DS spent the last couple days in the ICU

Well, we spent the last 3 days in the pediatric ICU at Good Sam for labored breathing that turned out to be some pnuemonia. He's doing better and home today, but I just wanted to share some info and experiences.

1) Good Sam and Stonybrook are the only hospitals for pediatrics in Suffolk, then the next closest is North Shore/LIJ in Nassau. I wasn't aware of this. We went to the regular doc first and they called an ambulance to come get us. They wanted us to go to St. Catherine's because it was closest, but said we'd have to be admitted and then transferred to Stonybrook. Luckily the EMTs said we're not doing all that, we'll just go to Good Sam.

2) Trying to take a lesson from all the hospital posts I had read recently, when in the ER and they were trying to take blood and get an IV in, I asked if someone from pediatrics or a specialist could do it and I was told no, they were not allowed. After each of the 5 times they tried and through my own crying I kept asking the nurses and ER doc, and was told no. I don't know if this is a load of bull or not.

3) If anyone had been reading my posts about DSs constant congestion/coughing and our trying to find some answers, we're finally heading in the right direction. We had originally gone to the gastroenterologist because he has reflux and the ped told us that sometimes the two are related. THe gastro said there's slim to no chance one has anything to so with the other. That was also what we were told in the hospital. They got a pulmonologist to see us and he said it's asmtha and that there are probably some allergy triggers. So we finally got the allergy test the prediatrician didn't want to give us before a year. So, it was horrible to have to go to the hospital, but we finally are getting some answers and treatment for him.

4) The staff at Good Sam pediatric ICU was wonderful!!!! The nurses, the techs and the respiratory departments were all great!

Re: DS spent the last couple days in the ICU

Re: DS spent the last couple days in the ICU

glad he is going well. Hope gets better

Sorry you had to go though with that

I know i can't either

Re: DS spent the last couple days in the ICU

i'm so sorry that you had to go through that, but i'm glad that you are finally getting some answers

Re: DS spent the last couple days in the ICU

So sorry to hear what you went through...broke my heart to read that you were crying with the whole IV situation...I wish they had accomodated you.

So happy to hear that your little guy is doing better.

Re: DS spent the last couple days in the ICU

Re: DS spent the last couple days in the ICU

Glad your finally getting some answers. I can't imagine how scared you must have been. I've mentioned it before, but I'll say it again, last year I needed to bring my daughter to the ER. I live very close to St. Catherine's and she needed a CT scan. My ped told me I absolutely had to bring her to Good Sam or Schneider and explained to me that if G*d forbid she had bleeding on the brain, a pediatric neurologist had to be available to consult immediately . Afterward, he explained to me that all kids are better off in hospitals with pediatric eras. BTW, they were incredibly patient with her at Good Sam and she was able to do the CT scan without sedation which, saved us an actual admission.

Again, glad he's home and things are moving in a positive direction.

Re: DS spent the last couple days in the ICU

Sounds rough. Glad everyone is OK and you;re getting answers.