/ The RE's Muse: Jiggity jig

The RE's Muse

After 4 years of infertility, 2 surgeries, 1 miscarriage, and 19 months of high risk pregnancies, hubby and I now have two little women in our lives--one a toddler, the other not far behind. Buckle your seatbelts, it's gonna be a wild ride.

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Jiggity jig

First of all, thank you all sooo much for everything...for your kind words, your thoughts, your prayers, all of it.

The best news is that Daniela came home today; to say that we are thrilled is an understatement. The docs seem to think the febrile seizure was likely an isolated incident brought on by the viral pneumonia they diagnosed while she was in the hospital. Given her history, however, they have put her back on phenobarbital as a precaution since she may be predisposed to future febrile seizures going forward. She'll continue to be followed by her neurologist and we'll see what happens in time.

Secondarily, by having the seizure, Daniela sort of did us a favor because, by taking her to the hospital, we learned that she had a head injury--however, how she got it is a mystery to us. It's a subdural hematoma in the right temporal area and this is the small bleed that showed up on the MRI. It was NOT caused by the febrile seizure.

This is an injury typically seen in abused/shaken children, drunks, or traumatic injuries. While it can happen from a trip or fall, it doesn't typically happen that way. We're inclined, however, to think that that is how it may have happened, as she is currently cruising all around and has taken a few good falls in the past couple of months and has also been bowled over by J once or twice when she's run around the kitchen island and not seen D playing underfoot. Her head injury is estimated to be about a month old.

So, given the nature of the head injury--which she is suffering no ill effects from whatsoever--we are still under investigation by the department of children and families (DCF) as well as the county sheriff's office since the injury is often one of abuse. The DCF doctor, however, met with us over the weekend, interviewed us and he basically told us that we don't have anything to worry about, he does believe us when we say we did NOT inflict abuse of any sort...the sheriff's detective is also under the same perception from his talks with the doctor.

Long story short, it's been five days of nightmare, but the experience hopefully will grow smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror until one day it is but a distant memory. We've got follow up appointments with some specialists (hematology, opthalmology, neurology) in the coming weeks, and an inspection of our home by the DCF lady, but we're confident that the criminal investigation will soon be closed once the DCF doctor's final report is in.

Just so damned happy she's home and her old self again. And so very happy that you all are here to support us in times like these, where terror reigns supreme, where my self-confidence as a mother has been pushed to the very brink--given the fact that my baby had an injury and I didn't even realize it.

I beat myself up about that for a few days but the rational side of me realizes that she had no external signs or symptoms--no bruising, no lump, nothing that would indicate she had taken a significant hit to the head. It still hurt knowing that I somehow let her down by not protecting her...and if I find out this happened at the day care she attends three days a week, well, what can I say?

Home again, home again, jiggity jig.

P.S. Daniela was, understandably, miserable during the first two days in the PICU. Sure, she was cranky, and tired, and slept alot, but--HAHA--because the universe is funny like that, she cut two new teeth those first couple of days as well, making her even more miserable and cranky; you know, because it's not like she had anything else going on.

11 Comments:

At 10:54 PM, Blogger Cat, Galloping said...

It is a relief that she's home and that you guys are no longer under suspicion! Just reading the words "criminal investigation" even in the context of it being about to be closed gave me the shivers. Are you nervous about the daycare now?

 
At 12:26 AM, Blogger Kether said...

Whew.
So thankful that she's home and getting better and
So thankful things are coming to a close and soon you won't have to think about this any more than you have to.
You all have been in my thoughts.

 
At 5:52 AM, Blogger Lala said...

so glad you're home! I've been reading the blog of another mother who's been falsely accused of abuse as well. Let me know if you want the link.
luv to all of you.
Lala

 
At 7:13 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I've been checking in like mad! I'm so glad you all are home and your little on is okay. Also glad that you are not feeling the heat from the investigation. All so scary. I think about our kids' daycare too sometimes, though I have never really worried. I always figure that a daycare is at least better than a nanny in that there is almost always more than one person around to observe what is going on.
Take care, Dee! Hopefully we'll meet in NYC some other time, though I guess that's the very last thing on your mind right now.

 
At 10:09 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Whew. I can't imagine how violating an investigation must have felt...I just can't imagine. I'm happy D is home and will recover and be okay. And that the worst is behind you. But gosh, those memories will be tough to shake. Thinking of you.

 
At 4:10 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm so glad she's home and doing okay. You all must be so exhausted and drained!

 
At 4:10 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm so glad she's home and doing okay. You all must be so exhausted and drained!

 
At 4:14 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Now that I've already double posted, let me throw another one in there: please, sweetie, if you need any advice/help on the legal front, email me (link on my blog). I'd be glad to help out however possible.

 
At 2:03 PM, Blogger Heather said...

Oh dear Lord. I take a break from blog reading for a week and all hell breaks loose. I am so glad that dear Daniela is home and well; I can't imagine anything scarier than what you all have just gone through. Thinking of you all and hoping that the rest of it resolves quickly and smoothly.

 
At 7:22 PM, Blogger Antropóloga said...

I am so glad she's going to be okay. And I know the worry of the investigation is a drain, but it sounds like you have reasonable people on the case. For what it's worth, I used to work with my state's department to help monitor people who abused/neglected their children, and you can really tell who the "bad" people are and it sounds like they can tell you aren't. As for feeling bad you didn't know, well, if there were no signs, how could you? You're not psychic.

Best wishes.

 
At 5:07 PM, Blogger Toffee said...

Oh wow, I haven't checked in in a while. I am wishing better times for you all...poor little one. Most of the kids I saw in the ER during my rotations as a resident there who fell did have this kind of hematoma on CT scans and they all did just fine. We do more CT scans now than before. Glad to hear she is home and sorry to hear you all had to go through this.

 

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