We took babies first trip to the ER last night. Yes, we took photos, but they are on Derek’s phone so I can’t post them yet.
The boy has been running a bit of a temperature the past few days. Tuesday it was 100. Wednesday also around 100. We went to the pediatrician Wednesday afternoon because we read on Dr. Internets that Tylenol can have a drug interaction with the TB medicine he is taking. Boy also has a hacking cough and he wasn’t drinking many fluids. The nurse said to bring him in. Doc said it was just a virus. Gave us a script for eye drops because he had gunk coming out of his eyes and sent us home. He was up at around midnight with a fever right around 103 Wednesday night. We got some Motrin in him and got him back to sleep. Thursday he ran a temperature around 102 all day. Drinking liquids in small doses and real lethargic. We gave him a cool bath and he passed out while I read The Lorax. About 20 minutes after we put him in bed he was up crying. Fever 104-105. Off to the ER!
Now our local hospital happens to be the County General. It shares an ER with Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital. Only one of the best children’s hospital in the state. So we have to endure the waiting room at the regional hospital to see the good docs. I have to say that the waiting room there rivals that of the local social security office. And why in God’s name do Samoan women run in packs? There were 6 Samoan chicks in the waiting room and I am sure that only one of them may have been sick. There were women with teenage kids who I don’t think were more than teenagers themselves. And there was definitely at least one crack ho if not more.
3 hours later we were sent home. Boy has a virus. Same thing his pediatrician told us two days ago. They gave him some Motrin. Took a “just in case” chest x-ray, because of that whole TB thing, and jammed a q-tip down my child’s throat to rule out strep. Fun times!
While we were waiting the boy fell asleep in my arms. When the kid sleeps he sleeps like the dead. But for some reason something startled him and he woke up. Then the crying. We calmed him down, all was fine. By the time we got home the power nap was evidently enough for him because when we walked in the door he said, “play toys.” Um no. It’s 1:00 in the morning. You are going to bed. Of course he was up again at 3:30.
Did any of that make sense. I’ve barely slept.
This whole experience has taught me something. When you have a biological child (or get a brand new baby) there are lots of resources on what to do in the event of… Baby has a fever, pull out some magical parenting book and it will tell you at what point the illness is an emergency. When you become the parent to a toddler there is no such book. There are 8′ of books on parenting an infant. There are like 2 whole books on parenting a toddler. That being said I took it upon myself to create at handy flow chart for those in my same situation*. This is along the lines of the Snot Color Analysis Chart.
*This chart was not written by a medical professional. Some information may not be accurate. Use as a rough guide only. Users may not hold the author or anyone associated with the author responsible for any mishaps in parenting you may encounter because of use of said flow chart.
Sorry to hear the munchkin is sick. You made as much sense as you could considering the circumstances. Sucks to have a sick child. Glenys has gotten the fever virus once, stomach throw up bug twice and general snottiness several times. Thankfully due to a mom who had 4 kids herself we didn’t end up in the ER. The ped told us we were up against the fever virus though and that was because several kids had it.
Yea germs.
Beverly
I hope he feels better soon and mom gets her well deserved sleep as well.
Oh, I hope you ALL get some rest today – I’ve done the ER thing, it’s exhausting.
Poor little nugget…but HEY, I dig that chart!
Yikes! Hope he’s feeling better soon!
We have yet to be graced with the ER visit…
*knocking on wood*
Even in a crisis and sleep deprived you are funny! I hope your boy is feeling better and that you can sneak a nap in somewhere. (Is that something that only a person with no children says?) oh well, I got a referral from St. Petersberg 2 days ago so maybe my naivete is short lived from here on (hopefully!)
Good luck with your sweet little sicky.
I’m sorry your son is feeling so bad. I hope it runs its course and he’s feeling better soon.
Love the chart, BTW!
Feel better pickle! 🙂
Ha, Ha, Ha…..we have all been there babe! Atleast you didn’t have to drive from Oly at 330am to Mary Bridge. You know you are a parent when…..:) Hope he gets better (this is the time when you call on the grandparents/friends/whatever that has said “if you ever need any help just call”)(by the way don’t call me we are doing a Matt’s Mom’s family reunion at her place….well…actually…perhaps you should call me PLEASE!!!! Take care and give lots o hugs to O
HAHA! I love that chart. I need to scan in the one my mum made for us when we were little.. nurse mummy made one when my oldest brother began babysitting us… He was 14 and the chart is very detailed.. but it does end in a similar “consider ebola” stance.
Cute.
Oh no! I hope he’s feeling better.
The chart? Yeah. Thanks. Laughed so hard I spouted carbonated water out the nose. It may just be water — but it hurt.
Sounds very similar to what we just went through a week or two ago. Nick was running 104.6 on and off for several days. As soon as he got over it, Ben got it and I felt bad most of the time too. Yuck. Hope you guys don’t get it and the boy gets over it quickly.
It’s the worst. Watching someone you love that is so tiny and helpless feel miserable. This too shall pass. Smiles and hugs to all.
I have some ER visit nightmare stories with kids. Generally speaking I avoid the ER at all costs. Luckily I am married to a doc who screens everything and calls in medicine whenever we need it. Yes I am blessed or lucky or something. I hope your little tyke- and you are doing better. Thanks for the handy chart!
Poor little guy… hope he is feeling better soon
thanks for always looking out for those of us following along behind… ;>
Poor little guy…makes you feel so helpless.
Your charts freakin crack me up…and I don’t look at your blog for a couple of days and I leave with kitchens and come back to ER visits!!
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