I got called by Jennifer, the resident I was on call with, that there was a 8 yo kid in the ER who was crying, talking nonsense and was hard to control. When I got here, I found a grandpa trying to prevent his grandson from falling off the bed. His mom and grandpa told me that he had fine until the day before, when he got a fever, started talking nonsense and just started crying. No matter what they did, he just kept crying and moving all around.
Jennifer and I examined him and then talked to his mom about having to do a lumbar puncture to make sure he didn’t have meningitis. It was a difficult LP, with Bande moving all over the place, but Jennifer got it. After we got it, I gave Bande antibiotics and then sedated him to try and keep him under control so he didn’t pull out his IV.
The next day, he was just sleeping and he didn't talk to me, mom said he continued to cry when the shots wore off overnight. We kept him on IV fluids and the antibiotics for an infection in his brain and prayed God would make him better. The next day, mom reported that he had sat up and ate a little bit, but everytime I saw him, he was still sleeping.
The 3rd day of admission, Bande was sleeping, or it seemed so, and I was talking to mom about how he was doing, when I hear this little voice coming from the bed. "Dokta?" "Dokta?" I realized it was Bande talking to me, so I bend down so I am right in front of his face and say "Yes Bande." Then this little cute voice says, "Dokta, can I have some chocolate please?" I look at his mom, with a puzzled look on my face, "Chocolate?" I say, "Is he asking me for chocolate?" She says, yes, with an embarassed look on her face. A minute later, I hear "Dokta, can I have a biscuit (cookie)?"I thought he was still too sick and sedated to know what was going on, but here is this little boy asking me for chocolate cookies. I have never given chocolate cookies to any other kid, I don't know why he thought I would have them and why he asked for them, but since he did, I sure did give them to him. I went home and got a package of Oreo's that I had gotten in town and took it back down to him. He was asleep when I got back there, but I told his mom to share with the other kids when he woke up. She said she would. The next day, he was all smiles when I saw him, he apparently liked his chocolate cookies.
A few days later, he was well enough to be sitting up. He ended up with an infection of his brain that has currently weakened the left side of his body, but we managed to play catch the day before he went home. We don't know how much residual weakness he might have, but will you pray with us that it will all resolve quickly.
