As mentioned in the last post, Aaditya had mild fever running for almost 1 week, so finally I decided to head to Dr. Daftary.
At the clinic, Dr. Atul checked Aadi, then he called over Dr. Daftary to check Aadi, This had never happened before, Dr. Atul had never asked Dr. Daftary to check Aadi ever!!
At that moment I knew something was wrong, but thought that it would be related to the fever.
Then Dr. Atul told me that there were something wrong about his systolic heartbeat, and that we should get it checked by a 2-D Echo Cardiogram.
I had never heard of a 2-D Echo before this, I was very confused.
They gave me numbers to Dr. Bharat Dalvi's clinic in Matunga, telling me that he is the best when it comes to childhood heart ailments.
When I heard that....my head was in a tizzy, I tried my very best to concentrate on what the doctors were saying.
Dr. Daftary said there was no need to be alarmed, we just want to rule out the possibility of a heart ailment hence the 2-D Echo.
I kept that in mind and headed home.
I called Dr. Bharat Dalvi's clinic upon reaching home, and got an appointment only for the 15th of July, and I was not willing to wait till then; because in my mind I thought that we have to just get it checked once and get over with it, so the sooner we check the better.
So the next morning, I went to our family doctor, Dr. Rao in Andheri and he suggested another Cardiologist in Andheri, Dr. Ratnaparkhi. He told me that this cardiologist is well known, and was a good friend oh his. Dr. Rao even called him in my presence and fixed up an appointment for the same evening.
While at Dr. Rao's he checked Aaditya and told me that according to his diagnosis there was no problem, but all rests in God's hands (I remember he pointed to a picture of Lord Ganesha behind him).
By this time, I was tensed and it showed. My mom tried very hard to divert my attention, but the worry just kept eating bits of my heart.
I also remember that while washing some glasses, I actually broke one. Now I am not an overtly superstitious person, but I don't know there was something about that day and when that glass broke I knew I would face some bad news.
In all this time, I had not told my brother about this. I think he was going through a very busy patch at work and hence me and mom decided to keep him out of this, since we had to just get the 2-D echo done to rule out any problem.
This was another mistake I made, because for me my brother is my pillar of strength, my rock solid support. Without him by my side I was just not stable.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
The Journey to India
After the second episode of Febrile Seizure, we were very careful with Aadi's fever or any health related issue. Luckily there were none until I decided to go to India to visit family.
In May 2008 I went home for a 2 month vacation. On 30th May Aaditya and I left for Mumbai, we were really happy to go home as it was our trip after almost 1.5 years.
As I was packing, Amol was telling me how I should be careful with the water that Aadi drinks, the rains - he must not get wet, he is not used to it. He must not play in the mud, he could get sick.....and the list went on. I knew Amol was worried for Aadu and since he himself was not going to be there during this trip to India, he was making sure he voiced his concerns....but the truth I think is that he was trying to mask his sadness of having to part with his little soldier for that long a period.
Anyways, we landed in Mumbai, the family was there to receive me, and actually I had not told my mum that I was coming; so the trip was actually a surprise for her, and also a sort of birthday gift for her 1st June birthday!!
During the next month, Aadu was healthy, and did not even as much catch a cold. I was feeling very relieved that he did not have any health complaints with the change in weather etc.
We did go out to the park in Juhu (opposite Sahakari Bhandar..now Reliance Fresh) and he would run around the jogging/walking track. He would actually take one and a half round jogging, and that was great according to me coz I never saw a child his age run that much. He would then play on the swings, play in the sand, run after butterflies. He would get exhausted after that; and here I used to think that after all that play it is natural for a child his age to fall asleep.
I really had little or no way of comparing Aadu's stamina to other children. During this trip however, my aunt and her little son also came down; he was just around 2 years of age. So I had just him to compare with.
He (my aunts son Atharva) is always jumping around, and never sat still for more than 5 minutes. But he would hate to run or walk in the park, and would insist that my aunt carry him.
Compared to him, Aaditya would play at home; but could sit and watch cartoons or even a movie continuously without getting bored. At the same time, once he is out of the house and in the open there is no stopping him and his running around.
So here also I really saw no "red flags".
Early July, Aadu had a mild fever, and I gave him Panadol Syrup, to counter it. This worked well. But the fever continued for about a week and then I decided to take him to Mrs. Daftary (his Pediatrician since birth)
What proceeded next I shall write in my next post.
In May 2008 I went home for a 2 month vacation. On 30th May Aaditya and I left for Mumbai, we were really happy to go home as it was our trip after almost 1.5 years.
As I was packing, Amol was telling me how I should be careful with the water that Aadi drinks, the rains - he must not get wet, he is not used to it. He must not play in the mud, he could get sick.....and the list went on. I knew Amol was worried for Aadu and since he himself was not going to be there during this trip to India, he was making sure he voiced his concerns....but the truth I think is that he was trying to mask his sadness of having to part with his little soldier for that long a period.
Anyways, we landed in Mumbai, the family was there to receive me, and actually I had not told my mum that I was coming; so the trip was actually a surprise for her, and also a sort of birthday gift for her 1st June birthday!!
During the next month, Aadu was healthy, and did not even as much catch a cold. I was feeling very relieved that he did not have any health complaints with the change in weather etc.
We did go out to the park in Juhu (opposite Sahakari Bhandar..now Reliance Fresh) and he would run around the jogging/walking track. He would actually take one and a half round jogging, and that was great according to me coz I never saw a child his age run that much. He would then play on the swings, play in the sand, run after butterflies. He would get exhausted after that; and here I used to think that after all that play it is natural for a child his age to fall asleep.
I really had little or no way of comparing Aadu's stamina to other children. During this trip however, my aunt and her little son also came down; he was just around 2 years of age. So I had just him to compare with.
He (my aunts son Atharva) is always jumping around, and never sat still for more than 5 minutes. But he would hate to run or walk in the park, and would insist that my aunt carry him.
Compared to him, Aaditya would play at home; but could sit and watch cartoons or even a movie continuously without getting bored. At the same time, once he is out of the house and in the open there is no stopping him and his running around.
So here also I really saw no "red flags".
Early July, Aadu had a mild fever, and I gave him Panadol Syrup, to counter it. This worked well. But the fever continued for about a week and then I decided to take him to Mrs. Daftary (his Pediatrician since birth)
What proceeded next I shall write in my next post.
Friday, March 13, 2009
8 ways to avoid medical mistakes - Dr. Oz's Smart Patient Checklist
Chances are you or your loved ones will need to be hospitalized at some point. Reduce the chances of a medical mistake by following Dr. Oz's eight steps.
This is Dr. Oz, he is a regular at the Oprah Show, and I follow his site RealAge very closely for any medical or health related information.
These following steps will ensure that you or your loved one will be well taken care of while in Hospital and also will get the best treatment available.
Dr. Oz says there's a straightforward advantage to staying infection-free in a hospital. "You're in an environment that has sick people in it who have infections themselves," he says. "It's so easy to spread to you."
Step 2: Avoid wrong-site surgery
When Dr. Oz's wife, Lisa, went in for corrective eye surgery, he says she was the victim of a medical error. "They set the device for her right eye and put it on her left eye," he says. "[It] almost blinded her."
One way a patient can prevent this kind of "wrong-site surgery" error is a simple as writing a note. "If you're going to have surgery on your left arm, write 'Operate on this arm' [on your left arm]," Dr. Oz says.
Hospitals can be very hectic places, and small talk could distract your doctor. "I know you're trying to be polite, and they're trying to be polite talking back to you," Dr. Oz says. "But let them do their job."
Step 4: Find a high-tech hospital
For instance, if a hospital in your area uses bar code technology to organize treatment and medication, go to that hospital. "You will dramatically reduce the risks," Dr. Oz says.
Dr. Oz says this is like the preflight list pilots use before takeoff to prevent simple, preventable mistakes. "It turns out that if you have a simple checklist—like use a sterile cloth or drape if you're going to put a catheter in some patient—you can reduce the infection rates about 85 percent. That probably saved in the last 18 months 1,500 lives," he says.
Dr. Oz recommends researching your hospital using resources from the Joint Commission, a health safety watchdog organization. By going to a high-ranked hospital, Dr. Oz says you are rewarding excellence and forcing other hospitals to improve themselves. "Pick the places you want to get the care you desire," he says. "Those places will thrive, and other hospitals want to be like them."
Step 7: Get to know your hospitalist
Your regular doctor is your go-to gal for for the coordination of all your illnesses and treatments. But, they aren't around when you're in the hospital. That's where a hospitalist steps in.
"They know all the programs and the protocols. They're going to work closely with you to make sure you get what you need done," Dr. Oz says. "Find that person, learn who they are and work with them. That's the person that's going to help you get out of there quickly."
The key to being a smart patient is being proactive about your care, Dr. Oz says. If you hear a doctor say something that doesn't sound right to you, speak up. "If you're on medications, know what they are so you can say: 'Wait a minute. I'm supposed to get four; you just gave me a fifth one. What's going on here?'"
This is Dr. Oz, he is a regular at the Oprah Show, and I follow his site RealAge very closely for any medical or health related information.
These following steps will ensure that you or your loved one will be well taken care of while in Hospital and also will get the best treatment available.
Dr. Oz says there's a straightforward advantage to staying infection-free in a hospital. "You're in an environment that has sick people in it who have infections themselves," he says. "It's so easy to spread to you."
- Ask people to wash their hands before touching you.
- Keep hand sanitizer by your bed.
- Try to avoid bacteria-promoting items, like flowers and jewelry.
- Ask doctors to clean their stethoscopes. "Did you ever think where the stethoscope was before he examined you?" Dr. Oz says. "It was on someone else's chest, and that same bacteria gets carried to you."
- Clean television remotes.
- Ask a doctor to remove his tie, or else tuck it into his shirt. "How many men here have ever washed their tie?" Dr. Oz says. "Nobody. No one washes a tie. Doctors don't either.
Step 2: Avoid wrong-site surgery
When Dr. Oz's wife, Lisa, went in for corrective eye surgery, he says she was the victim of a medical error. "They set the device for her right eye and put it on her left eye," he says. "[It] almost blinded her."One way a patient can prevent this kind of "wrong-site surgery" error is a simple as writing a note. "If you're going to have surgery on your left arm, write 'Operate on this arm' [on your left arm]," Dr. Oz says.
Hospitals can be very hectic places, and small talk could distract your doctor. "I know you're trying to be polite, and they're trying to be polite talking back to you," Dr. Oz says. "But let them do their job."
Step 4: Find a high-tech hospital
For instance, if a hospital in your area uses bar code technology to organize treatment and medication, go to that hospital. "You will dramatically reduce the risks," Dr. Oz says.
Dr. Oz says this is like the preflight list pilots use before takeoff to prevent simple, preventable mistakes. "It turns out that if you have a simple checklist—like use a sterile cloth or drape if you're going to put a catheter in some patient—you can reduce the infection rates about 85 percent. That probably saved in the last 18 months 1,500 lives," he says.
Dr. Oz recommends researching your hospital using resources from the Joint Commission, a health safety watchdog organization. By going to a high-ranked hospital, Dr. Oz says you are rewarding excellence and forcing other hospitals to improve themselves. "Pick the places you want to get the care you desire," he says. "Those places will thrive, and other hospitals want to be like them."
Step 7: Get to know your hospitalist
Your regular doctor is your go-to gal for for the coordination of all your illnesses and treatments. But, they aren't around when you're in the hospital. That's where a hospitalist steps in.
"They know all the programs and the protocols. They're going to work closely with you to make sure you get what you need done," Dr. Oz says. "Find that person, learn who they are and work with them. That's the person that's going to help you get out of there quickly."
The key to being a smart patient is being proactive about your care, Dr. Oz says. If you hear a doctor say something that doesn't sound right to you, speak up. "If you're on medications, know what they are so you can say: 'Wait a minute. I'm supposed to get four; you just gave me a fifth one. What's going on here?'"
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The second Febrile Seizure
After the first episode of the Febrile Seizure he had another one in the month of April 2008.
This one also happened very suddenly. He was not sick, no fever, not even a cold. We went to bed as usual on the 7th night, and all through the night I felt feverish, and had body ache.
I had no clue that Aadi was also feverish, and was making 'aah' sounds as he tried to sleep. I was overcome by the agony of my own fever.
We woke up around 6:30 AM and saw that Aadi was very hot and did not look well at all, I knew the fever was high, so I rushed to the kitchen to get the suppository from the fridge, while I was on my way back, Amol asked me to hurry up as Aadi was having a seizure. As I ran into the room, I saw the same repetition of the previous episode, only this time around the major difference was that he did NOT turn blue.
I administered the suppository and within minutes the fever was down.
We decided to take him to Pantai none the less to see Dr. Azam.
After the suppository, the fever never came back, and Aadi was playing around as though nothing had happened. He was not sick at all.
At Dr. Azam's clinic also he was playful, and chatted with the doctor. Again Dr. Azam asked us to be watchful for the next 24 hours, as the fever may return and thus a seizure could happen again.
Thank fully though the fever dd not show up.
But my fever turned out to be a viral one and I was stuck to the bed for a few days.
This one also happened very suddenly. He was not sick, no fever, not even a cold. We went to bed as usual on the 7th night, and all through the night I felt feverish, and had body ache.
I had no clue that Aadi was also feverish, and was making 'aah' sounds as he tried to sleep. I was overcome by the agony of my own fever.
We woke up around 6:30 AM and saw that Aadi was very hot and did not look well at all, I knew the fever was high, so I rushed to the kitchen to get the suppository from the fridge, while I was on my way back, Amol asked me to hurry up as Aadi was having a seizure. As I ran into the room, I saw the same repetition of the previous episode, only this time around the major difference was that he did NOT turn blue.
I administered the suppository and within minutes the fever was down.
We decided to take him to Pantai none the less to see Dr. Azam.
After the suppository, the fever never came back, and Aadi was playing around as though nothing had happened. He was not sick at all.
At Dr. Azam's clinic also he was playful, and chatted with the doctor. Again Dr. Azam asked us to be watchful for the next 24 hours, as the fever may return and thus a seizure could happen again.
Thank fully though the fever dd not show up.
But my fever turned out to be a viral one and I was stuck to the bed for a few days.
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