Last week my 7 year old daughter was rushed to hospital with ‘Acute exacerbation of asthma’. Except it wasn’t.
It was #covid and she had a false negative tests.
I’m a qualified nurse - and I have been managing her asthma for years, I thought I knew what to look out for.
1/16
It was #covid and she had a false negative tests.
I’m a qualified nurse - and I have been managing her asthma for years, I thought I knew what to look out for.
1/16
She had contact with a covid positive person
Dec 21st & developed a bit of a cough.
On the evening of 22nd Dec my husband heard her cough & went in to check on her. I called out for him to check her sats.
I only asked he check her sats because of a tweet that I’d seen.
2/16
Dec 21st & developed a bit of a cough.
On the evening of 22nd Dec my husband heard her cough & went in to check on her. I called out for him to check her sats.
I only asked he check her sats because of a tweet that I’d seen.
2/16
It told me get prepared for #OMICRON wave.
1. Thermometer
2. Pulse oximeter
3. Watch 2 min video telling me when to be worried
(I already had thermometer, BP machine, nebuliser even a stethoscope - but I didn’t have a sats machine, so ordered one for my armoury).
3/16
1. Thermometer
2. Pulse oximeter
3. Watch 2 min video telling me when to be worried
(I already had thermometer, BP machine, nebuliser even a stethoscope - but I didn’t have a sats machine, so ordered one for my armoury).
3/16
Next thing he flies in pale faced telling me her sats were 89%.
Skeptical I go in to look (AKA supervise…)
I look & see:
- Not breathless ❌
- No elevated respiration rate ❌
- No laboured breathing ❌
She looked peacefully asleep. #Silenthypoxia ? Like the video?
4/16
Skeptical I go in to look (AKA supervise…)
I look & see:
- Not breathless ❌
- No elevated respiration rate ❌
- No laboured breathing ❌
She looked peacefully asleep. #Silenthypoxia ? Like the video?
4/16
Next the obligatory “machine MUST be broken” comedy sketch… my finger, his finger = 99%
Her toe… 89%. Hmmmm.
Mild panic building….
Give inhaler - no better.
Over to window for cold air - no improvement.
10 more puffs of inhaler - nope, sats still under 90%. Hmmmm.
5/16
Her toe… 89%. Hmmmm.
Mild panic building….
Give inhaler - no better.
Over to window for cold air - no improvement.
10 more puffs of inhaler - nope, sats still under 90%. Hmmmm.
5/16
I stand there wondering what to do (knowing what to do - but Im frightened). My husband jolts me to reality saying “Are you calling an ambulance?’
I call 999 & 2 ambulance crews turn up, rush us into resus at A&E at Birmingham’s Children’s Hospital. (Why are we in resus?!)
6/16
I call 999 & 2 ambulance crews turn up, rush us into resus at A&E at Birmingham’s Children’s Hospital. (Why are we in resus?!)
6/16
Has she ever been to ITU they asked? (Why are you asking?!)
Sats now 89% on 8 litres of oxygen.
I keep thinking we only found out because of a tweet making me buy a sats probe…
Covid swab negative. Just asthma… “But she’s been with someone who’s tested positive.”
7/16
Sats now 89% on 8 litres of oxygen.
I keep thinking we only found out because of a tweet making me buy a sats probe…
Covid swab negative. Just asthma… “But she’s been with someone who’s tested positive.”
7/16
This doesn’t seem like her asthma. Covid?
Really does seems different.
Next evening - 23rd Dec we start to get improvement…
Back to back salbutamol & ipratropium nebulisers, steroids & Oxygen support. Still only sats of 93% on 8 litres of oxygen - but its a start
8/16
Really does seems different.
Next evening - 23rd Dec we start to get improvement…
Back to back salbutamol & ipratropium nebulisers, steroids & Oxygen support. Still only sats of 93% on 8 litres of oxygen - but its a start
8/16
P.s. it was our wedding anniversary & we spent a very uncomfortable night curled up in chairs by her bed.
I was exhausted… slept very deeply - but my husband hardly slept a wink. She pulled her sats probe off (apparently). I slept through all the alarms I was so tired!
9/16
I was exhausted… slept very deeply - but my husband hardly slept a wink. She pulled her sats probe off (apparently). I slept through all the alarms I was so tired!
9/16
Next day-Christmas Eve! Sats 94% on room air… & we go home ❤️
We had a lovely Christmas.
I slept.
A lot.
Today my step-children were coming to see us! Careful to keep her safe… they lateral flow. And we do too… you know it’s just kinda the polite thing to do 🤷♀️
10/16
We had a lovely Christmas.
I slept.
A lot.
Today my step-children were coming to see us! Careful to keep her safe… they lateral flow. And we do too… you know it’s just kinda the polite thing to do 🤷♀️
10/16
We’ve just had a negative PCR - no chance of covid.
But she comes up positive.
“Oh my God now she has covid on top of this?!?! Do we go back to hospital?!”
Then my rational reasonable father pointed out - “Wouldn’t it be more likely that Covid put her in hospital?”
11/16
But she comes up positive.
“Oh my God now she has covid on top of this?!?! Do we go back to hospital?!”
Then my rational reasonable father pointed out - “Wouldn’t it be more likely that Covid put her in hospital?”
11/16
We stand watching her play happily after getting in from a walk in the park.
My dads idea certainly seems plausible…
Checked her over:
Sats - 99% on room air.
No temperature.
Peek-flow 170.
Yeah, she’s had covid… that put her in the hospital =
False negative PCR.
12/16
My dads idea certainly seems plausible…
Checked her over:
Sats - 99% on room air.
No temperature.
Peek-flow 170.
Yeah, she’s had covid… that put her in the hospital =
False negative PCR.
12/16
Maybe it was lucky I hadn’t known it was covid when she was so poorly. I’d have been distraught.
This is when she “didn’t have covid” on the 23rd of December 2021.
13/16
This is when she “didn’t have covid” on the 23rd of December 2021.
13/16
This is today when she is “covid positive”.
Obviously a false negative.
There is so much we don’t know about this virus.
Negative PCR and lateral flow - yet 3 days later she’s showing positive.
14/16
Obviously a false negative.
There is so much we don’t know about this virus.
Negative PCR and lateral flow - yet 3 days later she’s showing positive.
14/16
Kids bounce back so quickly - she has recovered like nothing happened at all!
I am ‘slightly’ more traumatised…
Buy a sats probe. It saved my daughters life. Even if you never need it. Well then - even better.
15/16
I am ‘slightly’ more traumatised…
Buy a sats probe. It saved my daughters life. Even if you never need it. Well then - even better.
15/16
The advice given to me was - get prepared for #OMICRON wave.
1. Thermometer
2. Pulse oximeter (oxygen monitor)
3. Watch 2 min vid.
And remember, don’t delay contact. If you are worried get in touch with your healthcare provider!
#CareForCovid
16/16
1. Thermometer
2. Pulse oximeter (oxygen monitor)
3. Watch 2 min vid.
And remember, don’t delay contact. If you are worried get in touch with your healthcare provider!
#CareForCovid
16/16
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