What a day...

Kate had her post-feeding tube follow up appointment late this morning in Santa Rosa (w/ the GI specialists at the UCSF satellite clinic). We had lots of questions to ask considering the challenges we've been having with her throwing up. Unfortunately it seems that there aren't a lot of options to help her, since the high fat diet she's on is already hard to digest. We have already started her on a medicine called Prevacid this weekend to see if lowering her stomach acid might help. We'll see (so far, no help)...

When Betsy, the GI nurse practitioner, examined her, she noticed that Kate's fontanel (soft spot on her head) was bulging a bit. Considering she's been relatively dehydrated (we test this twice a day at home by checking her urine), it was pretty odd to have a bulging fontanel. Normally, it's the opposite (sunken). I mentioned that I had been feeling this off and on for a couple of days and agreed it seemed strange.

Betsy became concerned considering her fontanel, increased vomiting, and increased fussiness. She thought there might be a neurological issue such as increased pressure on the brain or meningitis (brain/nervous system infection). She suggested that she be seen soon by a specialist. After reconsidering, she decided to call Kate's neurologist at UCSF, who in turn recommended that she come in to UCSF urgent care immediately for evaluation and testing (the Santa Rosa hospitals are ill-equipped/trained to handle Kate's special needs). The urgent care center was contacted and in turn asked that we go to the UCSF emergency department instead (they have much quicker access to CT scans and spinal tap procedures). Thankfully, the situation did not warrant an ambulance ride - I don't think my blood pressure could have handled that.

We left the clinic and stopped at home to get ready for what was seeming like a potential hospital stay (I've never packed that quick). Thankfully, my brother Corey was able and willing to go with me since Kelly was in the middle of her school day. Thanks a million, Corey!!!

After meeting me at my house, Corey, Kate and I drove down to UCSF just after noon. She was seen relatively quickly by a doctor who decided that a CT scan was necessary. There was no evidence to him that indicated an infection, sparing her the spinal tap (thank you!). After waiting a while in the ER room for the CT scan to happen, Kate cooperated just long enough to get a usable image from the scan (and therefore did not have to be sedated). Thankfully the scan showed nothing abnormal - no pressure, bleeding, or the like. While we were not able to determine exactly why her fontanel is bulging, the docs were able to determine that it was not dangerous. Kate was discharged at about 5:30 and we headed home.

I'm going to go pass out now.