We get to the hospital as quickly as possible and they take Jérémie right away. Though he still has fever, they did not see signs of infection or any explanation for the fever. They suggest that he undergo a lumbar puncture to eliminate the 0.1% chance that it could be meningitis. We agreed, but the ER doctors were not successful in extracting the spinal fluid because he was so small. They tell us he needs to be admitted for 2 days to await blood and saliva test results. They also started an IV to treat him with antibiotics, just in case.
The next day Dr. Liben convinced us to attempt another lumbar puncture on Jérémie, despite the difficulties from the previous day. He was able to get the spinal fluid on the first try. Three hours later the results were back, our worst fears had now been confirmed, Jérémie had meningitis.
Knowing very little at the time about this condition, our first concern was Jérémie's long term health and the risks of permanent after effects. Dr. Liben and Dr. Ruben from infectious diseases did not know whether the meningitis was viral or bacterial. The answer to this question would give us a better idea of the risk of after effects.
Meningitis is the inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal cord. People who recover from meningitis may be left with a range of after effects that dramatically alter their lives. Meningitis is usually bacterial or viral, and occasionally is due to fungal infections. Viral meningitis can be very unpleasant but it is almost never life threatening and most people quickly make a full recovery. Bacterial meningitis is more serious and can be caused by a range of different bacteria.
It took 10 days for the doctors to safely assess that Jérémie's meningitis was viral and decided to stop the antibiotics. It was a combination of good days and bad days, where one day Jérémie would be very alert and hungry and showing signs of good recovery. But the next day, he would have a seizure which required CT scans. His stay was also marred with collapsing veins for the syringe pumps, because they were so small. These were the longest 10 days of our lives.
Though the news of a viral meningitis was a relief from the alternative, it did not completely rule out any or all short term or permanent after effects. Jérémie had several tests after his stay in the hospital and to date, has passed all of them with flying colors. He will continue to be watched closely, but we are very hopeful and thankful that his health will continue down the same path.
This experience has made us realize how important health is, and we are thankful for every healthy day we have. We are also eternally grateful to the doctor's and nurses at the Montreal children's for the excellent care they provided to Jérémie and to Josée who stayed by his side 24 hrs a day for the duration of his stay. Many of the staff at the Children's are parents themselves and we really felt they understood the difficult times we were going through as a family and were very helpful and caring. This experience also reaffirmed the importance and the need for organizations like Kurling for Kids which helps the foundation fund much needed equipment to better care for our little cuties!
Thank you for your contribution to the success of Kurling for Kids
Regards;
Carl Mainguy & Josée Beliveau
