A PSA from a tired, frustrated cancer mom

What more can we do to keep her separate? 

See that wagon? We have it for a reason. 

My kid has leukemia. She has a HIGHLY compromised immune system, which means she gets sick very easily. VERY. EASILY. 

You see that room in the picture? It’s the PACU. It’s the waiting room for day surgeries at the Texas Children’s Clinical Care Center. Whenever Kaylee has to have a a spinal tap to inject chemo into her spine, this is where we go. It’s also where all the kids go who need tubes, adenoid removal, and other minor surgeries. 

In this room, there are signs (several of them) asking parents to PLEASE not bring sick kids into the PACU. Those signs are also there for a reason. I realize it’s not alway convenient to not bring siblings when you have an appointment, but I BEG YOU, if they are sick, PLEASE do not bring them to PACU (or anywhere else in the hospital, unless they ARE the patient). 

The reason I’m writing all of this- My kid has been HOSPITALIZED three times because she’s gotten sick from kids in the PACU. When my kid runs a fever, it’s life threatening. What would be a minor cold for most kids can put her in the ICU. For some reason, her body doesn’t just run fevers.... when she runs fevers, her heart rate also spikes dangerously high and stays that way for hours and hours (last time it took 24 hours in the ER, several IV boluses, and a transfusion to bring it back down to a safe range). It’s scary. It’s more than scary- It’s absolutely terrifying. And it’s happened 3 times in 3 months. 

You see how swollen she is? That's because they had to fill her with GALLONS of IV fluid
in an attempt to lower her heart rate

We bought the wagon to keep her from having to touch anything other germy kids have touched, and STILL there were kids with snot (literally) running down their faces slamming their cozy coupes into her IV pole (also, not a fun toy) and into her wagon. There were kids breathing on her and looking over her shoulder. And there parents who did NOTHING. NOTHING. 

Part of the blame is on the PACU staff, because in ALL of our visits, we’ve never seen them sanitizing the toys they provide. However, the REAL blame is on the parents who see the signs and ignore them because it’s just not convenient for them. I get it, I really do, but that kid in the picture? She means more to me than your convenience. You are risking her LIFE. 

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, if you absolutely insist on ignoring the rules, DO NOT allow your sick kid to touch, sneeze, cough on, snot on, breathe on etc, the toys that are there for the patients. Also, when you see a kid who is OBVIOUSLY not interacting with the toys or kids, STAY THE HE** AWAY.

Thank you.