This is AbiNormal: Stays in Vegas.

(7/8/13) This puts a whole new spin on the what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas...

I am officially frustrated. They essentially promised yesterday that we would be out of here today (pending results). Well, the results today showed a high potassium level in her blood. They took the blood from the heel and said they often have problems with potassium and phosphate numbers with blood drawn from the heel. That the sample they get there is what is called "hemolized", or concentrated,with potassium and phosphate. They need to do another test to be sure it was just where the blood was takes from and not a real result of her potassium. So they had 3 different people come in and stuck her 4 different times to no avail..the only thing they got was a pissed off Abigail..and then a frustrated mommy. After the 4th stick I finally said "how many more times are we gonna try before we look into another option?" So the nurse went to talk to the doctor. After about another 30 mins to an hour of waiting with hearing nothing I called for the nurse and asked her the plan. She responded "they have to figure that out" I asked if they could come discuss it with me and she responded " they have to make the decision first-then come tell you". How does that make any sense? Making plans about my daughter without even asking me?? That bugged me. Then she told me they were on rounds and so he couldn't do anything right then anyway. I kinda freaked out a bit. I didn't yell, but I very firmly expressed my frustrations and concerns and desires. I explained that Abigail has had enough. They have stressed her out enough, it's been too much. I appreciate how thorough and aggressive they are, and if this was a new condition I'd say let's keep at if, but it's not. We came into the ER for a fever and seizure, those are treated, she's back up to speed, let us go home.

Before discharge it is protocol for them to check levels each morning. So every morning that she has been here she has been woken up with a stick to the heel. But each morning they seem to find something different. Yesterday her potassium levels were fine and today they are not? We haven't changed a thing. Also, she had 2 more breath holding episode things since yesterday but both times they happened while they were trying to draw blood. The only times she's had those spells while she was here is when they were sticking her. The docs and nurses are all concerned about it-well, THEN STOP CAUSING IT!!!! Dude! She's absolutely fine until she gets poked. Her vitals are fine, she's eating/peeing/pooping fine, she's actually pretty happy, she looks good, she's acting normal..until they stick her then she throws a fit-can you blame her?

Like I said, I love how thorough they are being and even aggressive-but we don't need it. We know causes and syndromes and what's normal and what's not. We know her baseline, we know what's healthy and what's not. Abigail is a special case and they are treating her like she's normal. She's very AbiNormal, but they don't know her history so it's hard, I get it. I've tried to tell then several times that if they would just come talk to me instead of leave me in the dark all the time that I could probably give them some good insight as to what's normal and what's not, what tests we've done and what the results were, what to worry about and what to not. I understand they have been through way more schooling than I have, but I know Abigail way better than they ever could. That's the other thing-I have known nothing about their plans or results or where we stand/how much time etc until after the decisions have been made. When people ask what the word is I have to say "idk" because they won't talk to me! I've sat here, by myself, for hours not knowing anything and that is not refreshing.

We have done one more heel stick to check the potassium levels again. We put a heating pad on her heel to try to get some better blood flow and decrease the risk of another hemolized sample. However, it took the blood so long to come out I worry it got hemolized in the process. We'll see. If the results come back still high they will have to poke her again venously to rule out it being high due to a heel stick.

I'm just so fed up with this hospital right now. Every time Abi falls asleep it's almost instantly they come in to do something -check her temp-give her meds-get a blood pressure reading-take her blood-whatever, it's very frustrating. I feel like they keep pissing Abi off and stressing her out to wits end for no real reasons. She's fine until they poke her then she goes into a breath holding episode--they worry about it, but they caused it! These spells aren't just happening unprovoked-STOP PROVOKING THE HULK! (In case you don't know we joke and say Abigail has baby hulk syndrome..that she's not quite big and strong enough to change into the hulk, so when she tries it manifests as a seizure) -- I think I might prefer her turning green over purple though...

Anyway, I'm frustrated, Abi is exhausted and stressed. I think we should have been out of here days ago, but alas we are still here..abi finally sleeps again so we just sit here and do what they have us do best-wait. I'll keep you guys posted.

This is AbiNormal