A Hospital Stay

Just give us antibiotics and we'll be on our way...OR NOT!

Our children had been passing around germs (new country, new city, new school, new germs!) for about the past two weeks. Trying to learn how they do things here medically -- as well as navigating the pharmacies -- was challenging, but it had been okay. Katie and Lucy had both taken turns staying out of school and taking antibiotics. Gray had gotten in on the not-feeling-so-well action, as well. Colds and strep throat mainly. We were somewhat surprised, though relieved, that Mallory had somehow managed to dodge the whole sore throat thing...

Well, last Tuesday she fell hard and she fell fast, coming home from school with a fever and complaining of an earache. A colleague here helped me to make an appointment for her at -- and went with us to -- the same European Medical Clinic where I had taken both Gray and Lucy a little over a week before. As she was pretty symptomatic of strep throat -- and considering the previous sibling diagnoses -- I figured that we would get antibiotics and then be on our way.

Well, she did have strep, but her ears were so severe that the pediatrician sent us upstairs to see the ENT who sent us to get a ct scan and long story kind of short she had tubes put in her ears to relieve the pressure and drain the fluid. It was a super long day and her ears were hurting her so badly; our initial appointment was at 10:00 in the morning, and by 5:00 they were taking her back for surgery! I only kind of cried only three different times - though, poor thing, she cried multiple times! When they brought her back to us and she awoke from her anesthesia, she was a different girl. It was so good to see that her pain had been relieved and that she was able to smile her big smile once again! 

So, having this in a different country means that everything is couched in a different culture.  I was reminded of what my children learned at our training prior to coming: "Sometimes different is just different." And this was a definite immersion into different. Instead of this being a simple out-patient procedure, it was a two-night hospital stay with daily follow-ups with the ENT specialist himself. 

Just an interesting side-note about the care: the nurses were so careful as to not disturb Mallory while she was resting.  At night they would quietly come in to check her temperature and change her IV antibiotics that she was receiving. When I offered to turn on the light they quietly "shhhh'ed" and used their little flashlight app to see. It was amazing. No one came in at the crack of dawn to bring breakfast - when she was awake and hungry I just asked and then they brought it. Seriously, the best night of sleep ever in a hospital setting! And speaking of the breakfast, you should have seen the amount of food at each meal - and a different tray brought in for the parent! Not your typical Jell-O and cold, slushed juice (though I think those choices may have been preferred over a few of the items brought!).

While the doctor's nursing/medical assistant during the day spoke English, the nurses at night did not. It was kind of encouraging that although we feel as if we hardly know anything, as we took turns staying with her, both of us were able to communicate with them on a sort of "survival" basis. Oh, and the television channels were all in Russian! Both talking and listening to the nurses, as well as watching morning cartoons, were great language practice while we were there!!  

Everyone was missing being altogether and so we were indeed thankful that everything looked just as it should each day and that Mallory was able to come home on Friday evening. So, we survived it. She survived it. We praise God for His provision.