Sunday, April 10, 2011

biblical weather patterns cause head trauma in children

It rained for 40 days & 40 nights.  Noah’s wife was about to have a break down when Noah finally let that one damn bird out and asked for direction. Okay it hasn't been snowing and raining quite that long but long enough to have children engaging in good old fashion bed jumping…and crashing and falling.

Normally I am the biggest fan of Primary Children’s Medical Center & last night when they sent 7 yr old Beach home with 5 staples in the back of her head and a new stuffed dog that she loves I was still cheering for them.  But this morning realizing the abnormally high blood pressure my kid had at intake was omitted from her chart by Nurse #1 because it was so sTrAnGe: that meant the PA & Nurse #2 never saw it.  Doctor, what Doctor? We didn't see a Doctor in our room.  He was in the hall however holding open the door with his clogs counting staples on the run. 

At check out holding a pile of papers & a sticky cup with frozen orange sugar water in it I asked for a quick recheck on that BP (or checked at all if you were Nurse #2).  My theory was a child dripping blood facing stitches should have a high BP but when it was all over, toy in hand one foot out the door, and it was still crazy high I was a little worried. 

Nurse #2 was worried too while taking it and retaking it and checking it again but settled herself with being perplexed not knowing why a fit kid would have a BP of 130/84.  Shrug, “Wow, you should really follow up with your regular doctor about that.”  Just for fun, and since we was [sic] here let’s ask the PA.  Nope no PA she’s stapling some other Ark kid now.  Maybe a doctor will know? Doctor, what Doctor? So l walked out of the medical center with the fear I was holding hands with Rush in a little girl’s body, a stuffed beagle under her arm.

 While attending Nursing School this morning on Google.  Okay it was easier than all that I typed: high blood pressure children head injury.  Fact One: It is even high for an adult. But don’t worry about it being an undiagnosed health issue that kills young gymnasts dead during their floor routine it is most likely directly related to the reason we were in the ER (parsimony) in the first place. Fact Two: High BP is listed as one of the 4 main complications for head trauma in children by the AMA.

So we are golden other than she shouldn't have been release without a CT with that high of a BP!  I get that the ER was so packed that there was no parking.  I get that here in SLC we have 2 separate CDC out breaks going on at the same time and that the weather is making kids do stupid crazy stuff in the Ark but a little help for a parent please.  You think having two of every kind of animal on this crazy boat is bad imagine having a lawyer on board...   

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