Yesterday is the sickest one of my kids has ever been. Kira woke up fine, but by 9:30 was lying on the couch listless and not interested in breakfast. Then she threw up her apple juice and I knew something was very wrong.
Her fever came on suddenly and got up to 103 with the medication taking over an hour to have an effect. We rushed her to the pediatrician's office where the American health care system proceeded to fail us for the first time (please, Obama save us!). Our insurance did not cover the next day strep test, only the 3 day strep test. Who is going to wait 3 days to find out if their kid has strep?
We started giving her the antibiotic anyway- one she hasn't had before. And since my dh is allergic to all known antibiotics, it's always a scary thing to give the kids a new drug. I went as far as the give her the first dose in the doctor's office, just in case. (if you haven't guessed, I'm a basketcase about this stuff).
I don't do any medical very well, especially when it has to do with me or one of my kids. Honestly, if I have a splinter in my finger, my whole day is ruined until I get it out. I do not exaggerate. I thought to myself as I held my 104.5 degree, shivering child in a tub of lukewarm water, listening to her beg for a blanket to warm up, how do the parents of severely ill children do it?
I have a new respect for these parents who keep the proverbial stiff upper lip while their kid is strapped down for an MRI or gets her body destroyed by chemo or radiation. I was losing in front of my kid when she only had a high fever.
Thankfully, the night was better than the evening. Her temperature actually went down to normal for about 5 hrs (yes, my husband and I checked her every hour). And when it started back up again, it didn't go over 102. Today she's a little warm (about 100), but playing, eating, drinking, joking around.
So it seems she's out of the woods. She hasn't even needed her next dose of Advil. I guess I can put a hold on the panic for now. Maybe my neck muscles will unravel, maybe I can eat today, maybe the headache from clenching my teeth will subside. Unless, of course, the baby gets it. I keep nursing her like a fiend, willing my milk to ward off the illness.
I don't want my baby to get this. I don't want her to suffer, and she doesn't take medicine well. Selfishly, I also don't want to go through again what I went through yesterday. And God forbid I should be tested with something worse. I don't want to have to find out whether or not I could handle it.
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Oh Christy, I am so sorry to hear Kira was sick. Fever can be stressful--but try to gently remind yourself that this is actually a good thing. Your daughter's body knows what to do to fight the beasties and that is to crank up the temperature.
Noah had 3 days of intense fever about a month ago and I was a wreak too. It magically disappeared and three days later he a had a slight cold.
I'll pray that the little one (and you!) are spared from whatever ailed Kira.
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