Waitakere Hospital Day 1 - The Start

Today's plan was much the same as the previous days, family time.  Getting used to juggling two babies and a visit to the midwife to get Hunter weighed and checked.

The night before I had noticed a wee spot of infection on Hunters scalp which was the site where an electrode probe was put on his head during labour to monitor his heartbeat more accurately.  I had taken a photo of the sore and sent it to my midwife who said to go grab some Bactroban from the pharmacy and check it in the morning.

In the morning the infection was worse so I decided that on the way to see the midwife I would stop in and have Hunter checked by a Dr at Apollo Centre.  I brought up my concerns about the amount Hunter was sleeping while he was looking at his head.  The Dr I saw said there was no need for concern about the sleeping or the scalp infection.  I questioned this with him, reiterating his age of just 6 days and being pre term.  "He's fine, we don't like to give any antibiotics to babies so young" was his response to my concerns.  

My instincts told me something more was going on.  I listened to my intuition and took Hunter to Waitakere Hospital. 

I stopped in at home on my way and told Mathew what I was doing and for him to stay at home and look after Cooper, I'd be home soon.

At Waitakere I was seen quickly by a Dr who looked at Hunter and told me he'd need to take some blood.  At this point I broke down.  I was so upset, my son had already had blood taken the day after leaving hospital to check his Billy Rueben levels for Jaundice and it was traumatic, Hunter screamed and screamed and I didn't want him to go through that again.  A nurse came to talk to me and try to calm me and rationalise it for me, it was just a blood test to check for bacterial infection.  

I eventually calmed down enough for the Dr to begin taking the blood.  Hunter made small cries but nothing compared to a couple of days prior.  

An hour later the results came in showing a small bacterial infection so antibiotics would be started, by IV.  Once again the tears flowed and I was being comforted by a nurse, "is there any family who can be here to support you?"  At this time there wasn't.  I didn't want Cooper there and there was no one else to mind him but Mathew.  I was so scared and alone.  

A tiny line was put in Hunters arm.  He didn't cry.  I was doing all the crying for him.  I knew in my heart of hearts that if Hunter was admitted to hospital he wasn't coming home.  

More blood was taken next.  Then a Lumbar Puncture was done.  Then a catheter was put in.  Then we were admitted to the Rangitira Childrens Ward.

This is not how the first week of life is supposed to play out.