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"It's only a flesh wound!"
Feb. 17th, 2011 02:43 pmYesterday, I arrived at work (teaching preschool) and overheard that the daughter of one of the other teachers had vomited blood that morning. The mom had been concerned--obviously--but not unduly so, as the kid has a tummy virus (as does her sibling) and had vomited (normally) the day before. She weighed taking her daughter to the doctor versus going to work, and let the fact that she didn't have lesson plans ready for a substitute be the deciding factor. She came to work and made a doctor's appointment for after work. (The children's grandmother stayed with the sick kids.)
However, to me, vomiting blood was a HUGE red flag announcing, "Go straight to the doctor or hospital!" Vomiting blood is apparently the classic symptom of liver failure, and it's how we first learned of my daughter's failing liver. I offered to cover my co-worker's afternoon class (I had a morning class only), and she took her daughter to the doctor a few hours earlier than planned.
The doctor said, "Don't worry about it; it's just a virus," and sent them home. Was she reassured? Probably. Was I? Not really. My daughter's pediatrician sent my daughter home with a "Don't worry about it" too.
Today, my co-worker was back again, despite her daughter vomiting blood a second time this morning. She said that she'd called the pediatrician and was waiting to hear back from him. I was in an awkward position. I didn't want to alarm her too much. After all, it might not be anything serious, and I don't want to terrify her for nothing. But I did want to alarm her enough that she would stop taking this more lightly than it might deserve.
I told her how my daughter's pediatrician had sent her home with a "Don't worry," and then by later that same day, my daughter had lost so much blood that she needed blood transfusions. I also told her how when we did go to the Emergency Room, the triage nurse kept us waiting, while my daughter got paler and paler, weaker and weaker, as she sat in my lap. Later, my mother had commented that if my daughter's bleeding had been external instead of internal, the triage nurse probably would have put her first in line to be seen.
My co-worker took her daughter to the Emergency Room immediately after teaching her morning class.
However, to me, vomiting blood was a HUGE red flag announcing, "Go straight to the doctor or hospital!" Vomiting blood is apparently the classic symptom of liver failure, and it's how we first learned of my daughter's failing liver. I offered to cover my co-worker's afternoon class (I had a morning class only), and she took her daughter to the doctor a few hours earlier than planned.
The doctor said, "Don't worry about it; it's just a virus," and sent them home. Was she reassured? Probably. Was I? Not really. My daughter's pediatrician sent my daughter home with a "Don't worry about it" too.
Today, my co-worker was back again, despite her daughter vomiting blood a second time this morning. She said that she'd called the pediatrician and was waiting to hear back from him. I was in an awkward position. I didn't want to alarm her too much. After all, it might not be anything serious, and I don't want to terrify her for nothing. But I did want to alarm her enough that she would stop taking this more lightly than it might deserve.
I told her how my daughter's pediatrician had sent her home with a "Don't worry," and then by later that same day, my daughter had lost so much blood that she needed blood transfusions. I also told her how when we did go to the Emergency Room, the triage nurse kept us waiting, while my daughter got paler and paler, weaker and weaker, as she sat in my lap. Later, my mother had commented that if my daughter's bleeding had been external instead of internal, the triage nurse probably would have put her first in line to be seen.
My co-worker took her daughter to the Emergency Room immediately after teaching her morning class.