In the hospital...updated...see ''So What Happened''

Mama - You are in a great place...Children's saved my son's life, seriously. The things I can think of are things for you. Since it's a children's hospital they often have a lot of toys, music, stuffed animals for the kids, but nothing for the parents! Make srue that you have a book or magazine for you, changes of clothes, soap and shampoo, and FOOD!!! There are fridges for you to keep stuff so take advantage of that. Also, if people ask if they can do anything for you take them up on it! Make sure to mention laundry, yard work, and bringing you meals.
I hope you are not there for long.
L.

5 moms found this helpful

I just saw this, gasped because I thought your son was doing better, and went back to your other questions. Oh my, what you all are going through! I PRAY that he will come through this okay - bless his heart for the pain he is going through. I am so glad they will keep him hydrated and watch him closely!

Sending strength to you, and hope that your little guy does okay too. So much at one time in your family!

Hugs, D.

3 moms found this helpful

I too just finished reading all of your posts on this. These symptoms seem really out of character for Shingles if you were to look up the symptoms etc on a medical site like mayo.com. And as others have mentioned, it seems even more unlikely as now days most kids get the Chickenpox vaccine, so theoretically, they shouldn't be susceptible to Shingles...though there have been a few rare cases reported...and in those instances...apparently the symptoms are milder than a child who never had the vaccine.

If you do a symptom checker online, the symptoms you describe are more in-line with the more serious, life-long, life-affecting form of adult herpes than what doctors seem to be telling you it is (from your description it sounds like they are saying this is in the same realm as a cold sore virus).

With all of that said, I'll dovetail with Manda F. and restate..do the doctors have any idea how this may have happend or started? Have the children been in contact with an adult who is ill with the "adult" version of this virus? Or maybe someone who you didn't know has the "adult" version, and had an outbreak and accidentally infected the children? It's a horrible thing to consider...but really...the account you share is so extreme, I couldn't help but say you really need to get doctors to be upfront and straight forward about what you are all dealing with. Especially if this is the more serious strain of this particular virus. This could mean years of special medical interventions, life-style changes, and new special health concerns for the kids. And that would be the tip of the ice-berg.

I hope I am wrong and off base here, but I really think you need to start digging for some facts and answers to what could be making two of your children so seriously ill like this. I think your momma-bear instincts are right. Something is off here. It doesn't sound like shingles or cold sores to me. Read up on the virus and it's variations and take it from there when you talk to the doctors. I don't mean to be an alarmist, but this whole thing really seems extraordinarily out of the realm of common child-hood illness.

3 moms found this helpful

Oh, I am so glad they will finally help him! Seriously, we have scary medical things happen often, but your little guys situation is by far the most terrible situation I have heard of in a long time. I am so, so sorry!

I hope you both can rest! As far as things to bring for a long stay, I think your list is pretty good! The hospital staff should be seeing to your comforts, too. Our daughter left with a huge bag of things that the peds staff gave her.
I will be praying for your whole fam, but especially for Geiger. What a little trooper!
Hang in there Mama Bear!

2 moms found this helpful

Libby,
I am so glad Geiiger is getting some help. I know it has to ease your mind knowing he has medical professionals right there looking after him. I know you are exhausted. It can be hard to get any rest at the hospital! I'm just hoping you can nap some and get a chance to recover some yourself!
Thanks for keeping us posted. We all care about you and your family. I am hoping so much that Geiger will recover quickly now that he is getting the IV meddications and fluids. It has to help his body fight all the ickies!
Hugs and prayers!
Christi

2 moms found this helpful

I'm glad you are in the hospital. It is stressful but that is where he can get the care he needs. IV fluids and medication can make a huge difference. I'm on the other coast but a Children's hospital saved my son when he was a newborn (10 weeks in the NICU). Make sure you get the support you need and you husband or someone else handles things at home for now. Virtual hugs to you and your son.

2 moms found this helpful

Dear Mama--

Healing thoughts and prayers from me and my brood here in VA...

As far as hospital stay...if you crochet or knit...or want to learn...do! I found I could never read much in a hospital...to many interuptions/stress to concentrate...

And for the kiddo (s) bubbles! Crazy as it sounds...they are 'happy' little things...he can 'reach and pop' if he cannot blow!!

He is where he needs to be...and you will all come thru this!!!

BIG HUGS ALL AROUND!!!
Michele/cat

2 moms found this helpful

I think you are missing the things YOU will need - sweats for sleeping, shampoo, conditioner, socks/slippers, and food. I'm really glad you guys are there. Ask the nurses what other parents wished they'd had with them (maybe they can tell you things you haven't thought of yet). If Gieger is sharing a room, you might want earplugs to block out the noise of the other kiddo/parent in the room.

2 moms found this helpful

You never realize what it means to want to take away all of your child's pain & suffering until you've seen it first hand. My hope for you and Gieger is that they are able to treat him as quickly as they can to get him as comfortable as possible. Best of luck to you for a speedy recovery.

2 moms found this helpful

Will keep you in prayer.

1 mom found this helpful

Praying for you all. SO glad your sons is in good hands:)

1 mom found this helpful

Such wonderful news, I am so happy for you both! Good for you for not giving up and getting him in there for treatment! Its about time they listened to you and are finally helping.

Take a favorite blanket, stuffed animal. Any books that he loves, trucks, video games lol. My brother always took his video games to the hospital.

Most important thing he's going to want is you.

Hope everything goes well and he has a quick recovery and is at least comfortable for now. Hang in there and hugs to you.

Best wishes, and keep us updated when you can.

1 mom found this helpful

I hope your son gets better quickly and is feeling ok. I am thinking about you and your family. That's so crazy that he got shingles so fast - I didn't know it could happen like that. I am sending healing thoughts his way.

1 mom found this helpful

I have seen children in Europe hospitalized with herpes because it is not endemic there as it has been here for more than a century.
You did the right thing. He will get better. He is not in any danger now as the care they will give him will make the herpes attack subside.
Oral herpes is life long but never so severe as the first attack. I had a bad attack at age seven but it was just my mouth. Same for one of my daughters. My mother has it too.
So if it was not in your family your son had no defenses against his first episode.
He'll need some toys and something that shows films and some music and lots of attention.
You will need visitors and if you have Skype use it so your son can see his family at home.

1 mom found this helpful

I'm glad he's getting the support he needs. Poor baby. My 3rd daughter has a case of the shingles when she was 7. It wasn't this bad though.

1 mom found this helpful

Lots of hugs and kisss to your little one... Poor thing. Hope he gets to feeling better soon.

1 mom found this helpful

Oh my word!! Good that you listened to your instincts!! Prayers all the time for you!!
If he is able to have regular food, I would take snacks that he likes.

1 mom found this helpful

This is just crazy! I feel so sorry for you. Hopefully you will get a full diagnosis and school all of us.
Prayers go out to you and your little ones that are suffering.

1 mom found this helpful

Keeping you all in my prayers and wishing him a speedy recovery.

God Bless

1 mom found this helpful

Is he ok? Is it his mouth?

Take a lot of things to keep your mind and his mind off everything. Some games you can play together, coloring books, toys, magazines, snacks...

I am praying for you guys.

1 mom found this helpful

So.. do you or they know WHERE or HOW this thing all started?
Is it Shingles?
Where did it come from?
Aren't there shots for that? Or am I mistaken?
That is just nuts, I have just finished reading all of your posts on this.
I am glad he is finally in the hospital, good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

Thinking of you and your son. I hope he is better soon!

All the best and will keep you in my prayers!

1 mom found this helpful

Sending prayers your way...Remember to take good care of you as well-- :)

Hugs,

M

Here's my Children's Bag:

Me
- Bath & Body Works 5 for $5 hand sanitizer (smells yummy!!!) I carry one around in my pocket at all times

- PJs I can wear in public (since rounds are at 6am & 10am)

- A few changes of clothes ((I bring 3 pants and 3 shirts, warm zipup, and smoking jacket, aka 1 I can wear outside in the parent smoking area by Giraffe 1 entrance and peel off when I come inside to keep the worst of the smoke smell away, (I swear, I don't know what parents do who don't smoke, that little corner is the BEST support group/learning curve/ place to laugh or cry EVER)... I live close enough I can go home once a week to do laundry, but there's a laundry room on 5. ALSO on 5, btw, is a massage therapist who will do you neck & shoulders for 15 min on tu/wed/thur))

- Toiletries bag (We usually have a shower in room, but I'll often go home
once a week for a 'real' shower) INCLUDING EYE DROPS. The air in the hospital is like the sahara. Eye drops are a MUST.

- Laptop & Charger & EARPHONES (so you can watch a movie/ whatever while they're sleeping)

- Phone & Charger

- Whatever books I'm reading (but I don't read much in the hospital, because there's always people coming and going ever 15 minutes)

- Comfy shoes (because you REALLY end up hiking all over the durn hospital)

- Ibuprofen/Tylenol/Any other meds (because they don't have them for parents!!!)

- Starbucks Card (There's a Starbucks Cafe on Giraffe 1, but it's expensive and gets boring after a few weeks, but that first week it's life saving)

- Frozen food (There are Parent's Fridges in most wards along with a microwave)

- Cash & Debit Card (The cafeteria is AWESOME. Cheap, and it's open from 1am-4am... I swear I gained 15lbs in 3 weeks, and I blame the middle of the night $3 omelet or gyros)

- 2 liters of Coke (because the machines get expensive)

- Sunglasses (both for the rare times I'm outside and for the 'racoon eyes' thing that happens in the morning after being woken up every hour for vitals / any problems in the night; for us the o2 alarms go off almost constantly)

- Sleeping Bag & Pillow (The couch bed -if you're not in the PICU/NICU so have the bed in the room with your love- works best NOT unfolded for most people, just a word to the wise. Unfolded it's like some kind of torture device. The crack does some really amazing things to your back. Don't get me wrong, it's AWESOME being able to sleep in room, but that crack is nightmarish)

_______________

For my son:

- His lovey (kiddo actually has 2, a blanket and a dragon that he takes with him all over the hospital)

- 2 pairs of PJs (so when we can go down to the playroom on 2, he has his own. We don't usually wear them much, because the various connections -PICC line, heart monitor, etc make it easier to wear theirs. And they've got cool hospital PJs, tops and bottoms in looney toon characters that they launder), but I like to bring his PJs anyway for when he's less hooked up to the IV tower

- DVDs (for the DVD player in room, they have the kid's movie channel, but the movies do repeat)

- A few books

- Nano Bugs / HexBugs... we started out little kit the first time we were there. We picked them up upstairs in the giftshop on 5. So now they live in the Children's bag, ready to come with us when we get readmitted

*** Toys & Games*** can be brought up to the room from the kid's play area on 2, so we don't bring ours. Everything from boardgames to playdough to bubbles to coloring schtuff. That gift shop on 5 has some AMAZING things as well; science kits and stuffies and things that beep and whirr.

***Nintendo Wii*** (they have several, and you go on a list for them, kids in isolation get first dibs) can be rolled into your room so they can have some bedbound play (we didn't know this until our 3rd stay!)