Yesterday was not the best day I've ever had.
It wasn't the worst by any means but still.
The kid woke up late which was fine by me but by lunch it was obvious she wasn't feeling well.
Out comes the digital thermometer.
Holy Crap!
Her axillary temp was 103.8.
We parents know to add 1.8 to that to get the actual temperature.
105.6
That is pretty freakin high.
Remaining calm-cause that's what you do-I pulled out the children's Tylenol and gave her the recommended dosage.
Within 30 minutes her temp had gone down by three degrees and she was comfortable, alert and playing-albeit in a very scaled down fashion.
Everything was fine and so was I.
4 o'clock rolls around and the girl goes from fine(ish) to nearly comatose and wet noodle stage(that is medical description by the way) in less than 5 minutes.
Yes, freak out time arrived guns blazing.
That was not the first time I've seen that let's just say and leave it at that for now.
Temperature back up to 105.
Give the Kid more Tylenol-doesn't seem to be as effective.
She complained of her neck hurting.
Time to go.
Call our family doc at 4:32.
Their office closes at 4:30 on the dot.
Yay.
Call Big Daddy D(no easy task) and agree to meet at an urgent care facility.
Of course by the time everything is said and seen the Tylenol has taken effect and she appears quite chipper though her temp is still high at 101.
Strep is negative, no apparent meningitis symptoms.
Very good news indeed.
Instructions are continue with Tylenol and if her temp shoots up or the limp noodle effect recurs go to the ER.
Within minutes of leaving Urgent Care and arriving home, both symptoms recurred.
Off again-this time to the hospital-not a favorite place as you may well know.
The Kid decided for some reason to talk about her dead sister Maggie on the way.
Is she dead?
Why did she die?
Was she sick like me?
Am I gonna get big like you, Daddy?
Is the doctor gonna make me better?
I'm broken.
I was terrified.
I cried.
All things considered we were seen quickly though of course her temperature had dropped again and slowly but surely she perked up and became her usual loquacious self.
100.1
Well hydrated.
No strep.
No meningitis.
Viruses just do this.
It happens.
Duh-I know that.
So do convulsions and irreversible brain damage.
Death.
All told it seems rather cut and dried and I'd like to keep it that way.
And just keep breathing and moving forward.
I absolutely hate having a point of reference for when things go wrong.
I'm not a reactionist.
We don't run to the doctor for every sneeze and sniffle and bout of vomiting.
But I will never be able to handle an unconscious child, breathing hard, flopping limply in my arms.
Never.
10 comments:
You shouldn't have to handle that...it's my worst fear.
I am so sorry-Damn virus. That line between being a panicked mom and not taking something serious enough is a tough one. Parenting..it aint for the weak.
Exactly-it's a fine line we walk and it can be hard not to peek over the edge at times. Back on solid footing today. Thank God.
Girl, no one would be able to handle an unconscious child. Whether they have a point of reference or not...so the fact you were freaking is completely normal in my book.
I'm glad things worked out, and I'm glad things are better today!!!!!!
There's nothing more terrifying than what you went through because you're so helpless. I am so glad that everything turned out well!
Don't let the kid get you going w/ the death talk. No offense. What'd the doctor say?
Nej-yep, unconscious as opposed to asleep should make anyone worry. I don't feel bad about that at all.
Monty-feeling helpless was perhaps the worst of it.
M@-The kid did get us going with the death talk. She was curious I guess. I don't take offense(she got me at a weak moment what can I say ;)Kids have no sense of appropriate conversations you know? Always saying the worst thing at just the right time in any situation.
The fever-even as high as it was-alone was not too bad(rolling my eyes and a big whatever) and as long as she doesn't start coughing, vomiting or breaking out in spots there is nothing to be concerned about.
aww poor Mommy Brook!!!!! that is sooo damn hard on a mother!!
Some people tend to get higher fevers than others... on a recurring basis... if that's the case of your child, then a high fever might be less scary than if she never had a bad one. I don't know why... I have just observed (but that makes it hard for doctors to generalize - you are the one knowing your child, nobody knows her like you do).
oh and BTW the death talk? It's good that it's not a taboo for her I think... even if it hurt you.
Well I bet that was scary. I remember once getting Rose up in the morning and she was hot, cried to the tough, limp, and a horrible gray-green color. Not right. Yeah, we hauled ass to ER just like you. Turned out to be a kidney infection. It was very scary.
If it is any consolation in the future, 108°F is high. 101°F is low grade so Evie was running right in the middle. If the tylenol/motrin works and you can keep her comfortable you won't have to figure out how to pay the doc or ER.
But it's that stuff IN ADDITION to the fever that is scary. Don't I know it.
On the plus side, thank goodness that all happened yesterday and not today going into a holiday weekend. See, there is a bright spot.
Hope you all got to rest, relax and recover today so that you can all enjoy the weekend.
LOE-crap(tell me)It would be easier if she had had more fevers. She has been sick(excepting the past 6 weeks) one-yes !ONE!-time. I will be a bit(!) more responsive to her mood/functioning capabilities in the future.
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