Blindsided.......

PLEASE NOTE: This all happened 2 years ago, I'm simply copying it to my blog since I didn't have a blog back then.

Originally written Nov 14, 2007 09:27pm (EST)

So I've been thinking a lot about the "isolation" room that Autumn is in and how they will keep her there for the entire duration even if she eventually becomes MRSA negative. I asked the nurse what the results of her MRSA test were this week and she said, yesterday it was negative. So then I was working myself up to talk to the doctor about getting her out of there ASAP. I knew it was a long shot but the isolation room was full and if Autumn was now negative and there was a new baby that became positive, wouldn't they need the room?? I asked to talk to the doctor and started with some general questions about breastfeeding and her nasal canula. At some point, he indicated she was sick. I assumed he meant her UTI, but he went on to say she was "septic", and he said it like I knew what he was talking about. So I was like wait a minute, what do you mean septic? He said she had MRSA infection in her blood. I asked when they found this out and he looked in her chart and said it was Monday they found it. I told him that we didn't know that, and that we were only told she was MRSA colonized and not infected, and that the infection was a UTI. He said, well yes, it started as a UTI but the cultures came back that she was blood infected. He and the nurse showed no indication of surprise that I hadn't been informed of this and here it was Wednesday. On a good note, he said she was doing very well and seemed to be fighting off the infection. The last 3 days I've been holding her and she has seemed fine, I was ignorant to the fact that she was sick and I hadn't noticed anything except that she was having to be back on nasal canula and desatting a bit here and there.

How do you let the staff know that you're the "mom" without being a pain in the butt parent they don't want to deal with but letting them know that you want to be more involved and have some sense of control?

I'm still frustrated with the isolation room. One of the policies that goes along with being in this isolation room is that I cannot bring her anything from home. That means no blankies, no pacis, no hats, and no clothes for when she can start wearing clothes.

I know all these policies and actions of the nurses are in the best medical interest of Autumn but sometimes I think they forget that she's a baby who needs her mommy and I'm a mommy who needs her baby!