More Dr.'s and surgery

So last Saturday her ear was still bleeding.  I have an otoscope, but had not looked in her ear because of the staph...I didn't want to make it worse or spread it anywhere.  On Sat I looked with the otoscope.  Inside her ear just looked raw and bloody.  Like if you fell down and scraped your knee, but inside her ear (that's the best way I can think to describe it).  It was like a big open wound.

I started worrying that maybe the staph was eating away at her ear or something.  So I decided I better take her in to the Dr.

Her Dad and I discussed whether to drive to Primary Children's ER or to go to instacare.  We decided on instacare.  I get there and the want me to drive her to her pediatrician's office (which is another 20 minutes away).  I told them that her pediatrician doesn't work on Saturdays so I would be seeing a new Dr. there, so I might as well see a new Dr. here.  They agreed to see her.

The Dr. was not very confident in her abilities with a child with multiple medical concerns.  She said the bleeding was definitly not normal and didn't know why it wasn't stopping after being on ear drops and an oral antibiotic.  She tried contacting the local ENT's and they never called her back.  So after 30-45 minutes of waiting for a return call she (the Dr.) came in and said "Well, whatever you want to do...you can take her down to Primary's ER or follow up with her pediatrician on Monday or whatever you feel best about".

I'm thinking in my head...you're the Dr. tell me what to do.  I really don't know how serious this is.  Is her brain being eaten by staph or is she just healing?

I ask  her "Did you try contacting the ENT on call at Primary Children's?"  She says "no, we don't have the number".  I say "662-1000".

That was a really lame excuse to say they didn't have the number, really she just didn't think of it.

Anyway, she says she'll try.

Within 5 minutes they get a call back from Primary's.  She talks to the resident.

He says to call on Monday and make an appt.  If I can't get in to see Dr. Park, then get a "resident appointment.  If the resident needs backup, they can snag the Dr. to come in and take a peek."

Now I have been in this special needs business for almost 9 years and I have never heard of a "resident appointment".  Why has no one ever told me about this?  Normally if I need to get into a Dr I have to wait about 2-3 months, so if I need to see one more urgently I go to the Primary children's ER.  So I guess something good came out of this whole trip.

So I called and got an appt for Wed.  The resident came in I started telling him the story and before I finish he gets a page and says" I'm sorry, but I have to go".  I couldn't believe it, it was very rude.

A few minutes later her normal ENT come in and we tell the story.  He sucks some of the dried blood out.  He said both tubes are in good position.  He prescribes a different ear drop.  He says if it doesn't stop bleeding by Monday to call again.

Now onto the surgery portion of this blog posting...
Ellie needs to have her baclofen pump replaced.  The baclofen pump is a hockey puck sized device under her skin on the left side of her abdomen.  She has tubing that runs under her skin around her left side into her spinal fluid.  The pump delivers medicine (baclofen) continuously into her spinal fluid which helps her relax her muscles.  The battery only lasts 5-6 years and hers is ready to be replaced.  She had her first one placed in March of 2005.  So the surgery is scheduled for later this month.  She will need to be in the hospital from Wed-Sat morning.