Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Call 911!

This evening I had another one of those experiences that leaves you with a big pit in your stomach. The boys and I needed to go to the store to get some supplies for a school project for M (yes, I was feeling ambitious today). We did our shopping with Kaidence in the stroller like always. Now Kaidence has been sick with a runny nose, cough and last Saturday night her ear drum burst. So this whole week, before I can feed her or give her medications I have to get her up and pound on her back for a while to move along the mucous. If I don't she ends up gagging and throwing up. She has never been able to tolerate thick secretions since her long stay in the PICU of being intubated. I heard Kaidence doing the cough she does just before vomiting so I turned and took her out of her stroller to pound on her back knowing that it will keep her from puking. As I picked her up, Kaidence completely stopped breathing and her whole face was turning blue VERY fast. I did the Heimlich but then felt that I just needed to lay her over my knee and do back blows ( I remembered the video I watched in high school when I became a First Responder). I was doing this as I ran down the aisle yelling for help. A lady next to me could see how Kaidence was blue, gray and her eyes had the scariest look in them and she started yelling through Dicks Market to call 911. By this time I was surrounded by people shouting to see if anyone was a doctor and I was trying to yell over eveyrone and tell the guy on the phone with 911 to tell them that she has had a heart transplant and that she was 2 years old. This whole time C is shinning a flashlight in my eyes asking me if we can buy it and them a minute later he brings me some candy and asks me again if I will but it for him. Needless to say he was ignored!!!


Someone finally took the boys from me, Kaidence was looking so much worse and still not breathing. I kept praying to myself but was thinking,
Why isn't she breathing??
'she is going to die, she is dying.'
'Where is the ambulance??????'
I kept doing the back blows while thinking 'we have come this far and this is how it is ending?'

At last Kaidence started to cry and so I knew that I had finally cleared whatever was blocking her airway. We told the 911 operator that Kaidence was breathing again and they stayed on the line for a minute and I told them that I thought that she would be ok. But Kaidence's color was not coming back quickly and about 3-5 minutes after she started breathing again she still looked very blue, so the store manager called 911 again. After being on the phone with the operator for a few minutes the second time, Kaidence pinked up and wanted a balloon to play with. I told the operator that she was looking much better and that I was driving her right over to her pediatrician's office just down the street (they have a night clinic and they are connected to the hospital as well if that was needed) . We got the boys in the car and said a prayer of thanks and drove to the doctors. Kaidence was looking so much better by now but her O2 was still a little low but after some time came back up to her normal. The doctor seems to think that it is all related to Kaidence's cold. We are taking her in on Friday to have chest x-rays done to see if she aspirated anything into her lungs that would cause pneumonia.

A couple of years ago my M choked on a lego. I went to do the Heimlich but I froze and drug him into the garage where Mike was instead. After Mike did a couple of thrust the Lego came up, but when M choked he never turned colors. Since that experience I have always thought about what I would do if it ever happened again, because I was so angry with myself knowing that I froze and that by the time you call 911, a lot of damage can already be done from going without O2 for too long. It only takes a couple of minutes.
I am so grateful that Heavenly Father helped me, to help Kaidence tonight. I am grateful that my mind was clear. It was one of those times that I knew every second counted and that I didn't have time to waist. I have seen a lot of crazy stuff in the PICU but have never seen a child that color of deep blue gray and you could only watch it getting worse with every second (literally). After things settled down at the store the lady that saw me first with Kaidence told me that she couldn't see her face because I had her over my knee facing the ground but she could see how blue she was through her head of hair. That nasty grey blue color was a 100 times worse then when Kaidence was in heart failure. Tonight I go to bed counting my blessings and thinking that maybe I'll keep Kaidence's G-Tube forever....It's safer that way.

So what was the big project that warranted taking all the kiddos to the store???? Here it is.

28 comments:

Crystal said...

Oh my gosh! What a horrible experience! I am so glad everything turned out okay but I can only imagine how your heart must still be pounding out of your chest.

The Boys Rule said...

Shauntelle, why can't you just be boring like the rest of us? I know you wish so very much that you could be. Glad everything turned out alright.

Denise said...

Once again, we've been so blessed!!!!!! We know it was terrible so see Kaidence in that condition. I know Heavenly Father helped you to have a clear mind and know what you needed to do.

By the way the SNAKE out of rice krispies turned out great. (M) will be so proud to take that to school.

Hope today is better.

Love - Mom and Dad

Christina said...

So scary! Jacob chocked on a band aid once and I had to do back blows. It was so frightening. I was functioning in the moment and then an emotional wreck once he was ok. I am glad she is fine now!

Hugs & Prayers,
Christina

Andrea said...

Good for you Shantelle! You are a true lifesaver (in every sense of the word). I hope that I'd be ready to do something like that at the last minute, but you never know! By the way, the snake looks awesome! Great job!

Andrea (Leib) Riddle :)

Family Scads said...

Yikes! We have had to do back blows on a blue child many times. It is SO scary. I am so glad that Kaidence is alright. All I can say is, DOES THE WORRYING EVER END? Seriously? I think I am going to need a heart transplant after all of this!

P.S - Happy belated B-day to Kaidence!

-Kim

Em said...

Sheesh Shauntelle! I am so sorry because those kind of moments are terrifying! Thank heavens you knew what to do and thank-heavens she is doing better now! There are many angels watching over this precious little girl, both family and even heart buddies.

The Simmons Family said...

First of all... that is the cutest snake I have ever seen!! :) Kamryn is begging me to make one now. Recipe please??

S=C=A=R=Y!! Terrifying! We've had a few episodes of Owen choking on his pukes when he was younger... he'd turn blue.. and he look frightened. Thankfully Kaidence had a quick thinking momma and she is okay now. I hope she got the balloon!

Poor baby. Poor Mommy. And I'd say poor brothers.. but I'm sure they weren't even bothered by it. Boys!! :)

Heart Mommy said...

OOOHHHHHHH- I am so glad you where watched over. I am shaking. Good thinking Sh. Blue is not a good color on kids....

Denita Skousen said...

I am so glad you knew what to do! I just got my CPR training done again. I don't know if I would be able to not freak out if something like that happens. I am so glad you didn't panic and you were able to help her out. Your family is such a strong examle to me!

Melissa said...

How scarry! I'm glad you were a quick thinker and had so much help at the store. Whew!
Melissa - IHH

Megan and Alyvia said...

Holy moly that is the scariest thing ever!! SO glad Kaidence is okay!! Tell her not to scare us like that again (;

Michelle said...

Shauntelle! What a scary experience! You amaze me. Sending our love and hoping you have a boring, ordinary day.

Ashlie said...

Wow you held it together, I think I would have passed out. George ex-tubated himself in the hospital and I aobut lost it. Good for you for thinking fast!!

Megan and Alyvia said...

Well I would love to see you guys, bummer that both our kiddos are sick.
I actually moved to Utah though just last weekend so we need to meet up and catch up one of these days!! I would love to see Kaidence.

and thanks so much for offering me a shower or anything else, you're so sweet! i'm hoping we can go home tomorrow!!!
My number is 208-681-8393
Good luck at the appt tomorrow and I'm in room 3066, maybe I could run down and see you guys after the appt, I know apps are sometimes crazy busy though.

Jennifer Ortiz said...

Oh my goodness!!!! I am so sorry. When Jude came home from Cooks he aspirated on his medication the very first night. It is so frightening, and then on top of it the fireman plowed over my neighbors mailbox. Nothing like a little entertainment when there is a crisis. I hope you guys hang in there. I will say some prayers for your little girl.

Paul Cardall said...

Glad to read that everything worked out. I added your awesome video to my HOPE blog. http://hope4things.blogspot.com

Becky Wertz said...

Hey what do you think about getting the kids together soon now that it is getting warmer (and health permiting!) so that my kids can get to know their dad's side. I would love it for them to get to know the family better and have some cousins as friends. Let me know! bswertz@msn.com

Treasure Hunter said...

I am go glad that Kaidence was okay. She sure has angels watching over her!

Anonymous said...

Shauntelle, Blessed once again. I just wish you had a little more drama in your life. What a scary thing to go through. But your kept your wits about you and did the right thing. I'm so grateful that she is ok. You know how much I hate SNAKES, but this one is really cute. You and McCaden are so creative. Sounds like M had other things on his mind at the store. I need a girls day away soon. I'll be checking in to plan a day. Love to you all, Aunt Deb

Mimi said...

Oh my WORD!!! That story is crazy. I probably would have lost my mind. I am so revealed she is fine. AAhhh- my heart is still racing.

Crystal said...

Shauntelle, it seems I have misplaced your email. I wanted to ask you a question and I was wondering if you would email me, please.

Thanks!!

Crystal (Noah's Mom)

carolyn q said...

Okay, so last week with all that was happening . .I hadn't got on your blog and now reading this I feel terrible especially with how much we talked. . you never said anything about it too.
You are a great mom and I am glad that all went well and she ended up being okay.
(HUGS)

Summer said...

Oh my Goodness! SCARY!!! So glad everything turned out ok! We always pray for sweet Kaidence!

Heidi McMillan said...

Oh my gosh. I nearly had a heart attack reading that. I am sooo glad that everything turned out alright and so amazed at how well you handled the entire situation. Last but not least, I LOVE the cake. Not sure if it was worth all the drama though.

The Chiltons said...

Thank you for reading up on Jada Rose! I have been on your Youtube and left you a message there a few weeks ago...that Grocery Store experience must have been horrible!!!

The Chiltons said...

Furthermore please feel free to add Jada's blog to yours. We have taken the liberty of adding Kaidence's blog to ours. :)

Jen said...

I still get chills after reading this blog and it is a month after it happened! That was a scary moment, but someone forgot to tell Kaidence that! She was all smiles holding on to her balloon when she came in!