Throughout the last week in the aftermath of some bad, bad, bad (did I mention bad?!) days; I've discovered a new milestone kind of event. I like to call it the 'Click'.
If you are a parent, think of it this way. Your child is running a fever, lethargic, definitely not acting right. You explain the symptoms to the scheduler. Re-explain them to the nurse. Get the confirmation that you do indeed need to make an appointment. Haul the sick one and all the siblings into the clinic. Camp out in the segregated sick area. Endure nasty glares from the healthy kids' parents because your kids get to sit by the fish and play with the house toy. (Theda Appleton ped parents, you know what I'm talking about) Try to remember the child's birthdate as you drag 4 kids into the exam room. Strip down a squirmy child. Settle the siblings in with treats/techy gadgets/distractions. Play the 'how-many-pieces-can-I-rip-the-'protective'-exam-table-cover-into' game. Explain the symptoms to the nurse. Get an excellent cardio & strength workout by wrangling 4 kids in a 5 by 10 foot room with lots of tools they can't touch and cabinets they can't open. Finally, explain the symptoms yet again, but this time to the doctor. Then it happens. A peak in the ears, in the throat, and up the nose and whaalaa.
Click.
"Well, Mom, it looks like little Susie has an ear infection."
Click.
The universe lines up with just that one sentence. In one sentence the sleepless nights, the fever, the crabbiness, the clinginess - it all clicks. You aren't really going insane. You really aren't imaging things. You really aren't just completely overwhelmed. You aren't just neglecting the one child causing them to act out for attention. Your child is sick.
Click.
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| Less than a week after Addy was diagnosed with 2 ear infections we were back to the doctor for a weird cough that was keeping her up at night. |
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| Miss Addy Paddy has added croup to her illness repertoire. With an anti inflammatory dose at the clinic, some otc meds at night, and a humidifier in her room she has started sleeping 4-5 hours at a time before waking up barking. She's as happy as can be during the day, even if her mother is more exhausted than she has ever been. |
PS - It would be well worth my time and money to invest in learning how to use the special tool to examine my kids' ears for ear infections. Half the battle when dealing with sick kids is debating if/when they need to be taken into the doctor. 75% of the time when they are taken in, it usually is 'viral' and all they can do is remind you of the correct tylenol or motrin dosage & send you on your merry way.
1 comments:
I can't imagine how tough it would be to have sick kids. It's bad enough when I have to try and weigh whether or not it's worth it to haul my SELF to the doctor, and my OWN symptoms and feelings, much less try to explain someone else's -- someone without language skills, someone who can't articulate too far beyond "ouch" and crying. No thank you!
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