Saturday, November 28, 2009

A Journey

The reason I have not posted lately is because we have been on one CRAZY journey - a journey that I NEVER want to go on again!

Cambria decided to give us all quite the scare two weeks ago. On Sunday November 15th, 2009 I called the Pediatrician emergency line because I had noticed that since Friday evening Cambria wasn't acting herself. Our little angel was sleeping constantly, not waking up to eat and even refusing to eat when I would wake her. The Doctor on call said he would take her to the emergency room just to be tested to make sure she didn't have an infection of some sort. Off to the emergency room we went thinking all they would do is draw blood and send us on our merry way. NOT THE CASE!!

When we go to the ER they called us back to take Cambria's vitals and from there everything feels like a blur. As soon as the nurse took her vitals she called another nurse to retake them. I started to get worried because I wasn't sure why she needed someone else to take her vitals too. The second nurse took her vitals and then said we needed to start her on oxygen. As soon as they put the oxygen mask on her face I knew that something wasn't right.

Shortly after that there were Doctors are nurses running around freaking out about my daughter. Apparently Cambria's heart rate was in the 280's when a normal heart rate for a baby is in the 120's. After trying everything they could to get her heart rate down (oxygen, IV fluids, ice on her face, etc.) they decided they needed to administer a medication via IV that would basically reset her heart in hopes that they could get it down that way. When they did this I was scared to death. I felt like we were in an episode of "ER". As soon as they administered the medication I was terrified. I felt as though time stood still. Everyone in the room stood and was staring at the heart rate monitor to see if her heart rate would go down. About 30 seconds after administering the medication her heart rate began to rapidly drop back to normal. THANK GOD!

Once they got her stable the Doctor explained to me what was going on and she informed me that they wanted to transfer her via helicopter to Fairfax Hospital where they have a Pediatric Cardiology Unit to figure out why her heart was beating so fast. I was hysterical. Just hearing them tell me that my daughter was in such a serious condition that she needed to be airlifted to Fairfax was devastating and so frigtening. Thankfully about 30 minutes later they decided she was okay to go by ambulance because she had been able to regulate her heart rate in a normal range since administering the medication. So - Mommy climbed into the ambulance with my little Cami and off we were.

Once we arrived at Fairfax Hospital we were welcomed with open arms and lots of caring nurses and Doctors. I immediately felt at ease and although I was still terrified and hysterically crying I just knew that she was in good hands. We got little Cami settled in and after talking to multiple Doctors and nurses we decided to try and get a little rest until the Cardiologist came to see us in the morning. I slept maybe 45 minutes that night. I didn't want to take my eyes off of my beautiful little Cami in fear that something awful would go wrong again.

In the morning, after Cami stayed stable and regulated her heart rate fine overnight, the Cardiologist came in to see us. After EKG's and Echocardiograms it was determined that Cami had no structural defects and she was diagnosed with SVT (Supraventricular Tachycardia) which is an electrical circuit problem in the heart. The Doctor explained that 95-98% of babies diagnosed with this condition outgrow it by one year of age. That helped us to breathe a little easier. He explained everything, told us he wanted to start her on a medication to lower her heart rate and prevent future episodes and he would check back in with us the following day.

After day 2 in the hospital Cami had another SVT episode which the Doctors and nurses got under control by applying ice to her face. Although I felt like having another episode was a set back in her recovery, I am so thankful it happened while we were still in the hospital under the best care she could possibly be. Due to this episode we were required to stay for another 24 hours. The Dr. didn't feel comfortable letting her go home until she could go 24 hours without any episodes.

Finally after 4 days in the hospital we were released. Cambria is FINALLY at home! She is taking 2 medications twice a day to lower her heart rate and prevent future episodes. Jon and I have to check her heart rate multiple times a day with a stethascope to catch any episodes she may have. So far she has had 2 episodes since leaving the hospital but luckily we have been able to control both at home so as to avoid the ER and hospital again. We will continue to watch little Miss Cambria and hope and pray that she grows out of this condition soon.

Today is day 6 with no episodes - the longest stretch she has gone since being admitted to the hospital. This gives me HIGH hopes that things are looking up and getting better. I know that Cambria is such a tough cookie and that she will pull through this just fine.

Below are some pictures from our 'journey'. Please continue to hope and pray that we never have to go through another 'journey' like this one with our little Cambria EVER again!!


(Exhausted after a long day in the ER and then going by ambulance to Fairfax Hospital. Finally relaxing in Daddy's arms.)


(Look at that pathetic crib...it was like she was in prison for babies)

(She's one tough cookie, that's for sure!)


(Dreaming of home...)


("I want to go home!")


(Going home at last!!!)


(Finally - back where she belongs!!!)

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