Zachary's Hospital visit

Just wanted to give you a little glimpse of what is going on in the last 24 hours. Around 6:00 last night after dinner our little Zachary started throwing up. Over the next 45 minutes he threw up around 6-8 times. So just as we were discussing me leaving to goto the store for some items needed, Jodi decided that we needed to take Zachary to the hospital. We prayed for Zachary and then we did what any family of 8 would do, loaded all the kids up in the van with electronics and coloring books and headed to the MoBay Hope Private Hospital. I'm thinking this should be quick, we'll get him checked out they'll tell us it is a stomach bug and we would be heading home. I was doing what any good father and husband would do, I wanted to make sure my son was OK and make my wife happy(she was kinda freaked out, or as she would describe it as a very concerned mother). We arrived at the hospital set the kids up in the van, locked the door and walked inside. They took Zach and mommy back while i filled out the slip of paper and the lady at the desk informed me of the cost of the visit and that I would pay after the Dr. assessed the baby.
We met with Dr. Brown and she assessed Zachary and decided to do some blood work, give him some Pedialyte and call in the pediatrician on call. The pediatrician on call could not make it to the hospital but was willing to consult so Dr. Brown proceed to take the blood against her desires to stick the baby, since she was not a trained pediatrician. It went well she tried twice and got some blood from his foot. During this time the Dr gave me the paper work to take to the front desk to pay for the procedures up to that time. So with his blood drawn and some Pedialite in his belly, Zachary was looking like our happy little baby with his big smiles. The smiles weren't as big as he normally gives but he has been sick. So now we wait for the blood tests.
Dr. Brown comes with the test results to tell us that good news was all looked good with the exception of his white blood cell count was high and it was the white blood cells that fight Bacteria. She had consulted with the Pediatrician and they wanted us to goto Cornwall Regional public hospital to have some tests and admit Zachary for treatment. My heart sank and I started praying. Fear set in, I had be to Cornwall to visit some friends before and did not desire to go back, much less have our baby admitted. The tests needed were a spinal tap to rule out meningitis and a blood and urine culture. My heart sank lower hearing spinal tap and meningitis. I started praying harder trying to be strong and calm for my wife and not show my fear. Also hearing the fact they wanted to admit him to Cornwall, a place where I thought I would not have to visit my children. We told the Dr. that we would like to do the tests and treatment at that hospital. She said they couldn't do the test but maybe the pediatrician would allow them to treat him. meanwhile i'm praying and asking God if we could just wait til tomorrow and fly him out of here. Could it wait, what would that be the wisest decision for our son, who is the best person to stick a needle in my son's spine? I was afraid.  God please help my son, let me take the pain and the risk. I also called a good friend from our church here in Jamaica who is a Dr. and asked for his recommendation. He made some calls and told me that that was the best option, the other Dr that he would recommend was off the island and that Cornwall was the only place to have the tests done.
Then my mind moves to, if we decide to do this, what are we going to do with the other children. Cornwall is a big hospital and we can't have them wait in the car(MoBay Hope is a small hospital and we parked the van just outside the door and we could keep an eye on them). I don't want my wife to go in this hospital alone. What do we do? Who do I call? Our pastor lives near the hospital, maybe he can come sit with the kids. I called and his phone is off, of course it is almost midnight. We scrambled to find his wife's number and she answered and they were more than gracious to come help. We just have to pick them up and I don't know how to get to their house. It is midnight and we need to get to the other hospital. we finally found their house and got to the hospital.
We asked Tanisha to come with us so we went to the emergency room entrance. The guard said only one person can come in with the baby. I almost exploded, I sternly told her that  I am the father and I will be going with my wife and son. She agreed and allowed the parents to go inside so Tanisha headed to the van to help watch the kids. Now we're on the adventure alone, American's in this Jamaican medical system that we don't understand. The guard searched us and our bags(diaper bag and purse), took my pocket knife and allowed us inside to the information desk. We handed the lady at the information desk the letter and she called the 8th floor to verify everything. So we waited for the approval to go up to the Pediatric ward. The nurse called back, fairly quickly and told us to come up to 8W. The lady looked at me and  seeing the look on my face, asked if I knew where that was. I told her "no" so she called someone to lead us. I looked around the room of all the people waiting, wondering how long they had been there and will they ever get treatment? Continually praying for Zachary and these people here.

We are escorted to 8W and told that Dr. Maroo was not there but "soon come". So we waited in the ward with all of the children and babies. There was around 15 children and only 2 mothers with their children. Understand the mothers were sitting in chairs next to their babies crib in big open rooms with up to six cribs in the room and open air. Praying for these children while looking at Zachary and asking God to wrap His arms around these children who's parents weren't able to be there with them.

Dr. Maroo showed up and explained the procedure and told us to wait outside. Jodi asked if she could go with Zachary and I demanded she go. The Dr was concerned with a parent being in the room to watch this procedure on their child.Thankfully God gave me a great wife and strong mother that then went with him. It would have been hard for me to be in the room watching them putting a needle in our sons back, it was bad enough to watch my wife get an epidural when our children was born. 
Jodi and Dr take Zachary to the exam room while I wait out in the ward  to continue praying for Zachary and each of these children here. As I hear Zachary crying my prayers become more intense. I am so thankful that I have a God who cares for me and my family and is a Great God through all of this no matter the outcome. They finish and the Dr tells us that she doesn't feel that there is meningitis because the spinal fluid is clear and not cloudy. Praise God, it's not certain but a glimpse of hope. So we return to the van and take our pastor and his wife home and then back to the other hospital. We arrive they take us to a room with a crib and a bed so we lay our happy baby on the bed and Jodi curls up next to him as the nurse hooks up the IV with the antibiotics. I return to the van to return home so we can all get a little sleep seeing it is now 3am. - Jeffrey