A Mother's Trial Read Online Free
vomiting.
Priscilla had arrived the previous morning, Sara’s day off, to learn of the new order for rice cereal. Mindy was only to have three teaspoons, to be increased gradually if she tolerated it well, but this represented a major advance, and Priscilla had danced around the ward, beaming. It was the very first time in her hospitalization that Mindy had been allowed solid food.
“This is my red-letter day!” Priscilla exulted to the nurse. “Debby and Maria are taking me out to lunch for my birthday, and now Mindy’s on solid food. I can’t believe it!”
At noon, Priscilla fed Mindy her noon meal. She was hungry and had a good appetite. But when Priscilla returned to room 503 following the birthday lunch in nearby San Anselmo with the two nurses, Debby and Maria Sterling, she was horrified. Dr. Arnhold, the pediatrician on the ward that day, had changed Mindy’s entire intake protocol. Instead of the rice cereal, Mindy now had a naso-gastric tube for feeding. And Priscilla knew that meant she had been taken to the Treatment Room across the hall and held down while the tube had been threaded through her nose into her stomach. They had not waited for Priscilla. In addition, Priscilla was told, they had started up two new medications which—along with her Cho-free formula—would be given through the NG tube. These were to be quinacrine — a treatment for giardia—and cholestyramine, which might help to control Mindy’s diarrhea. As both these treatments had been tried with Tia, they were not unfamiliar to Priscilla.
But they had not waited for her, and they had not told her in advance about the changes. To Priscilla this was monstrous, unforgivable, and she was in tears. Dr. Arnhold explained that Mindy’s resumed stooling had precipitated the decision to insert the NG tube. Sara and Dr. Applebaum agreed with the change in treatment.
Priscilla knew that if Mike Applebaum was involved, the problem had escalated. Dr. Applebaum was the expert in pediatric gastroenterology from Kaiser-San Francisco. He had been the consultant in Tia’s care, treating her himself many times during her hospitalizations in San Francisco. And if he was being consulted, it meant that far from improving, Mindy’s condition was worsening, that once again they needed a specialist to help them.
Unhesitatingly, Priscilla called Sara at home.
“Sara, why didn’t you tell me before they put the NG down? You know how I feel about their doing things and not letting me know. And especially when she’s never had an NG, when she’d be so scared...” She was still crying, but through her tears her voice was high and strong.
“Because I thought it would upset you,” Sara said. “I thought it would remind you of Tia.”
“It did remind me of Tia. My God, what’s going on?” Sara hesitated.
“I’ll come in and talk to you about it, Priscilla. Just wait there for me.” And so, on her afternoon off, Sara returned to the hospital.
“Mindy’s not keeping enough down to grow on,” Sara explained quietly. “She weighs the same today as she did when she came from Korea four months ago. She’s not thriving. If we can’t get her straightened out pretty quickly, she’s going to need—well... she’s going to need hyperalimentation... just like Tia.”
“Oh, Sara, no! Don’t tell me that!”
“Well, we may not need to. But her veins are so small, and—it’s just that I want you to be prepared—”
“Will she have to go to San Francisco? I don’t believe this. Oh, Sara, please—”
“I don’t know. We might be able to handle it here.”
“What about the central venous catheter? Will she need that? I know her veins are so bad. Oh, Sara!”
“Please, Priscilla. I don’t know. I just don’t know yet. There’s no use getting so upset now. The CMV might be making her more susceptible. It’s possible that what Mindy has is just a viral thing, but because she’s behind in her development...” she stopped and
Priscilla had arrived the previous morning, Sara’s day off, to learn of the new order for rice cereal. Mindy was only to have three teaspoons, to be increased gradually if she tolerated it well, but this represented a major advance, and Priscilla had danced around the ward, beaming. It was the very first time in her hospitalization that Mindy had been allowed solid food.
“This is my red-letter day!” Priscilla exulted to the nurse. “Debby and Maria are taking me out to lunch for my birthday, and now Mindy’s on solid food. I can’t believe it!”
At noon, Priscilla fed Mindy her noon meal. She was hungry and had a good appetite. But when Priscilla returned to room 503 following the birthday lunch in nearby San Anselmo with the two nurses, Debby and Maria Sterling, she was horrified. Dr. Arnhold, the pediatrician on the ward that day, had changed Mindy’s entire intake protocol. Instead of the rice cereal, Mindy now had a naso-gastric tube for feeding. And Priscilla knew that meant she had been taken to the Treatment Room across the hall and held down while the tube had been threaded through her nose into her stomach. They had not waited for Priscilla. In addition, Priscilla was told, they had started up two new medications which—along with her Cho-free formula—would be given through the NG tube. These were to be quinacrine — a treatment for giardia—and cholestyramine, which might help to control Mindy’s diarrhea. As both these treatments had been tried with Tia, they were not unfamiliar to Priscilla.
But they had not waited for her, and they had not told her in advance about the changes. To Priscilla this was monstrous, unforgivable, and she was in tears. Dr. Arnhold explained that Mindy’s resumed stooling had precipitated the decision to insert the NG tube. Sara and Dr. Applebaum agreed with the change in treatment.
Priscilla knew that if Mike Applebaum was involved, the problem had escalated. Dr. Applebaum was the expert in pediatric gastroenterology from Kaiser-San Francisco. He had been the consultant in Tia’s care, treating her himself many times during her hospitalizations in San Francisco. And if he was being consulted, it meant that far from improving, Mindy’s condition was worsening, that once again they needed a specialist to help them.
Unhesitatingly, Priscilla called Sara at home.
“Sara, why didn’t you tell me before they put the NG down? You know how I feel about their doing things and not letting me know. And especially when she’s never had an NG, when she’d be so scared...” She was still crying, but through her tears her voice was high and strong.
“Because I thought it would upset you,” Sara said. “I thought it would remind you of Tia.”
“It did remind me of Tia. My God, what’s going on?” Sara hesitated.
“I’ll come in and talk to you about it, Priscilla. Just wait there for me.” And so, on her afternoon off, Sara returned to the hospital.
“Mindy’s not keeping enough down to grow on,” Sara explained quietly. “She weighs the same today as she did when she came from Korea four months ago. She’s not thriving. If we can’t get her straightened out pretty quickly, she’s going to need—well... she’s going to need hyperalimentation... just like Tia.”
“Oh, Sara, no! Don’t tell me that!”
“Well, we may not need to. But her veins are so small, and—it’s just that I want you to be prepared—”
“Will she have to go to San Francisco? I don’t believe this. Oh, Sara, please—”
“I don’t know. We might be able to handle it here.”
“What about the central venous catheter? Will she need that? I know her veins are so bad. Oh, Sara!”
“Please, Priscilla. I don’t know. I just don’t know yet. There’s no use getting so upset now. The CMV might be making her more susceptible. It’s possible that what Mindy has is just a viral thing, but because she’s behind in her development...” she stopped and
Readers choose
Roxie Noir, Amelie Hunt
Brittney Dussault
James Hamilton-Paterson
Harry Whittington
Tanya Huff
Mara White
Sierra Dean
Jessica Sorensen
Craig Martelle