So......Elisa has had asthma that usually occurs when she gets a cold since she was 9 months old. We spent quite a bit of time with our Dr. in South Bend making sure that we had a plan and all of the equipment and medicine to deal with it here knowing that she would get sick and for all we know the extra bonus of the smog might exacerbate the condition.
Enter 3:15 a.m. this morning. She was starting to get a cold over the past two days as we all were so we were on alert. At 3:15 she entered our room gasping for breathe and crying. After two breathing treatments over 20 minutes nothing changed (for those with asthmatic kids - she was registering nothing on her peak flow meter) so panic set in and we tried to figure out what to do. We knew that there are two hospitals that are the best in the city that are both close to our house (Clinica Las Condes and Clinica Alemana) so we called the second because it was somehow affiliated with the kids' school's insurance and we thought that might help with billing later.
So I think what happened (Rob made the call) is that he told them what was happening and their protocol was to send out an ambulance to check out the kid at home first. So at 4:00 or so three paramedics showed up (after getting lost on the way) and tried to help her out. They gave her a lot of some medicine and it helped but they thought it best to bring her to the Clinic to be evaluated. So off we went on the ambulance stretcher that was left at the elevator entrance (she laid down on me) through Santiago without the siren. The care was definitely equivalent to a good hospital in the US so that was reassuring. After some breathing treatment, steroids, and x-rays (and a nice credit card bill) we got back around 6:20. She is fine - has some more prescriptions and we definitely need to make contact with (not just have names for) a pediatrician soon.
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Hi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteAs you know we were away until last Monday. I have now gotten the kids back to school, and I am starting to deal with the dog issue (yes, the messing continues, but we now know it is a behaviour and not physical issue). We were over for a lovely time at Jen's on Sunday, and the community garden is still growing (somehow, we actually lucked out and most of the carrot seeds germinated). Beyond my usual activities (M/W, Shipshi, massive household work), things are getting back to normal.
I saw Dr. Kirsch today, and she allerted me to this post. I am a little surprised no one commented, but I suspect it was because EVERYONE was out of town. I never knew we had so much in common with Paris! I am very much relieved to hear that the hospital you were at was so decent. I guess I am paranoid after the tragedy in the spring. I have always had a bit of a laissez faire attitude towards medical emergencies while travelling(although I take all medical precautions possible a priori),but I have needed to rethink this attitude lately. And so I started worrying about the medical facilities there - it was a given that poor Elisa would have a bad attack at one time or another. But you all survived, the facilities are better than I thought, and I am relieved. Of course, I am not intending to down-play your experience - it sounds horrific! - but I am glad to know the emergency system did work.
Glad to hear about the car. have you named it yet. We had a 15 year old car in England that always quit when it was the least bit humid. Bessie was tempermental, but we sold her for almost the same amount that we bought her, and we went all over the Island with it. Now your excursions can go further afield.
Off to the ND picnic. It was supposed to rain, but just drizzled for a few minutes. Nevertheless, it has been moved inside. Will pass on the gossip, if there is any. Tammy