Mama Told Me There Would Be Days Like These

I would like to say that today went without a hitch but I would be lying. It was one of the toughest days I have had to go through in quite some time. We had our trip to Sick Kid's in Toronto today so that Parker could give some blood, get his ADAGEN injection, but more importantly receive his IgG transfusion. Those of you that remember from a few weeks ago when Parker attempted to get his IVIG we did not have any luck. The result was that we went home without getting any gammaglobulins. Today we did not have that luxury, as his IgG level was at a dangerously low level.

Mommy, daddy and Granddad all went with Parker at 9am this morning to 4C where they normally give children transfusions who are out patients. We requested the neonatal transport team since they have had success with Parker when it comes to giving him an IV. They are extremely knowledgeable and very friendly. The team arrived and were as nice and professional as the last time we had dealt with them. I told my wife that I would stay with the team as they tried to insert the IV. It was my job to hold Parker down as he tried to push everyone away. I tried to distract him as I stared into his eyes and talked to him. But Parker just cried. The tears were unbearable. I felt completely terrible. The team made three attempts at inserting an IV into Parker, two in his hand and one in his head, but the IV blew on all three attempts. This was no fault of theirs, Parker has difficult veins. At this moment they decided not to attempt any more, as they felt a new team may have a better chance at obtaining a vein.

After another 90 minutes had passed and we had calmed Parker to a point where he was sleeping in my arms, a member of the IV team was going to attempt to place the IV. I took Parker to an IV room and the moment I lay him down on the bed he must have known what was to come. My son looked me in the eye and began to cry. It took only a moment for the tears that had accumulated in his eyes to fall rapidly down his face. First they tried his head, but again to no fault of theirs, it failed. Then they attempted his foot, it blew. Parker continued to look at me in disarray, "How could you let them do this to me?", it seemed he way saying. I felt terrible, but I knew he needed the IgG to help combat infection. After the IV in his foot failed I picked up my son and held him. I wanted to take all his pain away. But did not know how I could possibly do that for him. I just repeatedly bounced him in my arms and told his I loved him. When I placed him on the table once again, he had not stopped crying from the previous attempt. The goal was to try in a vein in his other foot. I held my son very still, by now, he still cried but he didn't have the energy anymore to push and kick as they attempted the IV. This time, with my son exhausted from the previous attempts, the nurse successfully inserted the IV into Parker's foot. My son could finally be comforted by his father as he no longer needed to worry that anyone would attempt to hurt him anymore.

I know it must have been extremely stressful for the nurse attempting the IV with my son as upset as he was and his parents looking over her, hoping that she is finally successful. Everyone who attempted an IV on Parker were extremely knowledgeable and professional. They are among the best in the world at what they do and we thank them very much.

Parker is in bed now sleeping. I hope that he sleeps well and does not have much remembrance of the events that occurred today.