SO true! I am so sorry and will continue to send good thoughts and hope that your D will soon be well. 
I’m sure they all know how blessed they are to have your amazing support.
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Update; she was admitted to the ICU directly from the ER. She’s is being very closely monitored and, disturbingly, has a cric (cricothyrotomy) tray right by the head of her bed according to her husband.
She has epiglottitis. Her medical director was her treating physician at the ER and was impressed by her diagnosis, done based solely on a limited self-exam with no imaging or bloodwork. It’s a 1 in 100,000 diagnosis. She on IV fluids, IV steroids, and a bunch of IV antibiotics. (And she learned she is apparently allergic to vancomycin the hard way this afternoon because she had an adverse reaction.)
Likely she will in the ICU for 2-3 days or until she is able to swallow oral medications. Right now she can’t even swallow her own saliva and is in danger of choking as well as having her throat swell completely shut so she can’t breathe.
How did she get sick? Her treating physician believes she was infected by a patient she treated over the weekend. One of the many hazards of being a physician. Being around sick people can make you sick.
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OMG. I hope the meds do the trick without the need for any drastic measures. Your daughter is an amazing doctor. This is stuff of medical dramas. Hugs to all.
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Please keep us updated. Speedy recovery.
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What @BunsenBurner said. I’m impressed that she was able to self diagnose a rare condition. Sending good thoughts to all of you,
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Oh my goodness that is scary! I was terrified of epiglottis when my kids were babies. I’d read about it as an extremely dangerous form of croup (at least that was how it was presented), and then H was in med school and residency when they were little, and he saw a baby in the ER who didn’t make it. I believe that one of the vaccines which came out after my kids were little (Hib I think), prevents it.
My S was in the hospital overnight when he was about 13 months old with high fever from throat and ear infections, and there was a tube taped over his crib in case his throat swelled.
Truly scary and I’m so glad she got care fast enough!
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I’m so sorry! Thank goodness she took action and you and SIL and her hospital care providers are there.
May she be feeling better soon! Prayers for all of you. Peace be with you.
Hope the overnight went well. I know you are relieved DD is getting proper treatment and oversight, and showing signs of improvement today!
DD1 early on thought her due date was early April (and it was calculated to be March 25). She has had none of her 4 children ‘late’. I drove the kids Monday and Today to daycare and school. DD1 drove them Tuesday and worked for 1/2 day. She is taking sick leave this week until the baby arrives. GD1 (the oldest) has needed extra attention - and this morning was no exception (she will be 7 in May). On the drive this morning, I told her she would help out her mom and dad a lot to do her things on time and not need the extra help after all her brothers and sister are ready. Tuesday on the way home from school, she was getting bossy and demanding (we were listening to some classical music) - mom had to pull over. GD1 still carried on some. She almost lost going to softball practice. “Don’t tell daddy!” At home, she had time to calm herself and decide if she was going to explain things to daddy (who takes them to their T Ball/softball practice and helps coach) and then apologize. At first, she was digging herself into a bigger hole, but finally decided to become humble and ask for mercy.
GS2 was not listening well at practice, and at home last night he was carrying on a bit. He also had to be reminded that he has to listen and behave at home and at practice. He had Tball practice on his mind this morning, and I told him he will have his shorts ready at home to go if he can ‘be good, behave’. He will also have to tell his daddy that he will listen at Tball and behave.
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I’m keeping your family in my thoughts. Wishing her a quick recovery. She sounds like an incredibly smart and caring woman. So smart to know she needed immediate help.
Hugs to you and the grandchildren.
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Adding to the other wishes that your D gets well fast. Not being able to swallow is horrible. That is scary! It may also be the case that if she weren’t a physician herself she would not have been diagnosed so quickly for a rare illness.
Keep us updated when you have time.
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I’m sure the kids are all anxious about mom being ill and away. I hope they settle down but it’s certainly understandable that they aren’t on best behavior. Anxiety manifests in many different ways.
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I was taking care of both GDs because their dad had some important calls and they were without a nanny for next few days
When I was feeding GD2, GD1 said her sister smelled like poop. I checked and sure enough she had pooped. As I opened the diaper I knew it was a big one. It didn’t help that GD1 kept on saying, “this is the biggest poop I’ve seen.” She was also giving me instructions on where to wipe. At some point I had to tell her to keep quiet.
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The miracle of modern antibiotics!
D was discharged this evening on the condition that if she experiences any worsening of symptoms, she comes back to the hospital immediately. She is on a liquid diet since she still has trouble swallowing and finds anything spicy, acidic or crunchy too painful to swallow due to lesions in her throat. They’ve been feeding her ice cream for all her meals in the hospital. (Wow! what a awful diet! /sarcasm) I took the twins out to the supermarket this morning and let them pick out 5 different flavors of ice cream to have for when mommy comes home. They enjoyed that and felt like they were doing something to help.
I’m relieved she’s recovering quickly and glad she’s home. The kids were having a rough time. (Twin B’s behavior has been especially challenging these last 2 days.)
I’ve been mostly solo parenting the 4 yo twins and 2 yo GS (all home for spring break from preschool) for the last 2 days since dad has been at the hospital all day. I’m exhausted.
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Good news mom is home!
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Great news. I hope she continues to recover quickly. What a scary experience.
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Great idea letting the kids help pick out ice cream to help mom get better! Haha! Sounds like a more pleasant diet than some alternatives. Hope she continues her rapid recovery!
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@WayOutWestMom -so glad your D is home!
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@SOSConcern, for some reason I thought your daughter was a doctor. Do you have another daughter who is?
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Reading here later and I sure hope she is doing much better today. That is very scary!
Edit: So glad she’s home!
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Oh my gosh. He wasn’t by any chance in the Atlanta city or area at that time? My MOH lost her 21 month old son to that. Many, many years ago, 1981. And yes, it was before the Hib vaccine. That was one of the worst phone calls I ever got. My youngest got croup two times and hospitalized at 3 months and 6 months and I would be in a complete panic. I told his ped what had happened and why I was so affected and she was very understanding. His was never that, in fact I am pretty sure the vax was available by then, 6 years later.
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