Frightening Night Turns to Relief When Child's Dehydration Symptoms Led to the ER
Jill and Adam Ironside and their five-year-old daughter Iris recently went through a health scare that resulted in a trip to the emergency room. What appeared to be a stomach bug became more serious.
“She started vomiting and couldn’t stop,” Jill describes. “Even the tiniest sips of water immediately came back up.”
When Dehydration Becomes a Medical Emergency
On a Saturday morning, after several days of symptoms that included extreme fatigue and fever, Jill took Iris to UnityPoint Clinic Pediatrics – Cedar Rapids. They met with Kourtney Yoder, DNP, who the Ironside children have seen for more than a decade.
“She did a full lab workup,” Jill says. “That’s one of the many reasons we see Kourtney, because she’s so thorough.”
The results showed dehydration, and Kourtney recommended they go to the emergency room for IV fluids. The family chose to go to St. Luke’s Marion Emergency Department because it was closer to their home.
Warm Welcome and Quick Care
“The minute we walked in, the person who registered us was professional and friendly,” Jill recalls. “It almost felt like we were checking in for a hotel reservation. Within minutes, we were called back to a room. That’s when I met Quinn.”
Quinn, a nurse at the Marion ER, cared for Iris during the visit. Jill said her daughter responded well to Quinn’s approach.
“She was very calming,” Jill says. “We immediately felt cared for. She went above and beyond to make sure our very scared and sick daughter was at ease, and she knew exactly what to say to make Iris – and us – feel better. She treated my daughter as if she were her own.
“We also received wonderful care from Dr. Massoudi (Nahal Massoudi, DO, emergency medicine physician),” Jill continues. “She included us in decisions, explained everything very thoroughly and kept us informed during every step of her treatment. We truly felt as if we were the only patients in the ER that night.”
Family Shares Their Gratitude
Thankfully, Iris’ condition improved, and she was able to go home later that evening. Because the Ironsides felt so passionate about the care she received throughout their daughter’s illness, Jill sent an email to the Marion ER supervisor, recognizing everyone involved.
“Your team's efforts have not gone unnoticed,” she writes. “We know your roles are exhausting, stressful and hard. We see you working long hours and days and giving up time with your own families to save and care for ours. Please know your team made all the positive difference in our experience, and we will be forever grateful for the care Quinn, Dr. Massoudi and the rest of your team showed us.”
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