Tis the Season....

There is a plague upon my house. As many of you know, we have been battling staph the past few months. Not long ago, Sinclair got a double ear infection. We have all been flirting with sickness (respiratory) since Hurricane Ike.  Early Sunday morning, Sinclair awoke at 3 AM to a bad cough and a continuous runny nose and a fever.   By the time we arrived home on Sunday night Sinclair was battling 103 fever and chills.  

John and I  started a series of alcohol based sponge baths, to bring her fever down.  This followed the Mortin/Tylenol cocktails.  My main concern, especially with a fever rising so rapidly is to make sure the neck maintains range of motion.  Which is the first sign of Meningitis.

I called our (now former) Pediatrician, Dr L on Sunday evening to enlighten him of our situation.  I never received a call back until two hours after I placed the second call.  Then the call was only from an answering service.  My wonderful husband reminded me this "habit" of not returning calls happened the only two other times we had called in two years that we had been going to Dr. L.  

Finally, when I had not heard back from our pediatrician I pulled out all the stops and ended up emailing our friend and Chief of Surgery at Texas Children's, Dr Sam Stal.  I explained Sinclair's symptoms and how we were handling it.  Fortunately, within moments I got an email from Dr Stal assuring me we were handling it in the appropriate manner.  Dr Stal did assure me Sinclair needed to get to be seen first thing the next morning.  Also to get as much liquids in her as possible.  John and I made a fabulous discovery that Pedialite makes Popsicles the same color as Dora the Explorers running buddy, "Boots" the monkey.  This is brilliant market -- sheer genius worthy of the Nobel prize!

Monday we loaded up the ghetto sled and headed to Dr L's office.  I explained all her symptoms, that included vomiting.  He took out his flashlight and looked into her throat and immediately said "That looks so gross" (note to self:  Does my health plan cover such a detailed diagnosis?) He swabbed her throat and assured us it was not strep.  This was a concern since two children in her class have been confirmed with strep.  I asked if we could take a blood sample and he said "it was not necessary, she had the crud" (again, this man went to MIT  and he could not come up with a better description?)  I left with no medicine, a very sick baby and no more informed, yet a lot more frustrated.

I gently mentioned to Dr. L that he never returned my call back and he said "I am not that tekkie when it comes to phones" and he pulled out his $15 (I know because he told me the price) Radio Shack disposable cell with tape wrapped around it. I mentioned he needed to get a Blackberry and even said we probably had an extra one at home I could bring him to test drive. He said he rarely checked email (nice man but he was sliding downhill fast in my eyes) but he admired my Blackberry Bold 3G and glanced at my inbox and saw that Dr. Stal had emailed me. He said "I am impressed he is a really big deal, he is the cleft lip King" -- I laughed and said "he was kind enough to talk me off the medical ledge when you did not call me back" We both laughed but I must admit I was a bit perturbed.  

By Monday evening, 8 hours later,  I got a phone call from my old friend and our new Pediatrician, Dr. Don Schaffer.   He said "If she gets any worse call my cell, home or text me,  just come to my office first thing in the morning" (To say it was instant love and admiration does not do the feeling justice)  A Pediatrician with a cell phone?? Doncha love modern medicine??

The following morning we are waiting in a room and "Dr Donnie" as everyone calls him walks in and Sinclair starts balling.  He looks at her and laughs "we have never met, how do you not know we won't be new friends?"  She looked at him with tears in her big blue eyes and said "I don't want any new friends"  He proceeded to swab, take blood and thoroughly evaluate.  She then showed her appreciation by vomiting everywhere.  Conclusion:  She had a viral infection in her throat and a bacterial infection in her tummy.  Dr Schaffer told me it was imperative that she drink lots of fluids (no milk or juice though).  Sinclair being on the verge of dehydration may require an IV if she keeps on this path.  

It has been impossible to get Gatorade and water in the Princess.  Mommy, on the other hand needs a drink but is too tired to uncork the wine bottle!!!  

I HAVEN’T BEEN OUT OF MY HOUSE IN DAYS!

Okay, not really. I have driven  my daughter to our "old" (as in former) Pediatrician and our new Pediatrician.   Alas, our "limp as a dishrag" daughter have really put us on lock down and I have not had any meaningful mommy-to-mommy contact for  a week now.

Our week in the isolation unit has been a reminder to me that the myriad of kid's activities that consume our weekdays are as much for ME as they are for my child.  I have been missing those little opportunities to see adults on a daily basis. Hopefully, a healthier (and more social) week lies ahead.  This includes back in the blogging world too!