*UPDATE: First, thank you to everyone for the comments and emails-especially for the relating of stories of similar diagnosis and medical reactions with meningitis. It’s one reason I love the internet so much-having those first hand experiences related to me really, really helped calm me down and be more hopeful.
His doctor is pretty certain it is viral and not bacterial. Since he still has the IV attached, he is being on the cautious side and is administering antibiotics to be on the safe side until the culture comes back. He has also had improvement today which is the best sign of all.
SO…because he has had some improvement,they are confident that it is viral and they are able to manage his pain at home, they are not going to admit him into the hospital. Plus, he has other issues like severe ADHD that make a hospital stay really tough on the poor kid so given EVERYTHING at this point, the dr. thinks it would be better for his recovery to just be at home with close monitoring. I am really relieved and grateful.
THAT SAID.
This whole thing was handled so damn poorly. Meningitis is effing SCARY to people! So much of the anguish and fear we have been through today could have been prevented with BETTER COMMUNICATION or how about this? PLAYING ON THE SAFE SIDE UNTIL THE CULTURES WERE BACK AND A DIAGNOSIS WAS CERTAIN. We all still feel he should have been admitted, but even if they had still sent him home, making it clear that being sent home DOES happen instead of leaving everyone with the feeling of ‘Hey, your kid has meningitis, we’re not sure what kind but we’re sure hoping it’s viral! So take his IV and go home and see the pediatrician in the morning!! KTNXSBAI!!!”, would have helped, ya know?
The average person hears “Meningitis” and understandably freaks the hell out. As sick as he was though, they should have kept him. They were not sure it was viral (and the cultures aren’t back yet, but his improvement this afternoon is the biggest indicator)the explanations given to them about everything at the hospital were really poor, and it all just added to the panic and worry.
Still…he will sick for awhile but will be ok in the end, so I don’t have the heart to be too pissed right now. I’m just relieved.
I just got off the phone with my sister and am sitting here in a state of shock that has turned to boiling anger.
My 13-year-old nephew was taken to the emergency room of our local hospital and diagnosed with meningitis. For those not familiar with it, there are two forms of meningitis. Both are horrible but one (bacterial) is DEADLY and highly contagious, while the other (viral) is usually just horrible. Both usually require lengthy hospital stays.
Here is the thing.
We do not know if he has viral or bacterial meningitis because all the tests and symptoms are totally contradictory. For example, he has a much higher white count than viral should have but lower than bacterial. They did a spinal tap which was clear, but there are a lot of white cells in the fluid which should not be there if it is viral, some symptoms point to viral some to bacterial etc.
Here is the kicker:
After they ran all the tests and decided that they didn’t know what type he had, THE HOSPITAL SENT HIM HOME.
WITH MENINGITIS.
NOT KNOWING IF IT IS BACTERIAL OR VIRAL.
My sister is PISSED and fairly sure it is due to their insurance and I’m so mad, I could SPIT. (Keep in mind this wasn’t an “Your insurance may not cover this” it was a “We are choosing NOT to admit him”).
Yes, there will be discourse with the hospital, rest assured. My sister is not one to stay quiet about things like this. She wasn’t there when he was discharged. She had been up all night at the ER and with him during all the tests and her husband said he would wait with my nephew until he was in his room and sent her home to get some sleep so she could get back to the hospital early. She never dreamed that they would send him home or she never would have left. I love my bro-in-law but my sis is a barracuda when it comes to medical issues. (This is also why I have her with me when I deliver my kids. Heh.)
Who does this? Who could possibly think that this is a good medical decision? Sending an extremely sick child with an unverified form of meningitis home without even ONE NIGHT IN A HOSPITAL?
The poor kid is sicker than a dog and they sent him home with an IV still attached to his arm and instructions to “See his doctor tomorrow”. Even IF it is viral, I’ve known 4 people with viral meningitis and they ALL were admitted to the hospital. The shortest stay was a co-worker who was in there a week.
AND????
What about the possible fallout to other people if it is bacterial??? They told my sister to take him into his doctors office. If this is bacterial, they are willing to put a person who may have bacterial meningitis in a pediatrician’s office with newborns? The nurse at the doctors office is appalled and has never heard of such a thing. They are going to have to clear a chunk of time for him to come in by himself.
I may not be a doctor but I to me, this seems like highly irresponsible medicine.
I know that I am highly pissed off, emotional, pessimistic and tend to think the worst but HOLY FREAKING HELL this just seems wrong.
I am just sickened and scared by the whole thing.
I really hope everything will be ok.
Filed under: 
Holy Crap Loralee!
I am so frightened for him! I hope that they get it figured out soon and that he turns out to be okay!
I cannot believe the hospital sent him home! WTH?
Prayers and hugs for y’all!
Canada, bitches. You all should be moving about now.
Wow, that’s terrible. I think maybe your sister should try calling some other hospitals and seeing if they will admit him. It’s retched that people in need get turned away in this day and age in this country. Our healthcare system really is so messed up.
OMG that is horrible!
I hope your nephew is okay.
I am so very sorry to read this. 8 years ago, dear friends of ours lost their daughter at 15. She was our babysitter. Two other people died following Danielle’s death. Her mom and Dad became very vocal about meningitis and shortly afterward, our health region did mass, free vaccinations for everyone. Much of that was due to Dierdre and Doug’s media campaign and information blitz. I am thankful everyday for their efforts. Their work made and continues to make a difference.
Thoughts and good wishes to each of you and your family.
I agree with calling other hospitals, for sure. He needs to be admitted! This is crazy!
Also, I wonder if your sister would be willing to go to the news? Her city/town should know that the hospital is willing to put EVERYONE in the area in danger.
I hope your nephew is okay. I have my fingers crossed that he gets the COMPASSIONATE care he needs. *hugs*
I hate health care more and more every day. It’s something that I know we have to take into our own hands, and yet I’m so totally uncomfortable with the whole process. Combined with insurance, it’s a complete nightmare!
I hope you guys get a proper diagnosis and treatment ASAP!
That is SO crazy and wrong. I hope they figure out what is going on and soon.
Unbelievable! I’m glad your sister is the type to stand up for herself. Keep us informed. That is so careless and irresponsible of them.
I hope he’s alright. :(
That is just negligent. This is probably the precise word that should be used when talking to the hospital as well.
That aside, best wishes for a quick recovery for your nephew.
I’d be calling my lawyer right now. Holy SHIT Loralee! Hopefully your nephew’s pediatrician has privileges at a hospital and can admit him right away. Keep me posted – you know how worked up I get about sick kids.
I have never never heard of such a thing. The hospital staff that did it is incompetent. I hope his regular doctor fixes the situation quickly, and I hope he gets better very soon.
Unbelievable! I can’t believe they didn’t even give antibiotics prophylactically?!!!
My sister contracted bacterial meningitis at 15 months – thank God she fought it and is doing well, 25 weeks pregnant with her first baby at 27. What saved her life was our family doctor prescribing antibiotics for a mark on her face that he thought was an infected insect bite (turned out it was the septicemia). He misdiagnosed meningitis – it was caught later that night by an on call doctor – but the antibiotic in her system already is what stopped things going way downhill much faster than they did.
At the very least – in your sister’s shoes, I’d be demanding antibiotics – and I’m not a fan of antibiotics – but in this case I would think it warranted.
Hope she gets answers, and your nephew gets better, soon!
That hospital is so irresponsible, I have no words… Your sister needs to go to another hospital and get her boy admitted NOW. What is wrong with people today? You’d think the doctors would know that meningitis is NOT to be trifled with. Please, please keep us updated!
The state of healthcare in this country is absolutely appalling.
Wishing your nephew a speedy recovery.
Damn. Hope they find its viral and he starts to feel better soon…
Holy hell. I have seen the effects of improperly treated meningitis and it is not pretty. And no number of lawsuits makes it all better. You know what to do. I am just speechless.
I’m guessing the doctors surgery is very grateful that you told them about the risk rather than just turning up and possibly infecting others.
I hope to god that he is ok and I cannot believe that this could happen in a country such as the U.S. I’d always thought that the U.S had one of the best health care because it has to be paid for. I guess this shows how wrong you can be.
My prayers are with your family.
I see that several others have already suggested this, but can she just drive to Primary Children’s and go through their ER? Of course that assumes that she’s in Utah.
Holy Crap! Either type of meningitis earns a ticket to admission, do not pass go, do not collect $200.00.
My boss had viral years ago and had a week’s stay in the hospital and three weeks at home recovering. It was touch and go for a while.
Your sister should call the other hospitals locally, get him admitted, THEN call a lawyer.
don’t hate me…but calling a lawyer might only perpetuate what is so wrong with healthcare today in the first place.
i’m just sayin…
i hope he gets the care he needs and fast. i’ll be thinking of your nephew and his family…
I don’t want this to sound funny, I hope it sounds comforting so you don’t worry more than you already are but Lillian had viral meningitis last winter and I did the same thing–i.e. freaked out–and the doctor sent her home with hardly anything and when I talked with him (I really respect him, he’s a great pediatrician) he explained that unless her symptoms got much worse there was no point in doing anything–being viral. He could tell from her symptoms and from the progression that it was the viral kind. The bacterial form is much more severe and progresses much faster apparently. Perhaps after observing him for the night they were satisfied it was the viral form.
I’m just saying from my experience last winter that maybe there is less cause for concern–most hospitals and medical people are so concerned about law suits nowadays that they err on the side of caution for fear of problems down the road. Though there still are irresponsible people out there for sure.
But regardless, I sure hope he’s feeling better. It took Lillian FOREVER to get over it, and it was a bit scary until she did.
@Scribbit. NO, this actually gives me tons of comfort. The term “Meningitis” just scares the hell out of me and everyone I’ve known with even the viral kind has had long hospitalizations so it really, really helps that someone I know (And really trust) has a similar experience.
They are in with the dr. now so hopefully I will have news soon.
They sent him HOME with an IV pole attached to his arm? Are you KIDDING me? I would have stopped off at the nearest attorney’s office on the way home. That seems so third world country, I can’t even stand it!
it just seems unthinkable to me.
i hope the news from the doctor’s appointment is good. poor kid.
hugs
Vx
Oh my good Lord. Are you freakin’ SERIOUS?! That is ridiculous! THIS is PRECISELY why I hate doctors and the medical profession in general. Bunch of idiots. My own nephew just went through a very similar ordeal so I completely understand your FRUSTRATION. You guys will be in my prayers.
Meningitis is just weird and dangerous in general–apparently you can even get fungal meningitis?
Anyway, I had it this summer (viral), but I was diagnosed with ‘neck pain’ and given a muscle relaxant. It didn’t feel right, so I went to another doctor who immediately diagnosed it and put me in the hospital right away. It took three days before the cultures came in for them to know it was viral. I was quarantined for that whole time, just in case. After they found out it was viral I was there another few days, mostly for pain management, but I was still required to have a private room, just in case.
It is just insane for them to send him home–what are they thinking?! Hopefully another hospital in the area will have more sense. Anyway, please do update with how he is doing.
I hope all this gets figured out and he has a speedy recovery. I don’t know if your sister lives near you, but please tell me you won’t be delivering at this hospital.
If it’s any comfort to you at all, a friend of mine’s little one just contracted viral Meningitis and was sent home, as well. Apparently, if they’re confident it’s not bacterial, there isn’t much they can do to treat it, provided the symptoms aren’t unbearably painful to the patient. I hope that’s the case with your nephew!
Loralee….in the two years I have been in Utah, I have found the health care to be a complete joke. I have had two incidents at Ogden Regional and have switched insurance so that I never have to go there again. And we also had a doctor that didn’t know what was wrong with my husband so he decided it had to be a heart problem and made him a cardiac patient. He has since had a full body scan and his heart is perfect!
If it were my child. I would take him back to the hospital and demand to have him admitted. Go over everyone’s head if you have to. If they won’t admit him, I would take him to another hospital. This is too serious to wait at home.
Please update here and/or facebook. I’m praying!
I’m with Mr. Lady. Move to Canada.
I hope he is better quickly!
@Angella
Man, with you and Mr. Lady as neighbors being in the same country as redneckmommy and Ali and oh, elventyhundred other awesome Canadians (and that Vancouver is just about my favorite city in the world) that sounds very, very tempting.
hope all is well and he the care he needs
Absolutely deplorable. I hope he feels better quicker being at home.
I am skeptical.
Skeptical of what?
That is insane.
With an IV still attached? I am sitting here with my mouth agape. Did they give him antibiotics at all? Cause the whole family should be on them as well as any kids he has come in contact with as a precaution. I can’t even imagine what kind of negligence this is, a freaking law suit waiting to happen…
Don’t move to Canada. Come to Australia our health care is better and I am way hotter than Mr Lady and Redneck Mommy :P
Hon, I’m thrilled the nephew is going to get better and I’m glad you are doing okay.
But I’d like to know what the hospital’s excuse was and how your sis handled it. Because they showed extreme lack of judgement and it needs to be addressed.
(Can you tell I spend way too much time as an advocate for patient rights? Gah.)
What a horrible mess. I hope that he gets better really soon.
Holy Shit—how terribly scary!!! I could go ON FOR DAYS ABOUT THE SHIT-FIELD THAT IS THE US HEALTH INSURANCE SYSTEM. But I don’t think there are enough “Caps” and “Bolding”-options for the comment section.
I hope he keeps getting better and better. I’m thinking of you and yours.