Toto, We Aren't in Kansas Anymore...

Tell me if this resonates with you at all.

So, the school nurse has called you at work to tell you that your child  is sick and you need to drop everything right now and pick them up. 

You hastily hang up the phone, grab your keys, and rush through an apology directed towards no one as you scamper off in your high heels to go track down your car in the parking garage. 

You run a red light or two as you're trying to make a last minute appointment with your pediatrician...just in case, right? What could it be? A fever? Some throw up? Nothing you haven't seen before and you know your doctor will probably tell you it's viral..but no matter, you would rather be safe than sorry. 

You pull up to the school, rush in to grab your kid, and buckle them up. Now, on your way to the doctor. 

You're impatiently waiting while your doctor takes forever to assess your child, thinking about what calls need to be made once you get home. Maybe you can still finish some work while your baby falls asleep on the couch to the sounds of Paw Patrol. 

And then your doctor rocks your world... He tells you to go to the Emergency Room, do not pass go, do not collect $200. 

Ok, no big deal. Pack up your kid and off you go. Maybe he wants x-rays? But you're not entirely sure because you stopped listening after the words emergency and room.

You walk in, kiddo in arms, repulsed by the coughs and the dry heaves as you wait in the waiting room. Your name is called. You walk back. More assessing, more labs, more doctors. 

And then... they try to introduce you to the PICU Intensivist.

Before you know it, you and your child are swept up into a tornado of lab tests, diagnostic studies, big words, IV sticks, bad food, lame channels, scary equipment, and too many questions to think of. 

You are in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, up a creek without a paddle and you certainly aren't wearing your ruby red slippers. What are you going to do? 

Hopefully, while here, you will find a little bit of peace and solace because I am going to try and explain this to you step-by-step. So take a deep breath and let's get through this together.