaki's disease which had me a little worried but the x-ray came back clearly as pneumonia - Thank God! Kayla and I spent several hours in the ER while they hydrated her, ran a bunch of tests and started the anitbiotics. I was so freaked out when they came in to insert the IV...I knew it was necessary but certainly didn't like the idea of our little girl in any sort of pain or at all scared. She was such a trooper!!! Kayla is a big believer in "I think I can" and can really gear herself when she's in the heat of the moment. She once told me that she tells herself "Kayla can" when she thinks something is going to be hard to do. Well, she must have been saying that over and over in her head because she withstood two needle pricks (I was NOT happy when the IV didn't take on the first arm!) After the IV was in, Kayla was on the road to recovery. We had to transfer over the another hospital in the middle of the night - Children's rents a floor at Summit Hospital in Oakland for the non-critical patients who have to stay overnight (or two night in our case) to be monitored. Kayla was SO EXCITED that we got to transfer in an ambulance. She said that Bro wouldn't believe it and that he would want to ride in one too. Here's a photo in the ambulance and a photo in the ER (see the IV in Kayla's left arm).

On Day 1 in the hospital Kayla improved but was not feeling 100% yet. Here she is with her new friend (aka the IV pole) and one with her Daddy who spent the day with her and gave her lots of hugs and loves.

By Day 2, Kayla was a new person. Kyle and I were so relieved. In the morning, she got out of bed and was looking out the window and by afternoon she was doing curtsies in her new ballet outfit from Aunt B. I am pretty sure the nurses could see that Kayla was more than ready to come home and by early evening she was home with us again!