Avery

We (as in Brian and I) spent Saturday morning on July 28th cleaning house!  I love having clean floors!  The girls were entertained by their big cousins (Taylor and Abby) by playing in the basement.  After lunch, we headed to Bob and Jen's pool to spend the afternoon.

Swim-time was cut short by Avery complaining and crying that her "heart was beeping" and it hurt (she held her hand over her chest).  We have had this happen before, but I always thought she was just anxious/crying and that's why it felt like her heart was beating so fast.  I told her to calm down, breathe slow and it would be okay.  Thankfully, Jennifer was there to check Avery's heartbeat.  Jennifer checked her heartbeat for about 30-40 minutes and kept getting 180-200.  We would let her sit and relax, then she would check it again.  In fact, Avery was asking to go back swimming. The fact that I could see her little chest pumping up and down so fast was very scary and it prompted us to leave for the E.R.

This was one of those times when you have to remain calm and maintain composure, but it is very hard to not burst out crying.  This is also a time when I realize what it really means to be a Mom.

On the way Avery said her heart had stopped "beeping" but that it still hurt.  I was worried we would get there and everything would be normal.  We had discussed this issue with her pediatrician in the past, but the episode was not happening, so the doctor could not tell much about it.  However, when we were taken back to a room and she was hooked up to a monitor her heart rate was at 250. 

The room filled with nurses at that point to draw blood, set-up an IV, and to start an EKG.  They also placed her on oxygen through her nose and started applying ice to her face.  The doctor explained this was to try and lower her heart rate.  If it did not work they would administer medicine through her IV that would drop her heart rate, then it would rebound to normal.  Then they would send her on to U.K.  They did give her the medicine through her I.V. and then sent us to U.K. in an "ambalance truck" (This is how Avery says it).  We were finally released from U.K. around 8:00 p.m. with a prescription until we could see a cardiologist and a HUNGRY girl that just wanted to go to
Chick-fil-A !

I have to brag on how amazing our little girl was in such a scary situation.  There was never a time that she cried at the hospital and she would giggle when asked questions.  The nurses bragged every time that they entered the room.  My heart swelled with pride, but was being crushed by the pain of watching her go through such a traumatic situation.

The next morning, I was still hugging and snuggling with Avery and she informed me that I could stop hugging her!  She is so funny and I will share later some of her funny stories with the doctors and nurses.